A little over a year ago, I began experimenting with ways to expand my Dolby Atmos surround sound system to beyond the 7.1.4 limitation of current consumer hardware. My continued quest to achieve the best Atmos experience at home has recently driven me to make additional upgrades. These days, my home theater is so crazily complicated that I actually need to run three A/V receivers simultaneously to manage all my speakers.
In most home theaters, 7.1.4 channels of sound should be plenty enough. Even though the Atmos format (as well as its competitor, DTS:X) can support additional speakers, there hasn’t been much demand for that from consumers or much push from manufacturers to do it. Currently, only boutique high-end products such as the $37,000 Trinnov Altitude 32 will decode more than 11 channels at once.
Nonetheless, for some of us, a limit of four height channels isn’t enough to fill the top of the room with sound. My own home theater is a long room with a lot of space behind my seats. That, combined with a low ceiling, makes it difficult for just four speakers (two in the front of the room and two in the back) to image a sound above my head convincingly. This issue is compounded by the fact that the locations where I had installed speakers when I built the home theater (before immersive audio was a concern I gave any thought to) were less than ideal for Atmos. Those speakers are now fixed in place with wiring through the walls and ceiling, and I can’t move them without remodeling the room. That simply isn’t an option.
The better solution is to install additional speakers in the center between the other height channels (Top Middle position). Unfortunately, the asking price for that Trinnov processor is absurdly beyond my budget. I needed to find a way to jury-rig a similar effect for a fraction of the cost.
(Video) Dolby Atmos Beyond 7.1.4 - Where to next?
The First Attempt
I wrote an article last year explaining how I had cobbled together a convoluted system (jokingly dubbed “Zatmos”) utilizing a second A/V receiver to derive extra channels on my ceiling. I advise reading that piece to understand the basic concept of how such a thing is possible.
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Even at the time, I was not the only person experimenting with this, and I knew that my Zatmos system was not as ideal as I would have liked it. Over at AVSForum, a member named Scott Simonian had gone even further to use a total of three A/V receivers in unison to create a 7.1.6 configuration (affectionately known as “Scatmos”) more accurate to the intentions of the original Dolby Atmos sound mixers.
For a while, I decided not to go that far. The complexity of installing, connecting and configuring three A/V receivers seemed like overkill to me. I felt that the results I had with Zatmos were good enough to get me most of the way there, and I had a certain amount of egotistical pride that I’d figured out a way to do it with just one extra receiver rather than two.
However, in recent months, my attitude changed and I grew less satisfied with the Zatmos configuration. Eventually, I knew that if I was going to do this, I needed to do it right.
(Video) LG's Brand New 770 Watt 7.1.4 Sound Bar With Dolby Atmos & DTS X - LG SoundBar SN11RG REVIEW
Going Full Scatmos
The silly Zatmos and Scatmos nicknames can be more formally grouped under the heading of “Dolby Atmos Extended.” I want to be clear here that I did not develop the Scatmos process. Credit for that goes to Scott Simonian and others at AVSForum who helped him work it out. With his permission, I’m just trying to explain it here.
For as perhaps ridiculously complicated as they may be to install, one of the saving graces of these experiments is that they can be assembled relatively inexpensively. Although your primary A/V receiver must be a Dolby Atmos (or DTS:X) model capable of decoding 7.1.4 channels of sound from a Blu-ray or UHD immersive audio soundtrack, the secondary receivers don’t need to be nearly as fancy. Any receiver that has, at a minimum, Dolby ProLogic II processing will do. (If using multiple secondary receivers, I recommend that they be identical to each other.)
With a little patience while monitoring For Sale ads on my local Craigslist, I managed to pick up a pair of used Marantz SR4400s for well below $100 each. This is a no-frills, entry-level (or close to it) Dolby Digital/DTS model from 2003. It’s so basic that it doesn’t even have an on-screen menu system. I have to set it up using only the front panel display. The receiver doesn’t have HDMI and cannot handle lossless Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio signals, but it doesn’t need to. All it needs is a pair of analog stereo inputs (which any receiver will have) and ProLogic II.
