So what is the deal? Yamaha (and I am sure others too) has a receiver that will output to 11.2 with an "ideal" setup consisting of 11 discrete speakers and then 2 subs.

You may recall 5.1 is:

Front Left
Center
Front Right
Surround Left
Surround Right
LFE

7.1 adds:
Left Rear
Right Rear

11.2 adds:
Front Left "Presence"
Front Right "Presence"
Rear Left "Presence"
Rear Right "Presence"
Second LFE (one is for the "right" and the other for the "left")


I can't imagine why anyone would need 11.2 since so little seems to be recorded as anything more than 5.1 right now.

So what gives?

I would be interested in hearing that setup. I'm not sure how dramatic a difference it is, but it would be worth listening to. I think I'd go for 4 subwoofer outputs before presence speakers, though.

I think the presence speakers are to add height to the sound reproduction. That said, *&!$ that &*@$.

More height and just more sound all over for really big rooms I would think. I couldn't get any more speakers in my room than I have now..... well, once I fill up the space where the CRT sits with a nice big screen.

Yamaha Presence speakers explained

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=41243

You know that Yamaha also makes and sell speakers. This could be a way for the company to increase speaker sales.

paul

Are they a subsidiary of Halliburton?