Next Rabbit Hole Dolby Atmos

Mikey081057

Hard to believe there is no HT category here at the new improved CP.

So I purchased a Marantz AV7702 from A4Less on a tip from DSKIP. Great price thanks Skip!

So I'll be delving into the abyss of Dolby Atmos. I've read alot and initially will be setting it up as a 7.1.2 with up reflecting speakers as this may be the easiest way to begin the experiment. I have seen some interesting add-on up reflecting speakers from Atlantic, Deftech and the nicest of the bunch from KEF. I can't seem to find if Polk is considering entering this market with anything other than ceiling speakers. I am not going up to the attic in June /July/ August in Florida... It's 2F hot!

I seem to recall Sami and a few others were considering going down this rabbit hole and would like to hear others advise, opinions and experiences with this technology.

Cheers!

Polkie2009

Can't wait to hear back on this Mike, really curious to find out just how much of a difference in listening experience Dolby Atmos is from lossless 7.1 or 9.1 etc .

[Deleted User]

Yes, very interested as I was going right up to the ledge...
Jump?

mikeyb128

I just bought the 7702 as well! I'm pretty stoked for its arrival. It seems like a feature packed unit. I payed more though always paying to much up here.

ZLTFUL

I have been running 5.2.2 for a few months now and I can tell you that the Atmos front overhead speakers make a far more noticeable difference than front heights did.
On the iPad right now or I would post more...maybe tomorrow morning I will.

cnh

A question on this for You'al! Aren't there some OTHER new FORMATS that are coming out to COMPETE with Atmos SOON! And if so, should one wait on them?

[Deleted User]

I would say no and yes.

Mikey081057

Auro 3D is also an option with the Marantz...

cnh

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Auro 3D is also an option with the Marantz...

Auro 3D. Check. That is another format that's in the mix. Are there any others?

txcoastal1

cnh wrote: »

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Auro 3D is also an option with the Marantz...

Auro 3D. Check. That is another format that's in the mix. Are there any others?

DTS-X

Mikey081057

Found this chart:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-UHtawlOUjFD/learn/learningcenter/home/hometheater_surround_chart.html

ZLTFUL

Atmos, DTS-X and Auro-3D to be precise.

They have similar "goals" but slightly different methods of going about it.
I typically look towards Dolby solutions as they tend to be more refined and better implemented *for the most part*.

To elaborate further on my post from last night, when I was testing out the formats offered by my Denon, I used the Dolby Atmos demos to try out the various options I had (including the DTS-X firmware upgrade).
I tried 5.2 with front heights, 5.2.2 Atmos and the equivalent in DTS-X.

The front sound stage and overhead sound stage was broadened the most with Atmos. The "Amaze" demo actually sounded like rain was coming from overhead and hitting leaves/branches on the way down.
The other 2 options I tried sounded like everything was in front of me. Granted, it was above and in front of but there was hardly any discernible difference between front heights and DTS-X.

I have zero experience with Auro-3D so I can't comment there.

I was "awarded" the best over-all sounding home theater out of the 4 that were demoed during our recent theater crawl (March) and that was with a quick and dirty 3 point auto-config on the AVR.
One of the most common compliments I received was that my setup was impressively immersive especially considering I *only* was running 5.2.2 and my overhead fronts weren't even optimally placed.
Bear in mind that this was my living room home theater system and going head to head with 2 dedicated home theater builds and a dedicated "media room" with one of the theaters being a HT of the Month winner over at AVS Forum.
Obviously I didn't have the visual impact of the 3 projector based systems but acoustically, I was able to go toe to toe with some pretty stout competition.

Incidentally, none of them were running beyond 7.2 systems except for the Savoy which is a 9 channel, 2 sub and 4 mbm setup.

Mikey081057

And actually it is DTS:X

Z when you were talking about your height placements can you go into a little more detail of what you learned?

[Deleted User]

and if you have room treatments if you feel like it...

ZLTFUL

I have limited placement options on my heights. I can't do "in wall" or "in ceiling" because I literally have no really convenient way to get the speaker wires to the speakers.

My heights are a pair of Wharfedale Diamond bi-pole surrounds so bear that in mind when I give the descriptions below.

The result was, I placed my front heights in the following locations...

First, as "heights" with standard "surround", I placed them above my mains about 3 feet. They were facing the listener directly (center of the speaker "triangle" pointed at the listeners). This resulted in raising a lot of the sound stage closer to the center-line of my TV which is mounted above my fireplace.
The problem was though, the front sound stage was very rectangle. It was easy to place sounds coming from the front in a very defined box.

