new setup, new user.
Should the rear surround speakers always provide sound in a 7.1 setup? They work fine but no sound comes from them except if I simulate 7.1.

Denon 3310CI
Oppo BDP83
M22s
VP150
Ep350
4xQS8

Yeah, that's normal.

There really isn't much 7.1 content, with the exception of Blu-Ray. Anything else, your processor has to be told to make it up.

Yep, I would recommend using Dolby Digital + PLIIx mode, that gives me the best results.

Yup, sirquack is right, though I find for music I sometimes prefer Neo6 if your processor has it - seems to put less emphasis on the center channel.

For an awesome 7.1 discrete soundtrack, check out Chris Botti in Boston

Cheers,

Oh yeah Dan, I was mainly talking about movies. For music I still listen to a lot of 2 channel stuff, but have experimented with PLIIx Music, Neo6, and even 7 channel stereo modes.

NB, welcome. Of course the rear surrounds can't produce sound if no signal is sent to them. There's still very little actual discrete 7.1 material and so, yes, to use all your speakers you should apply processing such as DPLIIx with both 2-channel and 5.1 material to put them to work. "Simulate" perhaps isn't the best description of the process, since only the natural rear ambience mixed into the front channels or side surround channels is extracted and sent to the back surrounds where it belongs. Nothing artificial is added, but what's already there is reproduced a little more realistically.

Lions Gate Productions have some 7.1 ch material. If you are worried about them not working just flip it over to 7ch stereo for a sec or two.

Later
Phil

I found this great site you will have to check it out to find out all your 7.1CH BR movies.

Blu Ray stats...filter page

later
Phil

Thanks Phil, someone had posted that earlier but I had deleted the link in an overzealous cleaning of my favorites.

Geez - that's a great link Phil. Thanks. 1st time I've seen it.