Why is everyone so jazzed about ATMOS?

[Beefalo]

I am revisiting my initial review on this title. I have the 2 disc version of 3D and I am reviewing the Blu-ray Atmos.
I have made significant upgrades to my system in the last year:
Identical drivers in the main 5 channels.
Separate amplifiers for each channel including one for the 4 Atmos. This allowed me to significantly increase volume of the Atmos speakers.
A subwoofer in each corner (5.4.4)
I also received recommendations from forum members on the frequencies reproduced by the Atmos speakers (thank you)
I experimented and discovered that my previous high crossover point was reducing some percussive effects from the Atmos speakers.
The additional subwoofers in the rear of the room really make a difference. They seem to accentuate sound coming from the rear Atmos speakers.
The final change I made was to pick a day when no one was around so I could "pump up the volume"
This made a huge difference as well. I think you really need the onslaught of sound pressure to make this release work.
Final thoughts...changing vote from 7 to a 9.

 

[Beefalo]

I listen to all stereo through the dsp on my Yamaha.
Generally the "Dolby surround" is best. It centers the vocals and everything else stays in stereo with very minor effects from the surrounds. Old records sound great this way too. It widens the soundstage nicely.

Just wanted to add a little about the "Dolby surround" setting on my Yamaha. It also engages the 4 Presence/Atmos speakers.
When I play well recorded stereo (MSFL, DCC, SACD, 1st press UK vinyl) I get nice effects coming from the presence & surround speakers.
Lesser quality selections play back pretty much as 3 channel stereo.

 

[Beefalo]

this Echo speaker does Atmos according to the info blurb

Amazon Echo Studio at Best Buy

Let the masses eat their Echo cake....

 

[beerking]

Just had this news from Auro-3D

Er... 5.1 from one speaker...amazing what new technology will provide these days

https://mailchi.mp/auro-technologies/sleigh-bells-ringare-you-listening-in-auro-3d?e=e0f2e2b2af

 

[PmikeK]

Sound bars are not for music lovers. Fake atmos.

 

[Beefalo]

Sound bars are not for music lovers. Fake atmos.

It's sad that "the great unwashed" will accept this half measure as the real thing. Never finding the Valhalla of true Atmos !!!

 

[ar surround]

Sound bars are not for music lovers. Fake atmos.

It's sad that "the great unwashed" will accept this half measure as the real thing. Never finding the Valhalla of true Atmos !!!

True, but at least it guarantees the rest of us releases in Atmos.

 

[PmikeK]

It's sad that "the great unwashed" will accept this half measure as the real thing. Never finding the Valhalla of true Atmos !!!

lol agreed

 

[marpow]

I just don't get it. I haven't heard anything that i thought was THAT much better by adding ATMOS to the mix. And it certainly doesn't warrant the expense of more speakers and the hassle of more wires etc. To each his own but I'll pass.

I am going to add my little twist (The Gear) to this fascinating subject. I have read the 8 pages here and really enjoyed everyone's comments. Here we are just shy of a year from Bob's start of thread and I feel like things have certainly evolved towards the positive in Atmos favor.
I agree with all those that are skeptic that say, what's the point for added work, money and not a good return on that money and work, while others say I love hearing what is being released so far, some of it weak and some of it awesome.
I feel exactly as all you do.
My twist:, however I am a gearhead, and as I am planning my Atmos room, getting closer now, the super fun part is adding more gear and layout. It is a big challenge to plan this layout, not wanting to make a mistake, the seating and ceiling speaker layout, the choice of ceiling speakers, room EQ,, dedicated amp for ceiling speakers, more wires and cables, super fun and exciting for me to research and plan my gear to the point that when I'm done and I come away and say, it's not that great, I still would have immensely enjoyed the fun I had with the gear.
With this new situation I am going to I will be doing room treatment for the first time in my life, scares me to death, it can look so ugly, but I am convinced it is very important, just hope I can find a visual balance.
I agree with others, that if i wasn't moving my rig from my livingroom to a bedroom (dedicated listening space) what I be as excited about adding height speakers, hmm?,maybe not, but my whole life I seem to always advance with my listening machine, so I really don't know.
As a hobbyist the most fun I have always had with different hobbys is the playing with them, more then looking or listening with them.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I am going to add my little twist (The Gear) to this fascinating subject. I have read the 8 pages here and really enjoyed everyone's comments. Here we are just shy of a year from Bob's start of thread and I feel like things have certainly evolved towards the positive in Atmos favor.
I agree with all those that are skeptic that say, what's the point for added work, money and not a good return on that money and work, while others say I love hearing what is being released so far, some of it weak and some of it awesome.
I feel exactly as all you do.
My twist:, however I am a gearhead, and as I am planning my Atmos room, getting closer now, the super fun part is adding more gear and layout. It is a big challenge to plan this layout, not wanting to make a mistake, the seating and ceiling speaker layout, the choice of ceiling speakers, room EQ,, dedicated amp for ceiling speakers, more wires and cables, super fun and exciting for me to research and plan my gear to the point that when I'm done and I come away and say, it's not that great, I still would have immensely enjoyed the fun I had with the gear.
With this new situation I am going to I will be doing room treatment for the first time in my life, scares me to death, it can look so ugly, but I am convinced it is very important, just hope I can find a visual balance.
I agree with others, that if i wasn't moving my rig from my livingroom to a bedroom (dedicated listening space) what I be as excited about adding height speakers, hmm?,maybe not, but my whole life I seem to always advance with my listening machine, so I really don't know.
As a hobbyist the most fun I have always had with different hobbys is the playing with them, more then looking or listening with them.