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The simple act of finding a place to put another A/V receiver in my system proved to be far more of an ordeal than I wanted. Because I didn’t have enough space for it on my main equipment shelf, I had to remove all my components, take the shelf apart, rearrange the levels, put most of the equipment back, and hook it up again. Then I had to do the same thing with the second shelf in order to add a level. My Blu-ray and HD DVD players, which had previously been on the main shelf, moved over to the second so that I could keep all the audio equipment together where the speaker wire will reach it. This, in itself, was a tremendous pain to do.
(Video) 4K Home Theater Tour! 7.1.4 ATMOS PLEX UNRAID!
With that finished, here’s the basic idea behind Scatmos: You want to mount six ceiling speakers – in the Top Front, Top Middle and Top Rear positions. (The following sketch does not represent my personal speaker layout, but I’ve drawn it this way to show how it should be done.) Your primary A/V receiver will be set to decode its maximum of 7.1.4 channels, configured as Top Front and Top Rear.
All four of the height channels should be routed to the analog pre-out connections on the primary AVR. You should not attach any speaker wire to those channels on the primary AVR. For all of the height channels, speaker wire will be attached only to the secondary AVRs.
The pre-outs for the Top Front Left and Top Rear Left channels will go into the Right and Left stereo inputs on AVR 2.
(Video) Trinnov Altitude Processors: Breaking the 7.1.4 Surround Barrier
The pre-outs for the Top Front Right and Top Rear Right channels will go into the Left and Right (reversed from AVR 2) stereo inputs on AVR 3.
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If that sounds confusing already, trying to keep it straight while actually connecting the cables and wires can be truly daunting. I strongly recommend drawing a chart that shows what should go where.
When working properly, each of the secondary downstream AVRs should take a stereo signal consisting of part Front and part Rear, and matrix a Middle channel between them using any mono information in common to both (much as ProLogic II would extract a center channel for dialogue in the front of your room between your left and right speakers under normal circumstances). Thus you get six channels of height information from an original four.
(Video) My 2021 7.1.4 Home Theater & Audiophile Stereo System!
That’s the theory, simplified to its most basic elements. Actually getting it to work properly after your connections are made has some added levels of difficulty that I’ll cover soon in Part 2.
Read Part 2
1. Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1.4 on Amazon|Raalmak
2. 747 DEMO DOLBY ATMOS 7.1.4
3. Dolby Atmos Object Demo on 7.1.4 Speakers - 360 Spatial Audio
4. The 5 best Dolby Atmos Movie Scenes to Test your System
5. Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1.4 Channel 600W Dolby Atmos Soundbar with 8 Wireless Subwoofer
6. New Heights in my Atmos Studio (Thanks Billie)
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FAQs
Are Atmos modules worth it? ›
The short answer, yes Atmos add on modules work, and they are a viable and convenient, though compromised alternative, to mounting discrete ceiling speakers.
How many speakers do you need for Atmos mixing? ›4 speaker layout for Atmos music mixing, and some labels will insist on this as a minimum. This numbering convention denotes an array with seven speakers in the base or horizontal plane, at ear height, plus a subwoofer for the LFE channel, and four overhead speakers.
How do I pass Dolby Atmos? ›You're in luck — all you need is a single HDMI cable to connect your TV and soundbar enabled with Dolby Atmos (HDMI 2.0 for ARC should do the trick while HDMI 2.1 is necessary for eARC setups). This is the simplest option and will send audio directly from your TV to your soundbar.
Which is better Dolby 7.1 or Atmos enabled? ›The sound is deeper and more precise with Dolby Atmos than with conventional Surround 7.1 systems due to the addition of overhead sound and superior calibration software. Developed by Dolby Laboratories, Dolby Atmos is a surround sound system.
Is anything better than Dolby Atmos? ›The higher the bit rate, the better. You'd think that Dolby Atmos, being the more widely known brand name, would be the one with the higher bit rate. However, it's DTS:X has the higher bit rate. Dolby Atmos delivers a slower bit rate.
Does Dolby Atmos actually sound better? ›Does Dolby Atmos Really Make a Difference? Dolby Atmos really makes a difference as it brings a higher sound quality and makes it seem like the sound is coming from all directions. It is the benchmark for theaters, so it makes a huge difference to your home setup.
How far apart should Dolby Atmos speakers be? ›While Dolby Atmos can function properly with elevated rear speakers, they can't be more than 1.25 times higher than the front ones. For best results, the speakers should all be the same distance from the listener.
