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Extra Atmos Eye Candy


Nismo

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Took a few extra shots of the Atmos Elevation Add-on Speakers. I finally hooked them up last night & re-ran Audyssey.

 

DIdn't have much time to  do specific A/B comparison with the 44-DA's—but I can already tell the horn loaded tweeter

 

is more distinct & crisp. I even played around with bass management (setting my F/L/C to Large, etc.) just to separate

 

the lows/mids & high range throughout the sound stage & the RP-140's effectively elevated the sound above.

 

Still need to play a bit with set up & watch some Atmos authored discs. Plus my amp just arrived today, so adding

 

the rear pair of RP-140SA's will really fill the room (probably the most siginifcant difference with my existing set-up.

 

 

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I know nothing about this new stuff but I'm sure you've done your homework.

 

So there is no longer 7.1 (or .2)? It's 5 channel plus (4) Atmos channels?

You just put one on top of 4 of the 5 speakers? Nothing on the center channel?

There still is the traditional (5.1) (7.1) (9.1) (11.1) etc.

 

(5.2) (7.2) (9.2) (11.2) if you have 2 subs.  

 

Those configurations are for Dolby Digital, DTS Master Audio etc.

 

- - - - - - - - - - -

 

With an Atmos configuration the designation is as follows:

 

5.1.2 (traditional set up plus 2 Atmos Front Heights)

 

5.1.4 (traditional set up plus 2 Atmos Front Heights & 2 Atmos Rear Heights)

 

Those 2 options above are the minimum or starting point. The last "number" designates how many Atmos speakers you have.

 

If your AVR or PRE/PRO has the channels, its unlimited... you can still do:

 

(7.1.4) (7.1.6) (9.1.2) (9.1.4) (11.1.2) (11.1.4) or more.

 

In fact Atmos is extremely flexible, its placement & number of speakers is only limited by your space & what your budget allows. The Atmos spec officially supports up to 24 floor speakers & 10 overhead speakers (24.1.10 speaker configuration). Word is.... there are some new AVR's coming to market that support up to 32 speakers/channels (22 floor standing & 10 overhead or height speakers). Crazy good. $$$. (lol)

 

Atmos doesn't take away or subtract audio from your existing 5.1 set up (all of that remains in tact). Atmos adds to the upper sound stage above the listener, with an Atmos specific audio format featured on Blu-ray authored discs (selectable just like specific Dolby Digital or DTS tracks).

 

There are many speaker options & placements available for reproducing Atmos content. Not exclusively, but Atmos primarily provides a new sound stage sending audio overhead, above the listener. Conventional ceiling speakers or wall mount height speakers (pointed down),  can reproduce Atmos content.  However, there are 2 brand new options or new speaker categories that now deliver Atmos content:

 

1: A Floor standing Tower Speaker... with an integrated (upward firing Atmos Speaker)

 

2: An add-on module (upward firing Atmos Speaker) that sits on top of your existing tower or bookshelf.

 

Bear in mind, there are (patented) Dolby Atmos specific crossover, sensitivity & frequency responses required to meet the spec, so Atmos specific speakers will (should) provide benefit (vs. conventional bookshelf, wall mount speakers, etc.)  when reproducing Atmos specific tracks. YMMV. 

 

Currently I am 5.2.4 (L/R/C/RS/RS) (2 subs) (4 Atmos Speakers 2 front/2 rear)

Edited by Nismo
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This arrived today!! Now I can finally connect my rear RP-140SA's. I've had Atmos since September of 2014.... but (so far) I've only used 2 pair of speakers up front. Adding the rears will be a significant addition. Good stuff.

 

 

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Cool photos and info.  I think this is all pretty much new to most of us.  Will be nice to hear some firsthand experience with them.

 

So when are we going to see a DIY 45deg. riser and some Heresy's on top of those Lascalas?

 

Unless are you still planning on putting them behind the screen? Could you still shoot them up from behind a screen?

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45 degrees would not be correct for Atmos.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

 

Plus, you would be missing out on the patented treble curve & the proprietary directivity standards and this:

 

 

Psychoacoustic signal processing Based on an understanding of how the brain interprets sound, Dolby Atmos enabled speakers modify select audio frequencies to reinforce the sense of sound coming from above. 

 

Speaker directivity and angling Dolby Atmos enabled speakers are designed to fire their acoustic energy upward rather than directly at you. Dolby has calculated the best angle for the upward-firing element based on where most people place their floor-mounted tower and stand-mounted speakers and based on standard ceiling heights. 

As a result, your brain experiences the sound coming from the reflection off the ceiling, rather than from the speaker itself. This works in combination with crossovers and bass management built into Dolby Atmos enabled speakers and A/V receivers (AVRs) to deliver a compelling and accurate overhead experience. 

 

Sound-absorbing foam inserts are installed to eliminate any random secondary baffle radiation, insuring that the vertical sound is not distorted by uncontrolled lateral reflections... & specifically engineered frequency response and directional sound  radiation patterns.

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45 degrees would not be correct for Atmos.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

Plus, you would be missing out on the patented treble curve & the proprietary directivity standards and this:

Psychoacoustic signal processing Based on an understanding of how the brain interprets sound, Dolby Atmos enabled speakers modify select audio frequencies to reinforce the sense of sound coming from above.

