Home Theater Surround Sound: What Is The Difference Between 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 ?

It is very easy to get frustrated by all of the differentEverything is the same as the 5.1, except...
kinds of surround sound packages that are availableThere is an additional rear center channel speaker for
today.sound effects.
Should I get 5.1 or 7.1 Surround sound?Did you know they even have 7.1 surround sound
What do these numbers actually stand for?now?
What is the difference between a 5.1, 6.1, 7,1 soundEverything remains the same for the 5.1 surround
system?sound.
Which is the best for me?Now instead of a rear center channel speaker like a
What Do The Numbers Mean?6.1...
Simply put, each number represents the total numberThere are (2) middle speakers for left and right sound.
of speakers in the surround sound system.These are centered midway between your front left
For example a 5.1 surround sound would have:and right & the rear left and right speakers.
(1) Center Channel speaker that you hear theWhich Surround Sound System Is Best For Me?
characters talking through. (This is often placed on top ,Well it depends on a few things...
above or below your television.)Was your home pre-wired for surround sound? The
(2) Front speakers for left and right audio. (These areindustry standard for a standard room is 5.1.
installed on either side of your tv) Imagine hearing all ofIf you wanted to use 6.1 or 7.1 you would have to run
the back ground music through these as well as thethe wires through a beasement or crawl space.
sound effects of the siren of a police car heading rightI7.1 may not be practical to use in a smaller room.
at you.Another consideration is that even in a large open
(2) Rear speakers for left and right audio. These areroom...there may be no place to mount the middle
used for background sound effects .surround speakers. When it comes to using a 7.1
What does the ".1" in 5.1 stand for?system, most people opt to use it in a large cnema or
This simply is the subwoofer that gives you the basstheater room that has enough space to mount them
for your sound effects. (You can place it behind theproperly.
drapes or under a table .)Who knows what they will come up with next to
What about the 6.1 surround sound system ?simulate a real life experience while watching a movie?