A Guide to Dolby Atmos in the Home - article discussion

If a films track is not Atmos if there are surround backs will it switch to an audio format that uses surround backs?

So it's worthwhile installing 2 surround backs whilst im setting up the sound system after a new carpet fit and atmos speaker installation on the off chance non atmos films use a format that will use the surround backs?
 
If a films track is not Atmos if there are surround backs will it switch to an audio format that uses surround backs?

So it's worthwhile installing 2 surround backs whilst im setting up the sound system after a new carpet fit and atmos speaker installation on the off chance non atmos films use a format that will use the surround backs?

For non-atmos content, I always select DTS Neural:X. Definitely the best of the "false" audio options.
 
I was not going to attach to the amp as now have 4 x Atmos speakers but just dawned on me not all do Atmos so least then can use 7.1.
 
In instances where dealing with audio that isn't either Atmos or DTS:X in a 5.1.4 setup, only the floor level 5.1 speakers would be engaged unless applying either Dolby Surround or Neural:X upmixing to the audio in order to create pseudo 3D imersive audio that would utilise the 4 Atmos speakers.

If the audio were 7.1 in nature then the 2 back channels would be mixed down into the surrounds.

If you've a 7.1.2 setup then discrete 5.1 formatted audio would still need to use upmixing in order to engage both the back surrounds and the 2 Atmos speakers. If not applying upmixing to 5.1 formatted audio then neither the back surrounds of the Atmos speakers would be engaged. In instances where dealing with discrete 7.1 formatted audio without using upmixing, all 7 of the floor level speakers are engaged, but not the 2 Atmos speakers. It would only be in instances whereby the audio is Atmos or DTS:X in nature and when utilising either Dolby Surround or Neiral:X upmixing that all speakers present would be engaged.
 
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Thanks Dante01. 4 speakers installed. Just setting up amp. What films are good to experience the Atmos?

Keeping my eye out for a second hand 11.2 Denon 6400.
 
Thanks Dante01. 4 speakers installed. Just setting up amp. What films are good to experience the Atmos?

Keeping my eye out for a second hand 11.2 Denon 6400.
Some recommendations for films further back in this thread.
 
I have a problem setting up atmos or ever rear surround speakers in the living room because the missus won't allow me to run any wires across the walls, floors, or ceiling. So as of now I just have my front, left, right speakers + subwoofer all connected by the front wall.
My question is: could I add bluetooth wireless speakers by the rear while keeping the wired speakers to the front and make it all work together as a single full 7.1 or 5.1.2 surround sound system?
 
ok amp and speakers all set up, test levels done, how can I check they are really working well! Any demos I can do now etc via ipad to Denon 4400 amp? I tried latest Star Wars and it said Atmos on amp but would like a demo to really hear the atmos speakers sing? Anything I can view on sky q or download and play on it etc?
 
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I've noticed on some set up images the rear surrounds are positioned sort of to the side of the seating position where mine are positioned behind to the corners pointing inwards, however some Atmos diagrams have this as a position also?
 
Thanks, stuipid question how do I attach this then to my set up to get 7.1.4. Also I presume I just place it on a shelf like a DVD player etc? Could I power the 2 back surrounds with this? Is it complicated?

The correct location for the speakers is depicted within the following guide:


The location of the surrounds depends upon whether the setup consists of a 5.1 or 7.1 floor layout. If back surrounds are present then the other surrounds would be more to the sides of the listener, but in a setup lacking the back surrounds, the surrounds are further back than they would have been in a 7.1 floor layout.


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If you've a 7.1.4 setup then your 7.1 floor layout should corespomd with the second image. It is sometimes suggested that the surrounds not be located to the sides if this would result in them being in close proximity to listeners sat between them so if this is the case then it may be necessary to move them back a little from their ideal suggested location.
 
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Is it possible to get my LG C9 TV to play true Dolby HD (not lossy DD+) Atmos content to my non eARC (ARC) Onkyo 686 AVR by using two HDMI cables? I just purchased the receiver and thought it was eARC capable, but was misinformed by one of the review sites.


The answer is no. Both the TV and the AV receiver would need to be eARC compliant to enable you to convey HD formatted audio from the TV to the AVR.


However, this may be of interest to you and maybe worth investigating:

I just got the same tv and I can confirm that the 686, for my surprise, does support e-arc, tested with the embedded Netflix app and my PC connected to one HDMI on the tv using VLC.


Not sure how using the TV's own Netflix app helped establish whether the receiver had eARC though? Netflix don't use anything more than DD+ which can be conveyed via xoventional ARC. AS said, maybe something you should nvestigate? I've a feeling that the above account is incorrect though and than he is mistaken? I can find nothing other than this to suggest the 686 was updted to give it eARC compliance and if so then the answer is still no, you cannot convey HD formatted audio from a TV to a non eARC compliant AVR. Both the TV and the AV receiver need to be eARC compliant in order to facilitate this.
 
