Help with upgrading to dolby atmos

[Blown]

Hi,

As the title suggests I am currently exploring options to upgrade my current system to a dolby atmos compatible setup. I currently have a Yamaha 7.1 system which has been in service for around 10 years and has not really missed a beat. The system consists of a Yamaha RXV-1800 avr, 2x Yamaha NS-555 fronts, 1x NS-C444 center, 4x NSC-333 surrounds and a YST-SW515 sub. Room dimensions are 15.5 x 13.5 ft with 8.4ft ceiling with basic soundproofing treatments.

Early last year the RXV1800 was damaged in an electrical storm which killed the hdmi ports. So no video will work through the unit, but by using the optical ports direct from the source the audio in the avr has proven to be working fine. I was also recently given by a family member who moved and no longer had use of it a near identical setup to my own which consists of a Yamaha RXV-663 avr, 2x Yamaha NS-555 fronts, 1x NS-C444 center, 4x NSC-333 surrounds and a YST-RSW300 sub which I have in storage.

Now the wife has given me a 2k budget to “replace” my damaged receiver which has had me looking at options. Its been 10 years since I last looked at any HT gear so I am feeling a little lost but my current mindset was to get something like a Denon AVR-X3600H and use the RXV-1800 as a power amp to run the 2 fronts and with the money left over pick up 4x in ceiling speakers. I would also add in the second sub I have in storage which from best I can tell is near identical to my current one to give me a 7.2.4 setup.

The question is, does this seem like a reasonable plan? Or am I missing out on a better path? Also can you guys recommend some in ceiling speakers that would fit in the budget? There is always the chance I guess of selling some of the gear I have in storage not required to slightly increase the budget but I am not sure what kind of money it would really fetch being older gear and I was planning of building a dedicated music setup with what I have left over in my outdoor living area.

Thanks in advance

 

[2channel lover]

Hi,

As the title suggests I am currently exploring options to upgrade my current system to a dolby atmos compatible setup. I currently have a Yamaha 7.1 system which has been in service for around 10 years and has not really missed a beat. The system consists of a Yamaha RXV-1800 avr, 2x Yamaha NS-555 fronts, 1x NS-C444 center, 4x NSC-333 surrounds and a YST-SW515 sub. Room dimensions are 15.5 x 13.5 ft with 8.4ft ceiling with basic soundproofing treatments.

Early last year the RXV1800 was damaged in an electrical storm which killed the hdmi ports. So no video will work through the unit, but by using the optical ports direct from the source the audio in the avr has proven to be working fine. I was also recently given by a family member who moved and no longer had use of it a near identical setup to my own which consists of a Yamaha RXV-663 avr, 2x Yamaha NS-555 fronts, 1x NS-C444 center, 4x NSC-333 surrounds and a YST-RSW300 sub which I have in storage.

Now the wife has given me a 2k budget to “replace” my damaged receiver which has had me looking at options. Its been 10 years since I last looked at any HT gear so I am feeling a little lost but my current mindset was to get something like a Denon AVR-X3600H and use the RXV-1800 as a power amp to run the 2 fronts and with the money left over pick up 4x in ceiling speakers. I would also add in the second sub I have in storage which from best I can tell is near identical to my current one to give me a 7.2.4 setup.

The question is, does this seem like a reasonable plan? Or am I missing out on a better path? Also can you guys recommend some in ceiling speakers that would fit in the budget? There is always the chance I guess of selling some of the gear I have in storage not required to slightly increase the budget but I am not sure what kind of money it would really fetch being older gear and I was planning of building a dedicated music setup with what I have left over in my outdoor living area.

Thanks in advance

Welcome to AH,

I have a 5.2.4 system...I still use it mostly for 2 ch, but I'm enjoying the new atmos surround a lot...just a word of caution since you're getting ready to cut into some drywall .

Quick overview.

IMO it's great, the added layer of dimensional sound makes the movie more life like....but it's very movie specific in regards to overhead content. There are other Dolby Atmos movies with very little immersive action.

Atmos is still very much a physical media thing right now...so renting or buying blu-ray dics will need to factor into your lifestyle, but you may already be doing that. The point is I'm not trusting the streaming media will have true Dolby Atmos encoded films anytime soon.



AVR...love it, I have referred that to a couple of friends, both the 3500 and 3600.

