Dolby Atmos Home Theater Demo Results

[gene]

We discuss our Dolby Atmos demo results comparing Atmos-enabled speakers (aka reflection speakers) vs discrete in-ceiling speakers.

See our results and let us know which route you're going by voting in our Poll.

 

[andyblackcat]

No Dolby atmos for me at least for a few years until the catalog of titles are all released not that I would have them all but, they need to all be released for a consumer to chose. I'll see how it looks in 2 years.

 

[Doc_Dick]

You have posted a great practical assessment video. Ears don't need instrumentation to assess the effect, and a lot of folks will hope for something that can add on incrementally, as you tested and as manufactures supply now. I bet in the future, the DSP will be more resident on onboard software of the AVR, and less reliant on hardware in most speakers. As you pointed out from the patent, they have both options. Speaker angle, too, may depend on room size and listening position, unless the DSP software and spatial characteristics of sound perception, as claimed, render such precision unnecessary for reflective overhead speakers.

Also as you mentioned, focus of in-ceiling or high wall mount speakers to the listening zone in a tall room seems a good alternative for some. I have a 22ft cathedral vaulted ceiling over 24'x42' with a tray shelf at about 10 ft high, so, short of suspending an architecturally unappealing 8x8' acoustically non-reflective grid or a platform for mounting speakers and projector, dropping it from the roof or supporting cable between the tray shelves, your suggestion to try direct projection sounds like the best option.

I will be interested to hear how others resolve this issue.

I should think there may be a market for a stand-alone customizable 3D soundfield processor with output to the customers' existing dual amps or dual AVRs for those already invested but DIY-inclined and on a limited budget, to get power to 5.4.1, and up to 7.4.2, 7.6.2, 9.6.2 et c.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just saw The Hobbit 3 in a Dolby ATMOS theater. This was the second time. My first time with ATMOS was with The Hobbit 2. Here are my impressions.

1. I thought the sound quality of the ATMOS theaters was not even as good as the non-ATMOS IMAX theaters.
2. I thought the sound quality of many regular DTS and DTS-HD MA soundtracks in my RBH system sounded much better than the ATMOS theaters.
3. ATMOS didn't improve the front dialogue. The dialogue in my home system sounds so much better than the ATMOS. There were also some scenes where I was straining a little to discern the dialogue while the surround sound was cranking out INSIGNIFICANT and UNIMPORTANT special effect sounds.

In conclusion, I think there is unequivocally NOTHING SPECIAL about the sound of ATMOS.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I just saw The Hobbit 3 in a Dolby ATMOS theater. This was the second time. My first time with ATMOS was with The Hobbit 2. Here are my impressions.

1. I thought the sound quality of the ATMOS theaters was not even as good as the non-ATMOS IMAX theaters.
2. I thought the sound quality of many regular DTS and DTS-HD MA soundtracks in my RBH system sounded much better than the ATMOS theaters.
3. ATMOS didn't improve the front dialogue. The dialogue in my home system sounds so much better than the ATMOS. There were also some scenes where I was straining a little to discern the dialogue while the surround sound was cranking out INSIGNIFICANT and UNIMPORTANT special effect sounds.

In conclusion, I think there is unequivocally NOTHING SPECIAL about the sound of ATMOS.

While I have not been to an Atmos presentation in a theater, driving over an hour is out of the question, I am wondering how well was that theater set up?
Perhaps that was the issue? Now I am wondering what are the mastering stage standards that is used to do a proper Atmos mastering?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

While I have not been to an Atmos presentation in a theater, driving over an hour is out of the question, I am wondering how well was that theater set up?
Perhaps that was the issue? Now I am wondering what are the mastering stage standards that is used to do a proper Atmos mastering?

Or maybe I'm just not as much into hypes.

The first ATMOS was in California and this second experience was in Oklahoma.

In your mind, what do you think ATMOS could improve upon besides more surround effects behind and above you?

Not the dialogue in front of you or the bass or the front stage.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Or maybe I'm just not as much into hypes.

The first ATMOS was in California and this second experience was in Oklahoma.

In your mind, what do you think ATMOS could improve upon besides more surround effects behind and above you?

Not the dialogue in front of you or the bass or the front stage.

Not sure what is left if there is a smooth presentation of sound around the hemisphere. Center dialog is affected by background music and other sounds, a director issue.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Not sure what is left if there is a smooth presentation of sound around the hemisphere. Center dialog is affected by background music and other sounds, a director issue.

The only thing ATMOS can do is add more surround sound or "enhance" the surround sound, depending on your POV.

To me ATOMOS is the audio equivalent of 3D video. Some people find it fun, some people find it annoying. In my 2 ATMOS experiences, it doesn't sound any better than an IMAX theater. I wouldn't pay extra money to watch an ATMOS movie.

But I understand the industry trying to cash in on increased consumer interest and spending.

 

[RichB]

Atmos & Auro3D have already created an incompatible mess.

Dolby's Atmos enabled speakers seem like the audio version of jumping the shark

I agree with ADTG, Atmos at the theater does not best IMAX. Quality over quantity wins again.

- Rich

 

[andyblackcat]

When it rains I bet mixers are still placing rain sound effects on the common side wall with its pan-though and "UCI 25 years ago OVERHEAD SURROUNDS" that I heard with a few films.

Dolby labs needs to rethink its atmos idea and put in BELOW SURROUNDS underneath the seating small JBL control 1 will easily fit underneath cinema seats. Sound guess what bounces reflects off the seat bucket and spreads outwards defused. Yet with my BELOW SURROUNDS I can still hear highs and that is important. Mid bass mid is felt in the seat so plenty of more options for mixers.

