WHICH IS BEST? ATMOS POSITIONS BREAKDOWN | Upward-Firing | On-Wall | On-Ceiling | In-Ceiling
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- Опубликовано: 30 июн 2024
- WHICH IS BEST? ATMOS POSITIONS BREAKDOWN | Upward-Firing | On-Wall | On-Ceiling | In-Ceiling
Strap in, folks! I sat down (and got back up again several times) and tested out 3 different Dolby Atmos speaker positions with the ideal 8 foot ceiling. Which came out on top? And which is best for you? I break down what I heard and what I recommend. Check it out!
Below are affiliate links of the speakers tested in this video. By clicking on them, you are kindly helping support this channel AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU! Hooray!
SVS Prime Elevation Speakers
(Crutchfield) - howl.me/cmy9ilYL6g7
Aperion Audio A5 Height Module
(on Aperion) - www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
Emotiva AirMotiv A1
(on Emotiva) - emotiva.com/collections/louds...
Klipsch R-41SA
(on Amazon) - amzn.to/3ogyUam
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MY HOME THEATER SETUP
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65” LG C1 OLED TV
Crutchfield - howl.me/chNr9ONsB1Q
Amazon - amzn.to/3lTcHMQ
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/2SDJpYg
Marantz SR7015
Crutchfield - howl.me/chNr9OFKp3N
Amazon - amzn.to/3F1VmcZ
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3p9zWpb
Outlaw Audio Model 7000x Amplifier
Amazon - amzn.to/3NO6oGZ
Peachtree Nova300 Stereo Integrated Amp
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
Emotiva BasX A3 Amplifier
emotiva.com/collections/amps/...
FRONT LCR
Aperion Audio Verus III V8T Towers
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
Aperion Audio Verus III Grand V6C Center Channel
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
FRONT WIDES & VOICE OF GOD
Aperion Audio Novus Slim N6SC LCR
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
SURROUNDS
Aperion Audio Verus III Grand V5B Bookshelf
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
SURROUND BACKS
Aperion Audio Novus N6T Tower Speakers
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
ATMOS HEIGHT SPEAKERS
Aperion Audio A5 Height Module
www.aperionaudio.com/collecti...
LG UBK90 4K Blu-ray Player
Best Buy - howl.me/chNr9OziN0X
Amazon - amzn.to/2UtSnZ0
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3zeOg1G
AppleTV 4K (4th Gen)
Target - howl.me/chNr9OzNkRT
Amazon - amzn.to/3kGQ1R9
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3eCueWU
Nintendo Switch
Target - howl.me/chNr9OyO7uf
Amazon - amzn.to/2Tqra96
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3x2Ea2B
14 AWG Copper Speaker Wire
Amazon - amzn.to/3cmGoCP
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3dqdVMc
Monoprice Low Profile 22 Lb Capacity Speaker Mounts
Amazon - amzn.to/3ckelDM
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MY VIDEO GEAR
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Audio Interface - Focusrite Saffire Pro 40
Amazon - amzn.to/3stZ6y0
Sennheiser MKE600
Amazon - amzn.to/3slMidQ
B&H Photo - www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Sony A7 II Full Frame Mirrorless Camera
Best Buy - howl.me/chNr9OV8FEQ
Amazon - amzn.to/3GJqFty
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3GLtnik
Canon EOS Rebel T5i
Amazon - amzn.to/2Y432rp
DJI OM 4 SE
Best Buy - howl.me/chNr9OV8FEQ
Amazon - amzn.to/3zXAYcY
Shure KSM32 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Crutchfield - howl.me/chNr9OEjHIG
Amazon - amzn.to/2QEVuLr
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/3dpC3yQ
JOILCAN 81" Tripod
Amazon - amzn.to/3hn7RoS
B&H Photo - bhpho.to/2Ua1LAr
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LINKS
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Everything you need can be found at the link below! Woohoo!
linktr.ee/ealanosborne
#surroundsound #HomeTheater #DolbyAtmos
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CHAPTERS
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0:00 Intro
0:51 Overview
1:29 Upward-Firing
4:31 On-Wall
7:30 On-Ceiling/In-Ceiling
8:39 Recap
9:46 Final Thoughts
10:18 Outro
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DISCLAIMERS
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I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites 
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Excellent Ealan! I've been looking for while now for someone to talk about this topic and I think you're the only one. Thanks for the great content! Keep it up! 👍
Me too.
Great Video, I would just add when I first got the Klipsch 5.1.2 set up with the built in atmos speakers I did A/B testing not with the atmos modules alone but with and without them in the whole set up. While the pinpoint location possible with overhead set ups wasn't there, in my room with my set up, the upward firing speakers did add the 'environmental' immersion with reverb and sound effects that had me forgetting I was supposed to be doing a comparison and sucked me right into the scene every time.
Exactly. That’s why I wanted to stress that upward firing isn’t completely worthless, just not the absolutely best option out there. Gotta do the best you can with what you already have! 🤘
Excellent video
Exactly what I needed
You're the reason I actually got into the home theater game
I’ve got 4 speakers that I mounted on the ceiling. They’re not as far from each other front to back as I’d like them but it still sounds pretty impressive. Especially when a game is in Atmos.
