wanna know a secret? 5.1 is all most of us need in an average room. for years, on dvd's (let alone blu rays) and long before atmos, Ive been hearing helicopters and planes fly over head from front to rear and rear to front, left to right, front corner to opposite rear corner etc.... rain all around me... enveloping explosions, breaking glass... and bullets whizzing all over the room.... to be honest, Ive heard some pretty damn convincing upmixed/processed virtual surround sound off of VHS too. Dolby Pro Logic II was amazing and really showcased what the old receivers could do with only two channels long before all of the studios were laying down official surround mixes. Dont get me wrong, I really like surround sound but for most situations, anything more than 5.1 speakers is fluff. You have to truly have the right size and shape of room , locations, a quality receiver and yes as you say in the video, a good content source. The likelihood of checking all of those boxes adequately diminishes significantly as the speaker count increases ...
I'm still rocking an old 5.1 Yamaha system that only seems to support Dolby Pro Logic II. I'm actually pretty impressed with it. But I've been wondering if I should get a new receiver and some dolby atmos upfiring speakers. My apartment is small so I don't know if I will see any big improvement...
Dude ! Thank you so much for speaking out honestly. I’ve been obsessed about missing out the height speakers. You save me from spending a lots of money to gain almost nothing. Btw, I have a 7.1 surrounding setup. My Denon X3700H actually has a pretty cool feature called Virtualization Atmos. It actually works pretty well. I could hear some sounds over my head without punching holes on my ceiling and having messy wires running all over my house… thank you ! Great work !
I agree with this guy 100% the problem is not Dolby Atmos it's the sound engineers they don't know how to do it. Let's give you an example..... The Dolby atmos intro he played in the beginning was amazing it pulled you in and sounded 3d all day. Then the movie starts and your lucky to get 10% of the effects. Thanks for this video people need to see and realize what's happening. Dolby Atmos could be totally amazing if the sound engineers could just put a little more work into the movies.
Sound engineer here, with lots of atmos mixing experience, mostly music: The problem is that the variation in set-ups is too large. Music only works within certain tolerances of balance, when we try to exploit immersive movement in the mixes, it doesn’t translate. Music also needs identical speakers all over, and the sweetspot is too small. Atmos is a dead end. Sorry.
I just bought a entire new Dolby atmos system. I got a Samsung 65” au8000 tv and a Samsung sound bar the high end one for $1300 bucks with a sub and rear speakers and I have to say it’s amazing. The sound blows my mind. I spent over $8000 on my other system in my movie theater and it does not sound as good as this sound bar and rear speakers that I got what I think is crazy cheap. Tv $1599 Sound bar $1299 All Samsung and it’s the most amazing set up I am beyond happy with the quality. But I agree with you I noticed in many movies lack of audio with atmos.
I took my ceiling speakers out and moved to the front height configuration / A) I was sick of listening to see if anything was happening from the ceiling B) I use bookshelfs for heights and in my set up sounds better with music (I always had to disable ceilings with music) C) I've got maybe 6 (out of over 100) discs that use atmos /dtsx well (a quiet place being my favourite) Awesome video BTW.
Think about it... when do you actually hear sound come from directly above? When you first hear something from above it's usually off in the distance frist and then rarely does it come directly overhead! So well done for figuring it out 👍 If you click on the red dragon you can see I've done more or less the same thing, except ive done mine with all for height speakers!
Haha you can ask my wife… she is the one who’s sick of seeing me walking around like an idiot listening to nothing coming out of the speakers … we’re suckers !!
I hope Hollywood pays attention to your videos.... it’s gonna completely change the way we perceive sound in our home theater.... great video !!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I'm pleased I happened upon this review. I do enjoy your other content. As a home theatre person we are often searching for better video, better audio, a better experience so we enjoy movies more, and its easy to convince yourself that you need the latest technologies and you aren't left behind. Several years ago (when Atmos was new thing) I went to a HC retailer and listened to a few movies on a pretty high-level 7.4.6 system, top of the range projector, receivers, amplifiers, M&K300 speakers. All top of the range stuff. And the sound was great BUT I honestly couldn't hear much if anything coming out of the ceiling speakers at all. I put it down to me just not being able to distinguish the difference. Since then I've had similar experiences on 'lesser' systems. I have now reached a stage where I need to upgrade my AVR processor and its a good opportunity to install and enjoy 4 atmos celing speakers. I visited a local retailer (very helpful people) who had just installed a new system (Anthem AVM70 | Emotiva Power-Amps | Monitor Audio in wall speakers in a 7.2.4 system). Initially I listened to the atmos demo disk where they selected key extracts from different films, and oh yes I could hear the effects coming from the ceilings. This is what I expected Atmos to be. It must have improved since my last auditions in the past. I was a happy bunny. I then selected a few blu-rays at random and...oh no, where have the ceiling sound effects gone? So in summary this would certainly seem to back up your views. The technology works. The theory is sound. But its pot luck how well that technology is incorporated into the actuals movies you want to watch. Unless you're happy only watching a demo disc or the 1 or 2 movies that do it well then unfortunately the experience delivered is not the experience we all desperately want it to be.
Having speakers in the right position makes all the difference in the world, Dolby Atmos or not. Some people like surround sound even when listening to music, the overhead speakers make a huge difference. I'm addicted to hearing surround music! Great video!
Exactly..I have a 7.2 Denon AVR and I have my surround and Atmos assigned speakers in the ceiling..Not the standard but I hear everything..Its balanced..
My thing is 99% of Bluray discs don't have Atmos at all. Most don't even have 7.1. Rather 5.1 is still the bread and butter for the VAST majority of content. It just doesn't seem worth it to spend a couple grand to get another audio processor and more speakers that will be inactive for the vast majority of movies. And, by the way, 5.1 doesn't suck. If money is an object, prioritize the fronts, the sub, then the sides, in that order. The law of diminishing returns hit hard after that.
This probably explains why every time I payed more to a Dolby Atmos Ticket in Cinema I didn't hear anything different that the regual showing. So I am under the impression that Atmos is a gimmic or a joke.
Different sound mixers may have different opinions about how Atmos effects could be mixed, but ultimately they’d be overruled by a director who wants their movie to be experienced and understood in a certain way. Atmos activity has the potential to be very distracting and overwhelming. Audio cues in films are very effective tools for having the viewer focus on something visually in a scene. Surround effects intended for off-screen objects could easily become a mess that distracts the audience from what they’re supposed to be paying attention to. Sure, those distractions are welcome in an Atmos demo clip where they want you to be focusing on the surround speakers in the room, but in the middle of a movie you want to make sure that the viewer is focused on the story, not distracted by what might be making sounds behind or above them. There are times when that works for the experience, but it’s going to be more rare than many people might expect. In a good film, every part of the visual and audio experience is focused and calculated. So I find Atmos to be wonderful mostly for how it’s able to pull the score out of a film in a way that allows your brain to feel it differently from the rest of the sounds you’re hearing. I also do enjoy those few times in a film that it offers more immersion in the scene (bullets whizzing by or footsteps overhead), but I’m glad that those times are less frequent and more calculated. I’m not expecting every movie with an Atmos track to be full of off-screen effects. That would be distracting and annoying and likely not what the filmmakers want. I’m happy to have a few films that make more use of Atmos than others, and for times when I’m wanting that type of experience I can put on one of those films.
Completely agree with you. It is why Christopher Nolan wanted the 4K version of Interstellar to not be in Atmos. But other times the sound mixers are completely lazy. For example, I was so excited when I found that Resident Evil 2 for the Xbox One had Atmos but when I played it, zero height effects. For a horror game where zombies crawl on the ceiling, and things are exploding above and around you, the height channels would have been perfectly utilized if not for the lazy sound team. I was so pissed lol
I could not disagree more... That's why we have eyes to see and ears to listen! What I am looking at does not necessarily exactly correlate to what I am hearing! If there are sounds from above, there are sounds from above! And my brain can easily handle what I am seeing and what I am hearing concomitantly! Peace, be well, R.
went from 5.1 to 5.1.2 to 5.1.4. I have tried around 50 DTS-X and ATMOS titles. At most 2 out of 10 have any ceiling speaker output. Winners were MI Fallout, Expendables 3, 10 Cloverfield Lane. If you want the ultimate sonic effect on 20 per cent of hyped ATMOS content, do it.
