Poll: What's your current Atmos speaker layout?

[AYanguas]

I initially build with 7.1.4, as per Dolby recommendations, with in-ceiling speakers.

Later, I have added the Wides, to 9.1.4 (also could put them in the right recommended locations) and I am very satisfied. When the Atmos mix uses the Wides, I get a glorious front wide sound stage. It is worth, but only for some few mixes.

 

[AYanguas]

Not exactly in the Post Title, but in addition to the 9.1.4 (Atmos with Wides) I have also 6 additional speakers used for full Auro-3D 13.1, and with speaker switches to change configurations.
- 4 Heights for Auro on top of Fronts and Surrounds
- 1 Central Height (used also for dialog lift, projector screen, with a mixer to copy the Central to the Central Height and mixing with the Auro Channel).
- 1 TS (VOG) in-ceiling

 

[LuvMyQuad]

In ceiling is 5.1.2 ??

I didn't think it mattered with the designation. heights are heights. floors are floors.

Not related but interesting, my prepro asks if I have overhead speakers or speaker top units for heights.

 

[Sal1950]

Not related but interesting, my prepro asks if I have overhead speakers or speaker top units for heights.

Humm, I've not heard of that before but it probably adds some attitional EQ, level or both for the speakertop "Atmos enabled" speakers for more effect. Which pre/pro do you have?

When the Atmos mix uses the Wides, I get a glorious front wide sound stage. It is worth, but only for some few mixes.

Have you tried any fashion of upsampling?
Found any of value?

 

[JohnN]

I didn't think it mattered with the designation. heights are heights. floors are floors.

Not related but interesting, my prepro asks if I have overhead speakers or speaker top units for heights.

I might be 7.1 confused. Numbers explained might help.

Too old to count. lol

 

[RustyStatic]

7.2.4, with my journey getting there captured in 5.2.2 vs. 5.2.4?. Still grateful to all who rode that rollercoaster with me.

 

[AYanguas]

Have you tried any fashion of upsampling?
Found any of value?

I think you mean upmixing.

Yes, normally DSU for stereo. (Neural:X is bad for music). For 5.1, If mix is enough good or discrete, I don't upmix, but I always test what is better.
DSU does activate the Wides. It is good, maybe more surroundy (wide), but I didn't A-B compare DSU with and without Wides. Also DSU did improve when introducing support for Wides, and the DSU upmix quality is near to the Auromatic.

Better when Atmos uses Wides, I notice big difference. There are impressive Atmos mixes that use Wides specifically. Some of them, looks like the objects are tied to the wides, Guitars or even only the main vocals like in Harrys House Harry Styles, make some kind of wide stereo, coming from the corners (not from the front), that I like more. I didn't test yet how it is without Wides. If that vocals are imaged between Fronts and Surrounds or only come from fronts.

But some Atmos mixes makes very little use of Wides. I always think that the mixer has a 7.1.4 mixing studio without wides (like Steven Wilson), and they don't use to locate objects in the corners to fire mainly the wides.

When in Auro-3D, I use Auromatic for stereo and 5.1, but no Wides support.

 

[HomerJAU]

@AYanguas Can list a few Atmos release with wides please? I’m tempted to add a pair but not sure if I have many with wides. Actually before your comment above I assumed all mixes would use them if installed.

 

[perzon57]

@AYanguas Can list a few Atmos release with wides please? I’m tempted to add a pair but not sure if I have many with wides. Actually before your comment above I assumed all mixes would use them if installed.

I think it's the same as with middle heights, not all mixes use them. Have to use a up mixer to fire them up.

 

[madscot]

5.1.2 is more or less the same as 7.1, it all depends on what you tell the AVR to do with the speakers, my Sony gives me the option to choose 7.1 or 5.1.2 with front upwards, front highs, middles, ceiling etc

 

[perzon57]

5.1.2 is more or less the same as 7.1, it all depends on what you tell the AVR to do with the speakers, my Sony gives me the option to choose 7.1 or 5.1.2 with front upwards, front highs, middles, ceiling etc

7.1 tells me that there are 7 speakers on the floor and a sub. 5.1.2 tells me there are 5 speakers on the floor, one sub and 2 height/ceiling speakers. It's not the same.

 

[madscot]

7.1 tells me that there are 7 speakers on the floor and a sub. 5.1.2 tells me there are 5 speakers on the floor, one sub and 2 height/ceiling speakers. It's not the same.

My atmos speakers are upfiring and sit on top of my front speakers, not very good but certainly not up high, if I play a movie with a 7.1 soundtrack all speakers are used so not only for atmos

 

[AYanguas]

@AYanguas Can list a few Atmos release with wides please? I’m tempted to add a pair but not sure if I have many with wides. Actually before your comment above I assumed all mixes would use them if installed.

I first thought the same, but plug some old bad speakers to test how much use of Wides.

I was dissapointed at first with some Steven Wilson Atmos mixes, that didnt use Wides. I first thought about kind of Disney pre-print render 7.1.4, but I heard some little sounds when some panning or so, with the Court of the Crimson King. But so few that was not enough at all to implement Wides.

Then I was really satisfied with the Big Phat Band - The Gordian Knot. Much use of Wides that really widened the front sound stage. With this and the last upgrade to DSU supporting Wides (some upmix does really use Wides) Then, I bought good speakers, to do the final installation.

Here you have a list that it is not up to date. Mainly Atmos from Tidal. From time to time I update it when listening:

 

[Valkvae]

5.2.4 ( I just started installing KEF KEF Ci160QR ceiling speakers today)

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I might be 7.1 confused. Numbers explained might help.

Too old to count. lol

The first number is the number of floor speakers, this can be 4 (no center), 5 (L/C/R in front, surrounds in rear.), 7 (L/C/R in front, rear surrounds plus side surrounds), or 7 can also be (L/C/R + L/R wides in front, one set of rear surrounds, or 9 (L/C/R + L/R wides in front, rear surrounds plus side surrounds).

The second number is the number of subs, 1, 2, 3, etc

The 3rd number is the number of height channels, for consumer systems that would be 2, (Atmos centers) 4,(Atmos fronts and rears) or 6 (Atmos fronts, centers, and rears). For DTX there is also the VOG (Voice of God) speaker in the center.

 

[Quadkid]

​

Example connections when using front height speakers​

This 7.1-channel surround system is the same as a basic 5.1-channel system but with front height speakers.

7.1 as above!

 

[FooBarFoo]

7.2.4 AV room (4) using front and rear height speakers (vs in ceiling)

5.1.2 (2) using upfiring speakers

5.1.2 (2) using front height speakers

 

[MTB Vince]

5.4.4 comprised of:

-5 identical stand mounted active ATC studio monitors for bed loudspeakers.
-4 identical Seaton subwoofers arranged in symmetrical pairs located at the front and rear of the room.
-4 closely related passive ATC studio monitors hung from the ceiling.

 

[barfle]

The poll asked about speaker configuration, and my answer of 5.1.4 is correct as far as speaker configuration is concerned. Alas, my room is a work in progress, and I don’t have the hardware to either decode or drive signals to the ceiling speakers. They are installed, with wires going to the amplifier location, but for the immediate future, they are silent.

 

[madscot]

5.4.4 comprised of:

-5 identical stand mounted active ATC studio monitors for bed loudspeakers.
-4 identical Seaton subwoofers arranged in symmetrical pairs located at the front and rear of the room.
-4 closely related passive ATC studio monitors hung from the ceiling.

Stupid question, what is the main difference between 1 sub and 4? Isn’t it overwhelming?