Great video! Very useful information for a lot of people. Obviously with it not being your space more in-depth testing wasn't probably possible however if you do it again I'd use a different movie with known good atmos uptop. Another thing I've heard helps with upward firing is adjusting the angle since if you think about it they are usually a set angle so assuming you're not sitting at the exact perfect spot based on baffle angle, ceiling height - module height, and seating distance it's possible all the reflected sound is infront or behind the seats. That's why I never recommend build in ones as you can't prop up the front or back of the module to increase/decrease the angle.
I was originally planning on doing a 5.2.2 top middle atmos setup but I'm thinking before I go cutting holes in my ceiling I might see if I can do 5.1.4/5 auro3d setup since I can't do 5.1.4 atmos due to couch being on back wall.
Thanks for this video. I have Klipsch up-firing speakers on my towers for years (5.2.2). Thought is was ok, but nothing great. Can't do in ceiling speakers, but after watching you video, I moved the up-firing to Front presence height location (8' ceiling). Absolutely huge difference in my room. on ATMOS tracks I actually can sense the sound is coming overhead.
Awesome!!! Glad this helped! And thanks for your kind words! 😁🤘
Really cool calm monologue. Been considering whether to invest in some upward firing speakers, this has given me some food for thought. Thanks. And you’re right, once you begin the home theatre journey, you can’t stop…
Like I said in the last video, you're in my head...literally! How?? Amazing comparison and with real world perspectives. I literally feel like you're on the exact same journey as me on discovering Home Theater and ratcheting up your experience with but still offering valuable insights for even seasoned folks. #Nailingit
After a bunch of experimentation (at least in my Man Cave), I found that making a wood baffle to the tilted Atmos speaker on top of the main stereo mains works very well. A three-sided piece of 1/4" plywood stuck on the speaker on listening side of angled speaker with double-sided tape. Essentially, the key is blocking the direct sound path to the listening ear from the Atmos speaker is key. Audessey, equalizing really made it zone in on a great sound experience. Point is...every room is different and fun to to try out what is best for you.
Excellent experimentation, my friend! 🤘
Thanks Ealan! This is exactly what I was trying to decide on!
Mounted on upper wall front + side positions are the simple way , to enjoy Dolby Atmos 's experience 🔊 🎼🎶
This is the very first video i caught on this channel and i loved what i heard.
The problem with 90% of upward firing speakers is their design. Dolby limits their bandwidth vs the crossover, to promote beaming, and avoid direct sound to the listener. Its not an effective design. A better solution is for the speakers to be angled, but recessed in the box with acoustic lining. This does a much better job of reducing direct sound, and isolating the reflected sound. Also how one angles them is crucial to insuring the reflected sound even reaches the seating position. The best method is to use a helper with a ladder, who places a mirror on the ceiling where the listener can see the speaker from their normal seating position. Once accomplished, the listener then goes over to the upward firing speaker and angles the speaker so it aims directly at the mirror. A small flashlight or laser pointer is helpful. The height of the ceiling is less important than the angling, as the room correction software will set the appropriate output for all speakers, including upward firing ones. The only off-the-shelf, upward firing Atmos speakers, I would recommend are the Atlantic Technology 44-DAs and the PSB Imagine XA Atmos enabled
I have some Klipsch tower speakers that have Atmos speakers in the top, and they are recessed and angled internally but you can't tell without removing the covers.
That’s interesting. I did something in that idea but in a budget/patchwork kind of way. After selling off all my Paradigm speakers I went with Hsu Research across the front, as well as the sub. Just to get the 4-7 speakers going I got 4 Polk T-15’s to put on the walls. Before I got around to replacing them I became unhappy with the Hsu speakers and replaced them with Klipsch RP across the front. But I’m still unhappy with speakers 6+7 so, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try them in an Atmos position and re-assign them to “height”. I wasn’t that interested in height prior to this as I first had Paradigm Atom speakers in this position over 20 years ago with my Yamaha 3200, which had outputs called, oddly enough, “height”. Unimpressed, I was. Anyway, I got a couple of small wall shelves at Lowes, installed them above head level (while seated) on either side of the TV, moved 6&7 to the shelves in the horizontal position and propped up the backs with a length of 2”x2” for, oh, let’s call it 30° angle. Purists out there are retching and fainting right about now but the results were quite impressive. I’m just about to start experimenting with the volume levels. Will I decide I need dedicated design height speakers? Small sample test size at this point but I kind of doubt it. The T-15’s project well and I see no pressing reason to replace them (more gasps from the purists)…at this time. We’ll see.
Oh, and I’m not sure why Dolby seems to get all the credit for “height”. Yamaha had it in a receiver (probably) designed in the 90’s and, with a limited number of Atmos enabled disks available I just keep the DTS:X button pressed on my Marantz receiver. So I get some effect on everything, even the AAC audio rips, I mean “backups”, I keep on hard drive.
Anyway, it’s a good suggestion to at least experiment with speakers on hand before diving in. You can, at least, get an idea if the concept works for you without buying speakers.