Just watched 'Mission Impossible: Fallout'. Must say, this is pretty good Atmos mix, possibly one of the best I've heard in a movie. Give that a try, assuming you haven't already, and see what you think.
People just need better surrounds, 5.1 is all you really need if you have a good receiver, good surrounds, and a good source. Think of headphones, with headphones you hear 3D audio from all directions with the right source. Well, it works the same for home theater. Just make sure your surrounds match your fronts, that they are at ear level, and that they are at your sides, not behind you, and not at an angle. Just like headphones are at your sides, your surrounds should be on your left and on your right respectively. If your receiver is good, your speakers are good, and the source is good, you will hear sounds coming from all directions. I only have 5.1 and I always hear stuff above me, behind me, and passing through me. DTS X is particularly great for those "through me" scenarios.
Thank you for the video, I’m watching this 4 years after you made this video, obviously I’m experiencing the same issue otherwise I wouldn’t be watching the video, I have just completed a new theatre build, upgrading from a Pioneer SC-LX83 receiver from around 2010 which I was always very impressed with, gone are the unsightly speakers everywhere and replaced with Focal 300 series in wall and in ceiling speakers all built into custom made boxes in the walls and ceiling etc, the blu ray player is an Oppo UDP-205 so all the equipment is good quality, and I’m left struggling to justify why I wanted Atmos, I feel I have gained nothing other than the room looking better with the in walls, which are excellent sounding speakers, I had wondered if I had not spent enough money on the 4 Atmos speakers and was considering if I needed to spend a lot more money on them, however I think you have convinced me the problem is nothing to do with the equipment I have selected or my install, it’s the disc manufacturers that are simply not making use of the height channels, having watched through around 50 movies with Atmos and 2 with DTSX I can say the 2 with DTSX made far better use of the height channels with better placed effects. Again thank you for the video, you have convinced me not to spend any more money on the system!
You have two giant screens to the right of your screen boarding off half of your room acoustics. I found it takes a lot of trial an error to get an excellent Dolby Atmos configuration but its very worth it. People keep forgetting to add "in my home setup...I believe that. Feel like you are discouraging people that may be better at setting up rooms and getting great results
I have a 5.2.4 atmos set up and can agree that some movies miss the boat on what we are told atmos can accomplish, but some movies are great. As it is now more regularly being released with regular blu Ray's and not just 4k ones I'm hoping they will start becoming more immersive like gravity, john wick 2, fury etc...not all blockbusters are there yet...
I'm really glad someone agrees with me on this. I have a lovely 5.1.4 set up. I have no eyesight so you'll understand when I say I've tuned this thing for 1.5 years to get exactly the right balance. Heck I'm still tuning it :) My impression honestly, is that it may not be so much a question of budget, as to the laziness of the people mixing it because you're right, results vary wildly from film to film. I can't really turn off my other speakers as easily as you can, but it's clear not that much goes up there. Even though objects can move in 3d, they really sound like they're coming out of seperate speakers. I will say that since you did this video, things seem to have changed somewhat, but just because something has atmos, doesn't mean it'll be any good sadly.
I run my Atmos/DTS X capable receiver as a simple 5.1 set up. At one time, I did have it in the 5.1.2 configuration. The problem with Atmos and DTS X isn't the technology. It is the actual implimentation. Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio are generally better implemented in an even handed fashion. Maybe someday, they will put the same effort in these object based formats as they have in master audio/true HD.
I’m setting up a system now, my reviver does 7.1 or 5.1.2 and I’m actually thinking a 7.1 would be better, I know this is an older post and I’m not sure if the Dolby atmos at home has gotten any better?
Thanks for the input. I hope you do a video where you compare a conventional 7.1 soundtrack to an Atmos 7.1 version to see if there is any benefits to the object oriented sound.
Good video, glad you did the analysis. I run a simple 5.2.2 and there's really not much Atmos content available. When there is, I'd say it sounds clearer, richer, more detailed as a whole. Unfortunately however there's really not a lot of shows and movies with Atmos. The choices for streaming it are even worse, as only Netflix offers it in their streaming content. That being said, my two front up firing Atmos speakers are always making sound regardless of whether it's Atmos, or True Master HD to regular old 5.1, so my Sony receiver is doing some sort of up mixing with the non Atmos content. I'd like to see you do a video on the up mixing, since that's probably more of what consumers will hear coming from their Atmos speakers whether they're in the ceiling, up firing in front of whatever. So that leads me to wonder... What's the ideal setup for Atmos speakers for up mix content? I'd venture to say the up mix definitely adds a spaciousness to everything. However, where is it best utilized? One of the best setups I had done, was with my Energy CB-10 bookshelf speakers I'm using for Atmos channels, sitting on the TV stand on little 15 degree angled stands, toed in at 15 degree each. Basically just sort of shooting sound into the upper middle listening area. Anyway, love your videos, keep them coming!
I am looking into 4.1.2 (behind a pc) and a soundbar with 3.1.2 reflecting of the ceiling will not work for that, too close I guess. Sadly yes, too little Atmos, DTS:X and MPEG-H 3D for games. I think the real problem is the licensing. Atmos asks money (in game case) from the dev, the device, everything and everyone in the toolchain form maximum dollar, MPEG-H has 2 large licensing pools and if you have 1 of the 2 you should be covered but may not be depending on what part of it you use and bla bla, really messy plus it really only is used for tv and even then primarily sat from what I can find, DTS is better but just not used a lot and the tools are not great from what I understand. Now a 4th standard might be introduced, all proprietary with yet more licensing pools. I think it would help for a lot of content to just have an open standard, but then you got yet another standard.
Just watched Pacific Rim with Atmos last night and wow! The sound design is Oscar worthy in my mind. Just bought 4 SVS Elevation and these are the best surrounds I've ever had. My wife used to complain how loud I played movies but no complaints anymore even at 75dB. I! had to crank it down a bit. The 'trick" for me after running Audyssey (and that's another story) was to manually increase the surround levels. I have my surrounds are the back and side walls. My problem is my couch is at the back wall. I'm considering placing the back surrounds on the ceiling but that's going to be tricky because I have to AC vents in the way. Fortunately I have a very forgiving wife who does not mind me going HT nuts some times.
i feel that investing in great 5.2 speakers with enough amp to push each speaker combined with proper placement is going to give far better satisfaction than mediocre equipment with atmos.
I’ve been saying the same. Even if I get an effect from above in a tiny speaker, I’m pretty sure I’d prefer a B&W floor speaker to deliver it:). First of all, when there’s action, the effects are overwhelming on a 5.1 system.
I have the bowers and Wilkins with M1 surrounds and central and a PV1 through a Dennon. Sounds fantastic, now considering buying 4 more m1s as height speakers, but based on this review it seems that it would be a waste of money. Not sure if the tech on post production is at a consistent standard to warrant upgrading my denon amp to a atmos version and to invest in four more speakers.
Sitting close behind the screen, I skip on the center even. What really did help me was making all the other 4 speakers even, many people skimp onthe rear in comparison to the fronts. So I wonder if the overhead are equal to the rest would make a better impression for the objectbased audio out there. But I use large woofers with compression drivers, kinda large and heavy. Hanging those overhead...
I think 4.0 (two floorstanders and two "nice" bookshelf speakers in the back) is enough. Center speaker is not needed when properly seated. When sitting way off axis the screen is a bigger issue than stereo placement.
@@CheetahNL A center channel speaker is the most important speaker in a surround sound setup because it does most of the work. Most of the action, and conversation, in a movie, happens front and center on your screen, meaning that the center channel is the one reproducing it. A phantom center just is not as good as having an actual center channel.
I had the option to do 5.2.2.. or 7.2. I chose 7.2 cause I don't want to sacrifice 2 surrounds which I know there is always alot of action coming from for 2 height speakers which will almost never have any sound coming from.
Any chance you plan an update to this video? So many streaming platforms offering Atmos now. Lots of people getting into building their HT for their first time. It'd be good to know if Atmos is worth thinking about now more than since you made this video.
I can tell you that nothing has changed. Dolby Atmos mixes continue to be quite sad and underutilized. It’s an issue with lack of resources being put into creating truly inspiring Dolby Atmos mixes. It takes time and cost money and productions simply aren’t investing the resources to make Atmos a consistently great experience. The Answer for many is to buy a Receiver with Auro 3D upmixer. It is a clever upmixer that will make use of your height speakers extensively throughout an entire movie or show and not just a minute or two (cough…Atmos).
