Dolby Atmos: Determined At All Costs (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

Sam,

I'm looking on adding Dolby Atmos to my nine year old Paradigm Studio setup. Right now, I have a 7.2 speaker setup and I want to add four Dolby Atmos speakers. Two on top of the front main speakers and then adding two upfiring speakers in the back.

I've looked at the those exact Klipsh's speakers, but I heard some good things about these ELAC speakers. They're cheaper, but I'm still evaluating as I wait for the higher price 2017 receivers to come out later this year.

Those speakers looking intriguing, Robert. As you know, I just upgraded to a Denon X3300 Atmos and DTS:X capable receiver. I will not install any ceiling speakers in our family room, but a pair of these may be fun to play with. I'll have to lose the two back surround speakers, as the X3300 will only support either a 7.2 or 5.2.2 speaker configuration. However, that's not a big deal, as the back surrounds have been overkill for our family room anyway. My front speakers are B&W 604 towers, so something like this should sit on top fine.

The Klipsch upfiring that Sam mentioned are not as intriguing to me. I have B&W 600 Series speakers, and I wouldn't want to mix in horns with them. Besides, I didn't care for the Klipsch sound while I was auditioning speakers and originally bought the B&W's.

I've spent more recently than I had originally planned -- I was initially just replacing our defective Samsung DLP display with a 4K display, but then ended up buying a 4K player when the Sony X800 came out at an attractive price. That led to a receiver upgrade due to some HDMI handshake issues with my 8 year old Pioneer Elite receiver. So, I'll probably wait a few months on this... maybe I'll make this a summer birthday gift from my wife. I will be interested to read your experience with these if you end up buying them, Robert.

 

[JohnS]

I'm spending this week away from work on a staycation getting my home theater Dolby Atmos upgrade.
I just bought a new tv LG OLED 55" B6 series.
LG UP970 4K bluray player
Denon AVR S920W receiver
Now I think I can get the speakers upgrades that I want to do on Saturday.
I'm purchasing SVS sub and their elevation speakers (4x)
I live in an apartment, downstairs.
Surrounds will be wall mounted.
But the question I have is...
With the SVS Elevations should the side surrounds be downward fired and the surround backs be upward fired?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rachael B]

I'm spending this week away from work on a staycation getting my home theater Dolby Atmos upgrade.
I just bought a new tv LG OLED 55" B6 series.
LG UP970 4K bluray player
Denon AVR S920W receiver
Now I think I can get the speakers upgrades that I want to do on Saturday.
I'm purchasing SVS sub and their elevation speakers (4x)
I live in an apartment, downstairs.
Surrounds will be wall mounted.
But the question I have is...
With the SVS Elevations should the side surrounds be downward fired and the surround backs be upward fired?
Any help would be appreciated.

I'd ask SVS for advice. All my experience is with in-ceiling speakers.

 

[JohnS]

I called SVS and they recommended that the speakers fire down.
Just need to get the height speakers as close to the ceiling as possible.
I ordered four elevation surrounds and a new sub.
Everything comes wed it looks like.

 

[Rachael B]

Post some pictures when it's set up.

 

[JohnS]

I've never upgraded this much at once before.
All this week I've bought
SVS PB-1000 sub
(4) Elevation surrounds
LG OLED B6 55"
Denon AVR-S920W
LG UP970 4K player
PS4 pro (also include PS VUE)
Alexa Dot
Am I missing anything?
(well all new wires and wire connectors)

I'll be sure to include pictures once everything is setup. My first 4k Atmos stuff I'll be testing out will be John Wick (new to me)
Deadpool

 

[Dave Moritz]

One way or another I will get a better job and I will get Dolby Atmos and DTS-X in my home theater!

Yes John by all means post pictures as we would love to see your new setup.

 

[JohnS]

I have received everything new that I bought except for my Denon receiver. (which comes thursday afternoon)
In the meantime I have been calibrating my tv and installing the speakers.
I absolutely love my LG OLED 4K
I have tested dolby vision, 4K HDR, PS4 HDR gaming. Everything just looks so beautiful.
So looking forward in having dolby atmos setup later today.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Anyone with experience adding on upfiring speakers to existing kit? I'm happy with my AJs upstairs but I want to add on to my 15 year old Paradigm setup in living room. It looks like the best option might be these Klipsh's:
https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-RP-1...rd_wg=VWtws&psc=1&refRID=YXYF2HBY6FGWGGCXNB3M

I'm concerned mixing horns in with my old direct radiators might be a little jarring. Thoughts?

