# Best Dolby Atmos Speakers



## GalvatronType_R

Take it from someone who knows: upfiring speakers is a gimmick.

I currently use 4 upfiring speakers for Atmos right now. I have heard several systems with upfiring speakers. NONE sound as good as speakers mounted in or on the ceiling.

I have upfiring speakers because I can't mount ceiling speakers. Claiming sound will bounce off the ceiling to the MLP is a laughable marketing ploy. That's like saying you can mount a center speaker behind the MLP tilted up and the dialogue will bounce off the ceiling to you.


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## redstang

GalvatronType_R said:


> Take it from someone who knows: upfiring speakers is a gimmick.
> 
> I currently use 4 upfiring speakers for Atmos right now. I have heard several systems with upfiring speakers. NONE sound as good as speakers mounted in or on the ceiling.
> 
> I have upfiring speakers because I can't mount ceiling speakers right now. Saying sound will bounce off the ceiling to the MLP is a laughable marketing ploy. That's like saying you can mount a center speaker behind the MLP tilted up and the dialogue will bounce off the ceiling to you.


Are up-firing speakers effective at all though? Do they give you an enhanced experience over just 5/7.1? If so I wouldn't really call them a gimmick. Of course speakers located on the ceiling are going to be better, but, just like a good 5.1 channel surround bar, in the right room they can provide enhanced surround sound over just a 2.1 system for someone that doesn't want to, or can't, run wires for rear channel speakers. Of course rear mounted speakers will always be better, that's not even in doubt. 

I don't have an Atmos receiver so as I consider the upgrade I have been wondering what I would try. I do have a flat ceiling so in theory up-firing speakers could work. I could also mount speakers to the ceiling, however running wires to them is going to be a consideration. I don't really want to cut into the ceiling to mount in-ceiling speakers, so if I could get some value out of front mounted up-firing Atmos speakers I would consider it. 

A gimmick to me is something that either is something that might look cool, but is almost completely ineffective at providing any benefit and therefore is almost, if not entirely a waste of money. I have to think there are people that find some value in them.


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## BP1Fanatic

3 of my center channels are mounted behind their TV's. 
1 of the CC's is firing away from the tv.
I can hear the voices just fine with all 3 setups.


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## SAS6907

It truly is far better to have the "Atmos" speakers on your walls as high or nearest to the ceiling that you can achieve, in the front and back of the room. If you have angled speakers that sit on top of the fronts, then use them on the walls. This will give you as good as ceiling mounted atmos without cutting holes in the ceiling. If you have a 5.2.4 system this is the best setup. If you want to add 2 more atmos speakers and still get the great surround sound, then I suggest replacing the sides with atmos angled speakers and placing them on your side walls about a foot above ear height and placed slightly in front of your main seating position firing straight at you. This will give you a great setup.


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## BP1Fanatic

Similar effect for 5.1.2 DA.
I wish my AVR could do 5.1.4.


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## BP1Fanatic

I HATE when a picture gets turned!


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## hifiHigh

BP1Fanatic said:


> Similar effect for 5.1.2 DA.
> I wish my AVR could do 5.1.4.



Nice room! 
BTW I have an ATMOS set-up in my mini-cinema and the 'up-firing' speakers are mounted on the L/R walls facing down to the seats on each side and the surrounds are on the wall behind (as they should be). Works great!


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## BP1Fanatic

Thanks guy!


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## PatrickG35c

I'm looking at getting upfiring speakers. I wouldn't mind mounting speakers on the wall near the ceiling but what I do mind are exposed wire runs. The problem is my wall is a shear wall so I cannot simply drop down wire as there are cross beams. There are also electrical runs (the other side of the wall is the kitchen) so it is a bit risky to use a snake drill extension to drill up. I suppose I could ask around for a quote to have someone do it.


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## BP1Fanatic

Gotcha COVERED!


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## bears t2

Do up firing Atmos speakers work? In a word..... YES! I have a set for my fronts and during a scene from Princess and the Frog there is a part where the prince is taken to the Voodoo mans house and the skulls up above the scene sing "He's got friends on the other side" and the sound does indeed sound like its coming from above the TV... I tried this with both the 4k version and the Disney+ version and both do the same thing. I thought it was very cool. Even my wife noticed it!


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## Robert Whitehead

Also, PSB Imagine XA module. Excellent. I found it to be the equal to the Klipsch, my prior standard after comparing to Elac, and Atlantic Technology (now discontinued?).


