Dolby Atmos Ceiling Speakers

[LuvMyQuad]

I got these to use as spacers
Ring Craft Shape | Craftcuts.com

White painted MDF. 10"OD, 8"ID, 3/4" thick. They are custom made so they wont be for 2 weeks or so.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

So lets talk about location. I have this arrangement as well

The approximate distance from the front mains to the sweet spot is about 8ft. Going side to side on the birds eye view, I can locate the heights 1 foot closer to or 1 foot farther away from the center of each floor speaker. Going up and down I can locate them nearly anywhere but will need to stay in the center of the tiles.

The Dolby placement above suggests about 1/3 of the distance behind each front floor speaker. In my case, that distance would be about 2.5 ft. In the rear it is somewhat shorter and would likely end up being the first full closest to the rear wall.

Comments?

 

[Doug G.]

Is the sound quality of Dolby Atmos as limited as with Dolby 5.1?

Doug

 

[tcdriver]

... Did anyone cover the back side of the ceiling drivers? Not so much for audio concerns but just to stop debris from falling on them? ...

The speakers that I installed in the ceiling are open back. I have blow in insulation that I did not want to directly contact the speakers. I used a cloth towel to cover the back side of each speaker. This allows the infinite baffle effect while keeping out the attic insulation fibers.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Is the sound quality of Dolby Atmos as limited as with Dolby 5.1?

Doug

The way I understand it, streaming Atmos is lossy. Atmos sourced from disc is not. I cant say if Dolby 5.1 is any worse than streamed Atmos.

 

[tcdriver]

Is the sound quality of Dolby Atmos as limited as with Dolby 5.1?

Doug

Are you asking about Dolby ATMOS vs Dolby Digital? If so, Dolby Digital 5.1 is not lossless. Dolby TrueHD Dolby ATMOS, often found in Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray discs is lossless. Dolby Digital Plus, often used in streaming, is a lossless format that is capable of Dolby ATMOS content.
EDIT / Correction: Dolby Digital Plus is a non-lossless format.

Dolby TrueHD
Dolby TrueHD, also known as MLP, is a lossless audio codec used widely on HD and UHD Blu-ray Discs. Dolby TrueHD supports up to 24-bit audio and sampling rates from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz. Dolby TrueHD supports up to 7.1 audio channels as well as Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

As Dolby TrueHD is a lossless audio codec, the data rate is variable. For example, Dolby TrueHD bitrates average around 6,000 kbps for Dolby Atmos at 48 kHz with peak data rates up to a maximum of 18,000 kbps for high sampling rate multichannel content.

	Dolby Digital	Dolby Digital Plus	Dolby TrueHD
Stereo	✔	✔	✔
5.1-ch	✔	✔	✔
7.1-ch		✔	✔
Dolby Atmos		✔	✔
Lossless			✔
S/PDIF	✔
HDMI	✔	✔	✔
HDMI ARC	✔	✔
HDMI eARC	✔	✔	✔

 

[tcdriver]

So lets talk about location. I have this arrangement as well
View attachment 74780
The approximate distance from the front mains to the sweet spot is about 8ft. Going side to side on the birds eye view, I can locate the heights 1 foot closer to or 1 foot farther away from the center of each floor speaker. Going up and down I can locate them nearly anywhere but will need to stay in the center of the tiles.

View attachment 74784

The Dolby placement above suggests about 1/3 of the distance behind each front floor speaker. In my case, that distance would be about 2.5 ft. In the rear it is somewhat shorter and would likely end up being the first full closest to the rear wall.

Comments?

For placement of the top (ATMOS) speakers look to the full layout document. The top speakers should be placed so that they are at the angles shown in the side view diagram. Link: https://www.dolby.com/siteassets/ab...er-placement/7_1_4_overhead_speaker_setup.pdf

 

[Doug G.]

I asked my question because, every time I select Dolby on the disks I have, regardless of format, it sounds decidedly inferior to DTS 5.1

Doug

 

[tcdriver]

I asked my question because, every time I select Dolby on the disks I have, regardless of format, it sounds decidedly inferior to DTS 5.1

Doug

Have you compared Dolby TrueHD to dts-HD Master Audio? Both are lossless.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Dolby Digital Plus, often used in streaming, is a lossless format that is capable of Dolby ATMOS content.

	Dolby Digital	Dolby Digital Plus	Dolby TrueHD
Stereo	✔	✔	✔
5.1-ch	✔	✔	✔
7.1-ch		✔	✔
Dolby Atmos		✔	✔
Lossless			✔
S/PDIF	✔
HDMI	✔	✔	✔
HDMI ARC	✔	✔
HDMI eARC	✔	✔	✔

No DD Plus is Lossy. Your own chart says so.

 

[Doug G.]