Love you're well edited fun yet informative videos.
Thank you very much! :)
This is a very knowledgeable video. Was so confused while selecting the system. This video sorted/covered everything very well.
Thank you very much!
Your videos are really fun to watch. Well researched content. Good work🎉
Thank you very much! 🙌
I actually built speaker boxes for "in-wall/ceiling" speakers, and successfully stud-mounted them to my ceiling in a unique manner. Ceiling speakers have always been a priority even when thinking Atmos early on. And I did this for the first FOUR, and down the line I'm going to get it to SIX. Little bits at a time for now.
How deep did your boxes have to be??
@@josephjohnson2193 ... for mine, the width of a 1x4. Then I mounted the frame on like a 1x12
Is there any way to see pics ? Thanks
And of course, this came out AFTER I bought the R-625fa pair. (This is life though)
Definitely selling them to give more options, as the apt I am moving to has a 2ft higher ceiling. This particular apt will actually allow for mounting of speakers and tv! Thank you a ton for sharing your experiments and results!
I have the 625f and I can hear them perfectly
i've been trying to decide if i wanted to move my atmos speakers from upward firing to wall mounting behind my tv... you just sold me because i've been feeling the same way about having them upward firing. thanks for the video!
Sweet! You’re welcome, Joshua! 🤘
I've personally just begun my journey of home cinema audio upgrades and am now at a 5.1 System. I wanted to eventually add height channels to it (once I figure out how to support it software) and thanks to you I now know that up firing speakers won't cut it.
They do, but it depends on your room and speaker placement. Upward-firing speakers sound more diffuse. If you can't get ceiling speakers but want height channels, going with 4 up-firing speakers is still preferable to basic 5.1.
Great video I learned a lot, keep up the good work
I agree just upgraded to Dolby Atmos and go the Upward Firing Speakers you put on top of the Tower Speakers. It just made the Tower Speaker sound better..
I agree. My first experience was with up firing Speakers didn’t work for me, so I bought 4 SVS elevation speakers mounted them on the walls recommended by auro, I liked it but wanted more. I redid my room 11 x 13 a small room so mounting them on the ceiling works for both ATMOS/AURO Because the room is so small and I was able to put the ceiling speakers over my floor Speakers and now the configuration works for both.
Hell yeah! Having a hybrid Atmos/Auro setup is what everyone should strive for, IMO :)
Yeeeeeeeees my man! But now I have to wait all day to watch!
Thanks for the video tip. I’ll have to try some of your methods.
There are so many variables like room size, ceiling height reflection points. The ideal would be overhead when applicable and then second choice being elevation type and lastly upfiring.
Mine is an opinion but the reason I say ceiling mount first over elevation type is aesthetics.
But I say if you can do any type of Atmos is a winner winner chicken dinner 😁👍
I live in a pretty small apartment, and I have my home theatre in my bedroom. So space is really tiny. so I stacked up boxes to put my height speakers on the side up to the ceiling (pretty short ceilings) and it works very well considering that I'm running 5.1.2. I didn't even bother trying upward firing as I heard it wasn't the best.
Excellent video, thank you. Beautifully explained.
I just stumbled upon this video while checking on "ideal" placement of Atmos speakers. I got the Klipsch Atmos 41s some time ago, but I just cranked up the gains in my X4400h to correct for the reflecting off the ceiling and I am quite surprised. Just rewatched Independence Day in Atmos and it was very good. I must try Auro 3D since my old Denon supports it...
Your video was very helpful in indeed. Respect from the Caribbean.
Thank you for the description of what you should expect to actually hear given the different positions. Most people don’t explain it as well thank you.
You’re welcome! And thanks for the kind words. 😊🎉
Great video again Ealan. I got my Emotiva Atmos speakers and I just laid them on top of the bookshelf speakers. I think I'll attempt to put them on the top of the wall as soon as I get a chance. I'm sure they'll be better for it in comparison. Thanks for your insight and opinion what you think is the best or worth doing for height speakers. Great information..
I went with the 3.1.2. Atmos speakers at the side walls next to couch and it definitely works. I like that more than front heights
What's your AVR
@@averagestudent4358 Well now I have a Denon 3800H with a 7.3.4 set up in the same space. Condo living room.
Like some of the other commenters said, did you play around with the volume setting for the upward firing speakers? In most of the autocalibration I did, the receiver boosts the volume for the atmos speakers by 3-6 dBs. Also noticed that your ceiling is not quite flat, so could be a lot of scattered reflection which reduces the sound going into your ears. But this could be just the quality of your video that made the ceiling look halfway between a flat ceiling and a popcorn ceiling.
When I had upward firing I bumped them up a few dB and that helped. I still prefer my wall mounted atmos speakers. For my situation the wall bounce wasn't bad at all.
I was wondering about this lately! You’re the best! Your insightful reviews have been a great influence on my purchase decisions and I’m very happy with them. I want hear about your thoughts the new budget receivers with HDMI 2.1 from Costco.
