Height speaker recommendations?

[dgtobin1]

I'm planning to add 4 height channels to my 7.2 system, and I'm looking for advice on which to choose. Here are the assumptions to consider: 1) the room is large, has very high vaulted ceilings, is open to another room on one side, and neither in-ceiling, nor in-wall speakers are options. The speakers must be mounted high up on the front and rear walls, 2) My current speakers include Paradigm Signature V6s, V2s, and ADP3s along with SVS subs. Paradigm signatures are no longer in production and they didn't make a model appropriate for height placement. As a result, I know that the 4 new height speakers won't be an exact timbe match for my current system. This is OK with me as long as they are "similar" in tonality, 3) my budget is up to $4000 (not including wiring and mounting), 4) because of the room size/shape, I want to be able to point the speakers toward the MLP, so mouting flush on the wall is not going to work. They need to be compatable with some other mounting solution that can be adjusted for tilt and swivel, 5) I'm using the system for about 80% HT, 20% music. Based on research, both the Arendal 1723 Height S and the Perlisten A2s are on my short list, although I'm not sure how they would blend with the Paradigm signatures. Any recommendations on these or other options to consider?

 

[lovinthehd]

Overall room dims? I wouldn't worry much about exact timbre matches for overhead surrounds....any good quality speaker properly installed position wise (as to what your room permits) would likely function very well.

 

[dgtobin1]

Thanks @lovinthehd. Room is approximately 24’ L x 18' W x x 18' H (vaulted).

 

[j_garcia]

if they are going only on the side walls, these might work. Heights don't necessarily need to timbre match the rest, but these likely sound more similar to the Paradigms than not.

SVS Prime Elevation Speaker | Speakers for Dolby Atmos & Home Theater

Best sounding home audio elevation speaker for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D. Endless versatility as front, surround, center and/or LCR home theater speaker.

www.svsound.com

 

[Wardog555]

Have you actually taken the time to figure out where the speakers end up as per angles from listening position.
9 times out of ten the walls are not the proper location for the speakers.

You want to be in this range. Both front to back and side to side.

 

[dgtobin1]

@Wardog555 - thanks for the comment. In my use case, the speaker positioning will not be ideal, although not too far off. I understand the potential downsides but given the limitations of my space and my living situation I’m looking to make the best of a compromised set-up. This is why my requirements include being able to mount the speakers in a way that allows for angled positioning. Good off-axis performance would be helpful as well. Hoping to get specific speaker suggestions given these barriers.

@j_garcia The previously mentioned SVS speakers are interesting, but if I went that route I’d probably get the ultras and these would be mounted on the front and back walls very high up, not the sides. They would also need to be on a swivel mount so they can be toed in and not flush against the wall.

Any other speaker suggestions or thoughts about the two I originally mentioned?

 

[j_garcia]

I am in the same boat in the new house. I have a ~30 ft cathedral ceiling so I will only have side walls to put them on. Fortunately, I already have the SVSs. I just need to figure out the wiring now. Not ideal, but sometimes that's what we have to work with.

Heights don't exactly need to be aimed directly at the LP. They are meant to be a bit diffused.

The Arendals look a bit large to put on a swivel. The Perlistens would probably work, with the angled baffle like the SVSs.

 

[Eppie]

I would also have suggested the SVS Elevation speakers along with Arendal Height speakers but these are all on-wall speakers. If you really need to be able to tilt them towards the main listening position then you are likely going to have to use a small box speaker with an added tilt/swivel mount bracket. That gives you more positioning options but does not look as clean as the SVS and Arendal height speakers.

For small surrounds, I went with Philharmonic Audio's True Mini Monitor. Philharmonic Audio is well known for providing great performance for the price. These speakers are small but have a very flat frequency response. They come with a keyhole bracket mounted on the back. You just need to find a good swivel mount to go with them.

Prime Elevation has pins to fit a keyhole bracket for wall mounting. Not sure if that can be adapted to a swivel mount. You could contact SVS or Arendal though. The customer support for both companies is very good.

 

[j_garcia]

The SVS Elevations come with bracketing as well, so I am sure they can be adapted to swivel mount.