Speaker directivity and angling Dolby Atmos enabled speakers are designed to fire their acoustic energy upward rather than directly at you. Dolby has calculated the best angle for the upward-firing element based on where most people place their floor-mounted tower and stand-mounted speakers and based on standard ceiling heights.

As a result, your brain experiences the sound coming from the reflection off the ceiling, rather than from the speaker itself. This works in combination with crossovers and bass management built into Dolby Atmos enabled speakers and A/V receivers (AVRs) to deliver a compelling and accurate overhead experience.

Sound-absorbing foam inserts are installed to eliminate any random secondary baffle radiation, insuring that the vertical sound is not distorted by uncontrolled lateral reflections... & specifically engineered frequency response and directional sound radiation patterns.

so I get they have guidelines. But how could an atmos speakers be better than say an rb-61ii laid at the exact same angle?

And also i get Dolby figures this on he average home owners ceiling height and distance but would the module be optimized say if I have 7 foot ceilings and sit much further back than the average listener? I mean I just think there is so much room for error here. I guess that really applies to any speaker setup. I'm not trying to be contradicting nismo but you seem to be the number one atmos guy on the forum so far so your the guy I'm gonna fire questions at.

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so I get they have guidelines. But how could an atmos speakers be better than say an rb-61ii laid at the exact same angle?

And also i get Dolby figures this on he average home owners ceiling height and distance but would the module be optimized say if I have 7 foot ceilings and sit much further back than the average listener? I mean I just think there is so much room for error here. I guess that really applies to any speaker setup. I'm not trying to be contradicting nismo but you seem to be the number one atmos guy on the forum so far so your the guy I'm gonna fire questions at.

 

 

I'm not the number one guy (by any stretch, lol)... but certainly an avid, early adopter. However, I have been interested ever since I first learned that Atmos was coming to the home environment. So much so, that I upgraded to the Denon X4100W "just for Atmos." Pretty sure I've read about every Atmos PDF from Dolby, KEF, Pioneer, Onkyo, Atlantic Tech, etc. Also, last December (prior to the CES Announcement by Klipsch) I purchased the Atlantic Technology 44-DA Atmos Modules. Earlier I had shot an email to Klipsch last September/October & they had no info with future Atmos products, (or at least nothing they could share at the time).  

 

I can say, (what I considered to be a fairly basic, interim purchase) the Atlantic Technology 44-DA's performed very well from day one. And that was just one pair up front, matched with my RF'7's. I would have grabbed a second pair of 44-DA's... but naturally I desired, preferred to wait for the Klipsch Horn loaded add-on Atmos modules instead. Over the past 6+ months, I've done countless A/B testing with every Atmos Blu-ray that has been released. I can attest, the Atmos Track does effectively send audio above the room from overhead. Helicopters, F-16's, shrapnel, thunder, rainfall, etc... all (when properly authored) provides a more immersive sound. It's not necessarily earth shattering loud (although in the Transformers it can be) or have the visceral impact of LFE, but it is there, it is noticeable & it makes movies sound different/fuller then before. I noticed it instantly from the first Atmos Blu-ray. It doesn't even have to "be loud" to enjoy, for example the opening Movie Theater scene in the Transformers AoE, when T.J Miller attempts to throw the football... it ricochets & echos above you, as it bounces around the auditorium. Even old movies like the Matrix benefit, by using DD A-DSX-Height Mode. But, I'm an avid movie nut. I enjoy tweaking my PQ/AQ & dialing in as much detail as possible. An average, casual movie watcher might not notice or appreciate what Atmos provides. But, if you pay attention to detail & enjoy that aspect... then you can notice & appreciate the difference. And to date... I've only been using a pair of front heights.

 

I would say, if you have concerns with the RP-140SA's (or any Atmos capable speaker) getting lost in your room (due to room dimensions, or competing with your KP-904's) a simple fix is to use more than a front & rear pair. Add 6 or 8 Atmos modules to fill the upper sound stage (Atmos supports 24.2.10 set up). It's not a case of being louder, its about sending (more) audio above the listening position. Atmos authoring sends information front to back, back to front, diagonally front to back.... or wherever the sound designer determines (authoring is in its infancy & will get even better over time). My RF-7's don't send any info up top, nothing else is up there, so it doesn't have to compete or get cancelled out. That said— I sure wouldn't mind having an Atmos module with a 6" or 8" driver & 1.75"  titanium tweeter. 

 

Hope that helps. Transformers AoE is outstanding with Atmos & its fun as hell to watch. 

Edited by Nismo
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specifically engineered frequency response and directional sound radiation patterns.

Worded exactly like the THX sales pitch from the early 80's. Now the question is 30 years later, how many people believe that it's still relevant material? :mellow: Edited by Quiet_Hollow
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specifically engineered frequency response and directional sound radiation patterns.

Worded exactly like the THX sales pitch from the early 80's. Now the question is 30 years later, how many people believe that it's still relevant material? :mellow:

 

I have (4) ceiling speakers for the use of a Atmos track and it does sound cool. You are gonna see most speaker vendors offer "modules" to be placed on top of others and you will hear the paid experts rave about how much better the modules are than a ceiling mounted speaker, for one reason, much easier to add modules than try and fish wiring in a existing built-out home. The masses will go with the modules. And the FR stuff is just marketing. IMO :)

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