Need help configuring audio for large Atmos theater

[RuffTimo]

It's a big room, 22 feet wide and 37 feet deep:

I'm thinking 11.4.6 speaker configuration, so all three rows have surrounds and atmos, with plenty of bass. Sufficient? Overkill?

Are on-wall/ceiling speakers good enough? Or are in-wall/ceiling better?

What's the best way to drive that many channels?

Appropriate speaker sizes for this size of room?

Which receivers can power 17 channels?

 

[Kingnoob]

That’s an immense room don’t get small speakers, or little subs.
Yes that sounds fine except for suggestions brands etc , layouts .
I’d ask in the sub sections for each topic speakers, receiver, subs, etc
that’s a master build you may get responses quicker. My room is 12 x 12 I use regular box speakers but any type can work they are easiest to switch out /upgrade angle .
good luck

Loudspeakers

Post your speaker-related news, info, questions and comments here... ie. Bookshelf, floorstanding, surround, HTIB - show us what you've got!

forums.audioholics.com

 

[Danzilla31]

It's a big room, 22 feet wide and 37 feet deep:

View attachment 59620

I'm thinking 11.4.6 speaker configuration, so all three rows have surrounds and atmos, with plenty of bass. Sufficient? Overkill?

Are on-wall/ceiling speakers good enough? Or are in-wall/ceiling better?

What's the best way to drive that many channels?

Appropriate speaker sizes for this size of room?

Which receivers can power 17 channels?

Hey @RuffTimo sorry it took some of us a bit to reply. Weekend and all!

First is this a pre-built room or is the house and room under construction? Makes a big difference.

Second are you going to do a lot of DIY or build most of it yourself or will this be a professional installation?

What is your total budget?

And then what would your budget breakdown be?

How much for construction?

How much for speakers?

How much for gear?

How much for projector and screen?

This is a big room so answers to these questions will be critical before we can recommend you gear and speakers you are correct in thinking you may need better then your best buy budget speakers and subs to make this room come to life but we need to know ballpark budget before we can make recommendations!

Thank you for your time!

 

[TLS Guy]

It's a big room, 22 feet wide and 37 feet deep:

View attachment 59620

I'm thinking 11.4.6 speaker configuration, so all three rows have surrounds and atmos, with plenty of bass. Sufficient? Overkill?

Are on-wall/ceiling speakers good enough? Or are in-wall/ceiling better?

What's the best way to drive that many channels?

Appropriate speaker sizes for this size of room?

Which receivers can power 17 channels?

No ceiling speakers in my view are pretty much essential. No, there is no receiver that will power that room and none have 17 channels. That room will take an awful lot of power, and very powerful speakers. I would strongly recommend active speakers if you want a successful installation in that huge room. To do justice to that room is going to cost a lot of money.

 

[Kingnoob]

No ceiling speakers in my view are pretty much essential. No, there is no receiver that will power that room and none have 17 channels. That room will take an awful lot of power, and very powerful speakers. I would strongly recommend active speakers if you want a successful installation in that huge room. To do justice to that room is going to cost a lot of money.

You’d probably need a commercial theater set up to run that many speakers Maybe op should do whatever amount of speakers a flagship avr will do?
Immense room set up ain’t going to be cheap.

 

[RuffTimo]

Great responses, everyone, thank you! The delay was worth it.

Some answers:

Stage: planning stage. House plans should go to engineering later this week, even then it's not 100% final. Can still shrink the room, make it deeper (increase ceiling height), etc.

Budget: ~$50K, could go to $100K if absolutely necessary (would have to sell the truck .

Breakdown: That's the budget for speakers, amps, electronics, projector, screen, and seats, and any special build-outs/structures, and not for building the room itself. Several of you have said that it'll take a *lot* of money to outfit a theater like this... do you think this budget covers it, especially if we can do a lot of the speakers DIY?

I'm thinking of hiring a H/T consultant to help me plan all this out... good idea?

