Poll: Atmos Music: Are You Going to Listen at Home?

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Atmos Music: Are You Going to Listen?


  • Total voters
    184
I have one Atmos SACD. I would buy more if I could get them to work with headphones on the hardware that I have (my AVR will do Atmos with speakers). I have seen ads for Atmos headsets, but they require an Xbox One, which I am not going to buy just to listen to a few CDs. FWIW, I also have some Quadraphonic (Surround Sound) CDs and SACDs.

Does anyone make an Atmos optical drive and Atmos headphones that will work with a Windows 7 PC?
I guess I could be wrong on this, but Atmos would only appear on Bluerays. There isn't a standard for Atmos on SACD is there?

I wonder how an Atmos headset would even work? I mean considering the format is all about reproducing 3-D image in space ....:unsure:
 
I'm saying, I think everyone is stopping short at 5.1 purely because of finance. If they had the money all would expand into atmos.
Don't blame technolgy for lack of finance. That's what's killed many a good technology in the past. Just because people can't afford something doesn't mean that something is bad.
It's not just finance... my wife and I literally almost got a divorce fighting over the speakers in my 5.1 set-up!
 
When my HT receiver bit the dust I upgraded to an Atmos capable receiver. Still running 5.2 but plan on setting up Atmos speakers in the future. Just have not gotten around to it. I only have the INXS Kick box with Atmos, but I have many 4k movies with Atmos soundtracks that I would like to experience.
 
I'm in for 5 channel only, no wish or need to upgrade. Anything that gets multi channel music into homes gets a thumbs up from me, but I see anything with like 7 or more speakers as super niche. ….but if you can downmix to 5.1, then great! bring it on.
 
Based on 5.1 reviews of some of the existing Atmos albums (AFtP/Kick) I'm not sure that downmixing will always offer an enjoyable experience.
I sure hope so, but I'm a bit dubious.
I think if this is really the case, or an additional surround track is not included, the format is doomed to failure. Just my opinion.
 
I'm a big fan of the Atmos/Auro 3-D world, but not just for the dedicated mixes. I enjoy playing with the various upmixers (Dolby Surround, DTS Neural X, Auromixer) with stereo sources. For example, "Time" by APP sounded great last night as the cymbal wash slowly filled the room from front to rear overhead... Of course, folks have very different tastes when it comes to upmixers, so YMMV.
 
It's not just finance... my wife and I literally almost got a divorce fighting over the speakers in my 5.1 set-up!
I had the same experience, my wife was at work the day I put in my B&W Diamond speakers, I took the grills off and with the little tweeter horns that B&W's have and the gold fiber speakers, she woke me up saying I am not going to have eyes staring at me while I watch TV, it was a huge encounter. But, she is a good wife and that was a couple years ago so now all is fine. There is no way I could add a bunch of speakers, sides and cieling into our small living room. To be honest even if I lived by myself I don't thing I would bother.
 
I had the same experience, my wife was at work the day I put in my B&W Diamond speakers, I took the grills off and with the little tweeter horns that B&W's have and the gold fiber speakers, she woke me up saying I am not going to have eyes staring at me while I watch TV, it was a huge encounter. But, she is a good wife and that was a couple years ago so now all is fine. There is no way I could add a bunch of speakers, sides and cieling into our small living room. To be honest even if I lived by myself I don't thing I would bother.
I believe it may be a huge issue with many of us; my wife sees speakers and equipment as “appliances”, and would prefer it was all hidden away in an appliance garage.
 
I believe it may be a huge issue with many of us; my wife sees speakers and equipment as “appliances”, and would prefer it was all hidden away in an appliance garage.

At least you have ferns and freshly cut floral arrangements in front of your 'appliances,' Pupsta!

An acquaintance from Austria used to put vases of flowers in front of his speakers because he thought they were hideous eyesores ...... Imagine the lack of imaging?
 
I think if this is really the case, or an additional surround track is not included, the format is doomed to failure. Just my opinion.
Whether the less than universally positive reviews are due to preferences, or the mixes not downmixing pleasantly, I can't say.
There is sometimes an alternate mix available, btw. Not on AFtP though, IIRC.
 