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## MagnumX

Should they really be called "Dolby Atmos Speakers" by professional trade publications? Dolby themselves call them "Dolby Atmos Enabled" speakers. Many of us tend to refer to them as "bouncy speakers" or "ceiling bounce speakers" as they try to bounce sound off the ceiling. "Dolby Atmos Speakers" implies they used in a Dolby Atmos home (or even cinema) theater. But the ones reviewed make it clear that speakers designed for in-ceiling or on-ceiling use are NOT what are being discussed. I think this is limited at best. 

There are certainly plenty of people that would be interested to know how well various in-ceiling and on-ceiling speakers behave and how easy they are to install (e.g. PSB CS-500 and CS-1000 speakers were really designed for outdoor use, but they are incredibly easy to install on the ceiling and side-walls) while other speakers like SVS are designed to be mounted high on the side walls or ceiling, the former not ever mentioned by Dolby themselves, despite the fact it works quite well and I'd say better than bouncing sound off the ceiling (I can only assume they would consider that promoting a speaker position supported by their competitors DTS:X and Auro-3D...in other words petty commercialism above what's best for a given person's room or install capabilities). Personally, I've found the only thing that really matters is that the speakers have good response from where they are mounted (by whatever attachment method or room treatments). I have three different speaker models mounted near or on the ceiling, but all use the same basic drivers (PSB in this case) and all blend seamlessly as a result.


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## DigitalMovs

BP1Fanatic said:


> 3 of my center channels are mounted behind their TV's.
> 1 of the CC's is firing away from the tv.
> I can hear the voices just fine with all 3 setups.


This setup makes me not want to worry about making a spandex AT projection screen and get one with a higher gain.


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## tonigold9

*ELAC Debut 2.0 A4.2 Dolby Atmos Modules, Black* 
I bought these speakers very satisfied
better than KEF


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## NunoC

Dôme Flax | Home Cinema loudspeaker - Focal
I will probably get this one's for my Atmos setup.
They are now around €200 a piece in some stores in Europe.


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## Robert Whitehead

*PSB XA*

I would also recommend the PSB XA module.. Better than most on the list which I compared them to. Klipsch is very close..


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## ntsarb

I have installed 4x ELAC A4.2 up-firing speakers. We rent the property and can't drill or install things as we'd like, which is why I chose this option. To be honest, I'm not impressed at all and here's why: unfortunately, I can hear more sound coming directly from the speakers (which are installed on top of the FL/FR, SL/SR, i.e slightly above the ear level) than from the ceiling, above (which is flat drywall). I tested changing their angle and didn't notice any improvement, either. They do create a different soundscape but I've never heart a sound coming from above. Tested not only with movies but also with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X demos. Hence, I wouldn't currently recommend a system upgrade for up-firing Atmos. In the future, I'll try again, with proper, ceiling-mount Atmos speakers.


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## MagnumX

ntsarb said:


> I have installed 4x ELAC A4.2 up-firing speakers. We rent the property and can't drill or install things as we'd like, which is why I chose this option. To be honest, I'm not impressed at all and here's why: unfortunately, I can hear more sound coming directly from the speakers (which are installed on top of the FL/FR, SL/SR, i.e slightly above the ear level) than from the ceiling, above (which is flat drywall). I tested changing their angle and didn't notice any improvement, either. They do create a different soundscape but I've never heart a sound coming from above. Tested not only with movies but also with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X demos. Hence, I wouldn't currently recommend a system upgrade for up-firing Atmos. In the future, I'll try again, with proper, ceiling-mount Atmos speakers.


See if you can place the upfiring speakers in a better location (e.g. Behind the TV if its on a stand) to try and limit the direct sounds coming from it more than just on top of the speaker (behind the speaker just below the top of the speaker might even help a bit or any other furniture that might be in the room, even to the sides or back of the room, even if front/back isn't perfect as I think any sound overhead is better than none). You can also try different locations for different angles to the ceiling.


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## LNEWoLF

ntsarb said:


> I have installed 4x ELAC A4.2 up-firing speakers. We rent the property and can't drill or install things as we'd like, which is why I chose this option. To be honest, I'm not impressed at all and here's why: unfortunately, I can hear more sound coming directly from the speakers (which are installed on top of the FL/FR, SL/SR, i.e slightly above the ear level) than from the ceiling, above (which is flat drywall). I tested changing their angle and didn't notice any improvement, either. They do create a different soundscape but I've never heart a sound coming from above. Tested not only with movies but also with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X demos. Hence, I wouldn't currently recommend a system upgrade for up-firing Atmos. In the future, I'll try again, with proper, ceiling-mount Atmos speakers.


