Another Atmos positioning question and 7.2.2 vs 7.2.4?

[Dave Raue]

My new media room has a couple odd features that complicate Atmos height speaker positioning and format (7.2.2 or 7.2.4??). Here's what I'm working with....
Room is W12.5' x L22' x H7.5'. As usual, doors and an annoying (and irremediable) soffit and column limit height speaker placement. These can be seem in the pix. The stool is more or less the viewing position with the display on the wall behind the bright light. The bed layer placement doesn't present any obvious problems. Finally, height speakers will be bookshelf speakers on adjustable brackets regardless of positioning and number. For a variety of reasons ceiling speakers are out.

My hope is working up to a 7.2.4 setup, though this may not be practical. Easiest however, by far, would be a 7.2.2 configuration with the height speakers located in the yellow areas shown below in Plate 1. The angles and placement seem consistent with 7.2.2 guidelines. Positioning could easily be closer to the center of the room along the soffit - I need to measure exact position more carefully, but the point is that 7.2.2 seems pretty east to implement.

Plate 1

Next we get to possible 7.2.4 positioning. See Plates 2 and 3. The 2 front and rear height speakers could potentially be placed more-or-less as shown in the red and green positions. The front speaker (red) seems best in the soffit/column corner. That's a bit low perhaps, but if mounted on the ceiling (yellow), as with the 7.2.2 config, it's too far back. It could be in front of the soffit on a ceiling mount with an arm. This would still be low so as to not be obscured by the soffit. but still possible

Plate 2

Plate 3 shows the proposed positioning looking towards the back of the room.

Plate 3

Any thoughts on the height positioning/configuration would be very welcome. By my reckoning the 7.2.2 positioning seems truly by-the-book. 7.2.4 less so since the front height speakers would be lower than ideal. So, just stick with 7.2.2? Or go for 7.2.4 despite imperfect positioning? Other options, such as 5.2.X of some sort? As we learned from Jethro Tull, "Nothing is easy." Thanks and cheers,

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Is that stool in the dead center of the room?

 

[Dave Raue]

No. It's about 13' back from the front wall, so a little bit towards the rear. The room will do double duty as 2ch listening room and AV room. The 2ch and front speakers will be shared by both systems and are large Magneplaners. My experience with the Maggies in similar sized rooms is that they're at their best when pulled out about 4' from front wall with best listening position about where the stool is. I prioritize the 2ch setup and want to optimize the rest around that to the extent possible. The 7.2.4 setup shown in Plate 2 (red and green height locations) happens to put the stool about midpoint between them. The issue is that right front height is on the low side and not very symetrical with the other side cause of the column, side space etc etc.. And god only knows what the acoustic effect of the column will be, but I can't do anhything about that beyond room acoustic treatments.

When building the room I somehow convinced myself that 7.2.2 would be fine, and likely a big improvement on the 5.1 that I had before, so the room was prewired for 7.2.2 per the yellow locations. Now I'm second guessing myself - I should have done the wiring for all 6 height speakers so I could play around with what's best?. Maybe even 7.2.6 at some point? So, if there's some concensus that the room could support 7.2.4, even if less than ideal, then I'd do the extra wiring. Cheers,

 

[DigitalDawn]

I have a couple of options for you using Triad speakers. Quick question first: what is your speaker and subwoofer budget?

 

[Dave Raue]

I have a couple of options for you using Triad speakers. Quick question first: what is your speaker and subwoofer budget?

I have a subwoofer, albeit an old one, but it works well enough to get going. Hence subwoofer budget is $0.00 for the time being. As for other options, perhaps you could comment on setup issues that you see with my scenario per the post? I'd prefer to discuss options after a clearer idea of the problems we're trying to solve. Cheers,

 

[DigitalDawn]

The budget is really, really important. You need to know if you are in the ballpark or if less expensive and less effective options might be in order.