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Right, thanks. Since this post I've done my research and concluded positively that I don't have eARC, and therefore can't get True HD Atmos from my TV. I can, however, get a UHD Blu Ray player and get it from there to my AVR, and plug HDMI #2 into the LG C9.
 
ok amp and speakers all set up, test levels done, how can I check they are really working well! Any demos I can do now etc via ipad to Denon 4400 amp? I tried latest Star Wars and it said Atmos on amp but would like a demo to really hear the atmos speakers sing? Anything I can view on sky q or download and play on it etc?
Here is a good source for just that:
 
These trailers are sadly low quality.
 
I've a 5.1 configuration based on focal chorus drivers, where the two surrounds are in in ceiling speakers. In particular i've Focal Chorus 826v on the Front, focal chorus 800c central, two IC706v for the surround. Due to successive modifications to the furniture in the living room, the two in ceiling speakers are now just over the head of the viewer sitting on the sofa. Do you think those speakers could be useful for a basic atmos experience?

I plan to add a couple of rear surround, do you have suggestions on the brand/model to choose?
 

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There are som high bitrate 4k-trailers.
Only some. I compared them to my original discs and the dynamics and loudness are nowhere near the originals which defeats the purpose mostly.
 
I've a 5.1 configuration based on focal chorus drivers, where the two surrounds are in in ceiling speakers. In particular i've Focal Chorus 826v on the Front, focal chorus 800c central, two IC706v for the surround. Due to successive modifications to the furniture in the living room, the two in ceiling speakers are now just over the head of the viewer sitting on the sofa. Do you think those speakers could be useful for a basic atmos experience?

I plan to add a couple of rear surround, do you have suggestions on the brand/model to choose?
Any overhead speaker will do if placed well. Obviously the wider the dispersion the better.
 
Can anyone explain to me why Atmos does not show up as an option when streaming Atmos content from a streaming service (e.g.: amazon prime/Netflix/vudu)? I understand it’s a compressed tressed version of Atmos on a streaming service, but it’s still ‘object based’. Also, I’m not running Atmos speakers but that doesn’t effect Atmos object based instructions to the receiver. In other words even though I’m running 5.2.0 wouldn’t atmos content direct the audio objects to existing layout?
Current setup: Onkyo 686. L/R: MartinLogan Motion 40. Center: ML Motion 30. Rear surround: cheap-ass Polk Audio S-10’s (could give a sh*t less about rear surround quality) Sub: SVS PB12-NSD.
TV: 55” LG C9
 
Can anyone explain to me why Atmos does not show up as an option when streaming Atmos content from a streaming service (e.g.: amazon prime/Netflix/vudu)? I understand it’s a compressed tressed version of Atmos on a streaming service, but it’s still ‘object based’. Also, I’m not running Atmos speakers but that doesn’t effect Atmos object based instructions to the receiver. In other words even though I’m running 5.2.0 wouldn’t atmos content direct the audio objects to existing layout?
Current setup: Onkyo 686. L/R: MartinLogan Motion 40. Center: ML Motion 30. Rear surround: cheap-ass Polk Audio S-10’s (could give a sh*t less about rear surround quality) Sub: SVS PB12-NSD.
TV: 55” LG C9
If your receiver doesn't have speakers in the Atmos domain and is in that case not configured for Atmos then the metadata contained within the Dolby Digital Plus signal is not processed and the amp will just show DD Plus. No speakers......no Atmos.
 
The presence of Atmos metadata will be acknowledge by an AV receiver if that receiver is correctly configured for the portrayal of Atmos if accessing Atmos via a streaming service. There's no difference as to how an AV receiver deals with Atmos accessed via such services as there would be when dealing with Atmos accessed via any other source. The associated metadata will be packaged with DD+ though and it should also be noted that only the Jack Ryam series includes Atmos on Amazon.

The speaker layout has to be at least 5.1.2 in nature (in the absence of any height virtualisation onboard the AV receiver) in order for your receiver to acknowledge Atmos metadata if and when present and to then process the incoming signal as Atmos. If the layout is only 5.1 or 7.1 in nature then the Atmos metadata will be ignored and the receiver would only acknowledge the formatted audio format the metadata is being streamed with. This would be DD+ in the case of Netflix and or via Amazon Video.

Current setup: Onkyo 686. L/R: MartinLogan Motion 40. Center: ML Motion 30. Rear surround: cheap-ass Polk Audio S-10’s (could give a sh*t less about rear surround quality) Sub: SVS PB12-NSD.
TV: 55” LG C9

You do not list any additional height, ceiling or upward firing speakers within your 5.1 setup so you'd not have the minimium 5.1.2 setup required to access and portray Atmos using your AV receiver.
 
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From the original post to now, 2019. What amps, so far, has been the best ones reviewed, say, from 2017 - now? with a 4 ceiling configuration built in - in the £1600 - £2800 mark

Also, what are the best rated ceiling speakers at the moment? And fronts, rears, center and sub.

I'm still only using a Onkyo PR-SC5508 with a Onkyo PA-MC5500 with 2 REL Q400E's and a Yamaha-NS-300 - 200 - 100 + NS-C300. I want to sell the lot to upgrade to a modern Atmos amp but really want to go down the line of what I roughly have now, a pre-amp and power amp....
 

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