What are the minimum requirements for Dolby Atmos? ›You must have at least two height channels for a Dolby Atmos system. Therefore, the minimum number of channels for Dolby Atmos is 2.0. 2, which is a stereo speaker system with two overhead/height speakers. However, Dolby recommends four height speakers for the best 3D experience.
What is the best setup for Atmos? ›The overhead speakers should be at a height between two and three times the vertical position of the listener-level speakers. The angle of elevation from the listening position (to the front and rear) overhead speakers in a 7.1.4 reference layout should be 45 degrees.
Should I use PCM or passthrough? ›In the discussion PCM vs Passthrough, we can determine that Passthrough technology is better than PCM regarding sound quality and ease of use and is preferred in home theater landscape arrangements. Nevertheless, PCM technology is better at handling multiple audio channels and converting analog sound to digital.
How do I test my Dolby Atmos? ›
The one surefire way to confirm Dolby Atmos is working is to check the information panel on the front of your AV receiver or your soundbar (if it has one, or perhaps an on-screen display). It should display the kind of audio signal it's currently working with.
Can Dolby Atmos go through HDMI ARC? ›ARC and eARC are protocols responsible for sending audio over an HDMI cable to home theater sound systems. Sonos Arc, Arc SL, and Beam (Gen 2) must be connected to HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC to play any Dolby Atmos content.
Do you need 7 speakers for Dolby Atmos? ›While two Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers, modules, or overhead speakers will deliver a compelling experience, we recommend using four if possible. This will deliver more precisely located and realistic overhead sounds.
Is there a Dolby Atmos app? ›Enable Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos by downloading the Dolby Access app and connecting an enabled TV, soundbar, home theater, or monitor to your platform device via HDMI.
Which sound is best Dolby Digital or Dolby Atmos? ›Dolby Digital is the name for what has become a family of audio compression technologies. Dolby Atmos, on the other hand, has a superior listening experience in the way it creates a superior illusion.
Why DTS is better than Dolby Atmos? ›DTS is encoded at a higher bit rate and therefore is considered by some experts to be better quality. Others argue that Dolby Digital's technology is more advanced and produces better sound quality at a lower bit rate.
Which is better Dolby Atmos or DTS sound? ›Both Atmos and DTS:X are object-based surround sound technologies, but Atmos puts more emphasis on height – so much so that Dolby recommends you install ceiling speakers to get the full benefit.
Does Netflix support Dolby Atmos? ›You can watch Netflix in Dolby Atmos audio on select TV shows and movies. You need: A Netflix plan that supports streaming in Ultra HD. A Netflix-capable device that can play Dolby Atmos.
Can you tell a difference with Dolby Atmos? ›How does Atmos compare to surround sound? The biggest difference between Dolby Atmos and traditional surround sound is the use of channels. Audio over conventional surround sound is mostly referred to as 5.1 (five speakers, one subwoofer) or 7.1 (seven speakers, one subwoofer) channels.
Which Dolby Atmos mode is best for music? ›As far as precise location-based game listening goes, the best choice is probably Dolby Atmos with its "performance mode" turned on. That limits the amount of room simulation and EQ applied to the signal, allowing the game's original sound design to come through while still giving a good sense of positional audio.
Should I listen to music with Dolby Atmos? ›
With Dolby Atmos Music, the experience is better. Artists can create soundscapes that are much more seamless and compelling. They can precisely place sound “objects” in your listening space and engage your imagination by moving the objects around. Immersive music is now more affordable, too.
Should subwoofer be in front or back of room? ›If you're in doubt, put the subwoofer in front of the room. Some audiophiles feel, if a subwoofer is a few feet away from the wall you'll have improved sound quality. It reduces the risk for standing waves and nulls helping to ensure great quality bass.
Should I mix with Dolby Atmos? ›Mixing in Dolby Atmos is processor intensive and requires a higher sample rate and large I/O buffer size. As such, recording audio or performing live with software instruments while mixing in Dolby Atmos is not recommended.
What size room is Dolby Atmos 7.1 4? ›A Dolby Atmos installation requires a minimum room volume of 50m³.
What size room is good for 7.1 surround sound? ›How big is your room? If it's larger than around 350 square feet, consider a 7.1 speaker setup. If it's smaller, a 5.1 may be more appropriate.
