jcrowde3

jcrowde3

Junior Audioholic
So I have two ceiling speakers right in front of the listening area and 2 bookshelves mounted to the wall behind me, but they are mounted about and 4 inches from touching the ceiling. Would this be better as 7.2.2 or 5.2.4 since the bookshelves are mounted so high?
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
As long as you have a proper bed layer, I’d say absolutely 5.2.4.
 
jcrowde3

jcrowde3

Junior Audioholic
Can you explain to me what a proper bed layer is perchance?
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Can you explain to me what a proper bed layer is perchance?
For sure. So for either 7.1.2 or 5.1.4, you need a traditional 7ch or 5ch system with the speakers at or just above ear lever. Then you have your Atmos “height layer” with your speakers installed in whichever location you can do. It wasn’t clear in your original question if you were asking about the IC and rear wall mounted speakers in addition to a bed layer or not. My assumption was that you DO have a bed layer in place. But you’d be amazed at how many odd questions have been asked, that with proper clarification the person asking already had the answer.
So it sounds like you have a 5.2ch system with extra speaker. 2 IC and two high on the back wall that could be used as rear surrounds ala 7.1. If I follow that correctly, I would definitely go 5.1.4.
Anything I missed? It’s definitely possible...lol
 
jcrowde3

jcrowde3

Junior Audioholic
I understand, thank you. I have 2 fronts and a center, 2 subs, 2 surrounds, 2 front heights, and was trying to decide whether the back were back heights or back surrounds.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
I understand, thank you. I have 2 fronts and a center, 2 subs, 2 surrounds, 2 front heights, and was trying to decide whether the back were back heights or back surrounds.
Ok. We’re on the same page then.
If they’re up where the ceiling meets the wall, I’d run them as rear heights. Ime, 5.2.4 is more immersive than 7.2.2.
 
jcrowde3

jcrowde3

Junior Audioholic
Can confirm. 5.2.4 is way better than 7.2.2. Felt like I was couch swimming in sound.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Unless you ask Auditor55, who thinks Atmos sucks. So he would say screw Atmos and just go with 7.1. :D
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Unless you ask Auditor55, who thinks Atmos sucks. So he would say screw Atmos and just go with 7.1. :D
To be fair, there is still a lot more content mixed in 7.1 than in Atmos. If you want to make the most of existing content, a 7.1 system is more useful than an Atmos system.
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
I understand, thank you. I have 2 fronts and a center, 2 subs, 2 surrounds, 2 front heights, and was trying to decide whether the back were back heights or back surrounds.
Off the cuff, I'm saying 5.2.4.

Where are the 2 surrounds? I'm trying to gauge whether 7 ch even makes sense for you.
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
To be fair, there is still a lot more content mixed in 7.1 than in Atmos. If you want to make the most of existing content, a 7.1 system is more useful than an Atmos system.
If he intends to playback physical media, I agree.

If he intends to stream...neither really offers a ton of options.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
To be fair, there is still a lot more content mixed in 7.1 than in Atmos. If you want to make the most of existing content, a 7.1 system is more useful than an Atmos system.
I would definitely still go with 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 and use DTS NeuralX to upmix, which sounds a lot more enveloping to me than regular 7.1.

Most contents aren't Atmos/DTSX. Yet with NeuralX, I sure get so many cool overhead sound effects.
 
jcrowde3

jcrowde3

Junior Audioholic
If he intends to playback physical media, I agree.

If he intends to stream...neither really offers a ton of options.
I like to watch physical media, but who am I kidding, I rarely get my butt off the couch to pop in a dvd/cd.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
To be fair, there is still a lot more content mixed in 7.1 than in Atmos. If you want to make the most of existing content, a 7.1 system is more useful than an Atmos system.
Unless you factor in DSU and DTS-X
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
I've said before and I'll say it again - NeuralX is the secret weapon of this whole Atmos/DTSX evolution. :D

If I'm not using Atmos/DTSX, then I'm using NeuralX.
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
I like to watch physical media, but who am I kidding, I rarely get my butt off the couch to pop in a dvd/cd.
:) ...okay.

I'm just the opposite...I still like to spin most of my music...just getting my head around streaming music for critical listening.

The point being...you have to make a concerted effort to find 7 ch or atmos movie content.
 
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