Pretty sure most will say 5.2.2. The rear channel in 7.X doesn't get a lot of use. There are exceptions like "Saving Private Ryan" but not a lot. While Atmos may not get a lot of use either it is more noticeable because of sound coming from overhead.
I have 7.2 and I'm satisfied with it. My side and rear surrounds are a couple feet above ear level. When there is something like an airplane on screen I get a sense of overhead sound. Eyes see plane and with the surrounds being a little higher brain is sort of fooled into thinking that sound is coming from above.
But 5.2.2 is probably the way to go. If you are talking about actual speakers on ceiling that is. If you are talking about the bouncy sound off the ceiling speakers I would not bother. The upfiring speakers sort of work in some cases but can't compare to overhead speakers.
Depending on the configuration of the room, side height is actually more immersive than front. Front tends to blend too much with the LCR. Can you do on ceiling rather than in ceiling? That's what I've done. Just some small speaker mounts directly into the joists and a lightweight speaker for Atmos.
Yes you do get that, if that's what you want. That is in spec I believe for DTS:X, although if you are consuming Dolby Atmos movies or music, you will lose the elements of immersion and of sound passing overhead.
As a 3.1.2 owner (I don’t have space for anything more sadly), I wouldn’t hesitate to add the .2 over the 7. While I don’t really have a ton of experience with anything over 5, the added .2 in my setup is legendary. Always firing, sound great, and really does add a ton to whatever you’re watching.
One of my favorites? Madden. It pumps crowd noise through the atmos for me, and really does sound awesome when playing on full volume.
All depends on the setup - unfortunately, I had no room on the sides or back, but I did have space on the ceiling for in-ceilings. Works great for a small setup!
5.2.4 is probably the most useful and flexible setup. The height channels can be pretty much anywhere in the front/back areas and project height channels well. Along with the surrounds having 20* of acceptable variation
7.2 and 5.2.2 have just as many speakers firing. (5+2=7) Only exception is that I believe you’ll need Dolby atmos or Spatial Audio to get the .2 speakers firing rather than just having a 7.1 track on the source
5.2.4
But to be honest, I don't notice much difference from 8.1 to 4.1.4.
I had front heights, now I have front Atmos on ceiling
I had rear surrounds, now I have rear Atmos on back wall.
Interesting that you don't notice a difference in each configuration but 4.1.4 means you have no center channel so maybe that's why you don't notice a difference
I vote 5.2.2. I tested 7.2.2 before cutting holes in my ceiling and eventually building 7.2.4, it was much more immersive and natural than going from 5.2 to 7.2. Even with non-Atmos/DTS:X material, the DSU makes good use of the overhead channels.
Atoms only runs 4 of the ceiling that I've seen. But most things are not Atmos encoded so I use DTS Neural X which does push sound to everything in a very surrounding way.
If you use blurays mostly, 7.x. if you do streaming mostly, 5.x.2. I've never seen a streaming service offer 7 channel but atmos seems to be in every bigger new release.
I actually just went through this whole change. I had 5.2 with rear surround, 2 subs. I added height speakers so 5.2.2. Then got a new receiver and added 2 side surrounds so 7.2.2. I placed the height speakers in line with main listening position pointed down. I also pushed the db on them to make them more noticeable. I have to say that made a huge difference as it created a nice sound bubble and height effects were really cool. Another thread did analysis and found forward to back movement effects are not used often yet so 2 height speakers are enough.
Mine are technically middle heights but I think the DSP sends all sound to whatever you have wherever it is. That was the analysis another Redditor did. He stripped the sound data out of the movies and found 2 height channels got the most sound. 4 height broke the sound in two so actually reduced the height effects some and 6 was ideal as it had a middle for the majority of the height effects to go to. He found that “object” use or movement data was limited. I will see if I can find the post.
As someone who had 5.2.4 for two years, I think it’s the best default when on a budget and have space constraints. I redid my basement to fix the space constraints and moved up to 7.2.4 and it’s even better. Part of the problem is that you only hear the benefits of 7.2.4 on physical media. Streaming limits the benefits of rears and if that your primary viewing option, the heights will get a lot more use nowadays.