@@JonMoralesLA gracias hermano por lo comentado. Aunque la verdad sí quisiera gastar una pasta grande solo por blade runner 2049 en Atmos. Sabes si tiene buen mixing?
I'm so glad I found this video. I feel like I'm missing out or my setup is not correct. Mad Max specifically keeps getting reviewed (to this day) as one of the best Atmos tracks. I think these reviewers incorrectly think loud effects or LFE makes for a good Atmos track. My $1000 ceiling setup barely makes noise though.
I was about to pull the trigger on a 11.2 denon receiver and install atmos speakers. Thanks to this review, I’m glad I get to save a ton of money and stick to my 7.2 current set up. Thank you!
GREAT decision. If you ever decide you wanted "ceiling effects", get an AVR capable of upmixing to add those effects such as Auro3D upmixer or similar.
I have been enjoying 5.1 surround sound in my 13x13 ft. TV room for at least a dozen years. The two speakers hanging from the ceiling on either side of my sofa certainly add to the effect and ambience. I seriously doubt an upgrade to a 5.1.2 Atmos system would add to my enjoyment especially since I am not a gamer. All they would do is add more sound bouncing against the ceiling from the front. But I am getting enough sound from the ceiling now. Conceivably if I was listening in a larger room it might be worth it.
Thanks for your opinion on this topic finally somebody talks about what consumers with intention of buying something "better" for home viewing can see/listen to opinion from somebody that can compare it by himself (TV/speakers) because it looks that some reviewers are not talking about these things or simply don't want to...keep up good work FoMo
In some of those scenes though, what's happening is in front of the camera not out of frame (behind or above). So it wouldn't make sense to hear something above you if the camera is pointed at it, since then, it's coming twords you straight on.
Q950a. No holes in the ceiling so no disappointment 😎. Works fine in a small to medium sized room with 9ft-ish ceiling. Some films are definitely better than others as far as Atmos tracks go.
I know it is late to be adding a comment but I am so thankful after watching this because I have been on the fence considering Atmos. My logical brain tells me this is just another step in the audio video industry to sell more equipment but my emotion brain has FOMO. Thank you for your excellent analysis and courageous honesty!!
Larry Jin Ready player one in atmos is just epic more movies should be like that atmos is so good. One thing I think is a gimmick is virtual atmos sound it annoys me when atmos puts there stamp on it for approval when it’s not atmos I have used a Sony ht xf9000 it’s bad. My Samsung q950t is outstanding really impressive.
It surprises me how now 3 years after this video there is still no good way to test the sound from above for stuff like for those soundbars that bounce sound to the ceiling. It took me a bit to figure out with the Samsung Q990B that tweaking the speaker placement was what I needed to get it. But a few demos specifically meant for testing Atmos and especially the sound from above effects rather than just surround would be nice.
I've looked into it and Atmos can only handle 16 objects at once whereas going to DTS X or hd you can have 256 objects. Atmos can be channel based as well and that limits how much is actually output in your configuration. That's why people are talking about having 7.2.6 systems and making claims about how awesome Atmos is. Personally I'm running a 5.2.4 system and it's significantly better in both Atmos and DTS X than when I only had 2 height speakers
I enjoy my 5.1.2 Atmos/DTS:X setup, so in the end I respect your opinion. I know people that are perfectly happy with their standard 5.1 or 7.1 setups and feel they don't need Atmos/X.
Jupiter Ascending is the best Atmos sound track I have heard. Someone recently bought it on my recommendation and the soundtrack blem them away (not sure what they thought about the movie)
I finally have atmos...and I was watching Braveheart and a bird took off...and I swear to god, I thought there was a bird in the room, i heard and felt it rise up to my left, it was like nothing I've ever heard before in a home theater. That's the first object that I have heard...and I was impressed.
The most honest and best analyzed video I have seen on atmos. Now I know that the other reviewers are only listening to the loud sound effects and are assuming that it’s coming out of atmos speaker. Luckily I didn’t spend much money in setting up my home theater. I just just about $200 on a new atmos receiver. All other stuff was bought from eBay few years back.
Wow, very insightful and eye-opening video. Thank you. I have been watching from the sidelines for years, still very happy with my 7.1 non-Atmos setup, enjoying many regular and 4K blu rays with my current AVR and speaker system entirely at ear level. I think I may be fine sticking with what I have but I’m curious, have you changed your mind at all in the years since you first posted this video? Your updated thoughts would make a great new video! Thanks again.
Fantastic video. Any chance of reviewing newer movies to see if the atmos is improving? I want ceiling speakers but you might have saved me alot of money. Think I will stick with my dali alteco C1's placed high on the walls for now....?
I remember when DVD promises multi-angle scenes and a bunch of features as 3D movies but the studio’s engineers are too lazy to push technology forward 😐
Too true! i don't know if I ever saw that multi-angled stuff, although I probably would have got bored with it in ten minutes. More often, there's making-of dross, something that we could all live without.
I kind of agree with you, but I use to have a Yamaha 7.1 until switch to an Denon 7.2 atmos. The Denon put Yamaha to shame. But I do understand what you are saying that atmos is very weak in some movies. But in all I love my Denon atmos. Another thing I love about my system the music that is played on it is awesome. I am a jazz musician, so I know a good system when I hear it The separation is unbelievable. Key board and drums in different area of the room. Lead instrument or singer in the center speaker. So I think atmos is a big plus to the industry.
I went deep on my first home theatre in 1996 when you could only get the AC3 encoded on laser discs, DVD was not a thing yet. Now in my 50s I am (was) planning a big spend on a ATMOS 7.2.4 set up but after seeing this excellent presentation I have shifted my direction. I will get one of those hisense soundbars with 5.1.2 because other than the dolby atmos demo videos, I can see there is not much point trying to get more out of a movie than 5.1.
I 100% agree and have said for years, that ATMOS is greatly underutilized, and NO movie uses it like the demos. But...you picked some weak films for it. There are others that use it a lot more. Still not like you expect, but far better than Alita, MMFR, JW and even JW.
daaaaamn you just saved me $700!!!!!... almost picked some up yesterday. i would've been raging if i went through so much setup & heard silence! loved the brutally honest review!
Not gonna lie I just finally got my atmos speakers installed and it really does make a difference. Finally feels like a real home theater. Adds a lot to the sense of immersion. I honestly think it’s more than just a gimmick. Not that you can’t fully enjoy yourself with a great 5.1 system. But a 9.2.4 system takes it to a whole other level.
Thank you for saving me thousands of dollars. I'm retired and with the cost of living the way it is. I've got better things to spend my money on, like food. Love your channel and keep the good work up.
I am so glad I seen your video before I upgraded to Atmos! Now I can use that money to upgrade other parts of my home theater..👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽✌🏽 Plus my ceilings are cement so I would have had a hard time doing it anyway.. I am so glad that I won't be missing out on anything because most movies are not equipped with the Atmos sound anyway?? The same with THX..
Sound is so directional it’s taken for granted and in my opinion You get what you pay for - Iv installed large in ceiling Monitor Audio 265 IDC speakers , doubled up on my monitor audio subwoofer and upgraded to a better AV receiver and the sound is incredible. I would agree however that not all Dolby Atmos tracks are created equally- so some films have been a let down . Most likely due to costs and file sizes on dvds . Great video - please don’t be put off by making the effort to upgrade to atmos .
You are spot on about Atmos sound! I have a 7.2 system and very disappointed with what comes out of the ceiling speakers. There is little to non-existent sound coming from above. We are still in the infancy of truly emersive sound. Another good DVD to test your system is "Spiderman into the Spider-Verse". Excellent! Loved your critique.
Thank you SO MUCH for doing this. It's a shame Atmos/DTS:X doesn't have a LAV decoder in Windows. That way we could just plot amplitude graphs to see what's going on there and if it's worth watching it. I've already got all the speakers setup so would really like to know which movies are worth it or not .Kinda like fake 3D or not or fake HDR/4k or not. I clearly fell for the marketing. All that work doing the ceiling speakers was mostly a waste. I do enjoy the upmixing though - but honestly if I saw your analysis in in 2015 when I started the ceiling stuff I'd have skipped it
@ RXP91, I was just saying on another YT channel that I have been VERY disappointed in my HT surround sound ever since I began over 20 years ago! Including "Dolby Atmos"! There are a few scenes here and there that have impressed me, but overall...DISAPPOINTMENT! There is NOT much decent source material out there it seems.