RXV-1800...no issue

Atmos...I used 8" polks, $150ish a pair RC80i...aimable tweeters. I have 9' ceilings and would not go any less than 8", but you could drop to 6" if you wanted with slightly lower ceilings but I'd still get 8". Don't feel like you need to spend $600 a pr.

What I would do in your shoes....If this is primarily a movie/TV room...Update the AVR like you're intending in that 3500/3600 pricepoint, buy reasonably priced atmos speakers, and take the remaining $1k and a few bucks to it and upgrade my subs. That would take your HT to another level imo.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I would do exactly as 2ch suggested. If you can do a refurb.

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Same price but without extended 3 year warranty.

Ceiling speakers can easily be of the affordable variety like he said, and the rest should go to new subwoofage.
I’ve found Atmos to be hit or miss on different soundtracks, but I do enjoy it quite a bit. And would NEVER go without it in my main system. Also, Dolby surround and Dts neuralX are great new upmixers that can make old soundtracks even better.
Selling used gear can be tough, but a little can go a long way with a 2k starting point, and imo new subs would be a focus for me.
I don’t know about using the old AVR as a power amp so I won’t go there, but 2ch amps to run either the mains or one pair of heights can also be had affordably.

 

[Blown]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replys, This is exactly the kind of advice I was after.

The drywall is not an issue for me as I have done several complete homes before from the studs and am generally very handy with the building side of things.

One thing I probably should have mentioned is that I am in Oz. So we get bent over when it comes to pricing on most HT gear. I can get the X3600H new for around 1.5k atm which is very cheap for over here, retail is $2300 aud. Another example would be the polk rc80i are $450 a pair aud over here which I could do to get 4 but cant really go any higher budget wise. I can get the Bowers & Wilkins CCM665 for the same money which is what I was originally intending.

I never really considered that the subs would be such a weak point. Looking around the oz audio sites a decent ported sub would pretty much eat the budget on its own. So that begs the question do I forget about the atmos and focus on the subs first? am I better with 1 decent sub or 2 entry level subs? My gut feeling tells me I should stick with the original plan, then sell the spare setup I have to fund a decent sub upgrade.

Thoughts?

 

[2channel lover]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replys, This is exactly the kind of advice I was after.

The drywall is not an issue for me as I have done several complete homes before from the studs and am generally very handy with the building side of things.

One thing I probably should have mentioned is that I am in Oz. So we get bent over when it comes to pricing on most HT gear. I can get the X3600H new for around 1.5k atm which is very cheap for over here, retail is $2300 aud. Another example would be the polk rc80i are $450 a pair aud over here which I could do to get 4 but cant really go any higher budget wise. I can get the Bowers & Wilkins CCM665 for the same money which is what I was originally intending.

I never really considered that the subs would be such a weak point. Looking around the oz audio sites a decent ported sub would pretty much eat the budget on its own. So that begs the question do I forget about the atmos and focus on the subs first? am I better with 1 decent sub or 2 entry level subs? My gut feeling tells me I should stick with the original plan, then sell the spare setup I have to fund a decent sub upgrade.

Thoughts?

Ceiling speakers...The reviews on the RC80i are surprisingly good for the price, but I have no bias to the Polks especially for this purpose...B&W is a good brand of course...the CCM665 are 6"...as mentioned with 8'+ ceiling you can get away with 6", but you get a little wider dispersion/ slightly more volume from the 8" speaker.

Subs...yeah, we hear that a lot in here. I was the same way. When I started my system rebuild...I had a Paradigm 15" sub that was maybe 12-13 yrs old. I thought I was fine in the sub department until I went and heard some new subs. My sub was boomy and slow in comparison to the new subs. Night and day difference.

For movies...for a space < 1800 cu ft. I wouldn't have any problem starting out with one and adding a matching sub later...one well positioned HSU VTF-3 mk5 can handle 1800 cu ft okay...the problem often is the "best" place for the sub may not be the best place for the sub if you know what I mean .

The biggest reason to add a second one is to even out the bass so it sounds the same from every seat.

 

[Blown]

I pulled the trigger and got the 3600H AVR today. The HSU subs aren't available in Australia it seems, they appear import only which is fairly cost prohibitive. I have noticed looking around today the SVS subs are on sale atm. I can get PB1000's for $950 ea or PB2000's for $1200 ea. They seem to be highly regarded subs so for the price difference I might grab a pair of PB2000's or do you think that would be overkill for my room?