What is the maximum Dolby Atmos? ›Dolby Atmos technology allows up to 128 audio tracks plus associated spatial audio description metadata (location or pan automation data, data about the sound's movement, type, intensity, speed and volume) to be distributed to theaters for rendering to loudspeakers based on the theater capabilities.
What angle should Atmos speakers be? ›So I'm working on ceiling mounting them, and have been figuring out how best to apply the atmos guidelines to my room dimensions. The guidelines call for a 45 degree angle from listener to speaker (but allow for 30-55), and also indicate they should be in line with the front L/R speakers.
Does Dolby Atmos reduce sound? ›Like, it's a night/day difference in terms of max volume compared to standard. As soon as I enable Atmos, songs get so much quieter. Switch it off, and you can hear “real” full volume again.
Are in ceiling speakers good for Dolby Atmos? ›DOLBY ATMOS CEILING SPEAKERS
When installing two speakers as Dolby Atmos channels the speakers should be almost directly overhead and, in this case, any ceiling speaker with a reasonable sound dispersion can be used.
As a result, with an eARC channel, you can enjoy the depth of movie-theatre-quality surround sound via formats such as DTS:X and DOLBY ATMOS. Due to the limitations of regular ARC, only eARC can currently process these formats.
Which audio output is best? ›
In our experience, a coaxial connection tends to produce better audio quality than optical, allowing for a higher level of detail and greater dynamics.
Why does PCM sound better than Dolby? ›Additionally, Dolby Digital is not compatible with all devices, so it may not be suitable for certain applications. PCM audio is a digital audio format that is uncompressed and lossless. This means that no audio data is lost during the compression process, resulting in a higher quality audio file.
How many channels is Dolby Atmos? ›Dolby Atmos captures the director's intent and brings it intact to any theatre of any size and configuration, from 5.1 and 7.1 up to 64 channels. It ensures that the audience experience is always the best possible for your specific playback environment.
Which Netflix Dolby Atmos? ›The Right Subscription Plan
Netflix hosts a few different subscription plans for its users. You'll need the Premium subscription plan which gives you access to Dolby Atmos and Ultra HD (4K) content.
Dolby Atmos content is not delivered through optical connections or through wireless connections of Bluetooth, AirPlay, or Chromecast. Most video streaming services that offer Dolby Atmos content use the Dolby Digital Plus codec.
How do I know if Arc is playing Atmos? ›Listen to Dolby Atmos on Arc
Arc must be connected to your TV's HDMI-ARC input to play Dolby Atmos content. If Arc is receiving an Atmos signal, we will display that within the Sonos App on both the "Now Playing" screen, and within the settings portion of our app.
So which one is better? HDMI ARC or digital optical audio? HDMI ARC is a better option. It supports Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, and up to 7.1 channels of uncompressed audio while Digital Optical only supports Dolby Digital and up to 5.1 channels of uncompressed audio.
Can you hear the difference between ARC and eARC? ›Is eARC backwards compatible with ARC? If your TV is HDMI eARC enabled, but your AV amp or soundbar is only compatible with HDMI ARC, you'll likely get a sound – but the bandwidth restrictions of ARC will mean you won't be able to experience the high bitrate audio that eARC can provide.
What is the best height for Atmos speakers? ›Atmos upfiring speakers work best at ceiling heights between 7.5 and 12 feet.
Which is better Dolby 7.2 or Atmos? ›Overall, you need a lot of space both in your entertainment room and your budget to maximize the benefits of using the Atmos. The 7.2 channel system will have more compatible equipment for less money, but it won't have the same cinematic sound quality.
How to get free Dolby Atmos? ›
Try out Dolby Atmos for free by downloading the Dolby Access app from the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or Windows 10 Store.
How can I listen to Dolby Atmos at home? ›Go to Settings > Music > Dolby Atmos. Choose Automatic or Always On. Automatic: Plays Dolby Atmos whenever iPhone is connected to compatible headphones such as AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, or to speakers or receivers compatible with Dolby Atmos.
Which is better Dolby 7.1 or 4K Atmos? ›The sound is deeper and more precise with Dolby Atmos than with conventional Surround 7.1 systems due to the addition of overhead sound and superior calibration software.
