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First Listen: Dolby Atmos Is "Right" At Home

I said it before... I'm in (once the processors are available).
 
I'm always interested in new multi-channel technologies - if for nothing else but shits and giggles.

However, unfortunately (or perhaps not), the two methods of implementing these new "speakers" is not possible in my main HT. To wit...

I'm not about to rip out my finished ceiling to install four in-ceiling speakers, and...

I could not use the alternative method of projecting F R/L and R L/R placed speakers off the ceiling since ALL reflection points (including ceiling) in my HT have been acoustically treated. That treatment is (partly) what gives that room it's overall sound quality - which I like and which I'd never want to change

But that's just me and my situation. Otherwise I'm open to the concept.

Jeff
 
I'm on the fence with this one. When I get to build my next HT, I will probably make some sort of provision to add these speakers later. However, having achieved fantastic "overhead" effects from standard 5/7.1, I'm not sure how much benefit there really is.

John
 
If I'm honest The reason I'm excited about it is that I'm shopping for a new pre/pro anyway and I'm lucky to have the ability to add the speakers relatively easily. Sounds coming from overhead aren't a requirement but, based on my experience in theaters, are a worthwhile addition. I wouldn't even consider upgrading solely to add Atmos.
 
That makes sense. No sense in NOT having a future spec included in any new hardware. (Of course until Atmos 1.5 comes out and renders all 1.0 hardware obsolete because they don't support some requirement of 1.5. :angry-banghead: )

John
 
Yeah. I don't see Atmos really catching on mainstream. If we're lucky we'll get to enjoy "native" Atmos support on the big blockbuster releases for a few years.
 
I can't get on board. For one, I just don't want to spend the funds for more speakers, new processor, etc. I have a drop ceiling, so I could probably implement it fairly easy for my small space.

I just feel like like I'm going to be "that guy" if I added all that to my setup. I know that's stupid to say, but I can't help it.
 
I'd like to see 7.1 catch on before I invest in Atmos. And 4K too.

Saving my nickels.
 
The use of overhead speakers won't catch on. High resolution multi-channel audio formats haven't caught on either. Ask your neighbors or coworkers if they care about the differences between Dolby Digital and TrueHD. Ask the same group if they can even spell DVD-A or DTS-MA.
 
Towen7 said:
The use of overhead speakers won't catch on. High resolution multi-channel audio formats haven't caught on either. Ask your neighbors or coworkers if they care about the differences between Dolby Digital and TrueHD. Ask the same group if they can even spell DVD-A or DTS-MA.
Click to expand...
Yeaaahh, but BetaMax finally conquered!!! :music-rockout: :music-rockout: :music-rockout:

:laughing-rolling:
 
I don't know. People are silly and fall for the "more is better" thinking.

If you give Joe Sixpack the options to have 5 speakers and a subwoofer or 9 smaller speakers and a subwoofer, I think he will chose 9. He will probably setup the processor wrong so he can always hear the overhead speakers to make sure his investment was worth the effort and cost, but he'll choose more every time.
 
Flint said:
I don't know. People are silly and fall for the "more is better" thinking.

If you give Joe Sixpack the options to have 5 speakers and a subwoofer or 9 smaller speakers and a subwoofer, I think he will chose 9. He will probably setup the processor wrong so he can always hear the overhead speakers to make sure his investment was worth the effort and cost, but he'll choose more every time.
Click to expand...

My experience is that you're spot on!! A partner in the A/V store I worked for left his "calling card" whenever he went to a customer's house to help with anything by setting the receiver to "All Channel Stereo" because "that way all the speakers work".

In their demo room, I once spent two days getting it set up where it was actually a decent 5.1 system with properly calibrated tone matched speakers, etc. This guy comes in and listens and get pissed that it's not 7.1, despite the fact that have the speakers in there to do that. I tried to point out that the other speakers were ceiling mounted almost directly over the listening location and weren't anywhere near tonally balanced to the other 5; therefore, adding those two would make the room sound worse. His response was, "yeah, but then we'll have 7.1".

John
 
Maybe I need to better understand the market forces with this stuff. I'm sure there's a small number of enthusiasts that will care enough to add the speakers Atmos needs, but that's going to be a small subset of an already small group of consumers. And a I'm sure there is a small number of non-enthusiasts with the resources for professionally installed/supported theaters (like the ones Yromj referenced) that will want the max number of speakers and have the resources to have it installed.

I just can't figure that combined number would be significant enough to drive profit into Atmos. I'm sure there is added cost to the manufacturers and added cost to the disc producers. Maybe that added cost is low enough that it takes only those small groups to recoup.
 
yromj said:
Flint said:
I don't know. People are silly and fall for the "more is better" thinking.

