Challenging home theatre setup, options?

[Outaluck]

2 hours ago, Hi-Fi Whipped said:

photo of the room

Room is open plan kitchen, dining, lounge about 6m square in total.

TV wall is 3m wide and 6m deep to glass corner stacking doors. Just not an option for surrounds at horizon level.

 

Rears could possibly go on wall above door at 2.1m hight rather than ceilings but in ceiling would be a neater install.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Outaluck said:

Thanks for the info and links, so I should look for a 3.1 setup with ceiling speakers from the same manufacturer?

Ideally yes.

 

Have you looked at mounting the rear speakers with a ceiling stand? 

[Outaluck]

Oh, did I mention the hardwood floors

[Outaluck]

1 minute ago, Snoopy8 said:

Have you looked at mounting the rear speakers with a ceiling stand? 

I haven't but they still can't be lower than the top of the door, could also wall mount if that's preferable to ceiling mounted, height difference would be less than 300mm. 

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, Outaluck said:

I haven't but they still can't be lower than the top of the door, could also wall mount if that's preferable to ceiling mounted, height difference would be less than 300mm. 

That opens up the option of adding Atmos!

[RCADees]

4 hours ago, Outaluck said:

Thanks for the info and links, so I should look for a 3.1 setup with ceiling speakers from the same manufacturer?

The idea (and ideal) is to have all speakers the same. Proper same size, same brand, same series if possible because they will sound the same (same timbre) and they will be able to reproduce all frequencies we need.

 

But this is obviously not very realistic, specially in a living room.

Surround speakers are different in the sense that they are there to reproduce higher frequencies so it is easier to get away with smaller sizes. BUT they play a very important role as well, so just because in general they are smaller than your fronts, do not go for cheaper, smaller if you know what I mean.

So for instance my front 3 speakers are PMC. If I was rich I would certainly use PMC for all other speakers too.

But I am not rich so this is simply impossibly expensive.

 

I ended up with my 3 front speakers as PMC.

This is because I use my front L/R PMC speakers to listen to Stereo through a Stereo only amp. 

I use Krix for all other speakers (Krix IW50 for Surrounds L and Right and Krix IC52 for Atmos in ceiling L-R). Krix are very neutral and they match well with the set up I have, but in the future if I continue to add more Atmos speakers or if I was to add rear surrounds etc, will definitely be Krix again to get them all to match and have a uniform result.

 

So as you are starting it is important to keep this in mind.

[Outaluck]

49 minutes ago, RCADees said:

So as you are starting it is important to keep this in mind.

I wasn't aware that it's important to match the surrounds as well, so thanks for the heads up.

 

Those Krix speakers sure look good, a little out of my budget though. Is it important for Atmos ceiling speakers to be angled or straight down is fine?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, RCADees said:

But this is obviously not very realistic, specially in a living room.

I have all Monitor Audio speakers in an open plan family room.

 

1 hour ago, Outaluck said:

I wasn't aware that it's important to match the surrounds as well, so thanks for the heads up.

It is not mandatory but the end result is better audio.  It may not be obvious in movies but I can hear the difference in multi channel music.  Furthermore, people like Hans Zimmer are designing a sound architecture for movies where all speakers are important

 

1 hour ago, Outaluck said:

 Is it important for Atmos ceiling speakers to be angled or straight down is fine?

Straight down is ok. 

 

These are Dolby 5.1.2 guidelines

https://www.dolby.com/about/support/guide/speaker-setup-guides/5.1.2-overhead-speaker-setup-guide/

 

You should try to follow them, but your rears will be high up and should be pointed downwards and towards there sofa.  

[RCADees]

1 hour ago, Outaluck said:

I wasn't aware that it's important to match the surrounds as well, so thanks for the heads up.

 

Those Krix speakers sure look good, a little out of my budget though. Is it important for Atmos ceiling speakers to be angled or straight down is fine?

 Angled. Watch this video Ep. 47 Dolby Atmos Setup Major Mistakes

[RCADees]

15 minutes ago, Snoopy8 said:

I have all Monitor Audio speakers in an open plan family room.

I guess what I was trying to say is that it is not impossible, but not always easy in our real life environments and well... budgets, wife, decor etc... etc.

 

 

[Outaluck]

30 minutes ago, Snoopy8 said:

You should try to follow them, but your rears will be high up and should be pointed downwards and towards there sofa.  

Yeah, this is where the guidelines don't fit my application. I'm not so much concerned with the quality of speakers as I am with location. 

 

If I start with a 5.1 setup then I need to work out the best location for the ceiling rears as I don't want to be patching gyprock if they need moving. 

 

So, do I go for 5.1 and decide not to try and achieve Atmos or do I plan for 5.1.2 but just start with 5.1. 

 

If you guy thinks Atmos will work (not ideal but worthwhile) then I would want tobmake sure I position my rears with Atmos in mind.

 

So where do I position my rears? 

As closest to the rear wall as possible, 60° behind?

Directly above the seating position 90°?

35° behind and Atmos speakers 35° in front of seating? A lot to think about.

 

[RCADees]

I suggest you watch some of those videos and in that way you will be able to understand the ideal Vs the limitations. And get the opinion of a specialised Hi-Fi Shop. Even at distance you may be able to get professional assistance with dimension/plans etc.

Then you should be able to prioritize what may work best for you.

[Guest]

40 minutes ago, Outaluck said:

So, do I go for 5.1 and decide not to try and achieve Atmos or do I plan for 5.1.2 but just start with 5.1. 

 

If you guy thinks Atmos will work (not ideal but worthwhile) then I would want tobmake sure I position my rears with Atmos in mind.

It is NOT what the rest of us think, but what YOU want!   Atmos can be made to work for you if you place the rears above the doors.  You can even go 4 Atmos speakers because your room is deep enough.  However, 5.1 with the rears in the ceiling will also work. 

 

p/s I chose to do an Atmos setup in my shared family room, with one side opening to kitchen and glass doors behind. 

Edited March 12, 2024 by Snoopy8
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