It would help allot if you would take some pictures of your current setup and post them.


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## imagic

redstang said:


> *Are up-firing speakers effective at all though? Do they give you an enhanced experience over just 5/7.1?* If so I wouldn't really call them a gimmick. Of course speakers located on the ceiling are going to be better, but, just like a good 5.1 channel surround bar, in the right room they can provide enhanced surround sound over just a 2.1 system for someone that doesn't want to, or can't, run wires for rear channel speakers. Of course rear mounted speakers will always be better, that's not even in doubt.
> 
> I don't have an Atmos receiver so as I consider the upgrade I have been wondering what I would try. I do have a flat ceiling so in theory up-firing speakers could work. I could also mount speakers to the ceiling, however running wires to them is going to be a consideration. I don't really want to cut into the ceiling to mount in-ceiling speakers, so if I could get some value out of front mounted up-firing Atmos speakers I would consider it.
> 
> A gimmick to me is something that either is something that might look cool, but is almost completely ineffective at providing any benefit and therefore is almost, if not entirely a waste of money. I have to think there are people that find some value in them.


Yes, but only under the following caveats: Your room is the right size and shape, and your seat is in the right spot. Furthermore, some Atmos-enabled up-firing speakers are indeed better designs than others, in terms of sound quality but also directionality (needed to keep sound from "leaking").


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## squared80

Opened this thread looking for in-ceiling speakers. Wrong was I.


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## imagic

squared80 said:


> Opened this thread looking for in-ceiling speakers. Wrong was I.


While in-ceiling speakers are pretty much the best way to go for 3D immersive sound, in-ceiling models are not called "Dolby Atmos Speakers" since that designation is reserved for the bounce/reflected-sound approach that Dolby has patented.



WO2014107714A1 - Virtual height filter for reflected sound rendering using upward firing drivers - Google Patents


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## DavidK442

I remember reading forum opinions a few years ago of an Atmos A/B demo of in-ceiling vs reflective. The general opinion was that the in-ceiling speakers were distracting due to localization, whereas the “bouncy” speakers provided a smoother, but more diffuse sense of motion and envelopment. (I thought you Mark, were one of those attendees, but I could be wrong.) Since then I have read nothing but bouncy trash talk so could have just been a poorly setup demo. My basement ceiling is just under 8 feet high so I am curious how over head Atmos will work out.


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## imagic

DavidK442 said:


> I remember reading forum opinions a few years ago of an Atmos A/B demo of in-ceiling vs reflective. The general opinion was that the in-ceiling speakers were distracting due to localization, whereas the “bouncy” speakers provided a smoother, but more diffuse sense of motion and envelopment. (I thought you Mark, were one of those attendees, but I could be wrong.) Since then I have read nothing but bouncy trash talk so could have just been a poorly setup demo. My basement ceiling is just under 8 feet high so I am curious how over head Atmos will work out.


Ultimately, setup is crucial whether you take the reflected sound approach, or install in ceiling speakers. I do think it is absurd to refer to the reflected sound approach as a "gimmick" as is the practice with some audio writers, since it clearly works when you set it up properly. Of course if you don't set it up right, or you have a room that simply won't work with it, then you will get the poor results.

Similarly, with overhead speakers you can help avoid the localization by paying attention to speaker and seating placement. The only issue is that with in-ceiling speakers Is that even though they will work in more situations than reflected sound will, the position of the speakers and of the seats are basically set in stone whereas with the reflected sound system you could move the whole thing to another room, no problem.


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## hankhill11

I started with up firing speakers. I have the inexpensive Sony Model:SSCSE in pair. When I first set them up, I didn't configure my receiver with the correct measurements and distances, and wasn't noticing any reflective sound. After reading around forums and manuals, I tweaked their positions, point of aim, distance to the ceiling, distance to the MLP(as the crow flies) and that kind of thing. Once properly set up, I 100% could hear reflective sound. Edit: I should also note that i enjoyed the sound regardless because it was slightly different and new. 

With that said, I jumped from bare minimum 'atmos enabled pair' right up to four overhead speakers anyway. Once those were set up, it is far better. the sound is no longer vague and 'somewhere'.. it is overhead, in front of you, behind you, next to you, where it should be.

If you have no option, by all means do a _properly configured atmos enabled set up._ If you have the option though, as almost everyone points out, get properly mounted overheads and set them up correctly.


