Using front presence speakers with rear surround speakers? (2 Viewers)

[Bolo114]

Home theater receiver is a Yamaha RX-A760.



I have some up-firing front presence speakers in a 5.1.2 +1Zone (front presence) configuration. I also have 2 rear surround speakers, along with 2 front, 1 center, 1 subwoofer, and 2 surround (side) speakers. Reading the manual, it states that front presence and rear surround speakers cannot be used at the same time, but rather the receiver will utilize the front presence speakers for Atmos (etc.) content, and turn off the rear surround, or utilize the rear surrounds and turn off the front presence speakers for traditional 5.1 surround.

Is this correct for my receiver? If it is correct, how should I set up the speaker configuration? Keep in mind the manual is for both the RX-A760 and the A860, and sometimes it is unclear which unit the manual is talking about.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

It appears that the surround mode (Dolby, DTX etc.) or DSP setting (Movie Adventure, Jazz Club etc.) selected will determine which speakers will be used.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[John Dirk]

Home theater receiver is a Yamaha RX-A760.



I have some up-firing front presence speakers in a 5.1.2 +1Zone (front presence) configuration. I also have 2 rear surround speakers, along with 2 front, 1 center, 1 subwoofer, and 2 surround (side) speakers. Reading the manual, it states that front presence and rear surround speakers cannot be used at the same time, but rather the receiver will utilize the front presence speakers for Atmos (etc.) content, and turn off the rear surround, or utilize the rear surrounds and turn off the front presence speakers for traditional 5.1 surround.

Is this correct for my receiver? If it is correct, how should I set up the speaker configuration? Keep in mind the manual is for both the RX-A760 and the A860, and sometimes it is unclear which unit the manual is talking about.

Welcome to HTF!

I may be misinterpreting your post since, as written, it is a bit confusing to me. Specifically, I don't know what is meant by this [5.1.2 +1Zone] but what you have would appear to be a typical 7.1 system which consists of the following channels.

• Front R +L = 2
• Center = 1
• Surround L + R = 2
• Rear Surround L + R = 2
• Subwoofer x1 = 1

======================
Total 7.1

"Up-firing" speakers are, by definition, intended for Atmos and cannot be effectively used as what Yamaha calls "presence" speakers. Are these speakers separate and in addition to the others you listed or are they built into the fronts as some up-firing Atmos speakers are designed? In either case, what the manual is saying is the receiver only possesses enough internal amplifiers to power one of the supported configurations [Atmos x 2 or "presence" x2] but not both at the same time.

 

[Bolo114]

It appears that the surround mode (Dolby, DTX etc.) or DSP setting (Movie Adventure, Jazz Club etc.) selected will determine which speakers will be used.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Thanks. The issue here is that it the HTR is not switching automatically, between front presence and rear surrounds. I am asking how to set up my HTR so it does automatically switch.

 

[Bolo114]

Welcome to HTF!

I may be misinterpreting your post since, as written, it is a bit confusing to me. Specifically, I don't know what is meant by this [5.1.2 +1Zone] but what you have would appear to be a typical 7.1 system which consists of the following channels.

• Front R +L = 2
• Center = 1
• Surround L + R = 2
• Rear Surround L + R = 2
• Subwoofer x1 = 1

======================
Total 7.1

"Up-firing" speakers are, by definition, intended for Atmos and cannot be effectively used as what Yamaha calls "presence" speakers. Are these speakers separate and in addition to the others you listed or are they built into the fronts as some up-firing Atmos speakers are designed? In either case, what the manual is saying is the receiver only possesses enough internal amplifiers to power one of the supported configurations [Atmos x 2 or "presence" x2] but not both at the same time.

Thanks. 5.1.2 +1Zone is literally how it is specified in the HTR setup menu (the second zone is made up the the FP speakers). This is what the manual says I need to run these FP speakers, and it works. There is a 7.1 option but it does not show the front presence speakers in the menu. The Yamaha HTR calls the upfiring speakers "presence" in the menu as well. The upfiring speakers are not attached to the mains, which are KEF K750.

I am aware that the front presence and rear surround speakers cannot be use in tandem. My expectation is when I play Atmos material, the from presence speakers will activate and the rear surround will deactivate and vice versa for non Atmos. My issue is this the rear surround speakers do not engage for non Atmos 5.1 audio. I am asking 1) if the RX-A760 can do this switch and 2) if it can what setting do I change in the HTR settings?

 

[John Dirk]

My issue is this the rear surround speakers do not engage for non Atmos 5.1 audio. I am asking 1) if the RX-A760 can do this switch and 2) if it can what setting do I change in the HTR settings?

Correct. The rear surround speakers are not part of a standard 5.1 setup. They should automatically engage [only] when a proper 7.1 audio track is detected or you should be able to engage them manually with 5.1 material through one of the receivers matrix modes, which Yamaha refers to as "Cinema DSP." Here's a link to the RX-A781 manual but yours should be similar. See page 65 for Cinema DSP modes.

Placing Speakers In Room; Basic Speaker Configuration - Yamaha RX-V781 Owner's Manual [Page 20]

Yamaha RX-V781 Manual Online: placing speakers in room, Basic Speaker Configuration. If You Do Not Apply Bi-Amp Connections Or Multi-Zone Configurations, Follow The Procedure Below To Place The Speakers In Your Room And Connect Them To The Unit. Placing Speakers In Your Room Depending...

www.manualslib.com

 

[Wardog555]

It is indeed correct that you cannot run both the rear speakers and height/presence speakers for Dolby atmos together.

You can only have 7.1 or 5.1.2

If you wanted 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 you need a 9 channel receiver minimum.

Now in order to switch between the two I believe the only way is by manually changing the settings in the receiver to remove the overheads and enable rear surrounds and vice versa to enable Dolby atmos.

And yes 5.1 content does not use rear speakers. It only applies with 7.1 and often it's with lossless audio on disk.

In the setup menu when you have 5.1.2 +1 zone. Set it up for 7.1 instead.