Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Dolby Atmos: Will it get traction??

@B , I read through most of that but it is filled with hyperbole, conjecture,theory and speculation for the most part.It would be nice if the manufacturers would just write a guide with all facts. There are some in the know at AVS but they seem to be tight lipped ATM.

Richard

It will be interesting to see how each manufacturer puts their own spin on it. It could either put them closer to being at the same level or separate the better room correction systems real quick.

My ideal(freedom to place as many speakers where and when I want) may never happen. 11.1(4).4 should be plenty in this room but we're already discussing the next build (14.1(6).8). It won't happen for a year or two so I'll sit back and enjoy the show.

From what I have seen in the specs along with sample system picture layouts, the set-up is one in which overhead effects are more dominant resulting in speakers on or in the ceilings. To me, not particularly practical unless you have a dedicated room where you can have "in-ceiling" speakers where the wires can be hidden.

It is interesting to note, this isn't a particularly new idea since there was a company that I am not sure is still around(SRS Labs)that prior to Dolby PLIIX and DTS 6.1 audio becoming standard on AVRs/Pre-Pros, they designed a decoder box that extracted a matrixed sound out of the surround speakers to create that rear surround effect in one or two additional speakers along the lines of today's 7.1 audio. You could also use the same decoder for the front that extracted a matrixed sound out of the front speakers and when installing overhead speakers it created a similar effect to what the Dolby Atmos system seems to be doing. The decoder has been sitting in my basement unused for over 10 years since, when all connected, (and you need an additional separate stereo amp), I found it just too noisy.

I am sure the current technology has improved considerably on this original design.

I think its a great play by Dolby. Hook one large OEM manufacturer and it becomes a me too technology. Dolby has to stay relevant and ahead of its competitors. I see plenty of bitchin about Bose being nothing more than a great marketing company, well that can be said about Dolby as well. When ATMOS first came out for theaters it made a lot of sense to me but when the home version was announced I am having reservations.

There is only so much you can do with a small space that most of us have to work with in our homes. Not everything scales down well in audio. Music needs room to breathe and commercial theaters have that room. Larger spaces need more speakers but does a smaller room really need more than we already have. Even at work our crappy stereo has a fullness you just cant get in a small room. I agree with the people who believe this will be for the 1% that have large home theater spaces.

If they would release the specs of the requirements of the overhead speakers that would help a lot of people decide if it is viable. The speakers that pioneer is using for reflection are quite small , so if that carries over for in ceiling speakers it may be doable.

I agree, who has the space or the ability to actually implement such a system in its entirety? Even with 9.2 or 11.2 possibilities with some current higher end AVR/Pre-Pros, the units often require additional amplification and if the channels are not used there is the option of re-directing the audio to another zone.

It would seem even with the hype and possible purchase of these latest units, manufacturers know that consumers in many cases will leave the extra channels unused or use them for another purpose.

Just because it is there, doesn't mean it is going to be that much better. Take for instance the trend of a curved screen. I don't want one, but all the newest high end screens have them.

The addition of new ceiling speakers is reaching far into that point of diminishing return where there are far better items to spend my money on that will give a far larger return for the money invested. Like BEER.

So true Matt, I believe many people will take that stance. I cant even convince my boss to add a bit of sound to his 50" flat screen and he like music as much as the next guy, so I hardly think this is going to appeal to any but the most dedicated hardcore theater guy. My parents have 2 flat screens one plasma and one lcd and they couldn't care less about anything other than how big the screen was and the price and my dad is the one that got me crazy about audio. I even offered to send them my Yamaha receiver but they didn't want any of it. They have a great area in the basement that would make a great home theater but have no interest. About 2 yrs ago I bought them their first bluray player. I think more needs to be done to get people interested in HT. This is still an expensive hobby despite how cheap receivers are these days. I use the money I would have spent on beer to satisfy my HT addiction LOL

Curved screens are only good when you get really large and that is to actually account for the distance the light has to travel from the projector before it hits that part of the screen.... So yeah, once you get large enough that you have to worry about the speed of light and how much it expands due to screen size, THEN you can worry about curved screens.

TVs with curved screens is 100% snake oil marketing crap.

At least with Atmos, SOMEONE will get a benefit from it. That group will be very small, but compared to the curved TVs at least there is some level of merit (not much).

As someone, until recently, who was involved with installing and setting up A/V systems, even the ones that liked the idea of a sophisticated set-up and were willing to spend considerable money to do it, I would estimate a significant majority of those buyers still wanted essentially a "turn-key" HT system that they could turn on, turn off and make the necessary changes with as little complications as possible. As we all know, in recent years AVRs having been getting more sophisticated AND more complicated and most of the masses out there don't want to deal with "complicated".

As much as we "A/V geeks" know logically that adding additional equipment to a large screen television would be a far superior viewing and audio experience, I believe your parents and boss fall in to the category of my last sentence in the previous paragraph.

I think that it should say 'theoretically' rather than logically.

The more complexity there is, then you will eventually get into a clutter confusion effect where too much information is bombarded at you and you loose the effect that you were looking at. Like walking in the woods and hearing 3-4 bird singing is far more enjoyable and sets a mood rather than 30-40 birds singing. The sound changes at that point into just noise.