I have tried it on/off and appreciate the potential. OTOH, there is no significant available repertoire for me to justify the bother/cost. Frankly, I do not see any prospect for that to change during my lifetime.
 
I can't imagine not springing for an Atmos-capable receiver when I'm forced to replace my current equipment but I've had reliability issues with all three of my most recent boxes and am reluctant to buy anything new until I have to. My circa 2000 Denon still works great in my office, but the Pioneer and two Onkyos that followed it ALL needed trips to the shop for one reason or another AND my LG 3D TV died right at the moment it became irreplaceable, so I'm currently one of those grumpy old "Everything new sucks!" people.
 
you bought 3 more speakers and a new receiver and discs to achieve your 5.0 niche (from stereo)?

why stop there and think that's it? Just keep expanding into the niche, that what separates stereo listeners from 5.1 just like mp3 from mlp, etc. If you're gonna expand, why stop short, take it to it's logical limit.

I'm saying, I think everyone is stopping short at 5.1 purely because of finance. If they had the money all would expand into atmos.

Don't blame technolgy for lack of finance. That's what's killed many a good technology in the past. Just because people can't afford something doesn't mean that something is bad.
practicality in terms of cost, hassle, mess and family.

Technology needs to be affordable and have a good reason to be, your analogy seems to be like going for a bottle of 2013 Taste of Diamonds when only wanting or being able to afford a glass of sparkling white because the cost should be irrelevant and it is taking it to its "logical limit".

Atmos doesn't suit my needs, or particularly my desires, nor my living space, and that's fine with me.
 
Well all this talk now makes me want to upgrade!

Seriously though, all valid points and it's not the money. I can afford it and I'd like to hear what it does to a new movie (and an old one that the receiver upmixes) but it just comes down to me not having enough motivation to cough up the dough. Same story when I bought my latest TV. An OLED would have been better but I didn't think it would be $3K better which was the next step up price at the time. Plus, I like a bright screen and don't mind the occasional fluorescent grass when I'm watching a movie. One day I may upgrade but at the moment - not gonna happen. If my receiver threw the toys tomorrow though, I'd definitely get an Atmos-capable replacement and then the wondering would begin.

Dang, bummer to hear about wives complaining about speakers being an eyesore. I find them a thing of beauty and I don't even stare at them while I'm listening and definitely not when I'm watching a movie - I'm watching the movie! Chicks, man...
 
I changed the question by adding “at home”.

Jim, the current Atmos home system seem to be limited to 16 channel (15.1 in the ‘old’ system).

I went for reasonable quality in-ceiling speakers which sound very good and are nearly invisible. I added 4 in-ceilings to my 7.1 (a 7.1.4 system)

Hadn't heard they were doing that. (Again, my bad not paying attention.)
That's a big negative for me just hearing that though. So, we're restricting content again are we? Making the version sold to consumers reduced?
My knee jerk reaction when someone dangles something in front of me and then says "No, only I get this one! YOU can have this lesser version."

I want to be positive about this.
I mean, the only thing better than more channels is even more channels! :D

I think it's a really bad idea to introduce this right now before 5.1 is solid and commonplace though.
Let's get more 5.1 mixes out there and with proper mastering and THEN we can talk about massive speaker arrays like Atmos. If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!

I need to find some title to filch somewhere that has all the discrete channels available. (So... need to get setup with the decoder.)
Not just some polite wiggles and warbles and ambience either. (Hmmm... Wonder what the Flaming Lips guys are up to these days.)
Then it has to be alluring enough to make me hang speakers from the ceiling and all that to hear the full mix in 3D. (I'd be soloing sets of channels on a 5.1 array initially.)
The encoder and decoder codecs have to be reasonably available. I don't just expect freeware (but would appreciate it!) but if this is another $12,000 software suite thing... you know where to shove that.
I'd need to be taken in enough to want to mix in the format. (I'll be easiest to sell on this one. I already think that sounds like fun in fact!)
I'd be nice to know that maybe 5 or 6 people might ever hear any mix I make in the full format.
Right now maybe dozens of people have heard some of my surround mixes. And that's OK. :)

My blunt concern:
Seeing this advertised with "Atmos" as a buzzword with shitbar fake speakers in Worst Purchase.
Yeah... Market this to people that can't even listen to stereo properly (because of the shitbar).
Makes me think this whole format will devolve into a movie soundtrack format and only have the occasional audio mix. And that with just a lot of ambient wiggles.
 