** I did not realize they released an Ultra version of them. Nice.

 

[Eppie]

From the on-line photos, the Elevations have two pins on the back which fit into a keyhole bracket that gets mounted on the wall. That is the opposite of the Mini Monitors which have the keyhole bracket on the speaker. That may affect which mounting brackets will work for a swivel mount.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The whole point is doing atmos correctly otherwise you'll never hear a difference between the base layer if you're too low of a angle and will badly have giant hole above your head.

You didn't directly answer the question so it's either a yes you used angles to determine whether the speakers end up there or you are blindly guessing and not giving a crap.

Take note. I'm not here to discuss consequences for Dolby atmos. This isn't the forum for that.
If the angles end up on ceiling. You place the speakers there. You are more than welcome to mount speakers to the ceiling. It's almost the same as mounting to the walls. Far too many people post only to ruin it for themselves and I'm only trying to prevent that from happening.

Wish I could help you but it appears you're just another dismissive individual.

Shut the fukk up.

 

[lovinthehd]

Curious, why can't you mount speakers on the ceiling? Aesthetics/install difficulties or ?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How about get some really cheap speakers to test out first?

Install the cheap speakers and see if you can even hear them at their positions and angles at full volume when all the other speakers are playing.Test the positions.

The key thing is being able to ear them among all your speakers. There’s no point spending $4K on height speakers if you can’t even hear them due to bad positioning.

If they seem to work, you can add more expensive speakers in the same positions.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Curious, why can't you mount speakers on the ceiling? Aesthetics/install difficulties or ?

I would say because of the 18’H. It’s just too high for a lot of reasons.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

In this case, I would really consider pendant speakers.

 

[Golfx]

Have considered these?

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_819MIL1W/Paradigm-MilleniaOne-1-0-Gloss-White.html?tp=186

they have brackets as well.

 

[dgtobin1]

Thanks to those of you who took the time to offer suggestions. The ceilings are vaulted, 18’ high, without “attic” space behind them to install a speaker box in wall, and this is my living room, not a dedicated home theater. My wife is OK with installing speakers high on the walls, but doesn’t want speakers hanging from the ceiling. From the MLP this speakers would be mounted approximately 35 degrees from ear level to the front and 30 degrees to the rear. There would be about 8’ of vertical separation between the top of my front towers and the base of the height speakers. None of this is ideal, but I’d still like to move forward and make the best of the situation I have. I’d still welcome any other suggestions, but these are the parameters I need to work within. If the opinion is “I wouldn’t bother”, that’s welcome too.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Thanks to those of you who took the time to offer suggestions. The ceilings are vaulted, 18’ high, without “attic” space behind them to install a speaker box in wall, and this is my living room, not a dedicated home theater. My wife is OK with installing speakers high on the walls, but doesn’t want speakers hanging from the ceiling. From the MLP this speakers would be mounted approximately 35 degrees from ear level to the front and 30 degrees to the rear. There would be about 8’ of vertical separation between the top of my front towers and the base of the height speakers. None of this is ideal, but I’d still like to move forward and make the best of the situation I have. I’d still welcome any other suggestions, but these are the parameters I need to work within. If the opinion is “I wouldn’t bother”, that’s welcome too.

Well we all have hurdles to overcome. Especially in a multi use room like this, and especially when WAF is involved. I personally wouldn’t worry about timbre matching too much, although IME it can make for a more seamless sound field. My current 7.3.4 system uses overhead speakers by RSL which have a soft dome tweeter and is different from my ear level speaker. It works very good and those RSL speakers image insanely well. I might not do it that way were I starting from scratch, but the system is an evolution lol.
For brackets, I’ve seen and used a few styles. Clamp styles can work nicely, but for security, you may want to drill and screw into the speaker. I have no problems with that. Omni mount used to make nice ball mount style that allows any angle adjustment you need. (My drums have this, and it’s great. Although irrelevant here lol).
8’ between ear and overhead speakers would be ok. The Dolby spec says between 10’ and 14’ ceiling height is best, Although the angle is what matters most. Sometimes ya just do what ya can do. But I don’t subscribe to the just don’t bother ideologies unless the installation goes just too far out of the lines. For example. IMO, you shouldn’t install .4 overhead unless you have enough room away from the back wall for the angles to work at the MLP. In that case it should be .2. Every case is different.
How about some pics?

 

[dgtobin1]

Thanks so much @William Lemmerhirt - really appreciate the thoughtful reply and input. I took some photos, but the file size is too large to attach. I’ll try again and post soon.

 

[dgtobin1]

Here are some tips photos, as promised