Atmos, "Only" two tops question.

[himey]

Do ALL the top/height sounds get directed to the two top channels in a X.X.2 configuration?
Is the answer processor dependent or only layout dependent?

 

[Cheezmo]

It has been a while since I experimented but I believe it depends where you tell the receiver they are (Denon in my case). If you pick middle, it is as you described, all top/height goes to them but I I believe if you tell it they are top front or top rear, they will just get those. Sorry I don't have a definitive answer but I'm sure someone will.

 

[himey]

It has been a while since I experimented but I believe it depends where you tell the receiver they are (Denon in my case). If you pick middle, it is as you described, all top/height goes to them but I I believe if you tell it they are top front or top rear, they will just get those. Sorry I don't have a definitive answer but I'm sure someone will.

I asked the same question on AVS and never got a response, but it wasn't a new thread, so maybe it got lost.

I have been messing around with a Yamaha that maxes out at 5.1.2. The setting shows front height speakers, but when I select that, and send a 5.1.4 test track, all four height channels are sent to the two Atmos speakers. That would lead me to believe that only mounting the speakers directly above will sound good? I am wondering if all 7.1 max Atmos receivers behave in that fashion?

 

[steelydave]

The Dolby Atmos speaker mounting guides show that the optimal placement for ceiling speakers in a 5.1.2 setup is at 80 degrees (ie just 10 degrees in front of the listening position:

Whereas in 5.1.4 it's 45 degrees in front and 135 degrees behind (ie 45 degrees behind).

So yes, in a nutshell if you're only mounting two ceiling speakers,, yes they should be much more in the middle of the room, just forward of the main listening position.

 

[himey]

The Dolby Atmos speaker mounting guides show that the optimal placement for ceiling speakers in a 5.1.2 setup is at 80 degrees (ie just 10 degrees in front of the listening position:

View attachment 107994

Whereas in 5.1.4 it's 45 degrees in front and 135 degrees behind (ie 45 degrees behind).
View attachment 107995

So yes, in a nutshell if you're only mounting two ceiling speakers,, yes they should be much more in the middle of the room, just forward of the main listening position.

Thanks. That makes total sense after my (limited) tests. Funny the little picture in the speaker setup settings show the speakers on the front wall but doesn't compensate for that placement. I have a line on a receiver with four tops that hopefully works out tomorrow.

 

[madscot]

My two atmos speakers are at 80 degrees and sound amazing, I don’t feel like i’m missing anything

 

[himey]

I picked up a Denon AVR-X4200W this morning off Facebook Marketplace and it processes the height channels the same as the Yamaha if you only use two. There are more placement options on the Denon, but like the Yamaha, if you set the tops to front and send it 7.1.4 test tones, the rear top test tones are sent to the two tops (in front), along with the front top test tones (of course).