2.1 vs 5.1 vs 7.1 – Which is Best for You? - Enclave Audio Technologies, LLC

When stereo (aka two-channel stereo or 2.0) sound became available to consumers in the 1950's it added a more realistic soundstage for music listening where instruments and vocals could be separated and placed to the left and right front sides of the listening room. With the beginnings of the home theater in the 1970s and ‘80s, surround sound was introduced which resulted in expanded speaker layouts that placed sounds all around the room. The most common stereo and surround sound channel/speaker setups in use are 2.1, 5.1, and 7.1. Skip to section Channels and Speakers What the terms 2.1, 5.1, and 7.1 mean. 2.1 Channels 2.1 channel speaker placement. 5.1 Channels 5.1 channel speaker placement 7.1 Channels 7.1 channel speaker placement 7.1 Channel Speaker Setup Variations Additional Speaker Placement Tips Surround sound sources and formats The bottom line. Channels and Speakers
When stereo (aka two-channel stereo or 2.0) sound became available to consumers in the 1950's it added a more realistic soundstage for music listening where instruments and vocals could be separated and placed to the left and right front sides of the listening room. With the beginnings of the home theater in the 1970s and ‘80s, surround sound was introduced which resulted in expanded speaker layouts that placed sounds all around the room. The most common stereo and surround sound channel/speaker setups in use are 2.1, 5.1, and 7.1. Skip to section Channels and Speakers What the terms