Dolby Atmos® FAQ

[humprof]

There's a ceiling fan...so I don't know about that.

If the fan would be in the flight path of the speakers, then I guess they would have to hang higher than the fan--and/or maybe you'd have to drop the fan lower.

 

[par4ken]

What normally gets mixed into the height channels? For music I can't imagine anything but ambience. It would sound really weird if say the drums were mixed overhead!

The idea of extracting the analoge tracks and then re-mixing them kind of intrigues me.

 

[sjcorne]

What normally gets mixed into the height channels? For music I can't imagine anything but ambience. It would sound really weird if say the drums were mixed overhead!

Would it really be any weirder than putting them 100% in the rears or in one of the back corners, like some old quad mixes do?

Just like the rear speakers in quad or 5.1, every mixer utilizes the heights differently. Some Atmos mixes have little more than reverb and/or 'special effects' up there, while others feature isolated elements like background vocals, guitar solos, synthesizers, and horns. It's also fairly common to see individual elements partially elevated into the height array, like lead vocals suspended evenly between the front & front height speakers or a stereo element like piano hovering between the rears & rear heights. The possibilities are endless...

 

[par4ken]

Would it really be any weirder than putting them 100% in the rears or in one of the back corners, like some old quad mixes do?

That is not at all weird! I love the drums in the rear! Often mixes were done that way for playback in the car. The larger 6x9 speakers were always on the rear deck!

I think that some people dislike that choice because they use dickie little surround speakers!

 

[LB-V]

Right out of the Bible! Thou must not mix speaker types! You wouldn't do that with stereo so why with multichannel? Anything other is a compromise. Therefore Atmos (done in that fashion) is a compromise.

We each hear and enjoy differently....I'm in the same speaker camp. I've experienced the difference with my 4.1 system having used different rear speakers in an upgrade transition. Night and day once I completed the rears upgrade to match the fronts.

I do look forward to trying 6.1 and Atmos some day. But I'm already working out how to hang my extra pair of Klipsch RF-7's from above!! Why not??

 

[Sal1950]

Right out of the Bible! Thou must not mix speaker types! You wouldn't do that with stereo so why with multichannel? Anything other is a compromise. Therefore Atmos (done in that fashion) is a compromise.

Some things are possible, some difficult, others just don't fly...
But if you happy not even trying, it's your call (loss).
Atmos Rules.

 

[Sal1950]

What normally gets mixed into the height channels? For music I can't imagine anything but ambience. It would sound really weird if say the drums were mixed overhead!

Not weird, kool artistic ideas and license.
Even back in the 1480's Michelangelo understood the idea of immersive art.

 

[barfle]

Right out of the Bible! Thou must not mix speaker types! You wouldn't do that with stereo so why with multichannel? Anything other is a compromise. Therefore Atmos (done in that fashion) is a compromise.

Every system has compromises. And how those compromises turn out is dependent on the user. Sins are forgiveable.

 

[hi-res_edition]

I'm honestly not sure if I can do Atmos when the room my speakers are in has a ceiling 20 feet high. Can anyone advise? I don't think I can realistically do speakers from the ceiling. Do upfiring speakers get close or should I not even bother?

Why not just hang the speakers at 10 feet? This is precisely what I have done with good effect in a room with 12 foot ceilings. The only downside is when there are earthquakes they may sway back and forth, ha ha.

 

[madscot]

I'm honestly not sure if I can do Atmos when the room my speakers are in has a ceiling 20 feet high. Can anyone advise? I don't think I can realistically do speakers from the ceiling. Do upfiring speakers get close or should I not even bother?

I ditched my upfiring speakers as useless, i live in an apartment so cant do ceiling speakers, this is my atmos speakers, 8’ up on the wall pointed down to my mlp and it sounds great to be honest, sounds like it would be your best bet

 

[ted_b]

What normally gets mixed into the height channels? For music I can't imagine anything but ambience.

?? How about Steve Howe.

If folks are going to discuss Atmos then they need to get rid of the “‘main speakers are the focus” approach. All channels are game.

 

[mandrix]

Well my system has four matched corners at ear level, and the four top speakers are matched.
My center is basically the same as the corners except has double woofers. (somehow I convinced myself I needed a larger center-man it's heavy!)
Don't remember the freq response but Dirac Live always sets my fronts at 40Hz and rears at 60Hz
The corners, center and tops aren't sold anymore, and I'm perfectly happy with them. So I could not buy more of any.

