A Couple of Atmos Questions

[ogrequad]

As I consider upgrading my system to be Atmos-ready, I have a couple of questions specific to my room set up. I do have a dedicated room for music listening, but it is pretty small - roughly 12X15 - and it has a number of windows, doors, and other obstructions that limit the space for speakers. I am currently set up for 5.1 and even that took some creative placement of my rear speakers.

If/when I make the move to upgrade, I really don't think I have the capability to get height speakers installed in the way that they should be based on what I have read about Atmos. There is a possibility that I could put an extra set of speakers a few feet above my current rear speakers, but they would be essentially along the same vertical axis, just with one set of speakers higher than the others. Would that be sufficient for getting at least some of the effect of the height channels?

Another option would be a totally wild experiment - I actually have more space in the front of the room for two additional speakers. They would be to the left and right of my front speakers, a few feet behind them. Anyone have any thoughts/predications on what would it would sound like in that configuration? Would it even be worth trying out?

Finally, has anyone played around with the Atmos Height Virtualization option included with some receivers? The virtualization claims to recreate the height effect without needing extra speakers, but I suspect it's not quite that effective in reality. Would this be a decent compromise if I really can't find a way to effectively set up those additional speakers?

Any advice is welcome - thanks in advance!

 

[ProgRules]

My Pioneer vsx-lx505 can assign height speakers as either top (on ceiling) or highs (high on walls). That would have a little different processing and get closer to actual on-walls. How close I don't know, but if you're going to do it, I'd recommend something with that option.

That being said, I'd think that option would have the best chance of being satisfying if you used both front and back walls- then you'd have a chance of some phantom imaging between speakers- center and sideways. And I think you'd want to aim those speakers at the MLP- either with adjustable brackets or angled speakers.

But this is all hypothetical; I have no experience with what you're thinking. Except for my previous (non-Atmos) AVR having a DSX height speaker option- meant to be mounted above and between FL and FR. I put some speakers on high stands and there did seem to be an added sense of height in the front, but it was subtle. This was a type of matrixed processing I believe. I assume an Atmos AVR would do a better job.

No experience with virtualization either, but I doubt that would be very satisfying. But I imagine most/all Atmos AVRs have this, so you could always try it before getting height speakers.

 

[jimfisheye]

The example of a 4.0 quad mix with a sound that pans around the room in a circle.
You need to set up speakers in close to the expected proper positions to hear that. If you moved the rear speakers somewhere else, that circular pan would start to not sound like a circular pan anymore.

No different with a 7.1.4 mix. You'll need speakers in close to the expected spots. The secondary ability of Atmos to downmix in your receiver still expects the smaller speaker array to have speakers in their expected spots. Or the mixes will sound skewed/altered.

Choose your adventure with that!
Physically positioning speakers in the expected spots and at least cursory room treatment (ie. some dampening) are still the most bang for the buck. However you need to accomplish that.

I've got 7.1.4 crammed into a 13'x14' with 9' ceiling room. It can be done!