Thanks Mark, hopefully some of us can learn from your experiences here; I feel the room acoustics/treatment would be the most difficult for us non-pros. Have you researched any kind of moveable panels etc?

 

[marpow]

Thanks Mark, hopefully some of us can learn from your experiences here; I feel the room acoustics/treatment would be the most difficult for us non-pros. Have you researched any kind of moveable panels etc?

Lots of DYI on YouTube or a company that I have studied is GKI Acoustics. They have panels with art work which is nice. It seems to me that two bass traps at front corners, changes wall to a 45 degree vs a 90 and a right and left panel at first point of reflection from the two front main speakers is the basics, then if needed a diffuser panel at rear wall to scatter sound waves. Of course it is more advanced than just that, but from a visual point of view it could be that.

 

[CINERAMAX]

 

[armyjazzer]

Has anyone heard the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar? Just wondering if it (or other Atmos soundbar) can do a good job compared to a full atmos system. I just have a low end 5.1 system now, so getting all the components for a full Atmos system would be challenging to budget, and I probably couldn't do ceiling mounted speakers in the room I have available right now. It is a multi-purpose room that when not being used for movie time, the 5.1 system is pushed back against the wall out of the way, then resetup later when needed. The soundbar would be very handy, but I hate to settle on it if it is very poor quality performance and doesn't really do Atmos very well.

Thanks for all the valuable input!

 

[jimfisheye]

I'd be a lot more jazzed about Atmos... if they f'in released it!!!

Hiding the decoder in hardware to force new equipment sales looks desperate. Pushing it like a marketing buzz word with products like soundbars that can't even do mono very well makes it look like they're hiding some performance issues or something. (Or there's BS upmixes or scratch mixes to hide.)

New products are well and good. Cheapness products arguable have their place. They pointedly aren't releasing this for anyone that already owns a capable system and has used a computer based media system for the last 20 years.

 

[Sal1950]

Has anyone heard the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar? Just wondering if it (or other Atmos soundbar) can do a good job compared to a full atmos system.

A Atmos soundbar is about as useful as a 5.1 surround sound bar. The best may be able to impress you using all sort of DSP, phase tricks, etc, but it will never sound like a real system. Don't waste money on toys, and if needed save up to get the real thing. JMHO

 

[jimfisheye]

Just wondering if it (or other Atmos soundbar) can do a good job compared to a full atmos system.

If you think the remains of the sound after being ricocheted off your ceiling and back wall for the rear channels, ricocheted off the ceiling for the height channels, and ricocheted left/right for the front channels will still sound OK vs putting actual speakers in those positions to reproduce those channels...

That's what a soundbar does. Delays those channels to time align at the end and bounces them off the ceiling and walls. It's genuinely effective with crude cookie cutter movie mixes and sports broadcasts where there's only reverb and 'car whizzing by' fx in back and dialog in center.
Reverb is literally sound ricocheting off walls. It works. Discrete music mixes with full range sound in all channels on the floor get mutilated in a soundbar.

 

[timbre4]

Sorry, IMHO these sound bars are the 'pan & scan' of the audio world.
People who can't tell the difference are satisfied with them (less to worry about). People on forums like this one, not so much.

 

[armyjazzer]

Thanks for the input. I wondered if it was possible because I saw reviews on the Sennheiser AMBEO saying it was really good and giving it a very high rating. I guess the only way to tell if it is "good enough" to settle on it for this particular application, would be a demo where you could A/B switch between it and a good Atmos system.

 

[jimfisheye]

There are really highly rated cars that would not work at all as a boat.
Soundbars simply aren't meant for serious music reproduction. Especially not surround sound music mixes anyway. Which is ironic, of course. You're not even going to be able to reproduce stereo very well bouncing those channels off the walls to your ears. Let alone 5.1! Let alone something like 7.1.4!!! The reflective properties of your walls and ceiling are the main factor in this scenario.

The approach is still crafty I suppose. It does get results with movie mixes and that's not nothing. It's a bangin' upgrade over a 2" TV speaker for that at least!

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Its pretty obvious by now that Atmos is just a buzzword as it relates to things like soundbars and headphones. Its a shame really. It tends to diminish the formats potential to be taken seriously as a music format.