I am putting together a 7.1.4 Atmos set up and have read through the Dolby Atmos HT install guideline. Up front, I have the TRs and XXL center with an old Sunfire True subwoofer. 1st question: Should I move the sub to the back of the room so it doesn't conflict with the TR woofers and get a full room LF sound? My next question has to do with height speaker placement, see attached picture. The Atmos guideline suggests that the front/height/rear surround speakers should be in alignment. I can do this on the right side, but the left side ceiling has a staircase protrusion that prevents this. I could mount the speaker about 2' over as indicated in the picture. Or, I could see if I could mount it on the protrusion to maintain alignment, but it would be about 1' lower than the right side. I'd appreciate any advice on these 2 questions. Note: the rear surrounds will be relocated lower as shown. Thanks.

Hi, todaxyz

Welcome!!!!

Great system you're putting together!

Re sub placement, yes, moving the True sub to the back would be a good move to better distribute bass.

Re top rear HTR 7000 placement, I would try to avoid placing one on a sloping surface. It's hard to tell distances from your pic, but could you move the top rears some forward to avoid the stair down slope and spread them out similar to the top fronts? It looks from the pic that closer in would still place them in back of the listening positions...my top rears, though 525's not 7000's, are about 2 1/2' in back and that works fine.

Good luck witk your project! You're gonna' love it!

Rick

Thanks Rick. I really can't locate them in front of the stair case protrusion as they would then be aligned with the back of the couch. I guess I'll have to mount it just to the left of the protrusion. Would it be better to then mount the right speaker the same distance towards the middle so both are the same or will the Audessy room correction factor that in?

Hi

The room correction question is the easiest to answer: yes, room correction can adjust timing and SL's so that what reaches your ear sounds appropriate. And you can make further minor gain corrections after that if you need to.

Re the distance question. I don't know if you would sense, direction wise, any differences if the two top rear channels were at different distances out from the listening position. The sound field is SO unified with GEt speakers that I kind of doubt you would. I guess my temptation would be be snug the other side a little closer in to minimize distance disparities. What I can't answer is how that would work/sound vs. mounting one speaker on the sloped stair part and keeping both at the same distance out and back, as you show in your diagram. I'd be a tad concerned about how that 30 degree angled tweeter presented sound across the listening positions in that case. My temptation would be to to try both mounted flat as in your second question to avoid the angled speaker.

Moderator Dude, what do you think?

Rick

Hi again, todaxyz

I keep looking at the pic you provided of your ceiling area...another thought/option: when you say if you moved the location of the top rears closer in to avoid the stair slope, they would be "aligned with the back of the couch". Positioned a little in back of the couch and outboard for both L and R might be a pretty good alternative. I presume positioning them in that area is limited by the ceiling light that's already to the left of the couch and in back? Since you have to cut new ceiling holes for the heights, is an option to move the ceiling light instead and use that hole for one of the top rears, making a new hole for the ceiling light? From the picture that looks like close to an ideal spot for a top rear height. (Maybe the perspective I'm seeing in the picture doesn't represent the ceiling lights actual distance back from the couch?)

Just thinking....

Good luck with your project!

Rick

Yeah, the picture is a bit deceiving depth perception wise. If I mounted them in place of that recessed light, then it would be in front of the side surrounds which are going in the spots shown as blue vertical slashes. And those are supposed to be in line with your listening position or slightly behind. So, I've decided to mount them in the ceiling with both the right and left speakers slightly inboard of the rear surrounds. My wife won't allow me to demo the staircase to fix that corner spot. She's been very understanding up until now.