I'd also suggest downloading Atmos demos. Their are quite a few available now and really show the potential of what the setup can do.
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I'd also suggest downloading Atmos demos. Their are quite a few available now and really show the potential of what the setup can do.
Appreciate some links to downloadable Atmos demos, I searched for a while and came up empty handed.
So far I've probably had more height speaker use using Dolby upmix on GOT Blu-Ray, and some fun "over the head" effects streaming 2 channel upmixing with DTS Neural:X. The effects of the 2 channel DTS upmixes are very much song dependent, and the results also vary from awesome, to not so much.
Jay
I just downloaded some from here: https://thedigitaltheater.com/dolby-trailers/
I think I got some from here as well. : https://www.demolandia.net/cinema/do...hd/page-9.html
I recommend 'Leaf' and 'Audiosphere'
I purchased the Dolby demo disk off ebay some years ago.
So I downloaded and played some of the Atmos demos (Big thanks Nate!) Pretty cool what the technology is CAPABLE of, but seriously begs the question "why hasn't the tech been used to anywhere near it's potential"?
Does a proper object based implementation cause problems for non-Atmos systems? I'm perplexed about why I've spent a good amount of money on technology that's hardly being utilized, especially when I have heard what it's able to do.
Jay
I don't think it would cause problems for a non-ATMOS system.. as I understand, the ATMOS (height/ceiling) is a data layer on top of the base 7.1 soundtrack that is decoded by a properly equipped AVR...otherwise, it's ignored.
I'm no expert, but I can take a guess: soundbars. Probably the vast majority of HT rooms out there have no on/in ceiling Atmos speakers. So the mix on the disk is for the lowest common denominator: crappy tiny soundbars.
Same reason Disney went through a prolonged period when their mixes were neutered on the bottom end -- their research probably showed a lack of subs in many (most?) HT rooms. Because: soundbars.
Personally, I'd like to see a "soundbar mix" and a "full HT mix" on disks, even a mono/stereo mix for handheld devices (I've read that half of streamed movie viewing is on phones or pads which have zero hope for surround sound, Atmos, bass, or really anything beyond the center channel). They can even default to the soundbar mix; I don't really care. But the "full HT mix" should be 7.2.4, and flat from 15Hz - 20KHz. I mean really -- if they are willing to do a stereo mix, why not do a full throated 7.2.4 mix? Let the people who have the equipment hear the sound that the director intended.
You're welcome. I enjoyed different demos and found them use when positioning my front ceiling speakers. I agree that the height dimension is under-utilized. On the other hand, even when listening to 5 channel, I think enabling Dolby Surround in addition to the surround encoding, enhances the overall effect. I feel like the 4 height speakers tie the base 5 speakers together to make for a more cohesive experience.
I'm not as disappointed with Atmos movies if I expect it to be subtle and don't try to 'listen' for specific sounds to come from the height speakers.
New Anthem AVM 60 2,200
Anthem MCA 325 1,475
Anthem MCA 20 500
Ascend Acoustics S-2EX 1,500
SVS Elevation speakers, 2pair 1,000
cables, banana plugs, speaker wires 200+
So a total expenditure of about 7 grand, sorry if I'm not terribly excited about subtle, but what is the point if it sounds indistinguishable from the previous 5.1 arrangement?
To be fair, 4K passthrough is great, as is audio return channel for streaming video. Truly I'm impressed and pleased with every aspect of the upgrade, but I wish the software was keeping pace. A good analogy might be owning a supercar, but only being able to drive in town with a 35 MPH speed limit.
Jay
I spent $60. I wanted to upgrade to a Denon X4500H anyways and I had a couple unused HTM-200s. I added a pair of small polks that I could mount with two screws in our apartment ceiling. So maybe different expectations?