Need some thoughts on atmos 5.2.4 set up

[NateDawg]

So, I'm wracking my brain here...I have a semi-dedicated room measuring 21' X 12' X 7.5' that is sealed. MLP is 14' from TV. I am setting up a 5.2.4 system and so far have my LCR set up.....sooooo, I know that the Dolby ATMOS set up instructions are guidelines...however the way I am looking to get the 4 on-ceiling AND going by the guidelines, the top rear atmos speakers will be past the surrounds. Is there any reason why I couldn't just use the surrounds as "rear surrounds" in the bed layer? I probably already answered the question in my head however I guess I'm just looking for anybody that may have done this? Weirdly the October 2017 dolby guidelines had the top rear atmos past the surrounds in a 5.1 bed layer....and now the December 2018 revision has the top rear ahead of the surrounds....I guess this is where I may be just getting to the head scratching point. If I use the dolby specs, my surrounds will be roughly 2-4 feet behind the MLP, however that puts the top rear past them.....uugghh.

Just picking brains at the moment really...I know I can experiment but just looking to see why I couldn't place the surrounds behind me and toed in to the MLP? say in the corners of the back part of my room...that will give me equal distance between my top front and top rear atmos speakers....where my MLP is.


... --- ...
Thanks for allowing me to bore your day a bit more....HA!!
Nate

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

So, I'm wracking my brain here...I have a semi-dedicated room measuring 21' X 12' X 7.5' that is sealed. MLP is 14' from TV. I am setting up a 5.2.4 system and so far have my LCR set up.....sooooo, I know that the Dolby ATMOS set up instructions are guidelines...however the way I am looking to get the 4 on-ceiling AND going by the guidelines, the top rear atmos speakers will be past the surrounds. Is there any reason why I couldn't just use the surrounds as "rear surrounds" in the bed layer? I probably already answered the question in my head however I guess I'm just looking for anybody that may have done this? Weirdly the October 2017 dolby guidelines had the top rear atmos past the surrounds in a 5.1 bed layer....and now the December 2018 revision has the top rear ahead of the surrounds....I guess this is where I may be just getting to the head scratching point. If I use the dolby specs, my surrounds will be roughly 2-4 feet behind the MLP, however that puts the top rear past them.....uugghh.

Just picking brains at the moment really...I know I can experiment but just looking to see why I couldn't place the surrounds behind me and toed in to the MLP? say in the corners of the back part of my room...that will give me equal distance between my top front and top rear atmos speakers....where my MLP is.


... --- ...
Thanks for allowing me to bore your day a bit more....HA!!
Nate

Hey Nate,
I think most of the time if you can split the difference, you’ll be good. How did you come to 2-4’ behind you for the surrounds? IMO that’s a little far. I wouldn’t worry too much about if the rear tops are past the surrounds. We can’t hear that good behind us, so little variances like that won’t matter much. Also, if I follow you correctly, trims and delays should keep everything set up nicely.
What does concern me is the low ceiling height together with ON ceiling. You’re gonna likely have a problem with hot spotting and dispersion angles. I think IC would be better here.

Not sure what you mean by “use the surrounds as rear surrounds....

 

[NateDawg]

Good Morning William,

Thanks first off for replying, I have been literally 20 years removed from the home theater world, since I have been content with my ol' 5.1 system. My Kenwood VR2090 just took its final dump here recently so I have over the course of a couple years, been reading up on the new formats.
I have an onkyo tx-nr797 as the brains of the operation.

So the "rear surrounds" is based on the 7.1 layout but really just using that term to see if anybody had put their surrounds (in a 5.1 bed layer) as "rear surrounds" I know, confusing the way I typed it, sorry.

The 2-4 feet was just a estimate...really, when measuring from my ear to the wall on the side of me and I believe multiplying that by .35 or something...can't remember the actual number...I got 2.1 feet and that's for 110 degrees and this is what started me OVER thinking about the whole surround speaker placement vs. ATMOS speaker placement.

The ceiling height isn't ideal, it's just what I ended up with when finishing off the basement almost 15 years ago. I don't feel like, to be perfectly honest here =-) cutting holes and running wire etc to do in ceiling speakers. For now I have a couple CG3's that I will mount on brackets horizontally for the top front and I have a couple old (don't laugh =-) aiwa surround speakers that will be temporary until I get the Boston Acoustic sound ware 4.5's to put in all 4 ceiling positions.

This is new territory for me with all the auto correction/whatever software...I just had a "sub-remix" option on my kenwood which set the crossover to 100hz and it set the speakers to small and I could put in the distance as well. That was the extent of "room correction" software. However, thankfully, the 5% part of the internet that is good, are the forums like this and youtube and others who have "dumbed it down" for people like me HAHA!!

So William , thank you again for responding.
Nate

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Hey man, no worries. I’ve had some Frankenstein setups too. It’s all good, that’s the journey !
I will try and respond after awhile. Have some stuff...