I await the atmos mkII version as the current one is not worthy of my listening time. Into Darkness at the Empire last year was an earache due to poorly EQ system.

So when it rains next time when standing outside a multiplex put on your 3d beyond listening ears and listening the rain on the ground. You might hear some on your, shoulders or maybe standing underneath a tree, but out in the open you hear rain at foot level never really 6 or 9 or 15 feet above you. They call atmos realistic? I think someone at the Dolby labs, (no pub) needs to spend more time outside listening to the real world first.

 

[RichB]

^^^
DDM (Dolby down-firing modules) coming soon...

You know when the movie sucks when you start listening to the surrounds

There were a number of movie release announcements this week and ZERO in 3D.
Every player from now on will be 3D capable and not many media players are.

- Rich

 

[andyblackcat]

^^^
DDM (Dolby down-firing modules) coming soon...

You know when the movie sucks when you start listening to the surrounds

There were a number of movie release announcements this week and ZERO in 3D.
Every player from now on will be 3D capable and not many media players are.

- Rich

Sucks? Lets see now.

STAR WARS '77 laserdisc original not those truly ghastly sucks bluray.
Apollo 13
The Right Stuff
Titanic
Twister
^^ Those are just some of the best of it sucks its so good I can't get enough it.


I bet your these atmos releases in the cinema have short lived run of 2 weeks at the most 4 weeks if its lucky to hang out the number 1 largest screen.

The above ones that surround so good it sucks lasted at least STAR WARS lasted months in a top number 1 screen. Apollo 13 lasted around 2 months and bit, Titanic lasted months. Twister, a couple of months.

The digital rubbish today you'd soon be hearing about the bluray release date announced just a few days after the film opens at the cinema. Why are they in such a hurry? I can't be bothered if its blu released in 4 months I can wait 8 or 10 months.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

ATMOS is more of a distraction.

A well balanced diet of surround sound is very good.

But too much surround sound drawing attention to itself distracts you from what's really important in front of you - the movie/story itself.

I think the more people watch movies in ATMOS theaters, the more they will realize that ATMOS is more of a distraction like 3D video.

Bottom line is, there is nothing special about ATMOS and all those surround sound speakers.

They should have made more DISCRETE FRONT speakers for those giant 90FT movie screens, not a bunch of surround speakers.

 

[Nestor]

"If you want a sound in a certain location, place a speaker in that location. Let's not play billiards with sound waves."

Well said, Gene.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[andyblackcat]

ATMOS is more of a distraction.

A well balanced diet of surround sound is very good.

But too much surround sound drawing attention to itself distracts you from what's really important in front of you - the movie/story itself.

I think the more people watch movies in ATMOS theaters, the more they will realize that ATMOS is more of a distraction like 3D video.

Bottom line is, there is nothing special about ATMOS and all those surround sound speakers.

They should have made more DISCRETE FRONT speakers for those giant 90FT movie screens, not a bunch of surround speakers.

I know what mean by surround diet. Too much going on for you in such little time will make you dizzy?

I can take it all on. I can look elsewhere in the cinema or the home at sound coming from the sides or back and keep one eye on the screen so not lose what was happening. Its 3d glasses that gets in the way. You can see the glasses frame around your eyes or other things where the glasses just don't fit around the eyes uniformly. I just put them to one side and can still watch a 3d film its not as bad red and blue glasses where the colour was bit odd looking. Its the odd complex shot with fad fake 3d where image looks blurred but I can just about tolerate that.

The pan though idea of having the sound move from speaker to speaker is neat rather than it being just static as the speakers in the room are static and if a car was coming down the road you hear it distant and as it moves past we hear the engine and all, loud for brief second then rapidly getting quiet as it moves away.

I'm just not crazy at the whole thing and looking at image on screen or where camera is pointing at that is are POV plus what is around us on that POV angle. If camera is above the water flowing though storm drains at the end of EARTHQUAKE I know the water is below on screen and rest around or behind me, not all the way to the back of the cinema as the storm drain is only so many meters wide.

I'd like to hear EARTHQUAKE with big quake and scenes inside the seismology research institute with ceiling collapsing in wide shot in while everyone is scrambling underneath tables and damn ceiling comes loose and cashing down to the floor. So where's the BELOW SURROUND to scare the crap out of me as I would imagine I would find it damn startling or alarming if it was the real thing. You'd hear come lose above! But I doubt you'd be hanging around waiting to be wearing some plasterboard around you.

It would hit the floor, wham!! Make an even more louder sound. Plus the feeling extra rumble in the floor or in feet. I know what the film was like in Sensurround alarming at times when sound waves pressing into chest like someone is placing there hands on your chest. Intrusive sound. lol

 

[andyblackcat]

"If you want a sound in a certain location, place a speaker in that location. Let's not play billiards with sound waves."

Well said, Gene.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'll pocket this surround into the middle pocket.

 

[gene]

Here are some comments about Dolby Atmos and demo experiences from fellow Audioholics and Youtube subscribers.

 

[andyblackcat]

Gene, Hugo, funny serious and humors video to hear what all the other member/consumers have to say about this.

I couldn't help noticing Hugo, look at cyberton calling him from above at 12:25. Or maybe one Florida mosquitoes flew in and wanted to challenge Cybertron.

 

[andyblackcat]

I couldn't help noticing these speakers on facebook yesterday. Is that a speaker that is aimed upwards! Maybe atmos prototypes? Maybe these would bounce sound off the ceiling? Although might have to remove the top part as I think these radiate sound outwards in defused way? I thought I seen them before in magazine maybe around the 1990's?