5.2.2 or 5.2.4

[Holmz]

New to HT and got set up as 5.0.0 currently. So that is a start.
A couple of subs being fabricated into sealed boxes.

I have 2 extra speakers for a 5.2.2 and am wondering about 5.2.4 after seeing a A’holics video on atmos music.
The room is ~ 23 feet wide.
From behind the sofa to behind the TV is ~13 or 14’.
The ceiling is 11’ high.
(it us multi use living room. So TV, 2 channel, and genral entertaining.

My AVP has 16 channels, and the room is only deep enough for 5.x.x .
We might go 5.4 or 5.6 as I have 4 subs and 2 tactile transducers, but am not a mad bass head.
And it is a pair of subs of one model and pair of a different model. Soi either 2 subs in gthe front, and maybe 2 as LFE for PRs in the back or just a single pair.

But… my question is specifically on the Atmos. Is 5.4.4 versus 5.4.2 significant enough to warrant that?
It would be x.x.2 as up at roughy 50+ degrees in the middle of the ceiling, or x.x.4 as directly above (90 degrees) and out in front at maybe 30 degrees elevated.

I could probably even go 5.4.5 .

Thoughts?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The distance from the back of the room to the TV is 13 FT?

 

[-Jim-]

@Holmz Please share a sketch of the layout of your room with close dimensions for speaker & sub placements as well as primary seating. Photos can help too as some of us struggle to visualize the room from a bare bones description. It doesn't need to be fancy, even if you sketch it out on a piece of white paper and take a photo of it with your phone. Then the gang here will be better able to assist.

Of course most here will probably say to go with 4 Atmos speakers, and it's only your layout that would negate that I'll bet.

I hope this is helpful.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

As @-Jim- said, a rough sketch for people to visualize would be helpful. As well, full dimensions of the room. I'm only seeing width and height, what's the length? And is the ceiling sloped, or flat?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Yeah what these guys said…
Also, if the LP is against the wall, I’d vote for 5.x.2 with the tops just in front of the Lp. If you can turn the room, and get the couch off the wall, I’d vote for .4.
If IC (in ceiling) won’t work then I’d go with side heights.

 

[Holmz]

The distance from the back of the room to the TV is 13 FT?

Yeah 14’ (4.3 meters)
it is sideways in the room, as the WAF dictated.

@Holmz Please share a sketch of the layout of your room with close dimensions for speaker & sub placements as well as primary seating.
…

It is a bit of a work in progress.
Sub(s) are going into boxes and then I’ll measure the response at various positions in the room.
And put the subs in the best locations.

4.2m x 8m x 3.35m high(14’ x 26 x11) but spilling into the dining room so the 8m dimension expands.

Now please understand that the TV will be going in front of the window, and the L/C/R speakers moving to be around that location.
Temporarily it is on the hearth.
Once the floors get refinished and the table for the TV and equipment is done, then the TV moves.
And there is actually a TV lift to have it lowered during the day and for 2 channel.
(And I blame the mess on the new puppy.)

Whoa… It says “The uploaded file is too large for the server to process”

Tv to be in front of window.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah 14’ (4.3 meters)
it is sideways in the room, as the WAF dictated.




It is a bit of a work in progress.
Sub(s) are going into boxes and then I’ll measure the response at various positions in the room.
And put the subs in the best locations.

4.2m x 8m x 3.35m high(14’ x 26 x11) but spilling into the dining room so the 8m dimension expands.

Now please understand that the TV will be going in front of the window, and the L/C/R speakers moving to be around that location.
Temporarily it is on the hearth.
Once the floors get refinished and the table for the TV and equipment is done, then the TV moves.
And there is actually a TV lift to have it lowered during the day and for 2 channel.
(And I blame the mess on the new puppy.)

Whoa… It says “The uploaded file is too large for the server to process”

Tv to be in front of window.

I think 5.2.2.

 

[Holmz]

Thanks @AcuDefTechGuy
@William Lemmerhirt
@-Jim-
@}Fear_Inoculum{

Looking for a bit of consensus here, or what .2 means versus .4 Atmos.
Are you three also in agreement with 5.2.2 versus 5.2.4?

 

[-Jim-]

Thanks @AcuDefTechGuy
@William Lemmerhirt
@-Jim-
@}Fear_Inoculum{

Looking for a bit of consensus here, or what .2 means versus .4 Atmos.
Are you three also in agreement with 5.2.2 versus 5.2.4?

Your room is dictating a 5.2.2 as it's not possible to fit in another pair of Atmos speakers behind your primary seating position with the configuration you suggested. (5.2.x - the x is how many Atmos speakers) If you can pull the couch away from the wall two => or preferably three feet, then you could get to 5.2.4 but the WAF may come down on you for that. (Suggest putting casters under the couch and move it back and forth as you please?) Of course you can add more of your subs to the mix but do the sub-woofer crawl to figure out where the first two should go, then configure and listen to them with your 5 bed level speakers to see if you need / want more.

Here's a set up I laid out for a member in a similar room. He already had all the speakers except the Atmos in ceiling ones.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

With the layout of your room, yes 2 front Atmos speakers would be my suggestion as well.

4 subwoofers seems a little excessive IMO. I'd stick with 2 to start, and if you're not getting the bass you want then you can always add more later.

