Thinking about adding Atmos Height speakers

[ProgRules]

Well that was a big disappointment n alot of stress today.. Deal to good to be true
Was advertised new by a seller with good reviews since 2002...so i ordered it
$775 for machine offered w/ 3 yr square trade warranty for extra $100 so i bit...$875+tax...almost 900 smackeroos

This afternoon get message delivery date 6-22. Later get email order is cancelled...im like WTF...then get email from ebay saying im involved w a hacked account...then calling bank to to cxl my card....damnit

That sucks! Too good to be true indeed. Oppo's are going for crazy money these days. Wish I had jumped on a 203 when they came out. Just cash poor. I was lucky to find a used 103D for a good price not long after 203's and 5's were gone. Hope you can find one somewhere for not too much.

 

[filper]

If you switch from 2 to 4 height speakers, how do you compensate for the speaker impedance load on the receiver ? Use 2 four ohm in series ? What if you only have eight ohm speakers ?

 

[HomerJAU]

If you switch from 2 to 4 height speakers, how do you compensate for the speaker impedance load on the receiver ? Use 2 four ohm in series ? What if you only have eight ohm speakers ?

It’s one speaker per amplifier. These are individual channels just like 5.1 or Quad systems.

 

[filper]

So the only way to have 4 height speakers is with a 9.2 receiver ? Could you use two 4 ohm speakers in series on a 7.2 receiver ?

 

[Audiowannabee]

That sucks! Too good to be true indeed. Oppo's are going for crazy money these days. Wish I had jumped on a 203 when they came out. Just cash poor. I was lucky to find a used 103D for a good price not long after 203's and 5's were gone. Hope you can find one somewhere for not too much.

Ive got a 203...wanted another machine...was on list for 205 but no go...thousands on that damn end list...they should have made more

 

[Strilo]

My receiver is 9.2 so my question is this: Is it better to have 4 ceiling speakers or 4 surround speakers (2 side and 2 rear)?

 

[ProgRules]

Ive got a 203...wanted another machine...was on list for 205 but no go...thousands on that damn end list...they should have made more

Ok then I don't feel as bad for you if you already have a 203. Still sucks though.

 

[salsdali]

My receiver is 9.2 so my question is this: Is it better to have 4 ceiling speakers or 4 surround speakers (2 side and 2 rear)?

go with more ceiling speakers. It adds another dimension on the 3-D xyz graph compared to more surrounds which don't add another dimension (their stuck on the xy plane).

 

[HomerJAU]

Could you use two 4 ohm speakers in series on a 7.2 receiver ?

Atmos theoretically have different information in all four top channels. So having only two channels sharing 4 speakers is not going to replicate the Atmos mix.

It’s like having a quad system but connecting two speakers to each front channel. That’s not Quad it’s stereo and you won’t hear what’s in the back channel mix.

 

[filper]

Thanks HomerJAU. I was not aware they were separate channels.

 

[marpow]

go with more ceiling speakers. It adds another dimension on the 3-D xyz graph compared to more surrounds which don't add another dimension (their stuck on the xy plane).

View attachment 52509View attachment 52510View attachment 52509

Could you imagine, I would seriously fuck up my ears worse than they already are.

 

[Audiowannabee]

Could you imagine, I would seriously fuck up my ears worse than they already are.

Well marpow aids work...im now having to wearem...yep losing it...getting old sucks

 

[Audiowannabee]

go with more ceiling speakers. It adds another dimension on the 3-D xyz graph compared to more surrounds which don't add another dimension (their stuck on the xy plane).

View attachment 52509View attachment 52510View attachment 52509

Could u imagine that in ur house...wow lol

 

[northernsoul]

My receiver is 9.2 so my question is this: Is it better to have 4 ceiling speakers or 4 surround speakers (2 side and 2 rear)?

Ceiling. Although 7.1.4 is ideal. If not 5.1.2 or 4 is ok.

 

[Daniel John]

This was exactly what I was thinking of getting as well. But reading your comments, feel like I should wait? Does it add any difference at all?

It does add some height to the audio but it is very subtle depending on the content. My problem is my living room setup means I'm sitting about 10-12' from screen and atmos speakers as they are positioned on my front mains, so this may have something to do with it.

 

[Lord British]

I have a small man cave in my basement and wanted to add 4 height speakers for Atmos. I also wanted to avoid cutting holes or rigging up anything to hold in-ceiling speakers as the floor joists are exposed and I am not what you would consider a handyman. I ended up going with 4 Polk Audio OWM3's. You can mount them using just 2 screws or you can use a fully articulate mounting bracket such as an OmniMount 10. My Pioneer Elite SC-95 is capable of 7.2.4, but would require having a pre-amp installed for the surround back speakers. Not having one on hand, I tried a 5.2.4 setup instead, installing the OWM's a bit in front and directly above my mains, and slightly behind on the wall for my backs.

I was a bit underwhelmed, but I also didn't like sacrificing my surround backs to add the extra 2 height speakers. I enjoy the separation and location of the sound the surround backs provide.

So I went and adjusted it to a 7.2.2 setup, with a pair of OWM's as MIDDLE heights, and using the remaining 2 OWM's as surround back speakers.

I am much more impressed with this setup. For some reason, I'm able to tell sound is coming from the height speakers better when they are in the middle rather than when there were 4 of them and I had them in front and in back. I think its because my main speakers are a bit overpowering in the small room (SVS Ultra Towers) and my ceiling isnt very high, only about 8 feet, so it was hard to hear the separation between the mains and the front heights. But having moved them towards me a bit, and being in the middle of the room away from the mains allows them to be heard. And I love that I still have my surround backs! Cheap, too. Only about 40$ a piece. They don't need to rock the room, so they do what i need.

 

[Wagonmaster_91]

This is what I will be doing exactly.
Dolby Atmos 5.1.4

This is what my 7.1 (actually 7.3) system looks like right now with the exception of the placement of the subwoofer(s) and the front overhead speakers (#s 6 on the diagram). During the lookdown I re-wired, re-configured and updated equipment in my entire system including adding another stereo amp for the planned front overheads. Unfortunately, summer is already upon us in Texas and we are hitting 90 degrees daily so I am waiting on a cool front to get up in the attic to install the extra speakers.
But I am not doing Atmos - yet. I may eventually get an Atmos or DTSx receiver, but in the meantime I am designing a 'Frankenstein' system for those front overheads that will allow me to select several different types on signals to send to them. I will detail it more once it is finished.