TwoGuyzTech have reviewed both of those receivers if you want to know their opinion. I hope to review those myself someday! 😊
Very Cool Vid, I now have 4 Atmos Channels on my Side Walls because I have a Wooden Ceiling and didnt want to damage it, its cool but there is too much coming from the top.
Im now going to do a Ceiling Sail, where I will put 7 In Ceiling speakers and enough absorption, I hope to get then more directional and clear Sound
One thing I really like about my Kali Audio Atmos setup is that I have the option to use speaker stands for my height channels with the mounting hardware that was included!! Just something to think about for anyone living at a rental that REALLY wants to commit to an Atmos setup. (Disclaimer, this is a music studio setup, but still a neat idea!!)
Which kali do you use and what stands? I'm renting and this is a good solution.
Finley someone has done a video speaking the truth about Atmos speakers 🔊
Very educational, thank you for this video.
Excellent video and information. Thank you.
I do have mine mounted on the wall as the wall of sound as you explained and i do like them in that position.
I've got some klipsch floorstanders with thr atmos built in thr top. Sounds as good as thr ones I have up high. They work really well. That well I've taken down my heights and are just using the klipsch . Sounds excellent.
You're up there with the best YT commentators on these subjects... Keep it up, Ealan!
Thanks, Adrian! 🤘
I have a hybrid setup of front upfiring and rear height atmos speakers (Klipsch rp-140sa’s) due to my overhead space limitations with projectors mounted on the ceiling. I’m more pleased with this setup 7.1.4 setup (using rear outboard amp for rear heights) on my Denon 4300 than all wall mounted height speakers. I did have to adjust the angle of the front firing ones using different rubber feet sizes to get optimal overhead sound since I only have 7ft ceilings in my basement man cave. And I did end up cranking up the gain on my front firing ones in audyssey since the levels never seemed high enough overhead. I also have adjustable angle wall mounts for wall speakers that helped dial in the optimal rear height angle also. Always gotta keep tweaking the setup!!! But that’s the fun part when you finally find that sweet spot. I just wish I didn’t have to pay for Auro 3D upgrade on my older Denon, which I looked into but couldn’t find right links info to upgrade.
That’s right! ABT - Always Be Tweaking! 😄 Thanks for your insight! 🤘
New subscriber here. Enjoying your take on atmos placement. Time to try moving my hights from top of my mains.
That's why I purchased a Bose 900 about a year ago and their height channels and rear jewel surrounds speakers are a Beast. I have 12foot ceilings and you hear and feel it all even if the content not in Atmos.
NICE! 🎉
Lighting. Great presentation, sound is ok, you just have to get a backlight on you to separate you from the wall. And a side fill light too (a white card will work perfect)
I'm used starting a 300USD AVR+speaker set for 7 years and just getting my first Dolby atmos setup today but I have to manage and clear some stuff in my room first lmao.
And my budget was not enough so I take the Yamaha RX-A4A because of the price and took almost the budget into 5.2.2 set up with Klipsch. After doing some research I think I have a plan to go for 7.2.4 in the future. But for now.. This is my first time Atmos experience I'm still excited to experiment with upward firing and on the wall for soon.
Really useful video man! Thanks.
I currently use 5.1.2 setup with upfiring speakers but i have them mounted halfway up my wall (as i have quite a high ceiling). I’ve been thinking about mounting them higher faced towards me, even more so now with your results. Think i’ll give it a bash? Subbed 👍
Bash it up, Homeslice! And thanks for the sub! 🤘
Do it. Absolutely no reason you can't mount an upfiring speaker up on your walls. Make sure they are angled downwards and towards your listening position.
I have the Pioneer add on Atmos module speakers for the front and rear speakers, and I also barely heard anything coming from the height channels when I placed them on top on the main speakers, so I decided to mount the Atmos speakers to the ceiling and it made all the difference in the world. I can easily hear Atmos in a good mix and makes the movie soundtrack totally immersive!
I have a Marantz 8802a and updated it to Auro 3D capability. I purchased a few Blu-Ray discs with Auro 3D, and originally set up the Marantz for 7.1.4 Auro 3D configuration. However, speaker placement wasn’t optimized for Auro 3D, but was compatible for Auro 3D and Atmos. Result: Auro 3D wasn’t a dramatic difference from Dolby Atmos, and the price for Auro 3D software wasn’t justified. Since Atmos is prevalent here in the US, I decided recalibrate the Marantz for Atmos. Also, when I had the system optimized for Auro 3D, the front and rear Height Channels didn’t independently produce sound from the LH and RH, rather they both created the same pink noise signal at the same time using an Atmos disc. Furthermore, only the front height speakers were engaged producing any Atmos effects. The Rear Atmos channels were never used.
When I recalibrated the system for Atmos, I got back the LH and RH channels on both the front and back Height Channels. Watching in Atmos is more immersive with all speakers engaged.