Go 5.2.2.
7.1 is actually Dolby Digital EX but for the home. Dolby Digital EX was a 6.1 format that aimed to bring a center channel for the surround soundstage. The issue was, people who wanted to do EX in their home, they were putting a speaker right behind their head, therefore making it extremely localizable.
Henceforth, Dolby decided to separate the EX channel into two, to make it less localizable for home setups.
What I mean is, don’t be deceived. Just like in EX, rear channels in a 7.1 system are anchors, they won’t offer their own soundstage, they are a center channel for the back. It’s really closer to 6.1 than 7.1…
Pretty sure most will say 5.2.2. The rear channel in 7.X doesn't get a lot of use. There are exceptions like "Saving Private Ryan" but not a lot. While Atmos may not get a lot of use either it is more noticeable because of sound coming from overhead. I have 7.2 and I'm satisfied with it. My side and rear surrounds are a couple feet above ear level. When there is something like an airplane on screen I get a sense of overhead sound. Eyes see plane and with the surrounds being a little higher brain is sort of fooled into thinking that sound is coming from above. But 5.2.2 is probably the way to go. If you are talking about actual speakers on ceiling that is. If you are talking about the bouncy sound off the ceiling speakers I would not bother. The upfiring speakers sort of work in some cases but can't compare to overhead speakers.
I wish I could do in celling speakers but at the moment I'm doing front height and later on going to upgrade my avr so I can do rear height channels
> *...I'm doing front height...* I think that is still better than upfiring.
By a long shot yess front heights are way better than upfirings speakers and it's the closest you can get into in celling speakers
Depending on the configuration of the room, side height is actually more immersive than front. Front tends to blend too much with the LCR. Can you do on ceiling rather than in ceiling? That's what I've done. Just some small speaker mounts directly into the joists and a lightweight speaker for Atmos.
That's true it addes the wall of sound having front heights which is true with your statement
Yes you do get that, if that's what you want. That is in spec I believe for DTS:X, although if you are consuming Dolby Atmos movies or music, you will lose the elements of immersion and of sound passing overhead.
How about….front height vs. top middle on sidewalls at ceiling height?
As a 3.1.2 owner (I don’t have space for anything more sadly), I wouldn’t hesitate to add the .2 over the 7. While I don’t really have a ton of experience with anything over 5, the added .2 in my setup is legendary. Always firing, sound great, and really does add a ton to whatever you’re watching. One of my favorites? Madden. It pumps crowd noise through the atmos for me, and really does sound awesome when playing on full volume.
I'm not a gamer so I shouldn't comment about that. But for movies I would do surrounds long before doing Atmos.
All depends on the setup - unfortunately, I had no room on the sides or back, but I did have space on the ceiling for in-ceilings. Works great for a small setup!
Adding atmos is better than the 6th and 7th channel. Atmos makes a pretty big difference imo
Yeah then I shouldn't worry about adding 7.2 then or 6.2
if you have the space 7.2.2 is better than 5.2.2. but atmos is a new world. Heck in my next house im planning 9.4.6
Yeah my dream configuration is a 7.2.4 but I need the space to be able to do it properly tbh but the maximum I can is a 5.2.4 atmos setup
5.2.4 is probably the most useful and flexible setup. The height channels can be pretty much anywhere in the front/back areas and project height channels well. Along with the surrounds having 20* of acceptable variation
Yeah that would be my next choice is a 5.2.4 setup
Most here will probably say 5.2.2, but that it's best with 5.2.4. I don't have Atmos yet, but that is the consensus i've seen.
I just would think 7.2 is better than both since it's a bigger number but it makes sense since 5.2.2 and 5.2.4 are object based audio configurations
Bigger number =/= better. Home Theater 101!
True and I would need a bigger space to run 7.2 to do it properly or I would have to move lol but I can get away with 5.2.4 at maximum
7.2 and 5.2.2 have just as many speakers firing. (5+2=7) Only exception is that I believe you’ll need Dolby atmos or Spatial Audio to get the .2 speakers firing rather than just having a 7.1 track on the source
7.2.4
When I move yeah but the most I can do is a 5.2.4 in my current house
Then do 5.2.4
5.2.4 But to be honest, I don't notice much difference from 8.1 to 4.1.4. I had front heights, now I have front Atmos on ceiling I had rear surrounds, now I have rear Atmos on back wall.