Well said Sir. We, the public, home cinema fans, film fans etc are being conned into buying expensive equipment, and modifying our homes all for very little return. Such a wasted opportunity. Dave, Scotland.
if you have good atmos setup/angles etc. it is a big step up! Also had rear/Front height but with my on ceiling nubert ws14 angeled at MLP is perfect with 5.2.4 plus dirac bass control.
I’m very glad I found this video, and I think for my upcoming home theater upgrade I’m going to pass on a crazy expensive Atmos setup and just go with a 5.2 setup (the room I have doesn’t lend itself to having side speakers). This means I can save a lot on the receiver too.
Annabelle Creation has the best atmos I've ever heard, I only have two heights and I can only imagine listening to it with four heights. I can highly recommend anyone to watch it who haven't seen and heard it with atmos.
Not if you've actually watched mad Max with Atmos it isn't. Maybe some of them don't do that most well but bad Max is not one of them. Hearing the saw blade cut above in the car, hearing immortan Joe speak at the citadel hearing his speech coming from above you, the lightening storm effects, people and cars flying overhead. It's intense and one of the best movie watching experiences if not the best in my life
Whilst I agree that the object-based tech of both Dolby Atmos and DTS: X aren't being properly utilised by many film studios - Disney being far and away the most egregious, object or channel mix - I watched last night 'Hans Zimmer: Live In Prague' in Dolby Atmos. Now, I can't say how much better this is with Atmos over the 7.1 core, because I've only heard the Atmos mix. But wow, the sound quality is phenomenal. I was so impressed that I ordered 'Roger Waters: The Wall' because it's another love concert that apparently sounds amazing in Atmos.
If you turn the center channel volume down some and the atmos heights speakers all the way up you'll hear the atmosphere of the films and get a your a there feeling. Its a nice trick try it out
Thanks for the review. Contemplating atmos current have 7.1 , yamaha amp and super speakers, am wrapped with current setup. Have just made a huge increase in experience putting an HD projector and 120 inch recessed electric screen. I reckon the sound needs to make sense with what you are seeing. What s the point havi ng a super Atmos setup when you viewing area is sub 100 inch. I reckon get a serious viewing area before spending big bucks on sound. Anyway am wrapped with current setup and was prepared to put 4 high grade ceiling speakers , but given marginal increase and stress from the wife putting more holes in the roof
Exactly, that's why I only buy 3D Blu-ray for collections, and pay streaming fees per month for Atmos contents. After reviewing online then I would buy those make my satisfaction.
I really liked NOPE...very well done ATMOS. Gravity, Blade Runner, and a Quiet Place wete also well done. I agree that there are sooooooo many missed opportunities for overhead sound with a lot of movies. I hope they bring ATMOS to video games in the near future.
Well I bought a Samsung sound bar 5.1.2. Added the wireless extra speakers for rear and up. So now I have 7.1.4 and I have to say its brilliant. 6 Underground was amazing as was The Adam project and Troll. All just streamed though Netflix on an Apple 4K TV box. I get it that budget restraints mean how much can be spent on a mix but Im very happy.
I'm glad you cleared that up for us, I have a Sonos Arc 5.1 system and I thought I wasn't hearing anything from the upward firing speakers on the Arc. Even if Hollywood did include more Atmos sound effects, after reflecting sound off the ceiling I question how effective it would be. I still enjoy my Sonos 5.1 with or without Atmos and one of my favorite soundtracks is from the first Jurassic Park and that movie came out in 1993! Thank you for the video I agree with your assessment.
Hello great video :) I have two questions 1. How this situation looks now 3 years later ? 2. Now everyone recommends Auro 3d up mix to fix this poor Atmos movies but how this upmixer adding missing Chanel’s not exist in first please ? And are this is really king now ? Regards Marek
I have an 7.1.6 Auro setup and I can tell you that compared to allmost all atmos mixes Auro is superior. Only the old Bladerunner has a decent mix afaik. In Nobody for example is about 2 Minutes of hight content. That is ridiculous. Watch the interviews with van Bellen. He explains that thier upmixer useses over 50 cues to analyze the soundtracks. I think it is a real shame that the grip from Dolby is so strong that they pushed Auro out of the market. There are only few real Auro mixes like Spider-Man Homecoming. But these are by far the best mixes I ever heard.
Good video, I’m hoping they get better with this, we need more people like you out there spreading the word so maybe they get wind of it and make more time and budget for better atmos. Because they are basically ripping us off , we buy atmos and it says atmos but we don’t hear atmos
You can get a 3D effect with any 2.0 headphones/plugs, but it's just emulated with verious tricks. It doesn't have a lot of depth - it sounds like it's just coming from inside your skull, within a smal radius. You can only get real surround sound with dolby surround/atmos. I think it will be more useful in games, where every single sound is made live, instead of post production. Or real life scenarios, for VR, ASMR etc.
Going from tv speakers to full 5.1 with a decent set up is amazing. Anything after that is subtle at best. I rarely hear my rears and heights and only with certain content. But saying that. If anyone said to me im taking them speakers I would spit my dummy out 🤣. Demo atmos content is the best at the minute unfortunately. Mad max and transformers being second.
More videos like this can hopefully push the studios to actually care about the sound. It gets even worse with the streaming services poor quality sound output. But that is different than the original mix that you are referencing here. It is a shame, and should be better supported.
wanna know a secret? 5.1 is all most of us need in an average room. for years, on dvd's (let alone blu rays) and long before atmos, Ive been hearing helicopters and planes fly over head from front to rear and rear to front, left to right, front corner to opposite rear corner etc.... rain all around me... enveloping explosions, breaking glass... and bullets whizzing all over the room.... to be honest, Ive heard some pretty damn convincing upmixed/processed virtual surround sound off of VHS too. Dolby Pro Logic II was amazing and really showcased what the old receivers could do with only two channels long before all of the studios were laying down official surround mixes. Dont get me wrong, I really like surround sound but for most situations, anything more than 5.1 speakers is fluff. You have to truly have the right size and shape of room , locations, a quality receiver and yes as you say in the video, a good content source. The likelihood of checking all of those boxes adequately diminishes significantly as the speaker count increases ...
Sonos Beam
I'm still rocking an old 5.1 Yamaha system that only seems to support Dolby Pro Logic II. I'm actually pretty impressed with it. But I've been wondering if I should get a new receiver and some dolby atmos upfiring speakers. My apartment is small so I don't know if I will see any big improvement...
@@kevjapan you probably don’t wanna be blasting upwards facing speakers if you live in an apartment
Well stated
I think you hit the nail right on the head.
My Dolby Atmos speakers were going crazy during Mad Max Fury Road
Dude ! Thank you so much for speaking out honestly. I’ve been obsessed about missing out the height speakers. You save me from spending a lots of money to gain almost nothing. Btw, I have a 7.1 surrounding setup. My Denon X3700H actually has a pretty cool feature called Virtualization Atmos. It actually works pretty well. I could hear some sounds over my head without punching holes on my ceiling and having messy wires running all over my house… thank you ! Great work !
I agree with this guy 100% the problem is not Dolby Atmos it's the sound engineers they don't know how to do it. Let's give you an example..... The Dolby atmos intro he played in the beginning was amazing it pulled you in and sounded 3d all day. Then the movie starts and your lucky to get 10% of the effects. Thanks for this video people need to see and realize what's happening. Dolby Atmos could be totally amazing if the sound engineers could just put a little more work into the movies.
You have👌given the final result brother the problem s with sound engineers they r not using technology properly
Sound engineer here, with lots of atmos mixing experience, mostly music: The problem is that the variation in set-ups is too large. Music only works within certain tolerances of balance, when we try to exploit immersive movement in the mixes, it doesn’t translate. Music also needs identical speakers all over, and the sweetspot is too small.
Atmos is a dead end. Sorry.
If I were Dolby, I would certify very few movies in Dolby Atmos to ensure quality over quantity. Otherwise their image is bound to degrade.
True thats why I find DTS X using the upmixing better than atmos
@@marklouieadame And no holes in the ceiling too :)
The problem Dolby as a whole are kinda sus. DTSX does it better and is more consistent
Sorry that you blame a hundred million dollar movie for poor Dolby ATMOS.