What is the difference between Dolby 7.1 and Dolby Atmos? ›Dolby Atmos takes Dolby's traditional 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound setups a step further by adding a third, overhead dimension. You're no longer constrained to a stereo system or standard six- or seven-channel arrangement.
Can you hear the difference between Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos? ›Is Dolby Digital 5.1 the same as Atmos? No, Dolby Digital 5.1 is not the same as Atmos. Dolby Atmos is an upgraded version of Dolby Digital 5.1, which means Atmos is way better than the 5.1 version. They can offer different sound qualities and surround sound.
Is Dolby Atmos license worth it? ›Does Dolby Atmos make a difference on headphones? Yes, Dolby Atmos for Headphones makes a difference, even with only two speakers at its disposal. You get a more expansive soundstage that makes your audio sound dynamic and alive.
Is Atmos worth it for gaming? ›Dolby Atmos allows sound to be projected precisely into a three-dimensional space, which means, in theory, you get a better experience when it comes to positional audio. This is great for games where audio makes all the difference, like first-person shooters for example.
Is Arc Atmos worth it? ›TechRadar Verdict
The Sonos Arc is an impressive and premium Dolby Atmos experience even without a subwoofer or extra speakers. New soundbars offer even better positional sound effects, but when it comes to dynamic audio that's perfectly clear from a single-box package, it's as good as you can get for the price.
Yes, Atmos Soundbars are worth the higher price because they give you a more immersive and three-dimensional sound compared to regular soundbars. Thanks to the innovations of object-based sound and vertical audio, you don't just hear sounds from around you but also from above, making the experience more life-like.
Is Dolby Atmos a 1 time purchase? ›You can also activate Dolby Atmos for Headphones with a one-time purchase in the Dolby Access app, or purchase select partner headsets that include Dolby Atmos for Headphones activation.
What are the limitations of Dolby Atmos? ›
| Dolby Atmos Pros | Dolby Atmos Cons |
|---|---|
| Expands surround sound to include overhead effects. | Overhead sound cues need to be encoded in the content. |
| More precise placement of sound objects around the room. | Not all content benefits from overhead sound effects. |
Advantages of Dolby Atmos for Headphones
This is mainly attributed to the increased height to spatial sounds which provides a more realistic sound experience. Can also work for Home Theaters: This software isn't only exclusive for headphones. It works on any other sound system like your home theater setup.
Dolby Atmos averages around 6,000 kbps when a 48kHz sampling rate is used. But Atmos can be encoded losslessly at up to 24-bit/192kHz, which results in bit rates that can soar as high as 18,000 kbps.
Which is better Dolby Atmos beam or Arc? ›The significant difference between them is that the Arc has physical upfiring units to create the sensation of Dolby Atmos sound, where the Beam Gen 2 achieves this through virtual processing. Both speakers sound very good and consistent with movie/music.
Do I need Arc or eARC for Dolby Atmos? ›Is eARC Required for Dolby Atmos? No, eARC is not required for Dolby Atmos to work. Dolby Atmos can work with regular HDMI ARC through the Dolby Digital Plus audio codec.
Is eARC better than Arc? ›The main differences between ARC and eARC lie in bandwidth and speed. The enhanced version of the Audio Return Channel has a much higher bandwidth than its predecessor. Bandwidth represents the range of frequencies or amount of data that is being transferred at a time.
Why does Dolby Atmos sound so good? ›The defining feature of Dolby Atmos is its configuration of audio objects. Sounds are no longer limited to their respective channels. Since Atmos' introduction, audio is interpreted and recreated as objects. Think of each sound as a floating orb in space: it's not limited to vertical or horizontal movement.
How loud should Atmos be? ›In a properly calibrated room at 5.1/7.1, the surrounds are down 3dB, so they should be 82dB, not 85dB. When you're calibrating an Atmos room, everything is at 85dB, so you're already hearing the surround speakers 3dB louder than they should be (when listening to 5.1/7.1 content).
Should Atmos soundbar be above or below TV? ›Make sure to place your soundbar below and in front of the T.V. If your configuration uses upward firing hardware elements, clear the sound's path from the drivers to the ceiling. Large ornaments like chandeliers or fans can interfere with the projection of sound.