If you give Joe Sixpack the options to have 5 speakers and a subwoofer or 9 smaller speakers and a subwoofer, I think he will chose 9. He will probably setup the processor wrong so he can always hear the overhead speakers to make sure his investment was worth the effort and cost, but he'll choose more every time.
Click to expand...

My experience is that you're spot on!! A partner in the A/V store I worked for left his "calling card" whenever he went to a customer's house to help with anything by setting the receiver to "All Channel Stereo" because "that way all the speakers work".

In their demo room, I once spent two days getting it set up where it was actually a decent 5.1 system with properly calibrated tone matched speakers, etc. This guy comes in and listens and get pissed that it's not 7.1, despite the fact that have the speakers in there to do that. I tried to point out that the other speakers were ceiling mounted almost directly over the listening location and weren't anywhere near tonally balanced to the other 5; therefore, adding those two would make the room sound worse. His response was, "yeah, but then we'll have 7.1".

John
Click to expand...

thats the thing right, not to be snobbish or an 'audiophile' about things, but its one reason why the market seems to be full of inaccuracies and bloated needs. joe sick pack doesnt care about how it should sound tonally balanced or that the high pass filter is correct, all he cares about is the fizz and rattle both his speakers and his subwoofer pumps out.

Towen7 said:
Maybe I need to better understand the market forces with this stuff. I'm sure there's a small number of enthusiasts that will care enough to add the speakers Atmos needs, but that's going to be a small subset of an already small group of consumers. And a I'm sure there is a small number of non-enthusiasts with the resources for professionally installed/supported theaters (like the ones Yromj referenced) that will want the max number of speakers and have the resources to have it installed.

I just can't figure that combined number would be significant enough to drive profit into Atmos. I'm sure there is added cost to the manufacturers and added cost to the disc producers. Maybe that added cost is low enough that it takes only those small groups to recoup.
Click to expand...

as much as the market is there, its a selected market. i kinda compare it to car purchases. but there is still a great market who are into the maseratis and/or maybachs. profitability by masses of course outweigh that market, but they still survive and thrive given the loyalty of the market who appreciates the luxury of it.

personally, i wish i didnt upgrade recently. i currently have the 'height' speakers and love em, but now seeing that the atmos is just around the corner, maybe i shouldve waited. im glad i purchased my pioneer vsx-1123, and lay in a bed of contentment. but man i still look at maybachs once in a while. :music-listening:
 
People decide they want a fancy HT and they think about it, talk about it, fret over it, and then go to Best Buy and get the one with the most watts and the most speakers. THey then stuff the speakers wherever they seem to fit and seem to be right and are done with it.
 
I propose we take an informal survey of our friends and coworkers to see how many have 5.1 or higher systems. Of that set of people how many know are HT savvy enough to know if they are using a hi-res audio source.

In my line of work as an Area Manager for an IPTV provider my managers and techs are in homes every single day. My area covers pretty much the full range of household incomes. I'd be willing to bet that less around 10% of people have a receiver capable of 5.1. Of that 10% less than half are actually using more than 3 speakers and a sub. Of the subset less than 20% are into it enough to know what HD audio even is.

I suppose it's possible that some number of people will endup buying Atmos just because it's available. I just can't wrap my head around it being a deal breaker for anything more than a minuscule percentage of an already relatively small market. That said I suppose it doesn't really matter to the manufacturer if anyone actually USES the additional speakers, only that they buy the processor.
 
Towen7 said:
In my line of work as an Area Manager for an IPTV provider my managers and techs are in homes every single day. My area covers pretty much the full range of household incomes. I'd be willing to bet that less around 10% of people have a receiver capable of 5.1. Of that 10% less than half are actually using more than 3 speakers and a sub. Of the subset less than 20% are into it enough to know what HD audio even is.
Click to expand...

^^^ That's probably as accurate as a survey as we could get. :geek:
 
my favorite is seeing the front LCR line up beautifully,

right next to the surround left, right and surround back left and right right next to them.

like an infinite soundbar.
 
jomari said:
my favorite is seeing the front LCR line up beautifully,

right next to the surround left, right and surround back left and right right next to them.

like an infinite soundbar.
Click to expand...


A friend of mine's dad did that with his Bose setup. The "sub" :laughing-lettersrofl: woofer was beside the TV cabinet on the floor and on top of the cabinet was the main speakers in a row LS, L, C, R, RS. <-----Yep, lined up just like that above the TV.


The pseudo-soundbar. :laughing-rolling:
 
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