5.2.2 or 5.2.4

[Holmz]

@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) …
…
Good luck with your install.

Yeah:

• The TV is moving to be under the window on a cabinet with a lift.
• The surrounds have brackets to mount them on the wall higher up, so they are on floor just during this initial layout.

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

Not intentionally.
I am confused myself.

I guess it is an Auro AVP then.

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

^That^ picture is helpful sir.

 

[Music-n-Bike]

I would appreciate some guidance on speaker placement.

I have been using an LCR (KEF XQ5s & XQ2C) with 2 Subwoofers (SVS PB2000s) for a long time and am finally considering upgrading to a 5.2.2 setup. Find attached the layout of the room. The couch is placed flush to the back wall (can't move it) so am thinking of adding in-ceiling Focal 300s as rear surrounds right above the couch. Also considering adding 2 height speakers (Angled Focal 300s). I have marked the speaker positioning on the layout and would appreciate any feedback/guidance.

Let me know if this upgrade is worthwhile.

 

[Eppie]

I would appreciate some guidance on speaker placement.

I have been using an LCR (KEF XQ5s & XQ2C) with 2 Subwoofers (SVS PB2000s) for a long time and am finally considering upgrading to a 5.2.2 setup. Find attached the layout of the room. The couch is placed flush to the back wall (can't move it) so am thinking of adding in-ceiling Focal 300s as rear surrounds right above the couch. Also considering adding 2 height speakers (Angled Focal 300s). I have marked the speaker positioning on the layout and would appreciate any feedback/guidance.

Let me know if this upgrade is worthwhile.

How were you planning to configure the height speakers? ATMOS or side height for Auro 3D? The issue is having the rear surrounds in the ceiling. For ATMOS, you need your 5.x.x bed layer at ear level. If you move the rear/surround speakers into the ceiling, then it is not recommended to use any ATMOS speakers. Just go 5.0.2. It is not ideal but will add some surround effects for movies.

For proper ATMOS, you need to have the rear/surround speakers at ear level, so some small book shelf speakers on stands at the corners of the sectional. If you can fit those, then the room is big enough for 4 ATMOS speakers in the ceiling (or surface mounted angled height speakers) for 5.4.2. For the bookshelves, I recently purchased a pair of True Mini Monitors from Philharmonic Audio ($380 US) which perform very well for their size. Then it's a matter of whether you can go in-ceiling or not, but with the ceiling speakers try and get speakers with an angled baffle which point at the main seating area as that improves the frequency response in the listening window. If your AVR only supports up to 5.2.2 then I would install the ceiling speakers slightly ahead of the main seating area. They look too far forward in the diagram. This also depends on the ceiling height so you need to refer to the Dolby ATMOS specs for proper installation angles. Here's a link to the PDF.

 

[Music-n-Bike]

How were you planning to configure the height speakers? ATMOS or side height for Auro 3D? The issue is having the rear surrounds in the ceiling. For ATMOS, you need your 5.x.x bed layer at ear level. If you move the rear/surround speakers into the ceiling, then it is not recommended to use any ATMOS speakers. Just go 5.0.2. It is not ideal but will add some surround effects for movies.

For proper ATMOS, you need to have the rear/surround speakers at ear level, so some small book shelf speakers on stands at the corners of the sectional. If you can fit those, then the room is big enough for 4 ATMOS speakers in the ceiling (or surface mounted angled height speakers) for 5.4.2. For the bookshelves, I recently purchased a pair of True Mini Monitors from Philharmonic Audio ($380 US) which perform very well for their size. Then it's a matter of whether you can go in-ceiling or not, but with the ceiling speakers try and get speakers with an angled baffle which point at the main seating area as that improves the frequency response in the listening window. If your AVR only supports up to 5.2.2 then I would install the ceiling speakers slightly ahead of the main seating area. They look too far forward in the diagram. This also depends on the ceiling height so you need to refer to the Dolby ATMOS specs for proper installation angles. Here's a link to the PDF.

Thank you for the suggestion. The height channels I had in mind were for ATMOS. I could do bed-level in-wall surrounds, but I am afraid it will be right next to the ear and won't be very pleasant. Do you think ear-level in-wall is something I should consider?

I already have the Focals on order, and if ear-level in-wall surrounds are an option in this case, I could go with a 5.2.4 setup. I use the pre-outs from Marantz SR8012 (11.2) that are amplified by Tonewinner TW AD-7300 (7x300W).

Thoughts?

 

[Eppie]

Thank you for the suggestion. The height channels I had in mind were for ATMOS. I could do bed-level in-wall surrounds, but I am afraid it will be right next to the ear and won't be very pleasant. Do you think ear-level in-wall is something I should consider?

I already have the Focals on order, and if ear-level in-wall surrounds are an option in this case, I could go with a 5.2.4 setup. I use the pre-outs from Marantz SR8012 (11.2) that are amplified by Tonewinner TW AD-7300 (7x300W).

Thoughts?

I guess that depends on how often someone is sitting in the corner of the sectional sofa. The left rear surround looks to be further away and should be ok but the right rear is close, so that one seating position may be the only issue. From personal experience, there is not that much content in the rear surrounds that I find it an issue but it is personal taste. I have seen several setups posted in the forums with the surrounds at the corners of the sofa.

Speaker wire is cheap, so the best thing is to try and experiment if possible. Do you have a pair of bookshelf speakers in the house or a small pair that you could borrow? It can be as simple as stacking some boxes on the left side and using a wooden board as a temporary shelf on the right and just run some speaker wire along the floor to the AVR. Then you can test for yourself whether cutting holes for in-walls will suit your taste. You'll need to go into the AVR setup menu to reconfigure the speaker setup and add the surrounds (and later the height channels).