Is it possible to simulate Dolby Atmos?

dragondagoth

dragondagoth

Audiophyte
This is my first post. I've read posts in this forum before, throughout the years, and there is some real insightful information, cordial people, and brilliant responses. The reason for my first post is because; I would like to know, is it possible to simulate Dolby Atmos, on a non-DA system?

I believe the answer to my question is, no. My HT system is a 7.2 system, I have all of the speakers (save an additional subwoofer, connected). Now the subwoofer I have has four input/ output connectors. My assumption is that if I attach speakers to the subwoofer, it will replicate the left and right fronts and surrounds. I know Atmos is based on individual object sounds, and even if I am not able to replicate Atmos, could in theory I hook these speakers up to the subwoofer while having the other speakers in their dedicated channels without, ya know, blowing up my system?

If I have already assumed correctly, is there anyone who has tried to do a hack job, by doing something similar, before they pumped funds into upgrading their system and getting Dolby Atmos certified speakers?
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Hi. Welcome to the fray! I believe the short answer, as you’ve surmised is, no.
 
F

Foxrox

Junior Audioholic
I’m not sure I’m interpreting exactly what you plan to do, but I’m sure what you’re proposing won’t simulate Atmos. There is a way to “simulate” Atmos. It involves speakers bouncing sound off your ceiling instead of in-ceiling speakers, but you still need all the channels coming from your receiver. Just plugging extra speakers into the outputs on your sub won’t simulate anything.
 
dragondagoth

dragondagoth

Audiophyte
Hi. Welcome to the fray! I believe the short answer, as you’ve surmised is, no.
Thank you for the welcome. Shucks, ahh, I thought I might see if there was a way, if possible to do it, but, I thought the same with the short answer. Thank you so much.
 
dragondagoth

dragondagoth

Audiophyte
"It involves speakers bouncing sound off your ceiling instead of in-ceiling speakers"

Right. However, those are already Dolby Atmos speakers, designed to simulate the effect of ceiling speakers with an Atmos processor, no (meaning as far as I know)? I am attempting a hack job, and wondering if I can get the same effect by placing speakers on an already 7.1 system that is non-DA and simulating the DA effect if I could have an addition >X< speakers on my roof. Or would it just be two left and right speakers (as opposed to individual objects) on the ceiling, couple with surround left and right on the ceiling.
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
"It involves speakers bouncing sound off your ceiling instead of in-ceiling speakers"

Right. However, those are already Dolby Atmos speakers, designed to simulate the effect of ceiling speakers with an Atmos processor, no (meaning as far as I know)? I am attempting a hack job, and wondering if I can get the same effect by placing speakers on an already 7.1 system that is non-DA and simulating the DA effect if I could have an addition >X< speakers on my roof. Or would it just be two left and right speakers (as opposed to individual objects) on the ceiling, couple with surround left and right on the ceiling.
No...even with atmos enabled speakers...without atmos processing you get nothing out of the atmos part of the speaker.

The good news is Atmos AVRs are coming down in price if that's your driving point.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I also don't think you'd get any idea of Atmos without a processor for the extra channels.

Just curious...do you currently use your subs with high level inputs, tho? Were you thinking of doubling speakers on the same amp channels or did you think the subs would somehow provide power to the additional speakers?
 
dragondagoth

dragondagoth

Audiophyte
"No...even with atmos enabled speakers...without atmos processing you get nothing out of the atmos part of the speaker."

Yes. I wrote the same; because, I was thinking this was not feasible. The comment you commented on was in response to another and not reflective of what I felt in regard to my original post. Thank you; however, for the confirmation on what I was thinking. I assumed that I would need either a hardware upgrade or a new receiver and speakers.

"The good news is Atmos AVRs are coming down in price if that's your driving point."

Moved to Europe, to the Netherlands from Canada to be exact. The prices for anything for products you'd get in the 90s is more than back home. I do believe you (if I was still living in Canada) but given I am here now, I will be able to purchase an Imax theatre by the time I can get the funds to purchase the original mono 2.0 Denon system here :/
 
dragondagoth

dragondagoth

Audiophyte
"I also don't think you'd get any idea of Atmos without a processor for the extra channels."

Thank you, I guess the idea is a bust :(

"Just curious...do you currently use your subs with high level inputs, tho? Were you thinking of doubling speakers on the same amp channels or did you think the subs would somehow provide power to the additional speakers?"

I am a bit lost here, might be the terminology. My subwoofer is a powered one, unlike my passive one that I used to have on my prior Onkyo system. The subwoofer I have now is a Polkyo? (without looking at the back of the sub in the dark at the moment) and has four input/ output connectors. They are supposed to connect to the receiver, but, I already have all my speakers (two front, right/ left, two surround left/ right, two back surround left/ right and one subwoofer using an RCA cable to the system). I hope that is a good enough insight short of pics. I was wondering if additional speakers into those inputs could simulate atmos, if not, give me more speakers without blowing up my system?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
High level inputs/outputs (or speaker level) on the sub would utilize the same speaker wires for your left/right channels, for when you don't have a pre-out on your receiver/pre-amp for connecting the sub (and the sub just uses the audio signal from such a connection and isn't a problem in terms of an impedance load on your amp, and if you added extra speakers beyond the right/left to the circuit then you'd likely present a problem impedance-wise to your amp). RCA type connections are low level (or line) inputs/outputs.

The amp in your sub won't power your speakers via either output connection on the sub either. Besides that, since you're likely using bass management in your receiver, you're just now sending a frequency limited signal, and mono at that, to the sub.
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
"No...even with atmos enabled speakers...without atmos processing you get nothing out of the atmos part of the speaker."

Yes. I wrote the same; because, I was thinking this was not feasible. The comment you commented on was in response to another and not reflective of what I felt in regard to my original post. Thank you; however, for the confirmation on what I was thinking. I assumed that I would need either a hardware upgrade or a new receiver and speakers.

"The good news is Atmos AVRs are coming down in price if that's your driving point."

Moved to Europe, to the Netherlands from Canada to be exact. The prices for anything for products you'd get in the 90s is more than back home. I do believe you (if I was still living in Canada) but given I am here now, I will be able to purchase an Imax theatre by the time I can get the funds to purchase the original mono 2.0 Denon system here :/
That's sucks.

An AVR is a small enough item where the shipping shouldn't kill the deal if they are that much more expensive there.
 
MR.MAGOO

MR.MAGOO

Audioholic Field Marshall
Why would you want to simulate something that already simulates something? :confused:
 
agarwalro

agarwalro

Audioholic Ninja
Why would you want to simulate something that already simulates something? :confused:
He needs to go 7 layers of simulation deep to seed the sound and convince others that it is not simulated. DUH! :D.
 
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