Poll: What's your current Atmos speaker layout?

[citysoundman]

Yep, that would have been my recommendation for you.
The mounting system is very well thought out and offers a number of great options.
Just two screw holes into a solid stud are needed to get each of them hung either from the walls or ceiling.
I'm very happy with mine.

Sweet, thank you!

 

[AYanguas]

Speakers at 3 feet and front speakers (LF/RF) at 4 feet. Considering the odd layout of my place this is the best configuration I can figure out what two subwoofers if I sit in one place about the sound is great any advice is appreciated.

You have 4 surround speakers.
The more rear are located at "side surrounds", like in a 5.1 system
The intermediate are located at "Wides", like in Atmos 9.1.x (with 7.1) or 7.1.x (with 5.1)

How do you have configured your system? Do you have Ceiling/height speakers?

If it is just 7.1, the surrounds are in an advanced location, and it would be better to have them at "side" and "rear" locations. But then you would need enough space behind the couch, that cannot be seen on your pictures.

If it is Atmos with "Wides" it would be interesting to know.

 

[Davey-J]

I'm considering the SVS Prime Elevation for front height speakers.
Does anyone here have any thoughts on these guys? Looks like @Sal1950 has em!

I just installed 4 of these on the ceiling for the four height speakers this week. So far I have no complaints, but I’ve only listened to a few atmos discs so far.

Dave

 

[PK]

I'm considering the SVS Prime Elevation for front height speakers.
Does anyone here have any thoughts on these guys? Looks like @Sal1950 has em!

That's what I'm running too

 

[MrMarty]

You have 4 surround speakers.
The more rear are located at "side surrounds", like in a 5.1 system
The intermediate are located at "Wides", like in Atmos 9.1.x (with 7.1) or 7.1.x (with 5.1)

How do you have configured your system? Do you have Ceiling/height speakers?

If it is just 7.1, the surrounds are in an advanced location, and it would be better to have them at "side" and "rear" locations. But then you would need enough space behind the couch, that cannot be seen on your pictures.

If it is Atmos with "Wides" it would be interesting to know.

 

[MrMarty]

I don't have ceiling speakers (vaulted ceiling) so the 5.1 LF/RR are behind couch. the 7.1 channel surround back/height speakers are midway pointing towards the couch. these seem to carry the 'Atmos-like' sounds. My DSOTM Atmos speaker checking program confirms the speaker locations including Top Left. Top Right, Top Rear Right and Top Rear Left. I could practice by moving the midway speakers (Atmos sounds) to the left/right of the couch and moving the LR and RR speakers further behind the couch (3 feet). I'll try that. I know its a compromised Atmos/7.1 setup but I do like it. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Sal1950]

Any thoughts are appreciated.

You have a 7.1 bed system, configure it as such.
Maybe experiment with moving those side speakers to by the endtable, same across from the fireplace, and if possible the rear speakers a little further back behind the couch.

You can never get any height information from a bed level and aimed speaker. Sending Atmos elevation information to bed level speakers like that can only serve to blur both the Atmos objects and the bed level channel positions.
If you insist, at least see if you can find a way to point the side (Atmos) speakers at the ceiling to attempt to get some bounce, but not recommended. JMHO

 

[MrMarty]

You have a 7.1 bed system, configure it as such.
Maybe experiment with moving those side speakers to by the endtable, same across from the fireplace, and if possible the rear speakers a little further back behind the couch.

You can never get any height information from a bed level and aimed speaker. Sending Atmos elevation information to bed level speakers like that can only serve to blur both the Atmos objects and the bed level channel positions.
If you insist, at least see if you can find a way to point the side (Atmos) speakers at the ceiling to attempt to get some bounce, but not recommended. JMHO

Thanks for that. I'm moving the sides further back and also the rear speakers. Can't bounce Atmos due to vaulted ceiling. But I think you're right. Thanks.

 

[Sal1950]

Thanks for that. I'm moving the sides further back and also the rear speakers. Can't bounce Atmos due to vaulted ceiling. But I think you're right. Thanks.

No problem. I didn't mean to be so critical but to hear to any multich mix in the way the artist and production crew
tried to present it, the speakers need to be set up and configured in a manner at least close to the intended layout. You've got the tools to do a good 7.1 system, but nothing to make a Atmos mix work.
All that said, if you really liked the way it sounded before, it's your call.
Saluto !

 

[MrMarty]

No problem. I didn't mean to be so critical but to hear to any multich mix in the way the artist and production crew
tried to present it, the speakers need to be set up and configured in a manner at least close to the intended layout. You've got the tools to do a good 7.1 system, but nothing to make a Atmos mix work.
All that said, if you really liked the way it sounded before, it's your call.
Saluto !