My impressions: Auro 3D sounds similar to Atmos with Auro 3D content, but due to system configuration with Auro, you may not get 7.1.4 with Atmos soundtracks. On the other hand, you do get better overall enveloping sound from the Auro 3D up mixer. It gives a natural sound field for non Auro 3D or 2.0, 5.1 and 7.1 material. Unfortunately, once configuring the Marantz back to Atmos, I lose a few Auro 3D effects options. Btw, Atmos is based on Auro 3D, but due to copyright issues, Dolby changed the speaker placement for their design. AURO 3D uses DTS as their codec to carry Auro 3D information, while Dolby uses Dolby TrueHD 7.1 at the core plus metadata to extend capabilities for Atmos.
Wow! Thanks for your detailed insight! 🤘
I am running a Marantz with the Pioneer up firing in the front. I am going to switch to the SVS prime atmos speakers and mount them to the front ceiling. I was trying to avoid drilling holes into the ceiling and I do not want to cut speaker holes.
So which is better to use?
Another point to bear in mind is that for upfiring speakers, Dolby recommends they should be placed no higher than one half (50%) of the height of the ceiling. Looking at the setup you had here in this video, with those particular large towers, it does appear that those Atmos speakers are higher than that recommendation. To compensate for that the only solution is to then adjust the angle of the Atmos speakers (raising the rear of them up) but this then adds other problems as the increased angle towards the listener will make direct sounds more audible in comparison. But yep, thos Atmos speakers are a bit too close to the ceiling for the given ceiling height it seems.
Interesting. I've had 2 prime elevations on my front wall for a long time. But since we'll be moving soon I'll be putting them high up on side walls, a bit in front of MLP is the plan. And hopefully adding 2 behind also in the future. I'll also do my best to get the angles as good as possible. Can't wait :)
Have you moved yet and can you share your experience for having the atmos speakers on the front wall vs side wall.
@@rdk7010 yes i have and yes with side firing atmos the effects are so much clearer. I can definitely recommend it.
what speaker setup position did you set in your avr when using side wall atmos elevation? i have marantz SR 6015 and it dont provide atmos height placement on side wall
Loved the idea of the wall of sound. And compatible with DTS-X, and Auro-3D I mounted them on wall. But.... now I heard that seperation is most important and you shouldn't go lower than 45 degrees on your front heights.... So overthinking of mounting them higher to get that 45 degrees. My listening position is about 4 mtr from the screen and my ceiling is 4.25m high so I can get that angle
When mounting my heights in my testing theater I built last year, I went with Auro 3D’s specs, mounting them at 30 degrees. I personally think it does better with binaural hearing (since we have two ears on either side of our heads) making height effects more noticeable. It’s science, baby! 😁
Great vid! People have said that the HT-A9 upward firing speakers deliver a decent atmos experience but I’m finding that hard to believe.
I know! I desperately want to get my hands (and ears) and that system to see if it lives up to the hype. 🤘
I really enjoyed your video! Atmos is such a quirky experience. This is coming from an old guy that bought one of the first dolby pro logic amps back in the early 90's. I think it was 1994, yamaha pro logic. fitted to a 21 inch TV, lol. Suffice it to say that i have moved through the technology as it has happened and can honestly say Atmos is my favorite upgrade so far (but not always). Ghost inthe Shell is one of my favorite Atmos soundtracks. I have forward firirng atmos speakers and find those to do an excellent job. I have no other frame of reference (other than a proper cinema) but for c onvenienc e etc, that fornt firing do a great job. Thanks for the video and continued success for your channnel.
Thank you so much for your kind words! 🙌
I like it. You are really funny. Thanks for making it a fun to watch :)
You’re very welcome! 😁
This is great, Ealan! Thanks for sharing. I plan to setup a 5.1.4 or a 7.1.2 configuration with in ceiling speakers. However, with the renovation i'm planning with my wife to make the living room a little bit cleaner without the ear level standing L-R surround speakers, i need to place my L-R surround speakers using Klipsch CDT-5650-C II on top as well. Not sure if you have tried this but would be great if you could share your insights. Thank you!
How did it turn out? How did you position the speakers?
If you can't hear the upfiring atmos speakers being reflected off a flat ceiling at that height then it is because you're suppose to configure your HT receiver so that it knows that you are using up-firing so it can set the audio levels and time delays properly. It helps if you have a decent quality receiver that has room correction software built-in and can connect a mic so that it can be done automatically. But in saying that it still isn't going to be as good as direct sound.
I'm not disputing your findings with the room and speakers you used, but I have Focal Sib Evo with built-in purpose designed Atmos upfiring speakers and they really work in my living room. Where they lose out is in accurate positioning of the sounds front to rear, but overhead effects genuinely sound like they are overhead. In-ceiling speakers aren't an option for my room, but I have previously tried speakers in various other positions. Up high on the front, but set as front height in my AVR, and they added little to height and no sense of overhead at all. I tried the test you did with all other speakers disconnected and with every movie I tried they pretty much never made a sound. Also ran with them up on the side walls and they were more active in that position, but also never really sounded overhead and it was too easy to localise the sound as coming from a specific speaker. The upfiring are easily the best experience, really filling out the soundstage and adding more height to the front than the physical front speakers did. It doesn't hurt that this is the cleanest setup also with no wires running up the walls.
