Atmos modules

[Mpsafranski]

Hi all.

Just got green lit by the wife to add a pair of atmos modules. Knowing they aren’t ideal vs an actual in ceiling or on wall setup, it is what I need to go with.

So the question becomes, which ones to get? $250 for the ELAC (matching my Center, front and surrounds), $400 for the Klipsh or $500 for the KEF? I see positive reviews for all, but haven’t been able to find any direct comparisons. I suspect that is on account of “serious” HT enthusiasts being more inclined to do the full install.

Has anyone had direct experience comparing these 3 models? If so what did you find?

 

[Danzilla31]

Hi all.

Just got green lit by the wife to add a pair of atmos modules. Knowing they aren’t ideal vs an actual in ceiling or on wall setup, it is what I need to go with.

So the question becomes, which ones to get? $250 for the ELAC (matching my Center, front and surrounds), $400 for the Klipsh or $500 for the KEF? I see positive reviews for all, but haven’t been able to find any direct comparisons. I suspect that is on account of “serious” HT enthusiasts being more inclined to do the full install.

Has anyone had direct experience comparing these 3 models? If so what did you find?

Unfortunately a lottof of us here wouldn't use them so you may get limited feedback but have you done your research on your ceiling ceartin ceilings won't even work with atmos modules what type of ceiling do you have?

 

[ryanosaur]

If you have to go with modules, why not just match your speakers. A: I can’t imagine you want different sized modules from your normal speakers, but if you are ok with that... *shrugs
B: matching your ELACs seems like the least expensive option for you, and given the performance aspect of modules, I’d recommend saving some ducats for a future upgrade...

Sorry no direct experience... but I will add that your angles and spacing are everything in order to get the most from them.

 

[Pogre]

Gene has had a lot to say on what he calls "bouncy house speakers", aka atmos modules.

https://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/dolby-atmos-elevation-speaker

https://www.audioholics.com/frequent-questions/atmos-enabled-speakers

https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/do-atmos-add-on-speaker-modules-work.111775/

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

If that’s what ya got, that’s what ya got...
Just know you’ll need to spend some time making sure the angle hits your LP. That is critical. You might have to tip the front, or back up to hit the ceiling right. And also, make sure to set them up correctly in the AVR, calling them Atmos enabled(or which ever label your AVR uses for them) or Audyssey will try to eq the “notch” out of them. There’s a dip in the FR that helps trick the brain into thinking the sound is above you. Together with the reflection, that dip makes modules work. Kinda.

 

[Mpsafranski]

Thanks everyone. Yeah....I have read Gene’s opinion on them and am going into it fully aware of the shortcomings. Ceiling is just regular drywall, so should “work”.

Everything else in this room has been a compromise too—in order to get permission for surrounds I had to go with in walls and the Lsurround had to be *very* slightly forward of 90 degrees due to ductwork. One day I will build a dedicated room with everything in its right place but I am really pleased with what I do have.

And funny, the mention of saving $ for future upgrades; I began this journey only 10 months ago but it’s become kind of an obsession to the point I’m already planning to upgrade my fronts to some Monitor silver 300s along with their center.

I guess what I’ll do is go buy some modules, play around with them for a day and hear what I hear. If I don’t enjoy the difference, they can be returned. I’ll check back in!

Thanks again all

 

[ryanosaur]

And funny, the mention of saving $ for future upgrades; I began this journey only 10 months ago but it’s become kind of an obsession to the point I’m already planning to upgrade my fronts to some Monitor silver 300s along with their center.

The MA Silvers are good speakers. I think they are best in their price class, frankly. I was really impressed with both the 300 and 500. 'Could've happily owned either, but favored the 500... until I heard the Phil 3s. No looking back for me! But if you do go that direction, go for the upper tier center. If you think you want to choose a different path, there are great options with Salk Sound and Ascend Acoustics... perhaps the only things that beat MA Silver around that cost.

I too am only a year into my "ownership" of my receiver... 8 mos for most of my speakers, and about 3 mos for my Phil 3s. I started off looking at bang-for-the-buck, knowing I couldn't play the perpetual upgrade game (nor wanting to). It is definitely worth the time and investment to save yourself from incremental upgrades. Enjoy what you have now... but when you do upgrade, make it count for the long haul.

Cheers!

 

[Mpsafranski]

Yeah it is important to me to have speakers with good off axis response that aren’t too fussy with placement. And I would get the upper tier center. Plus, they look stunning in white.