Second, for Atmos and DTS:X they were placed all the way up to the ceiling on the sides of my fireplace chimney chase. I also mounted them facing out from the sides so the front "plane" of the speaker is 90* from the listener. I pulled them all the way as far towards the listened as I could so the edge of the speaker is aligned with the front of the chimney chase.
This resulted in a much taller, wider and less localized front sound stage in Atmos while with DTS:X, it remained a very 2 dimensional box like the regular heights but taller. Still not the overhead sensations that came from the Atmos.

It still isn't perfect and I have researched ways of possibly doing a 5.2.4 setup with in ceiling speakers and running the wires through the chimney chase and into the ceiling that way but the WAF on that has been low so far. I think that I can get it by her if I agree to paint the in ceiling speaker grilles the same color as the ceiling but I can't make any self promises at this time.

Anyway, back to the question, I discovered that the higher the height speakers were, the better they enveloped you "over the top".
The less localized front stage isn't to say that the sound stage was less accurate as you can definitely pinpoint certain things but the ambient sounds are more "surroundish" than before.

I think the bi-pole speakers being used helped a lot in the above regard as they aren't pointing directly at the listener but reflecting off of 2 different sets of walls.

villian

I'm interested in hearing about more user experiences soon! I've been prepping to transform my theater into an Atmos setup. I have drop ceiling so it should be easy enough. Right now I'm running a 7.5 setup.

[Deleted User]

Thanks ZLTFUL !

Mikey081057

Like I said earlier I am going to try a pair of up reflecting speakers in the front to see what I see.. I have a cathedral ceiling in my family room... which kinda rules out ceiling speakers b/c of different heights and angles. I might fashion some pendant speakers out of some Atrium Sat 30's that I have....I am going to experiment a bit...Just thinking out loud.

[Deleted User]

I'm this close "" to putting four leslie speakers on the ceiling.

Mikey081057

rednedtugent wrote: »

I'm this close "" to putting four leslie speakers on the ceiling.

LOL

I am just going to mount wireless blutooth speakers to the blades of the ceiling fan!

D_M

ZLTFUL,


Was it the LSis in a home theather configuration that won you the blue ribbon?

ZLTFUL

Of course it was!

I think that helped but it was the whole package. And I really wish there had been a ribbon awarded...more of a general consensus over beers and BBQ. Hehe.

gudnoyez

Mikey I will be paying attention to your progress I'm Dolby Atmos ready, and running a 7.2, I wonder if Polk will get in the game with Dolby Atmos ready speakers to match the RITA series. There is a Onkyo dealer down the road that was running a 5.1.4 with the same Onkyo AVR I have with Onkyo Dolby Atmos ready speakers, I was pretty impressed. I just dropped quite bit of coin on my HT, Its always something in this hobby isn't it, keep us informed.

WLDock

How many have checked out Atmos at a local theater? I've been meaning to do so...maybe the next big blockbuster to come out on the format this summer.

ZLTFUL

Seen a few movies in Atmos including Battle of the Five Armies and Avengers: Age of Ultron...

Saw both in standard theaters as well and there was a good difference.

mrloren

I can't for the money to buy an Atmos receiver. It wont be till next year so DTS-X will be selling by then.

Mikey081057

Received the AV7702 today. Plugged it all in... I am in 7.1 setup now have a little more configuration to do. The new Audessy XT32 tools are nice...a bit dumbed own, but very well done. Subwoofer setup is very accurate and has a pre setup routine that has you manually setup the sub vol to 75 db before it sets the rest of the levels. More to follow...

Mikey081057

So today I hooked up a pair of Atlantic Technology 44-DA-P-GLB Dolby Atmos-Enabled Speakers in a 7.1.2 configuration.I moved my A21 to the HT to hook the fronts up to and re-setup Audessy. The 7702 and XTEQ 32 has a much more refined sound than the 7701. 2 Channel is very sweet as well.

cnh

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Received the AV7702 today. Plugged it all in... I am in 7.1 setup now have a little more configuration to do. The new Audessy XT32 tools are nice...a bit dumbed own, but very well done. Subwoofer setup is very accurate and has a pre setup routine that has you manually setup the sub vol to 75 db before it sets the rest of the levels. More to follow...

Interesting! I've always had to use an SPL meter and my ears to get the Sub right.

Sami

@Mikey081057 do you have a calibration microphone to take frequency sweeps before and after XT32?

Mikey081057

Sami wrote: »

@Mikey081057 do you have a calibration microphone to take frequency sweeps before and after XT32?

No I do not