I have two Klipsch RP500SA's on adjustable speakers stands behind my 65inch Sony Z9D. Their faceplate are 3 feet away from my 8 feet flat ceiling. Both speakers set several DB's higher than bed level speakers. Awesome upFiring Atmos performance. I also have two Focal Evo upFiring as rear. Set their DB levels much higher than bed level speakers. Thus I'm running 5.1.4. My setup Atmos's sounds is so Amazing... Heights or inCeiling is not needed by me. I also have high end SVS Subs. I love SVS. I've been to high end Home Theater Demo rooms. I took my best 4K Atmos Blu Ray there to demo inCeiling Atmos.
So my 5.1.4 Atmos decision was much thought out with careful Atmos sound listening and proper setup. Proper Atmos speakers DB levels calibration.
I have to agree with you I hooked atmos speakers on my ceiling last night. They aren't high end or anything they were under £200 (polk) but I was looking for 8 ohm atmos speakers which wasn't easy to find. I would have maybe bought better ones if they were 8 ohm. I had to stick with 8 ohm because of my existing speakers and av receiver. I never even tried the upward firing method. I just don't fancy it and just wanted to put the speakers where they are meant to be. It does sound pretty good to me and got it blending pretty well with my mordaint short mezzo range. This is partially rhe problem for me. I bought these mezzos new with woofer. For me it was a lot to spend and I love those speakers so won't be upgrading all my speakers again for another 8-10 years. But I know the best thing would have been to start from scratch again. I just don't have the kind of money to upgrade everything again so quickly.
Anyway I agree with what you said about bouncing those subtle sounds off the ceiling is never going to work.
Wonderful content.
Have 3 pair of Atmos speakers.
Klipsch r 41sa
Klipsch rp 500sa
SVS Prime Elevation
Going to try the side wall placement for my Elevation pair.
Hell yeah! Do it for the science! 🔬😄
Do the side walls. You'll find the height effects and immersion much better as I did. Enjoy!
Great video 👍💎👍
You need to increase your level output for your Atmos enabled speakers. If they are only +1 db it isn’t loud enough
I've downfiring speakers, similar distance away from everything else. I've my heights +7db higher. Blends well. Even my yamaha reciever, put them at +6 on auto calibration.
Definitely, don't be scared to raise their volume if the effect isn't hitting you!
Suprised he didn't talk about this in the video
@@tatsumaru12345 hi. I have 2x focal 826d front and 2x 826d rear, and i love the experience
@@wazup3333 he did mention this near the end
Use the speaker balancing app on the receiver using the included microphone…
This is critical for a Dolby set up.
If you haven’t… your listening experience, while interesting, isn’t Dolby.
You will over drive your speakers… by a lot.
After all you bought them to ‘hear’ them! Right?
I use onkyo upfiring Atmos speakers.
1 feet lower than the ceiling pointing to the ceiling angled to the listener .
They work super fine. Please try and you will see how the sound bounces from the ceiling and widens the listening effects
Now u got me wanting to move my height speakers into a ceiling mount position! I’m only really impressed with Dolby Atmos so far with their Demo at the start of a movie and lately, the “Black Knight/Ebony Blade” (Eternals) post credit scene. I guess I have to experiment and see which will be the best position in my HT. 😀
For science! 🤘
Thank you for saving me the time and expense of moving forward with purchasing upward firing speakers. My only placement option, at this time, would be flanking my center speaker on my entertainment center. This less than optimal positioning would not have been close to satisfactory.
Great video bro! Liked and subscribed!
Thank you very much! 🤘
Very well said. Straight forward. tnx
You’re welcome! 🎉
Very true...it is hard to stop. Kinda wish I never started
My experience with upwards firing speakers is excellent! I have 7.1.2 setup, with front speakers (and upwards speakers) from Definitive Technologies 9060 series, and KEF T301 as surround speakers, connected to Denon X6700H AVR, thoroughly calibrated with Audyssey. While most movies hardly have much going on “up there”, in video games, like Cyberpunk 2077 the effect is insane! Aircraft and monorail trains flying overhead, someone shooting at me from up above etc. My favorite test is to find music source blasting from one of the shops on the streets of Night City, approach them - and you can pinpoint the exact source of the sound above you.
Cyberpunk has great atmos!!
thanks for info. I will play Cyberpunk :)
You hit the nail on the head. Dolby killed Atmos for movies with their anti-consumer crap; it's only worth using for fake sound processing, like video games.
this is why I have upfiring speakers in my game room in a 5.1.2 setup. In my theater I have 7.2.4 with my atmos speakers all in ceiling with tweeters aimed at the main listening position.
This just got me excited to play the new Cyberpunk DLC. I might have to upgrade my receiver and get the speakers before that!
Love this video. Thank you
You’re welcome! 😊
I'm experimenting with a 5th option (up-fire, on-wall). I have up-firing Polk XT-90s and found them to be lacking when placed on top of my fronts/rears. I completely agree with your findings... too lossy with the extra distance this creates and they mostly get lost.
