Dolby Atmos Ceiling Speakers
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fourml8r
Well-known Member
You misread the post. I was referring to the lower limit not the entire range.If that was true, I'd think all you'd hear would be the thumb thumb thumb of bass notes
fourml8r
Well-known Member
Atmos channel bottom end is about 100hz. You have to dig for it in the atmos guidelines but is generally noted as "conforms to atmos guidelines". Enabled speakers are required to project signals that locate sounds and that physical property does not exist at low frequencies.
Yes you can use a low powered amp for the atmos channels. Do a test and unplug speakers (except atmos channels) and listen to how little content there is when playing something.
Again, All Atmos channels are full bandwitdh.
Extracted from Atmos Guidelines:
""""""""""""""""
Overhead speaker characteristics Dolby Atmos audio is mixed using discrete, full-range audio objects that may move around anywhere in three-dimensional space.
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Enabled speakers? Are you referring to the speakers that 'Project' reflected sound to the ceiling?
I'm speaking about Speakers located at ceiling locations. Much better if you can install them.
I have done the test you suggest and found Atmos content with much good enough content on Ceiling speakers. I'm talking about music tracks not film tracks. Main vocals from above, for instance, instead of from the frontals.
I can tell you more:
I have good in-ceiling speakers for the Atmos Tops: B&W CCM 683
And also have Front Heights and Surround Heights for Auro-3D that are good bookshelf speakers, same model as the Surround speakers at listener level.
When I configure the Atmos Height speakers and select the Front Height (bookshlef) instead of the Tops (in-ceiling), I find better sound from above as the speakers are better.
The down-side is that the Front-Hight and Surround-Height (Auro-3D exact positions) are not exactly the recommended positions for Dolby Atmos, so the locations and objects imaging are not exactly as they should be. But the sound quality from above is noticeable better.
So, in summary:
- Better Speakers give better sound. On All Atmos Channels including Height-ceiling channels.
- Better Power Amp usually don't improve so much the sound. (Audiophiles, please dont listen). But if you have big room with big level, try to feed a good Speaker with a 3 Watts power amp. Of course you can and the speaker will sound.
- And being too extreme (exaggerating) : Atmos is almost not needed for Films. You really enjoy Atmos with Music tracks if they are good mixed.
citysoundman
Active Member
Dolby provides specific info on speaker installation, which is a good place to start
https://www.dolby.com/siteassets/te...atmos-installation-guidelines-121318_r3.1.pdf
Here's a couple of paragraphs I copied and pasted from this PDF. There are diagrams showing placement recommendations, which again is a great starting point. But real world installations can never usually replicate what they suggest so just do as good as you can, given what you've got!
Overhead speaker characteristics:
Dolby Atmos audio is mixed using discrete, full-range audio objects that may move around anywhere in three-dimensional space. With this in mind, overhead speakers should complement the frequency response, output, and power-handling capabilities of the listener-level speakers. Choose overhead speakers that are timbre matched as closely as possible to the primary listener-level speakers. Overhead speakers with a wide dispersion pattern are desirable for use in a Dolby Atmos system. This will ensure the closest replication of the cinematic environment, where overhead speakers are placed high above the listener
Mounting considerations:
If the chosen overhead speakers have a wide dispersion pattern (approximately 45 degrees from the acoustical reference axis over the audio band from 100 Hz to 10 kHz or wider), then speakers may be mounted facing directly downward. For speakers with narrower dispersion patterns, those with aimable or angled elements should be angled toward the primary listening position.
https://www.dolby.com/siteassets/te...atmos-installation-guidelines-121318_r3.1.pdf
Here's a couple of paragraphs I copied and pasted from this PDF. There are diagrams showing placement recommendations, which again is a great starting point. But real world installations can never usually replicate what they suggest so just do as good as you can, given what you've got!
Overhead speaker characteristics:
Dolby Atmos audio is mixed using discrete, full-range audio objects that may move around anywhere in three-dimensional space. With this in mind, overhead speakers should complement the frequency response, output, and power-handling capabilities of the listener-level speakers. Choose overhead speakers that are timbre matched as closely as possible to the primary listener-level speakers. Overhead speakers with a wide dispersion pattern are desirable for use in a Dolby Atmos system. This will ensure the closest replication of the cinematic environment, where overhead speakers are placed high above the listener
Mounting considerations:
If the chosen overhead speakers have a wide dispersion pattern (approximately 45 degrees from the acoustical reference axis over the audio band from 100 Hz to 10 kHz or wider), then speakers may be mounted facing directly downward. For speakers with narrower dispersion patterns, those with aimable or angled elements should be angled toward the primary listening position.
