I watched The Legend of Tarzan in Atmos the other day. Wayne already reviewed it in the Blu-ray thread.

Several observations:

Wayne, you're right, Margot Robbie is an attraction all by herself!!!!

Jungle scenes, with the canopy overhead filled with bird sounds, monkeys, vegetation and vines moving/snapping, made me feel like I was IN the jungle!

Good movie. Recommended.

Rick

Maybe because Leonard Cohen passed away, Iv'e been listening to his songs a lot today, first on Deezer Elite streamed to my headphones, and then the GEt's.

About an hour ago, I played his Blu-ray, Songs from the Road, which I have heard before. This is the first time I heard it with the height channels added via DTS Neural. I didn't get to update the DTS firmware until I returned from NH.

Well. Chills. Goosebumps. This Blu-ray is great in any format! Adding height channels just adds, LOTS!

I'm searching for words here. With the heights added (I still don't get all the sound mixing logic used to do this), the effect is being IN a concert hall with no ceiling limits. The top front 7000's don't compete with the front T1's, they just bring the sound further into the room! Etc. etc. Talk about immersion! I've never felt more like I had a seat at the concert. Complete, total, "I'm there"!!! The gorgeous deep voice is still there, the gorgeous instruments... just in this most gorgeous, expanded cocoon of concert level sound!

I've spent a fair amount of time balancing channels in my fairly new 5.2.4 set-up. First by balancing SPL's with a SPL meter. Then, I listened, to a variety of music and action stuff. Ears, pointing to the front, don't always register things the same. So I adjusted channels to the point that I could sense the effect of each channel without that channel becoming"obvious". Back channels needed at most a .5-1 db adjustment beyond the SPL adjustments.

So, now, I am just SO into what I can hear with this technology! I just ordered another Leonard Cohen Blu-ray, Isle of Wright... can't get enough.

Happy listening!

Rick

I'm very familiar with Neil Diamond's music, including live concerts. I have also played his album, Neil Diamond, the Greatest Hits, on many speaker systems. I love how deep and rich his voice can go. His song, Sweet Caroline, was one of the songs I have used to audition all the speakers I have listened to. I know what it sounds like, in concert or otherwise. Properly presented, it's such a dynamic mix of bass, acoustic, and Neil's deep, rich voice... so-so speakers just can't properly present the whole spectrum of sound.

So, I listened to the whole album today in Dolby surround with the four height channels upmixed in. First time I've heard it in that format. GEt's present this album well in all cases. BUT, with the heights added, the surround presentation of the 2.0 recording is, well, just amazing! I often walk around while 2 channel music is playing, up mixed to Dolby surround with heights. Not this time. Every song just drew me to the PLP. Man! I played some songs over and over.. couldn't get enough. Concert quality. Maybe better.

Great stuff!

Rick

This probably got reviewed on the Blu-ray thread... here's my impressions listening to/watching in ATMOS format, Star Trek BEYOND. First, I am not a Trekky. Did watch Star Trek tv off and on, but don't claim to be any kind of "historian" on the series.

I REALLY liked this!!! PQ, with all the new digital enhancement capability, was entertaining, even great sequences of galaxies, star clusters, etc.

SQ was, for me, right on. Great LFE effects when appropriate, good utilization of height channel effects. I do believe that the sound mixers are getting better and better in utilizing height channels. I think back to San Andreas, where it seemed the only time they were used was for several scenes where buildings were falling. With the newer mixes, the height channels are more subtly used, and seemingly a constant part of the sound mix, where they add to the envelope but aren't "obvious" (helicopter scenes, thunderstorms, aircraft overhead, artillery shells flying by DO make then a tad more obvious!)

Good flic! I'd watch it again, and recommend.

Rick

A little bit of a departure from Blu-ray reviews:

I've been watching the Australian Open tennis finals this morning on tv. Thus far I've basically left the AVR setting on Dolby Digital+ Dolby Surround for cable inputs, which uses the Dolby Atmos up mixer to "place" sounds and add in height channels. Today I tried the Dolby Digital + Neural:X setting, which uses the DTS:X up mixer to do the same. I liked the Neural:X setting! Placement of sounds, like crowd noise/cheering, announcer's voices, even bouncing ball placement, seemed more precise/clear, and the height channels were utilized/added well. Which up mixer "sounds" better may well vary with the source material. The differences are subtle but noticeable.

Thus far, I prefer Dolby Surround for music, especially for up mixing 2 channel sources (Neural:X seems to add more bass and push more volume to the center channel), and Neural:X for up mixing cable/tv inputs. I'll do more experimenting with the two up mix options, including for action movies encoded with prior, non Atmos or DTS:X formats. With the latest Marantz AVR firmware update, I can use either up mixer on either prior Dolby or DTS formats.

YMMV, with receiver brand, speaker placement, SQ of input source, listening tastes etc. etc. As I'm finding out, it's worth trying the different options in listening to different sources and different genres!!!

Happy listening!

Rick

I completely agree Rick. I have been listening to several bluray multi channel music discs with height channels engaged with DTS Neural. The results are outstanding. I also adjusted trim levels for back surrounds plus front height channels. I am running the back surrounds a little hot as I have high back seats at difficult to hear them. I find the height channels do not compete with front T1's but augment them by bring music closer to my mlp. It has the feel of a live performance. I am using AIX mult channel blu ray digital recordings hi res 92 bit 24 hz. Very happy with results