What surround sound system is better for me?

Help? My dad and I are arguing because he says that a 7.1 surround sound system sounds "better" than 5.1?

• Read everything: I know that you get just more detail, because you need more speakers (7 and a sub which is the LFE channel) therefore you get 360 sound. The thing is that we only have 5.1 hardware, equipment, or however you want to call it. We only have 5 speakers plus the subwoofer. My dad says that although we only have 5 speakers, the home theater and the movie release and give a "more clear and crisp sound quality" when it is in 7.1 mode. How is that even possible? I even told him that he is losing some detail due to the 2 extra channels that we DON'T hear because we simply don't have the speakers. He says that the home theater automatically sets up the speakers to work in 7.1 mode so you get the better sound. I know that, but we don't have the hardware for it!!!! Am I right? Is he? Please give me an advice... And explain in simple words so he can read it by himself and understand it (our first language is not English) Btw: he gave me an examlple, in other terms. He told me: "you see the difference between DVD and blu-ray in the same tv? well, it's the same with 5.1 and 7.1... it is about the home theater system (not the speakers, just the console, the main thing that controls everything. I don't know the name of it.) the speakers don't matter. If it is 7.1 it sounds better, just like blu ray looks better" what!!!???? There is no point of comparison, one is video and the other one is audio! So, who is right? I feel frustrated because I don't know how to explain it to him, guys, haha. Thanks. Excuse me if I made a grammar mistake, but as I said English is not my first language. :)

• Answer:

  No. The only difference between 5.1 and 7.1 is the number of channels. There is no relationship to quality. There are 2.0 amplifiers from the 60s and 70s that have better quality than some of the cheap 7.1 systems being sold today. A high quality 5.1 will have better quality than a cheap 7.1 system. >My dad says that although we only have 5 speakers, the home theater and the movie release and give a "more clear and crisp sound quality" when it is in 7.1 mode.< Totally untrue. Most movies aren't even encoded in 7.1 sound. >"you see the difference between DVD and blu-ray in the same tv?< Bad example. DVD and Blu-Ray are an example of two different systems. Not an existing system with an addition, as is multi channel sound. >home theater automatically sets up the speakers to work in 7.1 mode so you get the better sound. < Also untrue. Perhaps in some type of "auto" mode. Otherwise one has to "setup" a receiver or other type of surround sound decoder for the proper sound field. Furthermore, avid audiophiles disdain surround sound. They spend large sums of money on 2.0 systems with the premise that music does not present itself in surround sound when heard live. Any "surround ambiance" will come from the room, not speakers. The whole idea of high fidelity sound is to recreate the original performance as accurately as possible and any deviation from that is considered distortion. >"more clear and crisp sound quality" when it is in 7.1 mode.< Higher quality comes from equipment with better specifications. Learn to read specifications and you will be able to see that a 7.1 system made by LG will have poorer specifications than a receiver or some other type of surround sound equipment from a high end manufacturer such as B&K.