It should be called Dull b Almost.
lol
I just bought a entire new Dolby atmos system. I got a Samsung 65” au8000 tv and a Samsung sound bar the high end one for $1300 bucks with a sub and rear speakers and I have to say it’s amazing. The sound blows my mind.
I spent over $8000 on my other system in my movie theater and it does not sound as good as this sound bar and rear speakers that I got what I think is crazy cheap.
Tv $1599
Sound bar $1299
All Samsung and it’s the most amazing set up I am beyond happy with the quality.
But I agree with you I noticed in many movies lack of audio with atmos.
I took my ceiling speakers out and moved to the front height configuration /
A) I was sick of listening to see if anything was happening from the ceiling
B) I use bookshelfs for heights and in my set up sounds better with music (I always had to disable ceilings with music)
C) I've got maybe 6 (out of over 100) discs that use atmos /dtsx well (a quiet place being my favourite)
Awesome video BTW.
Think about it... when do you actually hear sound come from directly above? When you first hear something from above it's usually off in the distance frist and then rarely does it come directly overhead! So well done for figuring it out 👍
If you click on the red dragon you can see I've done more or less the same thing, except ive done mine with all for height speakers!
Haha you can ask my wife… she is the one who’s sick of seeing me walking around like an idiot listening to nothing coming out of the speakers … we’re suckers !!
@@DH-CANot really..I have my surrounds and my Atmos in the ceiling and it's awesome.. Running a Denon 7.2 and everything is balanced..
I hope Hollywood pays attention to your videos.... it’s gonna completely change the way we perceive sound in our home theater.... great video !!!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I'm pleased I happened upon this review. I do enjoy your other content. As a home theatre person we are often searching for better video, better audio, a better experience so we enjoy movies more, and its easy to convince yourself that you need the latest technologies and you aren't left behind.
Several years ago (when Atmos was new thing) I went to a HC retailer and listened to a few movies on a pretty high-level 7.4.6 system, top of the range projector, receivers, amplifiers, M&K300 speakers. All top of the range stuff. And the sound was great BUT I honestly couldn't hear much if anything coming out of the ceiling speakers at all. I put it down to me just not being able to distinguish the difference. Since then I've had similar experiences on 'lesser' systems.
I have now reached a stage where I need to upgrade my AVR processor and its a good opportunity to install and enjoy 4 atmos celing speakers. I visited a local retailer (very helpful people) who had just installed a new system (Anthem AVM70 | Emotiva Power-Amps | Monitor Audio in wall speakers in a 7.2.4 system). Initially I listened to the atmos demo disk where they selected key extracts from different films, and oh yes I could hear the effects coming from the ceilings. This is what I expected Atmos to be. It must have improved since my last auditions in the past. I was a happy bunny.
I then selected a few blu-rays at random and...oh no, where have the ceiling sound effects gone?
So in summary this would certainly seem to back up your views.
The technology works.
The theory is sound.
But its pot luck how well that technology is incorporated into the actuals movies you want to watch.
Unless you're happy only watching a demo disc or the 1 or 2 movies that do it well then unfortunately the experience delivered is not the experience we all desperately want it to be.
Having speakers in the right position makes all the difference in the world, Dolby Atmos or not. Some people like surround sound even when listening to music, the overhead speakers make a huge difference. I'm addicted to hearing surround music! Great video!
Exactly..I have a 7.2 Denon AVR and I have my surround and Atmos assigned speakers in the ceiling..Not the standard but I hear everything..Its balanced..
My thing is 99% of Bluray discs don't have Atmos at all. Most don't even have 7.1. Rather 5.1 is still the bread and butter for the VAST majority of content. It just doesn't seem worth it to spend a couple grand to get another audio processor and more speakers that will be inactive for the vast majority of movies. And, by the way, 5.1 doesn't suck. If money is an object, prioritize the fronts, the sub, then the sides, in that order. The law of diminishing returns hit hard after that.
U forgot the center
@@johnlira3316 The centre is a front speaker so is part of "fronts".
This probably explains why every time I payed more to a Dolby Atmos Ticket in Cinema I didn't hear anything different that the regual showing. So I am under the impression that Atmos is a gimmic or a joke.
Different sound mixers may have different opinions about how Atmos effects could be mixed, but ultimately they’d be overruled by a director who wants their movie to be experienced and understood in a certain way. Atmos activity has the potential to be very distracting and overwhelming. Audio cues in films are very effective tools for having the viewer focus on something visually in a scene. Surround effects intended for off-screen objects could easily become a mess that distracts the audience from what they’re supposed to be paying attention to. Sure, those distractions are welcome in an Atmos demo clip where they want you to be focusing on the surround speakers in the room, but in the middle of a movie you want to make sure that the viewer is focused on the story, not distracted by what might be making sounds behind or above them. There are times when that works for the experience, but it’s going to be more rare than many people might expect. In a good film, every part of the visual and audio experience is focused and calculated.
So I find Atmos to be wonderful mostly for how it’s able to pull the score out of a film in a way that allows your brain to feel it differently from the rest of the sounds you’re hearing. I also do enjoy those few times in a film that it offers more immersion in the scene (bullets whizzing by or footsteps overhead), but I’m glad that those times are less frequent and more calculated. I’m not expecting every movie with an Atmos track to be full of off-screen effects. That would be distracting and annoying and likely not what the filmmakers want. I’m happy to have a few films that make more use of Atmos than others, and for times when I’m wanting that type of experience I can put on one of those films.
Completely agree with you. It is why Christopher Nolan wanted the 4K version of Interstellar to not be in Atmos.
But other times the sound mixers are completely lazy. For example, I was so excited when I found that Resident Evil 2 for the Xbox One had Atmos but when I played it, zero height effects. For a horror game where zombies crawl on the ceiling, and things are exploding above and around you, the height channels would have been perfectly utilized if not for the lazy sound team. I was so pissed lol
I could not disagree more... That's why we have eyes to see and ears to listen! What I am looking at does not necessarily exactly correlate to what I am hearing! If there are sounds from above, there are sounds from above! And my brain can easily handle what I am seeing and what I am hearing concomitantly! Peace, be well, R.
went from 5.1 to 5.1.2 to 5.1.4. I have tried around 50 DTS-X and ATMOS titles. At most 2 out of 10 have any ceiling speaker output. Winners were MI Fallout, Expendables 3, 10 Cloverfield Lane. If you want the ultimate sonic effect on 20 per cent of hyped ATMOS content, do it.
I have those movies and they rock. Ready Player One, and Blade Runner 2049 was a great demo of Atmos.
Just watched 'Mission Impossible: Fallout'. Must say, this is pretty good Atmos mix, possibly one of the best I've heard in a movie. Give that a try, assuming you haven't already, and see what you think.
Just remember to only leave the Atmos channels on to really hear what's there.
Bring back 3D.
@@stratogustav , they're all Atmos channels, not just the ceiling speakers.
WHO just watched?
Stellar! Thank you for the transparency and the truth!
People just need better surrounds, 5.1 is all you really need if you have a good receiver, good surrounds, and a good source.
Think of headphones, with headphones you hear 3D audio from all directions with the right source. Well, it works the same for home theater.
Just make sure your surrounds match your fronts, that they are at ear level, and that they are at your sides, not behind you, and not at an angle.
Just like headphones are at your sides, your surrounds should be on your left and on your right respectively.
If your receiver is good, your speakers are good, and the source is good, you will hear sounds coming from all directions.
I only have 5.1 and I always hear stuff above me, behind me, and passing through me. DTS X is particularly great for those "through me" scenarios.
Thank you for the video, I’m watching this 4 years after you made this video, obviously I’m experiencing the same issue otherwise I wouldn’t be watching the video, I have just completed a new theatre build, upgrading from a Pioneer SC-LX83 receiver from around 2010 which I was always very impressed with, gone are the unsightly speakers everywhere and replaced with Focal 300 series in wall and in ceiling speakers all built into custom made boxes in the walls and ceiling etc, the blu ray player is an Oppo UDP-205 so all the equipment is good quality, and I’m left struggling to justify why I wanted Atmos, I feel I have gained nothing other than the room looking better with the in walls, which are excellent sounding speakers, I had wondered if I had not spent enough money on the 4 Atmos speakers and was considering if I needed to spend a lot more money on them, however I think you have convinced me the problem is nothing to do with the equipment I have selected or my install, it’s the disc manufacturers that are simply not making use of the height channels, having watched through around 50 movies with Atmos and 2 with DTSX I can say the 2 with DTSX made far better use of the height channels with better placed effects.