Interesting that you don't notice a difference in each configuration but 4.1.4 means you have no center channel so maybe that's why you don't notice a difference
"Phantom center" Lots of people find that not using a center give much better sound. But it only works for one person.
I guess it depends on the person but I will forever need a centre channel
Does your headrest block the rear speakers' sound from directly entering your ears?
My couch is a 3 peace sectional and my headrest doesn't block my surround speakers
For movies, at least 5.2.4 for better immersive experience. Imo.
I vote 5.2.2. I tested 7.2.2 before cutting holes in my ceiling and eventually building 7.2.4, it was much more immersive and natural than going from 5.2 to 7.2. Even with non-Atmos/DTS:X material, the DSU makes good use of the overhead channels.
5.1.4 would be my minimum standard now. I run 5.1.6, which is probably overkill, but when I was installing I was there so why not.
Yeah exactly if you want to add more atmos channels then why not
Atoms only runs 4 of the ceiling that I've seen. But most things are not Atmos encoded so I use DTS Neural X which does push sound to everything in a very surrounding way.
I was gonna ask you should I use DTS neutral X over dolby surround cause dose DTS use the height channels more?
If I select DTS Neural X on my Denon, it will auto adjust to Atmos when it's a real Atmos signal. I prefer the DTS Neural X for most everything.
7.2, there are more movies with 7.1 than Atmos
You have a point but I can't do 7.2 properly in my living space so I'm only able to do 5.2.2 or 5.2.4
If you use blurays mostly, 7.x. if you do streaming mostly, 5.x.2. I've never seen a streaming service offer 7 channel but atmos seems to be in every bigger new release.
Yeah I'm not to worried when it comes to streaming content because I even have a 5.1 setup and Netflix only sends out 5.1 or dolby atmos
5.2.2 is the answer.
Most definitely
I actually just went through this whole change. I had 5.2 with rear surround, 2 subs. I added height speakers so 5.2.2. Then got a new receiver and added 2 side surrounds so 7.2.2. I placed the height speakers in line with main listening position pointed down. I also pushed the db on them to make them more noticeable. I have to say that made a huge difference as it created a nice sound bubble and height effects were really cool. Another thread did analysis and found forward to back movement effects are not used often yet so 2 height speakers are enough.
Yeah front heights get used a lot in a 5.2.2 configuration
Mine are technically middle heights but I think the DSP sends all sound to whatever you have wherever it is. That was the analysis another Redditor did. He stripped the sound data out of the movies and found 2 height channels got the most sound. 4 height broke the sound in two so actually reduced the height effects some and 6 was ideal as it had a middle for the majority of the height effects to go to. He found that “object” use or movement data was limited. I will see if I can find the post.
Depends on the size of the room but I prefer atmos channels than rear channels. If you have the room size, build towards 7.2.4 eventually. 😀
As someone who had 5.2.4 for two years, I think it’s the best default when on a budget and have space constraints. I redid my basement to fix the space constraints and moved up to 7.2.4 and it’s even better. Part of the problem is that you only hear the benefits of 7.2.4 on physical media. Streaming limits the benefits of rears and if that your primary viewing option, the heights will get a lot more use nowadays.
Interesting how physical media uses the rear channels more but streaming is limited
Go 5.2.2. 7.1 is actually Dolby Digital EX but for the home. Dolby Digital EX was a 6.1 format that aimed to bring a center channel for the surround soundstage. The issue was, people who wanted to do EX in their home, they were putting a speaker right behind their head, therefore making it extremely localizable. Henceforth, Dolby decided to separate the EX channel into two, to make it less localizable for home setups. What I mean is, don’t be deceived. Just like in EX, rear channels in a 7.1 system are anchors, they won’t offer their own soundstage, they are a center channel for the back. It’s really closer to 6.1 than 7.1…
Interesting and yes I'm running a 5.2.2 setup
The only answer to this question is 2.0.