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Do the receiver and Bluray player have multi-channel analogue connection? You could potentially take advantage of lossless audio that way, though depending on the player's DAC quality it might not be all that much better than a lossy encode. Plus if there is processing being done it might end up converting back to digital again anyway, and some receivers have a problem with LFE levels coming out 10 db too low with this kind of connection, so it's not a sure thing. Bluray discs usually have AC3 640 kbps or DTS 1509 kbps as an alternative to the lossless sound, so at least you're getting the best lossy version possible; and of course if your speakers aren't very revealing the difference can be hard to perceive anyway . . .
I've never heard a 6.1 or 7.1 setup, so I don't have firsthand knowledge of what that sounds like. Now that you mention it I do remember seeing that some of the HP films were mixed that way. The dvd's have 5.1 Dolby-EX, so the additional rear channel is matrixed out of phase between the two side surrounds rather than being discrete. I get pretty good results with standard 5.1--my back speakers are off to the side and a few feet over my head at the listening position, which is pretty much where they're supposed to go. I think I'd get a better effect with dipole surrounds, since standard speakers are easy to localise in a small room which is contrary to the intended effect of surround sound, but it's not a major problem.
A lot of people have really crappy subwoofers, if they have them at all, but they don't notice since they only care about loudness. I really don't like listening to sloppy, distorted bass, which is why I made sure to get a subwoofer with high fidelity and precise controlled output (though of course it can play loudly when called for). In addition to being excellent for music, it is also easy to tell which films put effort in creating good LFE and which just use generic one-note boom for everything.
Probably going to see Prisoner of Azkaban tonight . . . my girlfriend really doesn't like that one very much, because of the issues with Hermione's portrayal that I mentioned earlier, but since it's been a long time since either of us watched it we're hoping those moments will pass by peacefully. lol
Last non-HP film I saw was It's Complicated.