Again thank you for the video, you have convinced me not to spend any more money on the system!
Agree 100%. I'll stick with DTS, I did try Atmos and found that it was in my opinion not worth the change over.
And I thought I was the only that preferred DTS-HD
You have two giant screens to the right of your screen boarding off half of your room acoustics. I found it takes a lot of trial an error to get an excellent Dolby Atmos configuration but its very worth it. People keep forgetting to add "in my home setup...I believe that. Feel like you are discouraging people that may be better at setting up rooms and getting great results
I have a 5.2.4 atmos set up and can agree that some movies miss the boat on what we are told atmos can accomplish, but some movies are great. As it is now more regularly being released with regular blu Ray's and not just 4k ones I'm hoping they will start becoming more immersive like gravity, john wick 2, fury etc...not all blockbusters are there yet...
I'm really glad someone agrees with me on this. I have a lovely 5.1.4 set up. I have no eyesight so you'll understand when I say I've tuned this thing for 1.5 years to get exactly the right balance. Heck I'm still tuning it :) My impression honestly, is that it may not be so much a question of budget, as to the laziness of the people mixing it because you're right, results vary wildly from film to film. I can't really turn off my other speakers as easily as you can, but it's clear not that much goes up there. Even though objects can move in 3d, they really sound like they're coming out of seperate speakers. I will say that since you did this video, things seem to have changed somewhat, but just because something has atmos, doesn't mean it'll be any good sadly.
I run my Atmos/DTS X capable receiver as a simple 5.1 set up. At one time, I did have it in the 5.1.2 configuration. The problem with Atmos and DTS X isn't the technology. It is the actual implimentation. Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio are generally better implemented in an even handed fashion. Maybe someday, they will put the same effort in these object based formats as they have in master audio/true HD.
Any immersive feel (overhead effect) when you listen to any dolby atmos track in 5.1 setup?
I’m setting up a system now, my reviver does 7.1 or 5.1.2 and I’m actually thinking a 7.1 would be better, I know this is an older post and I’m not sure if the Dolby atmos at home has gotten any better?
Thanks for the input. I hope you do a video where you compare a conventional 7.1 soundtrack to an Atmos 7.1 version to see if there is any benefits to the object oriented sound.
Good video, glad you did the analysis. I run a simple 5.2.2 and there's really not much Atmos content available. When there is, I'd say it sounds clearer, richer, more detailed as a whole. Unfortunately however there's really not a lot of shows and movies with Atmos. The choices for streaming it are even worse, as only Netflix offers it in their streaming content. That being said, my two front up firing Atmos speakers are always making sound regardless of whether it's Atmos, or True Master HD to regular old 5.1, so my Sony receiver is doing some sort of up mixing with the non Atmos content. I'd like to see you do a video on the up mixing, since that's probably more of what consumers will hear coming from their Atmos speakers whether they're in the ceiling, up firing in front of whatever. So that leads me to wonder... What's the ideal setup for Atmos speakers for up mix content? I'd venture to say the up mix definitely adds a spaciousness to everything. However, where is it best utilized? One of the best setups I had done, was with my Energy CB-10 bookshelf speakers I'm using for Atmos channels, sitting on the TV stand on little 15 degree angled stands, toed in at 15 degree each. Basically just sort of shooting sound into the upper middle listening area. Anyway, love your videos, keep them coming!
I am looking into 4.1.2 (behind a pc) and a soundbar with 3.1.2 reflecting of the ceiling will not work for that, too close I guess. Sadly yes, too little Atmos, DTS:X and MPEG-H 3D for games.
I think the real problem is the licensing. Atmos asks money (in game case) from the dev, the device, everything and everyone in the toolchain form maximum dollar, MPEG-H has 2 large licensing pools and if you have 1 of the 2 you should be covered but may not be depending on what part of it you use and bla bla, really messy plus it really only is used for tv and even then primarily sat from what I can find, DTS is better but just not used a lot and the tools are not great from what I understand. Now a 4th standard might be introduced, all proprietary with yet more licensing pools.
I think it would help for a lot of content to just have an open standard, but then you got yet another standard.
Just watched Pacific Rim with Atmos last night and wow! The sound design is Oscar worthy in my mind. Just bought 4 SVS Elevation and these are the best surrounds I've ever had. My wife used to complain how loud I played movies but no complaints anymore even at 75dB. I! had to crank it down a bit. The 'trick" for me after running Audyssey (and that's another story) was to manually increase the surround levels. I have my surrounds are the back and side walls. My problem is my couch is at the back wall. I'm considering placing the back surrounds on the ceiling but that's going to be tricky because I have to AC vents in the way. Fortunately I have a very forgiving wife who does not mind me going HT nuts some times.
I guess you are going to keep witching the same movie over and over.
@@click381 Indeed.
i feel that investing in great 5.2 speakers with enough amp to push each speaker combined with proper placement is going to give far better satisfaction than mediocre equipment with atmos.
I’ve been saying the same. Even if I get an effect from above in a tiny speaker, I’m pretty sure I’d prefer a B&W floor speaker to deliver it:). First of all, when there’s action, the effects are overwhelming on a 5.1 system.
I have the bowers and Wilkins with M1 surrounds and central and a PV1 through a Dennon. Sounds fantastic, now considering buying 4 more m1s as height speakers, but based on this review it seems that it would be a waste of money. Not sure if the tech on post production is at a consistent standard to warrant upgrading my denon amp to a atmos version and to invest in four more speakers.
Sitting close behind the screen, I skip on the center even.
What really did help me was making all the other 4 speakers even, many people skimp onthe rear in comparison to the fronts. So I wonder if the overhead are equal to the rest would make a better impression for the objectbased audio out there. But I use large woofers with compression drivers, kinda large and heavy. Hanging those overhead...
I think 4.0 (two floorstanders and two "nice" bookshelf speakers in the back) is enough. Center speaker is not needed when properly seated. When sitting way off axis the screen is a bigger issue than stereo placement.
@@CheetahNL A center channel speaker is the most important speaker in a surround sound setup because it does most of the work. Most of the action, and conversation, in a movie, happens front and center on your screen, meaning that the center channel is the one reproducing it.
A phantom center just is not as good as having an actual center channel.
I had the option to do 5.2.2.. or 7.2. I chose 7.2 cause I don't want to sacrifice 2 surrounds which I know there is always alot of action coming from for 2 height speakers which will almost never have any sound coming from.
Dude I love it… I was about to make the same mistake… now I learned from you not to do it !!
Any chance you plan an update to this video? So many streaming platforms offering Atmos now. Lots of people getting into building their HT for their first time. It'd be good to know if Atmos is worth thinking about now more than since you made this video.
I can tell you that nothing has changed. Dolby Atmos mixes continue to be quite sad and underutilized. It’s an issue with lack of resources being put into creating truly inspiring Dolby Atmos mixes. It takes time and cost money and productions simply aren’t investing the resources to make Atmos a consistently great experience.
The Answer for many is to buy a Receiver with Auro 3D upmixer. It is a clever upmixer that will make use of your height speakers extensively throughout an entire movie or show and not just a minute or two (cough…Atmos).
@@JonMoralesLA gracias hermano por lo comentado. Aunque la verdad sí quisiera gastar una pasta grande solo por blade runner 2049 en Atmos. Sabes si tiene buen mixing?
Thanks for keeping it real for sound mixers. I am tired of sparse minimal effects personally.
I'm so glad I found this video. I feel like I'm missing out or my setup is not correct. Mad Max specifically keeps getting reviewed (to this day) as one of the best Atmos tracks. I think these reviewers incorrectly think loud effects or LFE makes for a good Atmos track. My $1000 ceiling setup barely makes noise though.
lol
I was about to pull the trigger on a 11.2 denon receiver and install atmos speakers. Thanks to this review, I’m glad I get to save a ton of money and stick to my 7.2 current set up. Thank you!
GREAT decision. If you ever decide you wanted "ceiling effects", get an AVR capable of upmixing to add those effects such as Auro3D upmixer or similar.
