Atmos in Ceiling Speaker recommendation with current setup.

[dvon1981]

My setup started it's life as a 2 channel system and is on it's way to 5.2.4. Here's my current setup and I'm looking for recommendations for ceiling speakers. One thought is to do KEF Ci160QR to match my surrounds, with that said that puts me around $1500 into ceiling speaker which honestly I'd like to be a lot less than that. Any thoughts on a more budget friendly option?

Receiver: Marantz 6013
Front Stage Amps: Three Outlaw 2220s
Mains: Audio Physic Classic 30s
Center: Audio Physic Center
Surrounds: Key Q150 (yes I get this aren't on the same par as the front stage but do fill the room nicely and I still do more music than video)
Subs: Pair of SVS SB3000s.

Room has been acoustically treated, subs placed using REW.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The ones I used, and many others have are RSL, c34e’s. $125ea. They have a 15° angled baffle which will help “aim” them closer the the LP than a regular IC speaker would, and have wide dispersion which is one of the things Dolby calls for. Imaging is also excellent. Tonally, I haven’t any idea if they’d match your other speakers, but ime by the time you run audyssey and consider everything else, they should work very well. Coaxial speakers tend to work very well up there too. My mind is slipping at the moment, but there is an affordable popular coaxial speaker that’s also been reported to be excellent on other forums. Hopefully the name will come to me after some more coffee…..

 

[dvon1981]

The ones I used, and many others have are RSL, c34e’s. $125ea. They have a 15° angled baffle which will help “aim” them closer the the LP than a regular IC speaker would, and have wide dispersion which is one of the things Dolby calls for. Imaging is also excellent. Tonally, I haven’t any idea if they’d match your other speakers, but ime by the time you run audyssey and consider everything else, they should work very well. Coaxial speakers tend to work very well up there too. My mind is slipping at the moment, but there is an affordable popular coaxial speaker that’s also been reported to be excellent on other forums. Hopefully the name will come to me after some more coffee…..

Thanks, I'm not overly concerned with perfect tone matching of the existing speakers, I kind of doubt it would be perceptible for Atmos sound effects. Which direction do you aim the speakers? is it simply angled to the LP directly?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Thanks, I'm not overly concerned with perfect tone matching of the existing speakers, I kind of doubt it would be perceptible for Atmos sound effects. Which direction do you aim the speakers? is it simply angled to the LP directly?

Yeah basically. Just situate them in the cutouts so they’re angled toward you. Or slightly to either side of the LP, if you’re worried about covering other seats. Not pushing them, but the ones I mentioned have wide dispersion and great imaging, so pointing them anywhere near the LP should give great results. Tannoy was the brand I couldn’t think of earlier. FWIW, you could probably use a pair of 150 dollar polks and it would still be ok. But IMO, no reason not to buy something decent at least, as I feel kinda wholistic about a surround system.