My blunt concern:
Seeing this advertised with "Atmos" as a buzzword with shitbar fake speakers in Worst Purchase.
Yeah... Market this to people that can't even listen to stereo properly (because of the shitbar).

Ha! Great post. This made me laugh.

My blunt concern:
Makes me think this whole format will devolve into a movie soundtrack format and only have the occasional audio mix. And that with just a lot of ambient wiggles.

This is my concern too. Hope I'm wrong though and it's not another '3D TV'. I've lost count how many times I've watched an action movie on BD with 5.1 audio where there should be tons going on all around you but there's diddly squat coming from the rears (hardly even any "ambient wiggles" - which is a funny term I plan on using in future too). It's like they'd booked the surround mixer for one afternoon and he only managed to do the final battle scene before he had to leave early to pick up the kids. Might as well have been stereo. Then there's the other situation when I get an older movie with stereo audio that the receiver manages to turn into a decent surround mix (mostly score coming from the rears but still better than some "5.1" mixes). Baffling.
 
Hadn't heard they were doing that. (Again, my bad not paying attention.)
That's a big negative for me just hearing that though. So, we're restricting content again are we? Making the version sold to consumers reduced?
My knee jerk reaction when someone dangles something in front of me and then says "No, only I get this one! YOU can have this lesser version."

I want to be positive about this.
I mean, the only thing better than more channels is even more channels! :D

I think it's a really bad idea to introduce this right now before 5.1 is solid and commonplace though.
Let's get more 5.1 mixes out there and with proper mastering and THEN we can talk about massive speaker arrays like Atmos. If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!

I need to find some title to filch somewhere that has all the discrete channels available. (So... need to get setup with the decoder.)
Not just some polite wiggles and warbles and ambience either. (Hmmm... Wonder what the Flaming Lips guys are up to these days.)
Then it has to be alluring enough to make me hang speakers from the ceiling and all that to hear the full mix in 3D. (I'd be soloing sets of channels on a 5.1 array initially.)
The encoder and decoder codecs have to be reasonably available. I don't just expect freeware (but would appreciate it!) but if this is another $12,000 software suite thing... you know where to shove that.
I'd need to be taken in enough to want to mix in the format. (I'll be easiest to sell on this one. I already think that sounds like fun in fact!)
I'd be nice to know that maybe 5 or 6 people might ever hear any mix I make in the full format.
Right now maybe dozens of people have heard some of my surround mixes. And that's OK. :)

My blunt concern:
Seeing this advertised with "Atmos" as a buzzword with shitbar fake speakers in Worst Purchase.
Yeah... Market this to people that can't even listen to stereo properly (because of the shitbar).
Makes me think this whole format will devolve into a movie soundtrack format and only have the occasional audio mix. And that with just a lot of ambient wiggles.
Most appreciate your candidness.
:ROFLMAO:
 
Technology needs to be affordable and have a good reason to be, your analogy seems to be like going for a bottle of 2013 Taste of Diamonds when only wanting or being able to afford a glass of sparkling white because the cost should be irrelevant and it is taking it to its "logical limit".

Atmos doesn't suit my needs, or particularly my desires, nor my living space, and that's fine with me.

IMO, anyone who is OVER THEIR HEAD FINANCIALLY certainly doesn't need OVERHEAD SPEAKERS. When my current bedroom receiver goes kaput......I'll probably upgrade to an ATMOS capable receiver.....but I'm in no rush. All the rest of my systems have separate components so that's another issue.
 
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