I have been enjoying 5.1 surround sound in my 13x13 ft. TV room for at least a dozen years. The two speakers hanging from the ceiling on either side of my sofa certainly add to the effect and ambience. I seriously doubt an upgrade to a 5.1.2 Atmos system would add to my enjoyment especially since I am not a gamer. All they would do is add more sound bouncing against the ceiling from the front. But I am getting enough sound from the ceiling now. Conceivably if I was listening in a larger room it might be worth it.
13 hours the Dolby Atmos effect is better than all these block buster movies 🎥
that movie had me ducking when the mortors were dropping shit was nut
Thanks for your opinion on this topic finally somebody talks about what consumers with intention of buying something "better" for home viewing can see/listen to opinion from somebody that can compare it by himself (TV/speakers) because it looks that some reviewers are not talking about these things or simply don't want to...keep up good work FoMo
In some of those scenes though, what's happening is in front of the camera not out of frame (behind or above). So it wouldn't make sense to hear something above you if the camera is pointed at it, since then, it's coming twords you straight on.
Q950a. No holes in the ceiling so no disappointment 😎. Works fine in a small to medium sized room with 9ft-ish ceiling. Some films are definitely better than others as far as Atmos tracks go.
I know it is late to be adding a comment but I am so thankful after watching this because I have been on the fence considering Atmos. My logical brain tells me this is just another step in the audio video industry to sell more equipment but my emotion brain has FOMO. Thank you for your excellent analysis and courageous honesty!!
Larry Jin
Ready player one in atmos is just epic more movies should be like that atmos is so good.
One thing I think is a gimmick is virtual atmos sound it annoys me when atmos puts there stamp on it for approval when it’s not atmos I have used a Sony ht xf9000 it’s bad.
My Samsung q950t is outstanding really impressive.
It surprises me how now 3 years after this video there is still no good way to test the sound from above for stuff like for those soundbars that bounce sound to the ceiling. It took me a bit to figure out with the Samsung Q990B that tweaking the speaker placement was what I needed to get it. But a few demos specifically meant for testing Atmos and especially the sound from above effects rather than just surround would be nice.
Can you revisit this? Is it still the same?
By looking at this video,I prefer I prefer DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO 7.1
Couldn't agree more
I've looked into it and Atmos can only handle 16 objects at once whereas going to DTS X or hd you can have 256 objects. Atmos can be channel based as well and that limits how much is actually output in your configuration. That's why people are talking about having 7.2.6 systems and making claims about how awesome Atmos is.
Personally I'm running a 5.2.4 system and it's significantly better in both Atmos and DTS X than when I only had 2 height speakers
I enjoy my 5.1.2 Atmos/DTS:X setup, so in the end I respect your opinion. I know people that are perfectly happy with their standard 5.1 or 7.1 setups and feel they don't need Atmos/X.
A Quiet Place is a good one, but the king of Dolby Atmos is Gravity!
😁👏🏾
blade runner 2049 I thought was pretty good
Jupiter Ascending is the best Atmos sound track I have heard. Someone recently bought it on my recommendation and the soundtrack blem them away (not sure what they thought about the movie)
"Deepwater Horizon" says hello!
You can hear all those sounds with just 5.1 if you have a good setup.
I finally have atmos...and I was watching Braveheart and a bird took off...and I swear to god, I thought there was a bird in the room, i heard and felt it rise up to my left, it was like nothing I've ever heard before in a home theater. That's the first object that I have heard...and I was impressed.
The most honest and best analyzed video I have seen on atmos. Now I know that the other reviewers are only listening to the loud sound effects and are assuming that it’s coming out of atmos speaker. Luckily I didn’t spend much money in setting up my home theater. I just just about $200 on a new atmos receiver. All other stuff was bought from eBay few years back.
Wow, very insightful and eye-opening video. Thank you. I have been watching from the sidelines for years, still very happy with my 7.1 non-Atmos setup, enjoying many regular and 4K blu rays with my current AVR and speaker system entirely at ear level. I think I may be fine sticking with what I have but I’m curious, have you changed your mind at all in the years since you first posted this video? Your updated thoughts would make a great new video! Thanks again.
Wow. I've just stumbled across this video 4 years later. It's really enlightening. Have audio engineers improved Atmos mixing for home media yet?
Fantastic video. Any chance of reviewing newer movies to see if the atmos is improving?
I want ceiling speakers but you might have saved me alot of money. Think I will stick with my dali alteco C1's placed high on the walls for now....?
Thanks for exposing the Dolby Atmos over-hype.
Its all about budget and post production, u are right. I worked in movie production for 11 yrs. ive seen it.
I remember when DVD promises multi-angle scenes and a bunch of features as 3D movies but the studio’s engineers are too lazy to push technology forward 😐
Too true! i don't know if I ever saw that multi-angled stuff, although I probably would have got bored with it in ten minutes. More often, there's making-of dross, something that we could all live without.
I'd like to see an update on this
I kind of agree with you, but I use to have a Yamaha 7.1 until switch to an Denon 7.2 atmos. The Denon put Yamaha to shame. But I do understand what you are saying that atmos is very weak in some movies. But in all I love my Denon atmos. Another thing I love about my system the music that is played on it is awesome. I am a jazz musician, so I know a good system when I hear it The separation is unbelievable. Key board and drums in different area of the room. Lead instrument or singer in the center speaker. So I think atmos is a big plus to the industry.
That’s why i went for an auro receiver and auro setup, using the auromatic upscaler. It kicks dolby’s behind
I went deep on my first home theatre in 1996 when you could only get the AC3 encoded on laser discs, DVD was not a thing yet. Now in my 50s I am (was) planning a big spend on a ATMOS 7.2.4 set up but after seeing this excellent presentation I have shifted my direction. I will get one of those hisense soundbars with 5.1.2 because other than the dolby atmos demo videos, I can see there is not much point trying to get more out of a movie than 5.1.
I 100% agree and have said for years, that ATMOS is greatly underutilized, and NO movie uses it like the demos. But...you picked some weak films for it. There are others that use it a lot more. Still not like you expect, but far better than Alita, MMFR, JW and even JW.
What moves are best for atmos
@@DrAdd1999 one in the cinema... it’s a gimmick at home
@@DrAdd1999 the new Resident Evil 4K collection, Ford vs Ferrari, Lucy, 6 Underground, Extraction, and a whole lot more.
@@DrAdd1999 Midway, A Quiet Place, Ready Player One,...
What are these Best Atmos movies for proper Uitlisation?
For those of us who already have the overhead speakers, what are the best Atmos mixed movies? ...similar video with the just the overhead speakers?
daaaaamn you just saved me $700!!!!!... almost picked some up yesterday. i would've been raging if i went through so much setup & heard silence! loved the brutally honest review!
Now I feel the need to go and listen to just the overhead channels on all my 4K Blurays to see if they're this bad... Yikes.
totaly agree,,,i have an atmos reciever and i dont feel like puting the extra 2 chanels.....i use it as 5.1
Any immersive experience with 5.1?
I can only add one more pair of speaker to my avr. Was debating between going. 5.2.2 or 7.2. You made this decision much easier.
My question is, would Kaleidescape make the difference? IDK...
Not gonna lie I just finally got my atmos speakers installed and it really does make a difference. Finally feels like a real home theater. Adds a lot to the sense of immersion. I honestly think it’s more than just a gimmick.
Not that you can’t fully enjoy yourself with a great 5.1 system. But a 9.2.4 system takes it to a whole other level.
Thank you for saving me thousands of dollars. I'm retired and with the cost of living the way it is. I've got better things to spend my money on, like food. Love your channel and keep the good work up.
I am so glad I seen your video before I upgraded to Atmos! Now I can use that money to upgrade other parts of my home theater..👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽✌🏽 Plus my ceilings are cement so I would have had a hard time doing it anyway.. I am so glad that I won't be missing out on anything because most movies are not equipped with the Atmos sound anyway?? The same with THX..
You should do a follow up on this video.
Sound is so directional it’s taken for granted and in my opinion You get what you pay for - Iv installed large in ceiling Monitor Audio 265 IDC speakers , doubled up on my monitor audio subwoofer and upgraded to a better AV receiver and the sound is incredible. I would agree however that not all Dolby Atmos tracks are created equally- so some films have been a let down . Most likely due to costs and file sizes on dvds . Great video - please don’t be put off by making the effort to upgrade to atmos .