 

[Holmz]

Thanks guys, that is what I thought, but then there was an Atmos music video from Gene that said more are better.
It is at 1:40 to 3:10 in…

My AVP has the capability to do 7 atmos channels as:
LTF RTF
LTM CTM RTM
LTR RTR
As shown here:

Or a high left and high right (HL/HR) and the LTM/RTM)

Which makes me wonder what I should use for 5.2.2 ? Is it LTM/RTM? Or LTF/RTF- which is what I believe most people are doing.

Obviously the rear is in the hallway on the other side of the wal…. so no LTR/RTR ceilings.

I’ll stick with the LTF and RTF in a traditional set up, midway in the room, hidden in some cloud panels hanging down from the ceiling, as that is good for movies…
But if what is in the vdieo is accurate then I am still wondering If a direct overhead pair, and a forward overhead pair, of ceiling speakers would not be better 5.2.4 versus 5.2.2?

Thanks!

 

[Holmz]

Yeah what these guys said…
Also, if the LP is against the wall, I’d vote for 5.x.2 with the tops just in front of the Lp. If you can turn the room, and get the couch off the wall, I’d vote for .4.
If IC (in ceiling) won’t work then I’d go with side heights.
…

With the 11 foot ceiling height, I guess I could consider running high side channels.

But I am even confused as to whether/how I should be hooking up the .2 (Atmos) part.

1. I could run them forwards and use the LTF/RTF.
2. Or I run the more back as in directly up and use LTM/RTM.

I I was to stop at the .2 then LTF/RTF (#1) seem obvious.

If I did the later (#2) and also did high wall mounting, then I could use HL/HR for the height speakers.
But it almost looks from my AVR connectivity that I could run 5 of the 7 atmos (omitting the LTR/RTR) which would be behind the wall.
Or do #1 and HLS/HRS (height speakers)?

It seems like I have a few options, but I am unsure whether these would really be a stunning improvement or a waste of speakers?
Again I am a pretty new to HT.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks @AcuDefTechGuy
@William Lemmerhirt
@-Jim-
@}Fear_Inoculum{

Looking for a bit of consensus here, or what .2 means versus .4 Atmos.
Are you three also in agreement with 5.2.2 versus 5.2.4?

I think putting 2 Atmos speakers above your couch is good for a room length of 14 FT.

But it won’t “hurt” either if you choose to put 4.

Are you able to place 2 ceiling speakers behind you and 2 ceiling speakers in front of you?

To me the key with ceiling speakers is that you need to be able to put them close enough to you to actually hear them since they will be competing with all the main speakers in front that are blasting away. IOW, if the ceiling speakers are placed closer to the main front speakers, you probably won’t hear them well.

 

[Holmz]

I think putting 2 Atmos speakers above your couch is good for a room length of 14 FT.

But it won’t “hurt” either if you choose to put 4.

Are you able to place 2 ceiling speakers behind you and 2 ceiling speakers in front of you?

Yeah I could put two high... and would I call them HLR and HRR in the AVR screenshot?
Or do my mean low and behind… like low behind the sofa, and call them LRS and RRS in the screenshot?

I really appreciate the input of the ideas.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

So for placement, I still like side height, just in front of the Lp. Imo, using .4 with the rear height/top directly above, with top front/height out in front is that will shift the top center image out to the center of the room, and not above you. Also, Atmos is about angles, and 45° fore and aft is what they recommend. Obviously that’s just a range, but it does work very well. I’ve seen people report using .4 with the rears directly above, but I wouldn’t do it.
As far as labeling them, when only using .2 they get the same content anyway so it doesn’t matter. Looks like you have a Auro capable AVP and that’s why all the other options. I still haven’t watched genes video yet. Imo, I still vote .2 unless you can rearrange the layout.
You will lose front to rear overhead panning, but I still thing having it image out in the center will feel wrong.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

 

[-Jim-]

@Holmz , the first area to concentrate on is the 5 "bed" level speakers and TV position. Place them all so the tweeters are at ear level as is the center of the TV screen. (In the photo the Front L&R speakers appear too low, and the TV is too high) There are allowable tolerances in Dolby Atmos® Home Theater Installation Guidelines. Then do a Subwoofer crawl to determine those positions. Once you've negotiated final seating arrangements (WAF) then I'd look for the locations for the Atmos speakers that fit the Dolby recommended specs.

As per @William Lemmerhirt with only a single Atmos pair you will lose front to rear overhead panning, which is why folks install 4 in the first place. But if you can't place a pair behind you, you won't hear it anyway so the point is moot.

Good luck with your install.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah I could put two high... and would I call them HLR and HRR in the AVR screenshot?
Or do my mean low and behind… like low behind the sofa, and call them LRS and RRS in the screenshot?

I really appreciate the input of the ideas.

I mean all 4 Atmos speakers on the ceiling, none on the walls. 2 in front of the couch + 2 behind the couch in the ceiling.

 

[Wardog555]

The op is confusing us. Atmos is ceiling height only.

You could do high on the rear wall at ceiling height only if it's in the right angles.

I've attached the angles for 4 atmos.

I'll vote for 4 atmos on the condition you are away from back wall.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The op is confusing us. Atmos is ceiling height only.

You could do high on the rear wall at ceiling height only if it's in the right angles.

I've attached the angles for 4 atmos.

I'll vote for 4 atmos on the condition you are away from back wall.

Except don’t forget that front and rear heights are supported.