Atmos ceiling speaker choice

[cardsdoc]

Currently planning a dedicated HT in basement. Most likely bed layer will be Revel Concerta2 with F36 x 3 for LCR, S16s for sides, and M16s for rears. Installer is recommending Revel C563 in ceiling for atmos. They have a tweeter that pivots but only about 12 degrees. This plan seems reasonable to me. Revels are know for good dispersion. On AVS lots of folks however say Atmos MUST be angled towards MLP to get decent Atmos as they are too far off axis at the standard 45 degrees placement. If sticking with Revel their only angled baffle in ceiling is the very pricey C763L. I'd prefer not to do on ceiling. I know there are cheaper options like the RSLs but for now my preference is to timbre match with Revel if I can. Any one happy with standard downfiring in ceilings for Atmos? I'm having a hard time believing that I won't get a convincing Atmos effect even if off axis. Thanks.

 

[Danzilla31]

Currently planning a dedicated HT in basement. Most likely bed layer will be Revel Concerta2 with F36 x 3 for LCR, S16s for sides, and M16s for rears. Installer is recommending Revel C563 in ceiling for atmos. They have a tweeter that pivots but only about 12 degrees. This plan seems reasonable to me. Revels are know for good dispersion. On AVS lots of folks however say Atmos MUST be angled towards MLP to get decent Atmos as they are too far off axis at the standard 45 degrees placement. If sticking with Revel their only angled baffle in ceiling is the very pricey C763L. I'd prefer not to do on ceiling. I know there are cheaper options like the RSLs but for now my preference is to timbre match with Revel if I can. Any one happy with standard downfiring in ceilings for Atmos? I'm having a hard time believing that I won't get a convincing Atmos effect even if off axis. Thanks.

I can tell you I went with downfiring in wall speakers with no tilt and I'm not even that far off axis and I didn't like the results at all. So I'm going with these just waiting for them to arrive

The only speakers I feel should be have to be matched are the front 3 maybe the base 5 or 7 if you really want it. As long as they measure and are tested to perform well in especially with atmos they don't have to be a match with the rest of the system

 

[cardsdoc]

I can tell you I went with downfiring in wall speakers with no tilt and I'm not even that far off axis and I didn't like the results at all. So I'm going with these just waiting for them to arrive

View attachment 53514

The only speakers I feel should be have to be matched are the front 3 maybe the base 5 or 7 if you really want it. As long as they measure and are tested to perform well in especially with atmos they don't have to be a match with the rest of the system

Thanks. What are your thoughts on using a concentric speaker like KEF Ci160QR. Similar price to the Revels I'm considering but I would think should have good off axis response even at 45 degrees. I think KEFs are pretty neutral speakers.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

Check out RSL. The C34E MKII are coming out this month. I don't have them myself (yet) but these are highly rated speakers for exactly this purpose. They're also "cheap" @ 125$/each. That is the price for a limited time, then they jump to 149$/each (which is apparently still a bargain).

The New C34E MKII Is Now Available!

The C34EMKII introduces audiophile-grade sound and parts to an in-ceiling platform that is suitable for ALL applications; from Atmos and surrounds, to home theater mains and stereo.

rslspeakers.com

 

[Danzilla31]

Thanks. What are your thoughts on using a concentric speaker like KEF Ci160QR. Similar price to the Revels I'm considering but I would think should have good off axis response even at 45 degrees. I think KEFs are pretty neutral speakers.

From what I understand if your not going with angled in ceiling speakers then concentric are a good way to go I'll look up the specs but off the bat they should be a good match

 

[cardsdoc]

Check out RSL. The C34E MKII are coming out this month. I don't have them myself (yet) but these are highly rated speakers for exactly this purpose. They're also "cheap" @ 125$/each. That is the price for a limited time, then they jump to 149$/each (which is apparently still a bargain).

The New C34E MKII Is Now Available!

The C34EMKII introduces audiophile-grade sound and parts to an in-ceiling platform that is suitable for ALL applications; from Atmos and surrounds, to home theater mains and stereo.

rslspeakers.com

Thanks aware of these and seem to be a good option. I know my installer doesn't sell them since they are internet direct and I'm already choosing to not purchase some stuff through my installer such as screen and subs so I feel a little obliged to purchase speakers through them if they are going to be installing them. Maybe I'm being too nice I don't know. They sell KEF hence my prior post about those.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

We’ll fwiw, I used the c34e’s in my system with a JBL bed layer. IMO the results are excellent. I also think that aimable tweeters are not the be all end all and can cause weird interactions with the rest of the speaker when tilted fully in a particular direction. You will definitely get decent Atmos even if a little off axis. It’s possible that results would be better on axis which would be my preference, but it’s not like it’s not gonna work. I would either use the RSL or something concentric. I have my RSL’s rotated so that the drivers on their 15° baffle is pointed at my LP.
As far as being too nice? Well maybe. But keep in mind he doesn’t have. All the gear you want, and while that’s not his fault, you don’t owe him anything. And when it’s all said and done you’ll have less buyers remorse by getting what you want vs just what you can get.

 

[cardsdoc]

This may be a silly question but is there a simple way to install an in-ceiling speaker at a small angle? Maybe with some sort of asymmetrical spacer? I know it wouldn't necessarily look great but curious if it would be possible.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

This may be a silly question but is there a simple way to install an in-ceiling speaker at a small angle? Maybe with some sort of asymmetrical spacer? I know it wouldn't necessarily look great but curious if it would be possible.

Simple is a relative term. I'm a JM Carpenter with 22+ years construction experience. So for me, it's probably simple. For an IT guy that sits behind a desk all day? Probably less so.

You could do it. But at that point, why not just buy the proper speakers for the job and not worry about it. Even being a JM Carpenter, I wouldn't bother doing it. It's not worth the time and effort IMO.

 

[jhaider]

I wouldn’t use speakers pointed straight down, and aimable tweeters seem kind of gimmicky to me anyway: I want the crossover to be designed knowing the position and orientation of midrange and tweeter.

However, I also wouldn’t use toppled MTM speakers, including Revel’s with the toppled MTM and the old Infinity Cascade midwoofer (or an evolution of it). That is a terrible drive unit configuration for any loudspeaker.

If you don’t expect so-called reference levels, take a good look at Tannoy CMS403DC. These are little things with a gourd shaped cabinet in a ring. The cabinet sticks out a little from the ceiling, but they are aimable. In our old house we used a similar speaker for Auro/Atmos, Tannoy Revolution XT Mini. They weren’t world beaters but they were suitable to purpose and in practice worked just fine. There may be other 2-ways where the whole array moves as a unit, but I don’t know of them.

If you need something bigger bore, Monitor Audio has a line with a neat aimable concentric midrange-tweeter they call IDC. At woofer-mid crossover frequencies relative orientation matters less, because both will be more or less omnidirectional. JBL also has a new line of Synthesis ceiling speakers with a novel waveguide and driver mounting. Sonance might also have a 3-way with aimable midrange. Alas, no measurements available for any of those, which sketches me out a little. Nobody seems to publish useful data on ceiling speakers.