 

[mono-bloc]

here is no receiver that will power that room and none have 17 channels

Have you never heard of Trinnov.. 16 or 32 channels

 

[mono-bloc]

Really if your intending to spend that sort of money, employ a professional home theatre installer. And check out there work before you hire them.
Just because you have a 100 grand to spend, doesn't insure the perfect job. There's plenty of monkeys out there. Who will over charge you for crap products, simply because you don't know any better.
These people in OZ, are specialist installers, and 100 grand installs are simply run of the mill. https://lenwallisaudio.com/custom-solutions/home-theatre/

 

[jinjuku]

Hire Gene...

 

[Kingnoob]

Have you never heard of Trinnov.. 16 or 32 channels

I would had said that but isn’t it a processor not an Avr ?
Yeah op should take his time if hiring a professional, some are just out there to mark up garbage and rip people off.
I’ve seen people spend 50k+ for a system worst then a 5k one on various occasions on these type of sites . It happens, I’ve seen plenty of people with all in ceiling speakers also …

 

[RuffTimo]

Gonna take the advice to hire a professional to help with the plan, then I'll find out what his thoughts are on speaker and equipment selections, along with everything I'm learning from you fine folks. Thanks again!

 

[lovinthehd]

If you do do your own it could be a huge load of homework compared to hiring a pro. Knowing enough to make sure you're getting value isn't a bad idea, tho. There are various build threads on this forum as well as others that describe all the trials/tribulations/budget/build issues of the diy approach, too.

 

[Kingnoob]

If you do do your own it could be a huge load of homework compared to hiring a pro. Knowing enough to make sure you're getting value isn't a bad idea, tho. There are various build threads on this forum as well as others that describe all the trials/tribulations/budget/build issues of the diy approach, too.

Hope he gets someone legit and not one of those con job professionals who make terrible theaters to make max profit . He should post on here his options locally before starting or picking one

 

[RuffTimo]

Steve from Home Theater Gurus is where I'm leaning: https://www.youtube.com/@hometheatergurus

He comes highly recommended (from a couple of my new HT friends) and I love his educational-style videos.

 

[lovinthehd]

Steve from Home Theater Gurus is where I'm leaning: https://www.youtube.com/@hometheatergurus

He comes highly recommended (from a couple of my new HT friends) and I love his educational-style videos.

Curious, other than his own declaration/channel, what makes him a guru?

 

[RuffTimo]

What makes anyone a 'guru'? That part is obviously just a marketing moniker.

After watching dozens of videos while drying to come up to speed on Atmos, this video about Atmos mistakes impressed me:

 

[lovinthehd]

What makes anyone a 'guru'? That part is obviously just a marketing moniker.

After watching dozens of videos while drying to come up to speed on Atmos, this video about Atmos install mistakes impressed me:

But what makes their opinions/input particularly valuable? They're simply annoying to listen to so hard to tell for me.

 

[mono-bloc]

As I said before do your homework on installers, First find out how long they have been in business, Do they have a showroom / demo theatre, Are they fully licenced, Will they provide details of other theatres they have built / designed / installed. Get a couple of quotes, Make sure they provide full details of Amp's, speakers, etc that they have included in there quote. If any of the above don't deliver an answer, go elsewhere. And forget any free advice your getting on U-Tube. Most are simply quoting from a magazine or dreaming.

Just remember it's your money, Spend it once, and spend it right, there's no second chances, once it's gone, kill it goodbuy. And lastly if you do find an installer don't give him all the cash up front, Work out a payment plan, as the work progresses.

 

[RuffTimo]

Absolutely doing all that for my installer, which is a different outfit from the planner (HT Gurus) that's just helping with the plan. Good advice all around, thank you!

 

[Kingnoob]

What makes anyone a 'guru'? That part is obviously just a marketing moniker.

After watching dozens of videos while drying to come up to speed on Atmos, this video about Atmos mistakes impressed me:

Guru lol like a swamy ?
Well hopefully he knows what he’s doing because op has already chosen him to do everything, except for installation lol ..