Have you compared Dolby TrueHD to dts-HD Master Audio? Both are lossless.

Yes. Dolby just sounds kind of blah, comparatively.

Doug

 

[Sal1950]

This is the whitepaper that applies. Use trigonometry shoot for 135 degrees.

Seriously.. It's only been almost 60 years since I flunked that class. LOL

I went with these:
Home

I believe you could get a shower cap at the corner $1dollar store?
Seriously my only caution is that they will dry up and crumble apart in short order?

I got a super deal on 4 used SVS Prime Elevations and finished a prototype install Monday night. After an initial run of Audyssey Editor and the first days listening I'm quite impressed with their tonality though a bit bright compared to my JBL HDI-3600s. I need to live with this
layout for a bit to see if I'm happy with the immersive soundstage. It's recommended as an alternative layout to compromise between a Atmos and Auro 3D layout. The final judgement will be my own, OH OH.
Crude photos of my room from the L,C,R sides

Good luck,
Sal

 

[AshBuchanan]

I installed ceiling speakers for atmos yesterday and tested it with the abbey road bluray. For best results, do I set my speaker configuration to 5.1.2 or 7.1? Both settings seem to work, but I'm not sure which is correct.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I installed ceiling speakers for atmos yesterday and tested it with the abbey road bluray. For best results, do I set my speaker configuration to 5.1.2 or 7.1? Both settings seem to work, but I'm not sure which is correct.

Wouldn't it be 5.1.2 for Atmos playback? 7.1 is non Atmos but with side and back surrounds. Both will likely make sound, as you heard.

 

[mandrix]

I just moved my front high speakers to middle high. Made a difference for me in this particular room that has no real good solutions. I have a slanting roof/ceiling as well but the AVR's program seemed to do a pretty good job adjusting all the speakers. My front 3 are just above ear level, my rears are up high and barely behind on (100# capable) swivel mounts, and now the middle highs are about about halfway between the fronts and my chair. Ive only had time to test with Booka Shade's Dear Future Self but it sounded pretty good.

 

[ar surround]

So lets talk about location. I have this arrangement as well
View attachment 74780
The approximate distance from the front mains to the sweet spot is about 8ft. Going side to side on the birds eye view, I can locate the heights 1 foot closer to or 1 foot farther away from the center of each floor speaker. Going up and down I can locate them nearly anywhere but will need to stay in the center of the tiles.

View attachment 74784

The Dolby placement above suggests about 1/3 of the distance behind each front floor speaker. In my case, that distance would be about 2.5 ft. In the rear it is somewhat shorter and would likely end up being the first full closest to the rear wall.

Comments?

If you want a combined Atmos / Auro 3D installation, do not install those front height speakers as shown in the Atmos diagram. The rear height speakers will work just fine in that position with Auro 3D, but there will be an uncohesive sound field between the front mains and the front heights. Here are some guides to help you if you want a combined set up. Also, that last photo is my Atmos/Auro3D layout...results are excellent for both Atmos and Auro 3D. Good luck.

 

[ar surround]

I believe you could get a shower cap at the corner $1dollar store?
Seriously my only caution is that they will dry up and crumble apart in short order?

I thought about that too. But those things aren't meant to last. I think that the elastic will deteriorate too quickly.

Hey, do I get a medal or something for 3000 posts?

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Hey, do I get a medal or something for 3000 posts?

Look for it in the mail.

If you want a combined Atmos / Auro 3D installation, do not install those front height speakers as shown in the Atmos diagram. The rear height speakers will work just fine in that position with Auro 3D, but there will be an uncohesive sound field between the front mains and the front heights. Here are some guides to help you if you want a combined set up. Also, that last photo is my Atmos/Auro3D layout...results are excellent for both Atmos and Auro 3D. Good luck.

So after reading what you posted, translated to my scenario, when there is a choice in placement, it is best to opt for the position that pushes the heights closer to where the mains are and further from the listening position.

 

[ted_b]

Has anyone else who has installed SVS Prime Elevations on the ceiling found they are quite wobbly (secured by using ceiling kit, but physically very wobbly)? I found that inserting some same color foam (black for me) along the back (behind the binding posts) and in front, but not so far forward so as to block the bass port, keeps them relatively solid against the ceiling.

 

[ar surround]

Look for it in the mail.


So after reading what you posted, translated to my scenario, when there is a choice in placement, it is best to opt for the position that pushes the heights closer to where the mains are and further from the listening position.

Yes, if one wants a combined Atmos/Auro 3D setup. Another consideration: With your Emotiva ceiling speakers, you can adjust the tweeter to fire towards the listening position...but how much so? At some point, the angle between the ceiling speaker and the seating position will become beyond what works, not only for the tweeter but also the midrange frequencies. I have no idea what that angle may be.