No, your response was perfect. I’ve seen other people spend tons of money on great equipment and speakers and they have it in all messed up places. I don’t say anything, of course. One thing that bugs me is an Atmos system that is in a wide shallow room rather than in a long narrow like a cinema. That makes no sense to me. I know I can’t go far above 7.2 at this point but, someday I will have Atmos speakers in my ceiling (different room). I don’t have much confidence in bouncing off the ceiling. Right now I’m pretty happy with my layout and collecting way too many Atmos/7.1 recordings thanks again.

 

[Sal1950]

Right now I’m pretty happy with my layout and collecting way too many Atmos/7.1 recordings thanks again.

Kool. All Atmos mixes are built on the 7.1 foundation. If you configure a 7.1 system and don't have Atmos speakers it folds down the Atmos overhead information into the 7 base channels, nothing is lost.

 

[MrMarty]

Kool. All Atmos mixes are built on the 7.1 foundation. If you configure a 7.1 system and don't have Atmos speakers it folds down the Atmos overhead information into the 7 base channels, nothing is lost.

Yup. I have a friend with a typical Atmos speaker set up with upward firing speakersand he has the right room. But on the Elton John song, “Song For Guy “there are hand chimes that are very crisp and clear in my system, and I can barely hear them on his. it’s clear set up is very important.

 

[PK]

No, your response was perfect. I’ve seen other people spend tons of money on great equipment and speakers and they have it in all messed up places. I don’t say anything, of course. One thing that bugs me is an Atmos system that is in a wide shallow room rather than in a long narrow like a cinema. That makes no sense to me. I know I can’t go far above 7.2 at this point but, someday I will have Atmos speakers in my ceiling (different room). I don’t have much confidence in bouncing off the ceiling. Right now I’m pretty happy with my layout and collecting way too many Atmos/7.1 recordings thanks again.

This may be helpful: https://www.dolby.com/about/support/guide/speaker-setup-guides/7.1-virtual-speakers-setup-guide

 

[citysoundman]

I just installed 4 of these on the ceiling for the four height speakers this week. So far I have no complaints, but I’ve only listened to a few atmos discs so far.

Dave

I ordered a pair for my front heights, looking forward to getting them hooked up!

 

[par4ken]

This may be helpful: https://www.dolby.com/about/support/guide/speaker-setup-guides/7.1-virtual-speakers-setup-guide

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Like with Quad in a more typical listening room the couch will be up or close to the the back wall so the back (& side) speakers will have to move forward. The sides would become wide fronts. I see nothing wrong with that type of configuration. I suspect that it might even be preferable! I hate the way speaker position is so often specified in degrees, that was never done before. It makes the whole setup seem unnecessarily precise, fine only if you are building a home theatre, in a perfect room.

 

[barfle]

Can't bounce Atmos due to vaulted ceiling.

Just curious, but can speakers be hung from the ceiling? Something like swag lamp chains and hooks maybe. It’s not my project, but maybe a suggestion if you’re really interested.

 

[MrMarty]

Its a good suggestion, but it would take-away from the vaulted space to hang speakers. I thought about it briefly. BTW, are 4 ceiling mounts a different channel than 2? Is it the same output in other words.

 

[PK]

Like with Quad in a more typical listening room the couch will be up or close to the the back wall so the back (& side) speakers will have to move forward. The sides would become wide fronts. I see nothing wrong with that type of configuration. I suspect that it might even be preferable! I hate the way speaker position is so often specified in degrees, that was never done before. It makes the whole setup seem unnecessarily precise, fine only if you are building a home theatre, in a perfect room.

Very interesting take...AFAIK Dolby spec is the accepted standard for speaker layout and imo the best starting point for someone seeking advice. From what I could see in the posted pics it looks doable.

 

[AYanguas]

Like with Quad in a more typical listening room the couch will be up or close to the the back wall so the back (& side) speakers will have to move forward. The sides would become wide fronts. I see nothing wrong with that type of configuration. I suspect that it might even be preferable! I hate the way speaker position is so often specified in degrees, that was never done before. It makes the whole setup seem unnecessarily precise, fine only if you are building a home theatre, in a perfect room.

The Dolby (Atmos) recommended speaker locations are that: Recomendations.

If you install your speakers at the recommended locations (recommended angles) you will have a guarantee that you will listen the mix in the closest way to how the engineer who created the mix heard it in his studio.

If you use a very different locations, of course you will listen all sound, but the intended effects may not be perceived well or even not perceived at all.

It happens the same with Stereo. At the recommended MLP location at the vertex of an equilateral triangle with the speakers, when you are not at the recommended location you will listen all the 2.0 music, but the stereo effects and stereo images may be lost.

 

[par4ken]

Very interesting take...AFAIK Dolby spec is the accepted standard for speaker layout and imo the best starting point for someone seeking advice. From what I could see in the posted pics it looks doable.

Dolby was designed for movies first! As shown there is a lot of forward "space" not covered by an actual speaker. In the case of pans that will surly result in the dreaded "cogging" effect. INHO it would be better to better fill in the front quadrant. With a typical music mix what are those closely spaced rear and side speakers actually doing anyway? Two speakers to the side or slightly behind the listener will do the same thing, no?