I just placed an order for an Atmos 11-channel (9-channels of amplification) AVR (Marantz SR7010). And will be adding 4 ceiling speakers to my existing 7.1 setup.

murphyslaw1978 wrote: I just placed an order for an Atmos 11-channel (9-channels of amplification) AVR (Marantz SR7010). And will be adding 4 ceiling speakers to my existing 7.1 setup.

Hi, murphyslaw1978

Congratulations! I'm very happy with my SR7010. Your timing is near perfect, in that Marantz is going to be releasing the DTS:X firmware update for the SR7010 on March 3rd.

I'll be very interested in your impressions of the 4 speaker ATMOS set-up when you get it implemented. I currently have two channels (top middle, as Invisa 525"s) and I am waiting for some more experience with just the those channels, and feedback from folks with 4 channels/speakers, to decide what to do about adding front height speakers. Any feedback you provide will be appreciated.

Have you decided on what speakers to use yet? I'll be using Invisa's for the additional speakers at some point, and hearing great things about the HTR7000's, though I also love my 525's.

Happy listening! I think you'll love the SR 7010.

Rick

Upgraded to DTS X last week (8802).So far not much software, the Neural does add information to my height speaker's.

rjohn79395 wrote:

murphyslaw1978 wrote: I just placed an order for an Atmos 11-channel (9-channels of amplification) AVR (Marantz SR7010). And will be adding 4 ceiling speakers to my existing 7.1 setup.

Hi, murphyslaw1978

Congratulations! I'm very happy with my SR7010. Your timing is near perfect, in that Marantz is going to be releasing the DTS:X firmware update for the SR7010 on March 3rd.

I'll be very interested in your impressions of the 4 speaker ATMOS set-up when you get it implemented. I currently have two channels (top middle, as Invisa 525"s) and I am waiting for some more experience with just the those channels, and feedback from folks with 4 channels/speakers, to decide what to do about adding front height speakers. Any feedback you provide will be appreciated.

Have you decided on what speakers to use yet? I'll be using Invisa's for the additional speakers at some point, and hearing great things about the HTR7000's, though I also love my 525's.

Happy listening! I think you'll love the SR 7010.

Rick

Hi Rick - yeah, I guess some of the currently released DTS:X firmware on other D&M (Dennon & Marantz) AVRs has been a little buggy. Not so much with native DTS:X content, but rather, the DSU to DTS upmixing and some 2-channel movie settings. So just an FYI, as D&M are currently looking into the issue. Not sure I think it's as big of a deal as some others on the forums are making it out to be though.

So, I'm a little confused on your 2-speaker ceiling setup? I was just going to do 4 Atmos ceiling speakers where 2 of the are in front of the couch, at the specified locations (30-55 degree angles), and then 2 just a bit behind the couch (120-155 degrees). Since you started with 2, did you place them more overhead as described in the Dolby setup guide (65-100 degrees)? Is that why you would add 2 more as front heights?

Now, onto which speakers to choose. The obvious choice would be GE speakers, of course. However, I'm in a strange situation where I have access to others brands that are 1/3rd to 1/4 the cost. GE, after all, had the highest praise at CEDIA. So what I might do is cheap out on the 4 ceiling speakers for now and then upgrade to GE later on this year or next. Some folks are saying that these ceiling speakers are "just" Atmos effects speakers, while others are saying, "all channels matter." Here's what I think: these two formats (Atmos and DTS:X) are brand new and the quality of the mixes are varying greatly. I think studios and mixers are still learning how to use these formats as evidenced by countless reviews of Atmos having inconsistent or unexpected listening experiences. There are a lot of junk movies that sound great on paper. Since we are still so early into this game, I'm guessing what's true today in 2016 might change quite a bit in 2017.

Hi, murphyslaw1978

Re your question about why I "started out" with just 2 ATMOS channels/speakers. It's really a case of how the system has evolved. The original system was a 5.1 in the L/R, with T2 fronts, a SuperSat 50c center, and two Invisa 525's (the current ATMOS height channels) just behind and outboard of the PLP as surrounds, plus a separate, second pair of Invisa 5125's in the kitchen, for music only, all driven by a 7 channel NAD AVR.

Along came GEt's introduction of the T1's. I couldn't resist, moved the new T1's into the fronts, moved the T2's close to the rear wall to become the new surrounds, and temporarily "retired" the former surrounds, the L/R Invisa's, pending future use as ATMOS speakers (I was out of channels to drive them). Also couldn't resist the new SCXXL when it got introduced.

Then along came the current Marantz SR 7010, with 9 amped channels plus 2 additional pre-outs, plus ATMOS capability, so the "retired" L/R Invisa's got repurposed as the top middle ATMOS channels. The location, just in back of the PLP, is best suited for a 4 channel ATMOS set-up with fronts added, and that's where I'll probably get to at some point.

Re speaker choices for any second pair of ATMOS height speakers, I am just so impressed with the continuity of the sound field I get using all GEt speakers, that I would stick with GEt speakers only. I have several choices: move the second pair of Invisa's now in the kitchen for music duty to become ATMOS front height speakers instead (would have to repair the holes in the ceiling), or get a third pair of Invisa's (525's? 650'? HTR 7000's?). I haven't decided yet. TBD. I want to get some more listening experience with the current 2 channel ATMOS set-up first.

Happy listening!

Rick

Ah, makes sense. Thanks! If you want to get rid of your Invisa 650s and run 7000s, I'd probably take them off your hands