For me and all those who rent apartments in Manhatten...and everywhere else, in-ceiling speakers are NOT the answer, flat box ON-ceiling with decent brackets are.
But where are they in the marketplace mate? No one but no one of quality is making them?? Why not?!
Come on dudes!
Well mounted to ceiling is faster option. UCI tower park was Overhead Heading its Height Immersive Surrounds with clusters of Eletro-Voice at the 10 plex 26 years ago, and that was so uncommon to see 10 screens with overhead surround. When I see all this hype today, I'm not excited by it. I've had overhead surrounds up and down at a few digs over the years.
1995 when living nearby less than 4 mins cycle ride in the warm air of summertime to watch APOLLO 13 last show of each night as I see the daytime ones many times, 14 times I saw it over 2 . so many moths in the same MGM (or ABC) number 1 screen.
x6 surrounds visuble on back wall and x4 fitted above the ceiling tiles with holes cut in so the sound can pass though and impassive blend in with x6 on the back wall.
I noticed these since late 80's. Even thou Guamoun/odeon screen 1 and 2 had overhead fitted in the ceiling maybe since 1977 STAR WARS that played Feb '78. The overhead in screen 1 circular ceiling Cinerama might have been there for years before as they had colour match to ceiling and was hard to spot unless you, know what you're looking for? I only noticed late 80's. But they been there for STAR WARS.
Guamount/odeon screen 2 downstairs had side/rear wall and clusters in the ceiling and I noticed them years before but never gave much thought to it. My ears pricked up with JEDI pre THX listening 1986 PLATOON, screen 2 DOLBY STEREO and I been listening since...
As for Apollo 13, the THX laserdisc was out at time so one night cinema viewing then in 8mins or so I'd have the THX laserdisc playing and I had ceiling of about maybe 10 feet high? It had a (drop down ceiling tiles) So I moved a few aside and fitted up some speakers within and firing downwards. Wow neat it sound, yes with "fuel pumps" played that over and over and over it was like being in the MGM 1.
Other digs I tried overhead for a few days but didn't have enough speakers even thou I had matched PA speakers 1 way full range, removed from a closed down shopping centre. Must had have x8 or so more? I fitted them all around in horseshoe configuration but didn't have enough for the ceiling and tried two on the ceiling for few days.
Then tried again with other speakers I had around 2000's? Some cheap bipolar Eltax 2way or 4way
I tired some string or thin wire to the ceiling with screws holding them up or suspended. I didn't fancy drilling holes into back speaker at the time. I only tried them for short few days.
I tried again with speakers JBL control 1 and this time I was starting to get more of them as they where so cheap £49.98 for a pair.
I fitted overhead surround "matrix" around 2005. So I have had tried overhead since 1995 but largely thanks to be a projectionist at UCI as that might have inspired me. So when I read about Aruo3d, and looked at the diagrams I saw nothing that looked like XYZ proper 3d sound to convince me otherwise. Nice try but its far form 3d sound. Then Dolby labs copycat Auro3d with overhead and their own "pan-though surround" or billiards
We call it Snooker over here. Yeah don't want that Atmos speaker Snookered behind that ball that won't be good.
Now dtsx copycat overhead only they are throwing in a few things that might seduce us to dtsx side?
Basically this XYZ is what?
1D) side to side
2D) forwards and backwards
3D) common side wall surrounds to UCI overhead surrounds then back down to common side/rear wall and that is as far as it can go.
Its more like 3D is 21/2D as it only goes side/rear wall to overhead then back down. It can't do below at floor at actual floor level. Underneath the cinema seats is the fastest easiest open option and I'm surprised that, thee sound format companies, are blind to this.
That is why I won't buy ether one if these its not true XYZ. Think I was born yesterday. Not spending hundreds for micro chip new sound immersive, when it may just well be updated modified in years to come with I hope below surround and mixes paying fuller attention to how them mix sound. The hollywood system sound format will look for new and more ways to try and milk us though this, 3d (2 1/2d sound).