I have wall mount brackets in the corners of my room (front and back about 1.5' from ceiling), I'm trying out placing them into the brackets but not pointing them directly at me, leaving them pointing up towards the ceiling at 45 degrees. That way, the sound from each "fills" the corners of the room with less directional effect. Still too soon to tell if this is better than placing them pointing directly with those brackets, but so far so good and I like it.
Experimenting is key! 🔑🎉
I had thought about getting the Klipsch speakers with the built-in Atmos. And was going to just take out the driver's and crossover from the built-in and just make boxes with the same dimensions as the surround speakers you get with it and just mount them to the ceiling. Just a thought for thought DIY types out there.
I have two down firing front height speakers but plan on adding in-ceiling speakers very soon.
Great video. You helped me realize how to place speakers on the ceiling. I have Kef Q50a's currently and I have them currently mounted on the wall but wanted to mount on the ceiling but they just aren't designed for it. But velcro! It never even crossed my mind but that's genius. So now I can test it myself and see if I like it. Thank you.
Yeah I didn’t wanna make a bunch of holes in my bro-in-law’s walls and ceiling. But make sure it’s heavy duty Velcro! 😁🤘
@@ealanosborne hey can the svs prime elevation be used for upfiring speakers?
@@onepurpose315 I guess you could, but SVS specifically designed them not to be used like that, especially with where the speaker wire binding posts are located. They strongly suggest mounting them.
@@ealanosborne thanks for the response I finally pulled the trigger on a modest 2.1.2 set up (coming from klipsch the fives) got a marantz receiver with klipsch rpm600 speakers and some matching klipsch Dolby atmos speaker. I can’t wait to try it out in my lil man cave
@@onepurpose315 Dude, that's awesome! I wish more people would spend more on a modest system like yours, instead of thinking they HAVE to get 5.1.2 or higher to start. With 2.1.2 you have that cool "wall of sound" effect making your TV seem ginormous! Hell yeah! :)
Daredevil Atmos is great too. Thank you! I try back to 5.1 and it's so hard to hear than basic Atmos 4 speakers reflections.
I have a very unoptimal home theater setup a 20x15 room set up wide not long. It's also the attic of my house so it has sloped ceilings what I've done is I have two Billy tall Ikea bookshelves on either side of the sitting position with a full size 6-in driver speaker on top pointing at the angled wall but then bounces the sound down to the listener. Playing with the angle that it hits that angled ceiling, and the angle of the speaker made for a very nice effect
Nice experimenting! FOR SCIENCE! 🔬😄
For upward-firing speakers, what he didn't mention is if he actually tried every possibly setting - adjusting the proper height, cross-over, volume, etc. Some people swear by them (when configured correctly).
Great video Ealan! I’m probably one of only a few that have all in-ceiling speakers except for the LCR which are KEF R7s & a R2C center channel. The system is a 7.2.4, and I’ve done this because of aesthetics since my home theater is actually my den & wife would not approve otherwise. The ceiling speakers are Sonance which are excellent. Am I pleased with the results? Absolutely! The sound is totally immersive and with 2 subs (one of which is connected wirelessly to the AVR) pounding the bass it’s a real treat to watch a good Atmos mix. What my reference movie? Not even close - Pacific Rim!
Yes! I need to own Pacific Rim. It’s on my list. 😁🤘
Is this the response you require to claim the prize? Anyway, enjoy your channel! Thanks, Mike Capone
@EalanOsborneofficialpage Here’s my response. Thanks very much!
Nice information ☺️
Thanks brother!
You’re welcome! 🤘
Thank you very much for this info
You’re welcome! 😁
Great video! I appreciate the clarification around the current state of Auro 3D. Whenever someone asks me about upward firing speakers, I'll be sure to point them to this video.
Have you ever done a comparison between 2, 4, and 6 ceiling speakers? I'd love to see more of those on RUclips.
Also, the fact that you use video chapters....thank you! So much appreciated.
Hi Ealan, after spending 2 hours testing placements for the best atmos effects using my speakers and I finally found the best solution that you may want to try. My ceiling is 8' hight and I have 2 klipsch reference bookshelf speakers being used a atmos speakers sitting on the top of a two 6' tall bookshelves while having the tv in the middle. I have the speakers tilt toward the ceiling instead of facing where I am sitting and they sound amazing. The problem of having on wall speakers facing my sitting position is that I can tell where the sound is coming from l ( from the front pretty much like 2 stereo speakers sitting high up.) On the other hand, When I have the speakers sitting on top of the selves facing the ceiling at a 20-25 degree angle, the sound blow to the ceiling and it spreads across the room and I feel like the sound is coming from above all over the place. I cannot believe how good it sounds!! It is extremely difficult for the sound from upfiring speakers to bounce off the ceiling when placing them on top of a set of tower speakers, but they work 10x better when they are placed closer to the ceiling since that require a lot less power. Since my wife doesn't want me to have in ceiling speakers, so I planned to mount 4 speakers in the corners of the rooms and make it a 5.1.4 setup, but now I am super happy with my 5.1.2 setup. Note that my room is about 10 feet wide and 16 feet long, I probably would need to mount 2 speakers in the back if my room was bigger.
