damacman
Resident Psycho
Got it from a buddy in the industry.
Dolby Atmos - Thoughts . . .
- Thread starter damacman
- Start date
damacman
Resident Psycho
Heather, if you can’t add ceiling speakers there are a lot of options in upfiring speakers. You’ll wonder how you got along without it!
That explains it. Thank you.
Weird, I never said a word about “can’t add ceiling speakers”. No idea what triggered that!
Yep, the Atmos sampler sounds cool, but i’m Not paying $30 for a demo disk!
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twiiii
Lunatic Member
If we could all mount our rear and side speakers high up like they do in theaters we wouldn't need the Atmos ceiling speakers. plus our ears are. on either side of our heads and not one on top and one under our chin so we can't really discern over head sounds critically like we can sounds spread in front of us at ear height. I have heard atmosphere, its just another gimmick like analog Quad to get you to replace your electronics and buy a new speaker system. Reminds me of 3D TV.
damacman
Resident Psycho
We agree on more than we disagree. You couldn't be more wrong here twiiii. I think if you had a better understanding of object based surround formats, it would hit you like a Dynavector cartridge ...
In my space, I can demo any 5.1 format vs Dolby Atmos and the difference is night and day. People are amazed. The recurring response I get is - that's better than any theater I've ever been to!
Hearing is believing. I have found Dolby Atmos to be a significant improvement over 5.1 or 7.1 just as either of those two formats were over 2.0.
HiFiJeff
Super Member
I wanted to join this conversation because I am so close to getting to experience this. I am finally getting my projector, screen and 6 in ceiling speakers installed next week! Now I need to buy and Atmos AVR. Anyway, my question is how do most of you have it set up and how many speakers are you running? So my set up will consist of the front l/c/r, 2 overhead speakers in the middle of the room and 4 overhead speakers in the rear, 2 placed in line with my couch and two behind the listener off to the left and right. So how should I set it up? To run 7.1 with 2 overhead Atmos speakers? Or 5.1 with 4 over head Atmos speakers?
Here is a link to the Dolby Atmos® Home Theater Installation Guidelines: https://www.dolby.com/us/en/technol...tmos-home-theater-installation-guidelines.pdf
I suggest that you install the speakers in accordance with the Dolby recommendations. Generally, the FL, FR, SL, SR, SBL and SBR speakers should be placed at ear level. The Center speaker should be placed either above or below the screen unless you can place it behind an acoustically transparent screen. Only the Overhead speakers should be above ear level.
I am running a 7.1.4 system with good results. In my setup the six main speakers are positioned at ear level. The center speaker is just below the screen and the four Overhead speakers are mounted on the ceiling.
Whether you should install 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 may depend on your specific room.
I suggest that you install the speakers in accordance with the Dolby recommendations. Generally, the FL, FR, SL, SR, SBL and SBR speakers should be placed at ear level. The Center speaker should be placed either above or below the screen unless you can place it behind an acoustically transparent screen. Only the Overhead speakers should be above ear level.
I am running a 7.1.4 system with good results. In my setup the six main speakers are positioned at ear level. The center speaker is just below the screen and the four Overhead speakers are mounted on the ceiling.
Whether you should install 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 may depend on your specific room.
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
For me, nothing in movies beats 6 track magnetic analog sound. 70 mm widescreen beats LieMax. I'd rather "Be In The Show With Todd-AO"
damacman
Resident Psycho
Kent - I don't think any of us have any idea what that even is . . . but it sounds interesting.
Todd AO was named after Mike Todd, Liz Taylor's 3rd husband - if that helps!
Todd-AO is also the name of the widescreen, 70 mm film format that was developed by Mike Todd and the American Optical Company in the mid-1950s.
Todd-AO had been founded to promote and distribute this system.
1950's tech is a throwback in a discussion of ATMOS ...
Todd-AO is also the name of the widescreen, 70 mm film format that was developed by Mike Todd and the American Optical Company in the mid-1950s.
Todd-AO had been founded to promote and distribute this system.
1950's tech is a throwback in a discussion of ATMOS ...
damacman
Resident Psycho
All good - not uncommon for me to turn off my 205 and switch on my 909 ... Or vice versa.
Hifiler
Well-Known Member
Excellent! But I am not sure you have the speaker placement worked out properly yet.
As I understand things, in a proper Atmos configuration, in-ceiling speakers cannot be used for the "normal" surround L/R or surround back L/R positions, which need to be as close to ear-level as possible (i.e. on stands, shelves, or wall-mounted).
Atmos can indeed use 6 in ceiling speakers, but they can only be used as "height" channels. If your system has a traditional 5 speaker and 1 subwoofer setup, adding 6 in-ceiling speakers would make it a 5.1.6 Atmos configuration. This gives you 11 channels, and you need to make sure you get an AVR that can both assign, and power, 11 channels.
As for placement, it looks like 6 in-ceiling should be position in 2 lines, at roughly the same horizontal position as the main L/R speakers, with 2 in front on the main position, 2 above the main position, and 2 behind the main postion.
If you need to stay with 9 channels total, is there a way you can change 2 of the in-ceiling speakers to L/R surrounds, either on stands, or wall-mounted (or in-wall)? This would make your configuration 5.1.4.
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
Goldenear Technology has some good Atmos layout pictures on their site. Worth a look, as they are a bit easier to understand, than other layout photos I've seen. As such, here's Goldenear's layout suggestions. Dolby also lists different Atmos layout suggestions too.
5.1.2
5.1.4
7.1.2
7.1.4
damacman
Resident Psycho
A friend came over two Thursdays ago. He's still in the consumer electronics business, has been for 3+ decades. He is one of the most knowledgeable, well rounded, audio people I know. By proclamation, he's not a surround guy but he wanted to hear Atmos as he's heard me brag about it. So, I popped in the Atmos sampler DVD so that he could learn what the format is, how it works, and how it differs from other formats. After the intro to Atmos, I had his full attention - eyes wide open. I played a few Atmos trailers from the disc, including the Star Wars game sampler as he's a gamer. He was floored. So then, I loaded MI-5 and played the opening scene. About half way through, he was laughing like he was on a roller coaster.
His thoughts . . . I totally get it! I have never heard better surround sound in any theater or anywhere else!
Time to upgrade if you haven't already.
His thoughts . . . I totally get it! I have never heard better surround sound in any theater or anywhere else!
Time to upgrade if you haven't already.