You are spot on about Atmos sound! I have a 7.2 system and very disappointed with what comes out of the ceiling speakers. There is little to non-existent sound coming from above. We are still in the infancy of truly emersive sound.
Another good DVD to test your system is "Spiderman into the Spider-Verse". Excellent!
Loved your critique.
Really? What movies do you think have more atmos content?
Thank you SO MUCH for doing this. It's a shame Atmos/DTS:X doesn't have a LAV decoder in Windows. That way we could just plot amplitude graphs to see what's going on there and if it's worth watching it. I've already got all the speakers setup so would really like to know which movies are worth it or not .Kinda like fake 3D or not or fake HDR/4k or not.
I clearly fell for the marketing. All that work doing the ceiling speakers was mostly a waste. I do enjoy the upmixing though - but honestly if I saw your analysis in in 2015 when I started the ceiling stuff I'd have skipped it
@ RXP91, I was just saying on another YT channel that I have been VERY disappointed in my HT surround sound ever since I began over 20 years ago! Including "Dolby Atmos"! There are a few scenes here and there that have impressed me, but overall...DISAPPOINTMENT! There is NOT much decent source material out there it seems.
Well said Sir. We, the public, home cinema fans, film fans etc are being conned into buying expensive equipment, and modifying our homes all for very little return. Such a wasted opportunity. Dave, Scotland.
hey fomo could you test some video games with dolby atmos to see how they perform
COD is unreal in atmos. Better than any atmos movie mix
SHRED? too bad its still cod..
if you have good atmos setup/angles etc. it is a big step up!
Also had rear/Front height but with my on ceiling nubert ws14 angeled at MLP is perfect with 5.2.4 plus dirac bass control.
You have validated my thoughts about atmos from the very beginning.
I’m very glad I found this video, and I think for my upcoming home theater upgrade I’m going to pass on a crazy expensive Atmos setup and just go with a 5.2 setup (the room I have doesn’t lend itself to having side speakers). This means I can save a lot on the receiver too.
Unsure how you will save on the receiver? Nearly every receiver sold in the past few years is able to process Atmos.
@@ytj22 FWIW I went with the Marantz SR8015 and Klipsch RF-7 IIIs and equivalent center and subs. Somehow saving money went right out the window. 😀
@@asdf51501 Lol! Nice choices. (and I know the feeling!)
Annabelle Creation has the best atmos I've ever heard, I only have two heights and I can only imagine listening to it with four heights. I can highly recommend anyone to watch it who haven't seen and heard it with atmos.
"...just seal your ceilings again..." 🤣🤣
This is the best video I watched in 2020
Indeed
Not if you've actually watched mad Max with Atmos it isn't. Maybe some of them don't do that most well but bad Max is not one of them. Hearing the saw blade cut above in the car, hearing immortan Joe speak at the citadel hearing his speech coming from above you, the lightening storm effects, people and cars flying overhead. It's intense and one of the best movie watching experiences if not the best in my life
I been saying this...thats why i like auro 3d...i use auro upmixer instead of atmos.
Whilst I agree that the object-based tech of both Dolby Atmos and DTS: X aren't being properly utilised by many film studios - Disney being far and away the most egregious, object or channel mix - I watched last night 'Hans Zimmer: Live In Prague' in Dolby Atmos. Now, I can't say how much better this is with Atmos over the 7.1 core, because I've only heard the Atmos mix. But wow, the sound quality is phenomenal. I was so impressed that I ordered 'Roger Waters: The Wall' because it's another love concert that apparently sounds amazing in Atmos.
If you turn the center channel volume down some and the atmos heights speakers all the way up you'll hear the atmosphere of the films and get a your a there feeling. Its a nice trick try it out
Thanks for the review. Contemplating atmos current have 7.1 , yamaha amp and super speakers, am wrapped with current setup. Have just made a huge increase in experience putting an HD projector and 120 inch recessed electric screen. I reckon the sound needs to make sense with what you are seeing. What s the point havi ng a super Atmos setup when you viewing area is sub 100 inch. I reckon get a serious viewing area before spending big bucks on sound. Anyway am wrapped with current setup and was prepared to put 4 high grade ceiling speakers , but given marginal increase and stress from the wife putting more holes in the roof
Continued - won't bother will wait a few years, to see if it will get wife acceptance
Exactly, that's why I only buy 3D Blu-ray for collections, and pay streaming fees per month for Atmos contents. After reviewing online then I would buy those make my satisfaction.
I recently went from 5.2.2 to 7.3.4 and the difference in goin gfrom 2 height to 4 height speakers was very significant
Movies need to be atmos certified before they can label it Atmos.
Thank you so much for this content. I was just about to spend $$$$ for full atmos equipment. I will stay with 7.2 for now.
Bang on, ABSOLUTELY TRUE, its kind of OVERRATED, height presence speakers are very poor in many movies, esp in netflix even 5.1 is not good enough.
I really liked NOPE...very well done ATMOS. Gravity, Blade Runner, and a Quiet Place wete also well done. I agree that there are sooooooo many missed opportunities for overhead sound with a lot of movies. I hope they bring ATMOS to video games in the near future.
STOP THE FOMO!
You keep pumping out quality videos and I love them 👍
I really appreciate the 'stop the fomo' angle of view!
I'm pumped from the atmos hype until I saw this. I'll wait a little longer.
Yeah. Same here. No holes in my ceiling then.
Well I bought a Samsung sound bar 5.1.2. Added the wireless extra speakers for rear and up. So now I have 7.1.4 and I have to say its brilliant. 6 Underground was amazing as was The Adam project and Troll. All just streamed though Netflix on an Apple 4K TV box. I get it that budget restraints mean how much can be spent on a mix but Im very happy.
I'm glad you cleared that up for us, I have a Sonos Arc 5.1 system and I thought I wasn't hearing anything from the upward firing speakers on the Arc. Even if Hollywood did include more Atmos sound effects, after reflecting sound off the ceiling I question how effective it would be. I still enjoy my Sonos 5.1 with or without Atmos and one of my favorite soundtracks is from the first Jurassic Park and that movie came out in 1993! Thank you for the video I agree with your assessment.
Thanks for this video. It’s been almost two years, has anything changed?
What about now, it's been 5 years. Any change?
Has anything essentially change since this video was made?
Hello great video :)
I have two questions
1. How this situation looks now 3 years later ?
2. Now everyone recommends Auro 3d up mix to fix this poor Atmos movies but how this upmixer adding missing Chanel’s not exist in first please ? And are this is really king now ?
Regards
Marek
I have an 7.1.6 Auro setup and I can tell you that compared to allmost all atmos mixes Auro is superior. Only the old Bladerunner has a decent mix afaik. In Nobody for example is about 2 Minutes of hight content. That is ridiculous. Watch the interviews with van Bellen. He explains that thier upmixer useses over 50 cues to analyze the soundtracks. I think it is a real shame that the grip from Dolby is so strong that they pushed Auro out of the market. There are only few real Auro mixes like Spider-Man Homecoming. But these are by far the best mixes I ever heard.
Good video, I’m hoping they get better with this, we need more people like you out there spreading the word so maybe they get wind of it and make more time and budget for better atmos. Because they are basically ripping us off , we buy atmos and it says atmos but we don’t hear atmos
And here I am, listening to 2.1, without any Dolby or DTS decoding, with flawless imaging. That was a lot of commas.
You can get a 3D effect with any 2.0 headphones/plugs, but it's just emulated with verious tricks. It doesn't have a lot of depth - it sounds like it's just coming from inside your skull, within a smal radius.
You can only get real surround sound with dolby surround/atmos.
I think it will be more useful in games, where every single sound is made live, instead of post production. Or real life scenarios, for VR, ASMR etc.
Going from tv speakers to full 5.1 with a decent set up is amazing.
Anything after that is subtle at best.
I rarely hear my rears and heights and only with certain content.
But saying that. If anyone said to me im taking them speakers I would spit my dummy out 🤣.
Demo atmos content is the best at the minute unfortunately.
Mad max and transformers being second.
I know this is old but thank you for making it and being honest about it. Hope things have improved but somehow I doubt it
More videos like this can hopefully push the studios to actually care about the sound. It gets even worse with the streaming services poor quality sound output. But that is different than the original mix that you are referencing here. It is a shame, and should be better supported.
An honest review? A breath of fresh air. Thank you!
This is a wonderful, real world review. Thank you!