Awesome! Thanks for all your hard work testing out various scenarios. Glad you found the right setup for your room! As Bill Nye says, “Science rules!,” so kudos to your experimentation! 😁🎉
Can't wait for you to review the 4.0.4/4.1.4 Sony HT-A9 system. I'm interested to see what Sony sound engineers have up their sleeves with DSP. Their claim that you can position the speakers differently and it will compensate automatically during calibration is very interesting. Mounting the speakers about half way up on each side of the TV on the wall might work better for Atmos unlike Soundbars.
Me too! I’m trying to get a review unit, but it’s still so popular that they can’t keep up with demand AND send out review units to influencers like myself. Sheesh!
Great content!!!!😃😃😃
Thank you!!!
Great video…. I live in a apartment so I have no Choice to go with upfiring speakers. Maybe you can make a video how to run speaker wires for those that live in a apartment and want to hang speakers in the corner wall/ ceiling.
Excellent work. I’m looking at using a headphone setup Realiser A16 to be truthful.
You can ALWAYS add a secondary ceiling. Which is the most beneficial for sound and running new wiring plus the added eye glory of the speakers being hidden....
No kidding, this is the best dolby Atmos speakers placement and real experience explanation ever. Thank you so much again for being straight to the point. It is a ton better than other people and channels that don’t really give details and how to and what to! Awesome video!👍
Thank you very much! 🤘
With a Samsung q950a soundbar streaming on Disney plus i definitely got some height presence all the way around. Very nice and clear. I switched to an onkyo rz820 in 5.1.2 mode with atmos upfiring and my results were similar to yours. I found even on well mixed dolby movies like dune or ford vs Ferrari, I hardly heard any height effect with the upfiring. I can't recommend it either. It doesn't work well.
We all can’t afford Samsung
And specifically birds chirping etc were heard above it was amazing
It may just be your ceiling doesn’t bounce the sound and I as just lucky and may not be lucky in my new house
Thanks for giving an honest, informative review. I personally have the samsung q900a soundbar with 2 (2.0.2 rear speakers). So I have upward firing speakers which are not the best for Atmos but I can notice a difference at times. Eventually I will do a more proper setup.
I have the Q600B and can honestly say I must agree with the presenter. The up firing speakers does nothing to the atmos effect. I even had the soundbar 40 cm from the ceiling, various angles and seating positions and I could not get the atmos effect. It is true what he said. How on earth can the sound travel to the ceiling then bounce off it and then directs it to the listener? You need a proper setup by having seperate speakers, amp, etc. Soundbars are great if you are not too worried about the atmos effect or if space is limited but for the true audio enthusiast its all crap.
@@zhieerallie but on q600 there is no real atmos up firings. It is a virtual expereince in q600. Real atmos drivers begin from q700 + 9500s could be added as rear surrounds (they also have up firing speakers) and they say there is a big difference between q600 and q700 for atmos. But all said even if you have the best setup with avr and ceiling atmos, most content doesnt even have proper atmos. 5.1 surround matters the most.
You are asking the important questions! Will you be having other videos coming out that test speaker placement like this? Also, I didn't know Auro 3D existed. Will you do a video comparing that to Atmos?
It’s in the long list of topics I want to cover! 🤘
Wow man ...informative
Thanks, just got my height speakers and had them placed BEHIND the TV to fire up.... with 9 foot ceiling I am also not sold.... might put these in top corners of room.... fun to experiment. In end the wife will decide what is acceptable speaker visibility ;-)
Heh heh, that’s right! You must pay the wife toll in the end. 😁
Oh man! I've been trying to convince myself that my up-firing speakers are doing just fine sitting on top of my Energy fronts. Well, you seriously opened my eyes! Cause here's the kicker… I'm dealing with a GD cathedral ceiling! "Probably" in that 8-9 ft range on the high side but obviously the heights are unmatched. I thought calibrating my Atmos receiver would account for the difference. Probably not.
I think they can be mounted on the wall above my TV but it will not be the most aesthetically pleasing visual. I guess there's always cord covers for the wall.
Oh well… It's all about the sound, right?
Yeah, man! If you research the Auro 3D setup, you’ll typically have your heights high up on the wall since they should be placed 30 degrees up from your listening position. And if you wanna spend the time, you could snake speaker wire up behind the wall to your heights. Not easy (I’ve personally done it in the past), but worth it in the end, since I think wires up a wall are an eyesore, too. 🤘
Yamaha did this with rx-z11 years ago which I currently have and love.
Yet another great and very informative video Ealan! I just sold out my Q950A soundbar as I bought it due to all the hype around it and much to my surprise it was not even close to my old 2.0 system. So I guess all the hype around these new atmos soundbars is meh. Im going to go with a proper 5.1 system rather than investing anymore on the premium atmos soundbars!
I fully support your decisions. 😁🤘
@@ealanosborne All praise to u 😄 because of whom my decision making was easy. Thanks a lot for the effort u put in ur videos for us. Technicality apart I like ur comic sense too 👌🏻🤘🏻😁
@@ealanosborne Any recommendations for the best 5.1 av receivers? Thanks in advance!
very helpful