That's interesting as I just got off the phone with Marantz. We were talking about 'amp assignment' capabilities of their Atmos receivers and I asked a question about placement of the Atmos speakers. I asked if the height speakers could be mounted where the wall meets the ceiling. His response was that they absolutely could, but they should be angled towards the listening position.
So with this information, I might be able to utilize some of the existing small speakers in storage (Boston Acoustics A40) and save a good bit of money.
Also, these A40 speakers served as the rears in my original 7.1 surround system and are well matched to my Acoustic Research main/center/surround speakers.
markshan
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
I always assumed that in a 5.1.2 you would just mount the ceiling speakers half way between the fronts and rears. That's my plan if I ever get it done.
That makes me thing again about using some K-Horns for Atmos, 3 good watts would be plenty. Mounted to the ceiling-wall junction would give the required "corner" mounting for the folded horn design to work properly. That would also then have the horns pointing down into the room at a 45dg angle toward the MLP, just about perfect.
Now all I need is a new house with a big room and tall ceilings for my new listening palace.
That's the way Dolby recommends 5.1.2 positioning.
https://www.dolby.com/siteassets/ab...r-placement/5_1_2_overhead_speakers_setup.pdfOnce you commit to doing a Atmos install I highly recommend the 4 speaker rig to get best possible immersion. Costs a bit more but heck, your already on a latter or in the attic. LOL
I'm getting a headache here, so I guess I'll just "Take a powder" for a bit.
But relief may be on the way, as I just pulled the trigger on an Apple TV 4K box yesterday to get me started in the game. After discounts, credits etc.; cost me about $32 from Amazon.
Definitely will go with In-ceiling speakers when the time is right.
But relief may be on the way, as I just pulled the trigger on an Apple TV 4K box yesterday to get me started in the game. After discounts, credits etc.; cost me about $32 from Amazon.
Definitely will go with In-ceiling speakers when the time is right.
WHAT, I thought I was getting a real deal at $99
I'll give you $40 for it right now. And I will waive the home inspection.I'm getting a headache here, so I guess I'll just "Take a powder" for a bit.
But relief may be on the way, as I just pulled the trigger on an Apple TV 4K box yesterday to get me started in the game. After discounts, credits etc.; cost me about $32 from Amazon.
Definitely will go with In-ceiling speakers when the time is right.
well 5% cash back on Amazon C.C. and built up cash Amazon credit.WHAT, I thought I was getting a real deal at $99
The really big expense, will be needing a newer AVR -ugh!!!
And then tearing my system apart and hooking everything back up again... double ugh!!!
annnd, figuring out how to run wiring through my ceiling and walls for the height speakers.. triple ugh!!!!
That was near impossible for me so I used cable management cord covers. If you paint them to match wall color they're near invisible. Lots of options available.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Legrand-10-Piece-5-75-in-White-Cord-Cable-Organization-Kit/3136757
I was lucky enough to be able to ask the builder for my new house if they could run speaker cable for me through the walls before drywall went up. They said yes, so I had them run cable for two recessed ceiling speakers and two rear surround speakers too. Once I get the budget to add those speakers, the wiring is all done for me. Having seen the space all together, I actually want to do the same for the left and right surround. Wish I would have caught that before, but only one of them would require going into the attic and running cable. The other I can do from inside and hide the cable under the baseboard.
markshan
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
My room is tiny.
Perhaps install two height speakers first? That's what I'm thinking of doing right now in my particular situation with the height speakers hung on the ceiling rather than IN the ceiling. It would be something like this (All pics are from the Dolby Atmos Home Theater Installation Guide):
And then install the back pair of height speakers.
Now I know that the guide shows that a single set of height speakers in a 7.1.2 setup should be like this with the heights closer to the listening position than in the 7.1.4 setup:
But I don't think it would make much of a difference with my speakers hung from the ceiling and aimed at the listening area.
temporaryhuman
Well-known Member
Those set ups make no sense if you also listen to 5.1 music.
The rears in the 5.1 facing each other? No beuno. Stereo imaging lost?
I agree with you 100%. I posted the above diagrams only for discussion of locating the Atmos height speakers. My current arrangement, and planned future arrangement, will continue to have the surrounds at an angle of 120 to 130 degrees.
It makes no sense to me to compromise playback of my huge quad and 5.1 collection just to optimize for Atmos.
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