Oh well, I did buy those Klipsch's speakers and will get all four of them today. My SVS PC 13-Ultra arrives on Wednesday. The only thing left to get before I'm Dolby Atmos capable is a new receiver. I'm working on that, but that little voice keeps telling me to wait on the 2017 models. Once that happens, my main Home Theater refitting will be complete.

 

[Rachael B]

What new thingie do you expect 2017 models to possess?

 

[Robert Crawford]

What new thingie do you expect 2017 models to possess?

Actually, I'm waiting on the new top of line models for Denon, Marantz and Onkyo. I'm going to run a 7.1.4 setup and I don't want to bother with outboard amplifier for just two channels which is why I didn't upgrade now with the Yamaha 3060.

Edit: I'm waiting to see if any have the new HDMI 2.1, but, I seriously doubt any of the 2017 models will have that installed due to timing of their releases and the actual specs. being given to the manufacturers in time to install before launching those 2017 models.

 

[Robert Crawford]

By the way, I unpackaged the Klips and they fit perfectly on my Paradigm References. I'm in the process of making up my speaker wires to test them out as surround speakers just to make sure they're working.

 

[Rachael B]

I think that you should embrace outboard amplification to some extent. In my thinking, having 9 or 11 channels of amplification in a box nearly setting a receiver's processing section on fire is not a good idea. Doing all or some of the channels via an outboard amp is a good idea. I think that you should not just look at Onkyo but also eyeball the Integra line. The Integra Research line is quite nice. When I got my Integra R1 pre, they had two receivers with the same processing, I'm really happy with the R1. I mean to keep it for many years.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think that you should embrace outboard amplification to some extent. In my thinking, having 9 or 11 channels of amplification in a box nearly setting a receiver's processing section on fire is not a good idea. Doing all or some of the channels via an outboard amp is a good idea. I think that you should not just look at Onkyo but also eyeball the Integra line. The Integra Research line is quite nice. When I got my Integra R1 pre, they had two receivers with the same processing, I'm really happy with the R1. I mean to keep it for many years.

Yeah, I hear you. I've been thinking about it for a long time and I might end up doing it despite my preference not to, due to added cost. I've been looking at Outlaw's 7140 amp to drive my initial seven speakers and have the receiver just do the four Dolby Atmos speakers. Or have all the surrounds driven by receiver.

Also, I'm looking at more than Onkyo and to be perfectly honest, I prefer trying Yamaha again. That was my equipment preference years ago before I started using Denon for several years. I then switch to Onkyo about 5-6 years ago, but I've grown tired of that brand and some of their quality issues.

 

[Bryan^H]

I'm going to go with a 9.1 up firing Atmos setup. Ceiling speakers is not an option.
Maybe in a month or two. Receiver I am thinking about

I'll have pics when finished.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yeah, I hear you. I've been thinking about it for a long time and I might end up doing it despite my preference not to, due to added cost. I've been looking at Outlaw's 7140 amp to drive my initial seven speakers and have the receiver just do the four Dolby Atmos speakers. Or have all the surrounds driven by receiver.

Also, I'm looking at more than Onkyo and to be perfectly honest, I prefer trying Yamaha again. That was my equipment preference years ago before I started using Denon for several years. I then switch to Onkyo about 5-6 years ago, but I've grown tired of that brand and some of their quality issues.

I completed my HT equipment orders so next week at this time, I should be Dolby Atmos compliant.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think that you should embrace outboard amplification to some extent. In my thinking, having 9 or 11 channels of amplification in a box nearly setting a receiver's processing section on fire is not a good idea. Doing all or some of the channels via an outboard amp is a good idea. I think that you should not just look at Onkyo but also eyeball the Integra line. The Integra Research line is quite nice. When I got my Integra R1 pre, they had two receivers with the same processing, I'm really happy with the R1. I mean to keep it for many years.

Thank you for giving me that little push to do this Dolby Atmos upgrade the right way.

 

[DavidMiller]

I love my Marantz setup. I did have to buy a 2 channel amp to get 7.1.4. You could also look at Anthem MRX 1120 it has all the amps you need for 7.1.4. I have heard great things from the people I know that run them.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I love my Marantz setup. I did have to buy a 2 channel amp to get 7.1.4. You could also look at Anthem MRX 1120 it has all the amps you need for 7.1.4. I have heard great things from the people I know that run them.

I already bought the Outlaw 7140 and Yamaha A3060 receiver. I know Anthem's are good units, but too expensive for my taste.

 

[Rachael B]

I already bought the Outlaw 7140 and Yamaha A3060 receiver. I know Anthem's are good units, but too expensive for my taste.

That sounds like a good combination! The receiver should run as cool as a cucumber with the Outlaw's assistance.