I don't know how heavy duty speaker mounts come these days, if that's a limitation or not. I have two I bought that were rated over 100 Lbs years ago but they are not sold anymore either. But my top speakers only weigh about 10 lbs each so they are no problem. The frequency response was listed at 55-25000 Hz

Maybe @sjcorne has some insight into what frequencies get carried in the top speakers in Atmos mixes? I have my crossover set at 80Hz for all tops presently.

I mean, I can see merit in having all identical speakers, sure. For me it's impractical, and I don't see it as necessary.
No way I could go out and start from scratch and buy 11 speakers, but as I said I don't see it anyway.

 

[madscot]

Well my system has four matched corners at ear level, and the four top speakers are matched.
My center is basically the same as the corners except has double woofers. (somehow I convinced myself I needed a larger center-man it's heavy!)
Don't remember the freq response but Dirac Live always sets my fronts at 40Hz and rears at 60Hz
The corners, center and tops aren't sold anymore, and I'm perfectly happy with them. So I could not buy more of any.

I don't know how heavy duty speaker mounts come these days, if that's a limitation or not. I have two I bought that were rated over 100 Lbs years ago but they are not sold anymore either. But my top speakers only weigh about 10 lbs each so they are no problem. The frequency response was listed at 55-25000 Hz

Maybe @sjcorne has some insight into what frequencies get carried in the top speakers in Atmos mixes? I have my crossover set at 80Hz for all tops presently.

I mean, I can see merit in having all identical speakers, sure. For me it's impractical, and I don't see it as necessary.
No way I could go out and start from scratch and buy 11 speakers, but as I said I don't see it anyway.

My journey started with a pair of floorstanding yamahas, then I added a tannoy centre, then wharfdale rears and a tannoy sub, final part was altex upfiring atmos speakers, it was a mishmash of impedences and wattages, was never truly happy with that, so over the last few months sold off my speakers a pair at a time until I had nothing but a bluetooth speaker and a bit of cash in my hands.
I was constantly scouring the local ads for sales and found a set of mordaunt short 5.1 speakers with a sub for £80, I do my homework before buying anything 2nd hand, reading about these speakers one review stood out to me “these are the best speakers you will find under £1000”, that sold me, I bought them and they sound incredible, i’m always checking ebay for bargains and someone was selling a pair of the same speakers for £35, I thought they would do for atmos, had a bit of smooth talking to do with my better half as she hates cables , I had to end up removing doors and lifting carpets to hide the cables the best I could but she’s happy with how it ended up.
Now I have a full set of the same speakers and think it is the way to go from now on if I ever decide to upgrade again

 

[MidiMagic]

If the fan would be in the flight path of the speakers, then I guess they would have to hang higher than the fan--and/or maybe you'd have to drop the fan lower.

Put the speakers on the ends of the fan blades????

 

[madscot]

Put the speakers on the ends of the fan blades????

You spin me right round baby right round like a record

 

[Sal1950]

wait! Actually that could be a brand new paradym! Speakers in the ceiling twirling about, give Dolby a run for their money!
/s

A home brew version of a Leslie speaker system!
Might be really kool. I always loved the sound of a good keyboard being played thru a Leslie.

 

[Guy Robinson]

I often watch movies with just the TV speakers, so the stereo but might as well be mono. I only care about surround on movies that are mostly music, and maybe the occasional sci-fi flick.

I generally agree with this. Older movies don't usually require a lot of speakers. But if you are playing something like The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (4k discs), you need all those speakers and a few subwoofers to boot.

 

[jberq]

I generally agree with this. Older movies don't usually require a lot of speakers. But if you are playing something like The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (4k discs), you need all those speakers and a few subwoofers to boot.

Yeah, the Atmos mix on the 4k LOTR is demo material. Choirs in the ceiling, Nazgul flying everywhere!

 

[madscot]

You haven’t heard proper atmos until you’ve been right underneath a helicopter or stuck in the middle of a shoot out with bullets flying over your head

 

[par4ken]

You haven’t heard proper atmos until you’ve been right underneath a helicopter or stuck in the middle of a shoot out with bullets flying over your head

And that is a real appealing prospect!