I do need to go audition some, it’s tough there aren’t many places in the Milwaukee area to choose from. I bought the elacs and my pb2000s without hearing anything else based on reviews alone. Haha but I got the elacs at half off so $300 for the b6.2 and center. Much different than dropping 2k without hearing them.

 

[RTG]

Modules can be affective but placement is tricky. Depending on your room they can sound better than in ceilings. When I first stepped into Atmos I tried the cheap Onkyo’s. I couldn’t hear them. They were worthless. Then I bought small satellites and installed them on my ceiling above my sectional. They were meh, a bit distracting IMO. Then I bought the Klipsch RP 140sa. They were better but not great because at the time I had a projector so they were spread very wide. When I sold my projector and bought my OLED I placed my 250f and 140sa outside my panel so they weren’t as wide. They sound much better. I tried limiting MultiEQ to 500hz across all channels including my modules and they definitely sound better full range. I’m going to be adding another pair behind my sectional for a full 7.2.4 setup this Christmas, I think that will make things that much better.

I have been debating mounting them on my wall as height channels but my Klipsch contact made some good points. I just don’t see them being affective as height channels. You will lose that direct above you affect.

 

[kawsaradi]

Good to know that.

 

[Mpsafranski]

So, I bought a pair of the klipsch 140 sa and set them on top of my fronts. They add something, for sure, though I can’t quite figure out how to describe it. The sound in the room feels more enveloping, but I can’t tell really if they’re behaving “correctly”. I tried listening to the official atmos trailers through the tv/YouTube but they didn’t fire.

Watched a few scenes from blade runner 2049 (the beehive scene in particular) and again, the sound seemed more enveloping. The other good news is that they are not drawing unwanted attention away from anything else.

I need to figure out a way to isolate them and figure out what exactly they’re doing before deciding if they’re worth the $300

In other news I went to listen to the Monitor Silver 300s yesterday along with the golds, the SVS prime pinnacle and some others. Having never listened to speakers in that price range I couldn’t believe the night and day difference between them and my Elacs. Just blown away. Granted it was in a treated room and fed through a McIntosh amp....but Definitely will be getting those silver 300s some time in the next year.

 

[Mpsafranski]

Here we go. Unplugged everything but the modules and ran the bee scene from blade runner on a loop. No overhead effect. I found it, by pulling my fronts forward 2 feet and myself 3 feet towards them, kneeling on the floor. I have to say that in doing so, the modules were able to very clearly create a believable overhead effect; it was awesome.

But, not going to change the arrangement of the room. It’s simply too big for these to be effective. They’re going back. Money towards those sober 300s!

Thanks again to everyone, this community is awesome.

 

[Mpsafranski]

^silver

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Did you tip them back/forward? Sounds like if you leaned them forward by raising the back of the modules they would fire closer to the LP. As is, the angle they fire at is too much straight at the ceiling. This drawing doesn’t do anything for tilt forward/backward but can help illustrate how differences in height of ceiling vs modules and placement can affect where the sound lands. It’s like passing a basketball to someone, or making a bank shot on a pool table, not random. But manufacturers have to choose a baffle angle that will suit how ever many installations their research says. That means you still have to experiment. I wish they’d say that...

FWIW, I’m an advocate for ceiling speakers, but lots of guys have been able to get good results with a little tweaking, and not rearranging the room.

 

[Mpsafranski]

I did—threw 2 PS4 game boxes under the back of each module, didn’t get me there. I’m 14’ from my speakers where I’ve got them set up. When I was experimenting, with no tilt, I got best results at about 5’. Granted I could keep tilting them more but I feel like to get the bounce to 14’ is going to take enough tilt that They’ll just be firing forward.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I did—threw 2 PS4 game boxes under the back of each module, didn’t get me there. I’m 14’ from my speakers where I’ve got them set up. When I was experimenting, with no tilt, I got best results at about 5’. Granted I could keep tilting them more but I feel like to get the bounce to 14’ is going to take enough tilt that They’ll just be firing forward.

That’s definitely possible. But what about moving them a little higher on the wall? It would take much less tilt that way. Or even moving them behind your mains? Assuming the mains are off of the front wall a bit. I agree, you definitely don’t want them facing directly forward.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

What’s the ceiling height?

 

[Mpsafranski]

8 ft

 

[Mpsafranski]

And on top of the bookshelves they were 4 ft from the ceiling give or take a few inches.

8 ft

 

[RTG]

Mounted my modules on the ceiling. Yep, MUCH better.