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## Friendly Fire

GalvatronType_R said:


> Take it from someone who knows: upfiring speakers is a gimmick.
> 
> I currently use 4 upfiring speakers for Atmos right now. I have heard several systems with upfiring speakers. NONE sound as good as speakers mounted in or on the ceiling.
> 
> I have upfiring speakers because I can't mount ceiling speakers right now. Saying sound will bounce off the ceiling to the MLP is a laughable marketing ploy. That's like saying you can mount a center speaker behind the MLP tilted up and the dialogue will bounce off the ceiling to you.


What is your ceiling material? I have an acoustic drop ceiling, so up firing speakers are DOA. I have thought about putting acoustic reflective panels on the ceiling mitigate the problem. Easier than ceiling mounted speakers, but probably a half measure.

Has anyone tried using an acoustically bright material, say Formica, above up firing speakers? I am stuck with a non-atmos AVR at the moment or I would just try it myself.


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## Snausy

I love the interaction in the forums between people who have been around the game forever and know things.

The articles however, leave quite a bit to be desired imho.

Atmos "enabled" speakers are for people who can't put anything above them on the ceiling or their wife won't let them.

Huge compromise and not close to the same sound as having actual atmos speakers but you guys keep debating while I roll my eyes.


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## squared80

I thought this thread was about in-ceiling speakers, not these monstrosities.


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## Cal1981

I've tried a couple of up-firing speakers (Pioneer and NHTs) and was never all that happy with them. Having a textured ceiling obviously didn't help. Sometime last year I got a pair of SVS Prime Elevation speakers which I mounted just under my celing and above my R-L speakers, currently RSL CG5s. My intention has been to get a second pair of Elevations and mount them on the rear wall although since my couch sits close to that wall, it may be a bit challenging. As far as the Front Height Elevations go, since my Denon AVR lets me assign them to different locations, I tried them as Front Heights, Top Fronts and Top Middles. In each case they provide a more immersive sound stage than the basic 5.1 layout. Since the AVR lets you save to two presets entirely different speaker/Audyssey configurations I've been able to do on the fly A-B comparisons between the different setups. Maybe it's just my perception but assigning the Elevations as Top Middles opens up the sound more than the other setups. The Atmos Amaze demo sounds good on all of them but there's more of a virtual overhead presence with Top Middle assignment. I did speak to the folks as SVS about the issue of the rear Elevations and the couch against the wall. They said that setting them as Rear Tops might be the way to go. If and when I add them I'll probably try that one.


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## tickle

I had zero luck w the Atmos bounce speakers, bought 4 Polk Owm 3's and mounted them at wall/ceiling corner 3 feet in front and a couple feet behind MLP, WAY better. Still need to clean up wire routing tho


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## derreckla

My .02

I don't know if its because I use Full range towers (Klipsch RF-7s SVS PB13 ULTRA) for my whole 5.1 set up or if all my speakers are above my listening position. This is because when you sit on the couch the tweeters are slightly above you in the towers. when I had matching Klipsch atmos speakers mounted to the ceiling I couldn't tell the difference where the sound was coming from. I remember in one movie I heard rain or something moving above me and was like oh that's cool. Other then that never heard the difference. 

My room now is 14x19 ft.

22x24 was my old room and had multiple set ups over the years and couldn't tell the difference. This included 7.1rear speakers couldn't tell the difference. WIde speakers couldn't tell the difference as well as front height speakers. 

My opinion is unless I had a "theater size" room 20x40 at least where there would be sound gaps, I wouldn't do more then 5.1 since that's what 95% of sound tracks are mixed at. I have no kids make a good living and have plenty of "disposable" income I would love nothing more then to improve my "home theater"

Save your money on extra speakers and spend it on better 5.1 set up.


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## cathodeRay

Anyone in the speaker industry or works with/for Dolby here that can say if in-ceiling Atmos speakers should fire straight down or be aimed at the MLP, or it doesn't matter? Scoured the Dolby site and did not see a preferred mounting other than all their pictures show down-firing. From their discussion about modeling a 3D area and locating sound like objects in the field I was under the impression straight down was desirable regardless of if you have 2, 4, or more.


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## MagnumX

cathodeRay said:


> Anyone in the speaker industry or works with/for Dolby here that can say if in-ceiling Atmos speakers should fire straight down or be aimed at the MLP, or it doesn't matter? Scoured the Dolby site and did not see a preferred mounting other than all their pictures show down-firing. From their discussion about modeling a 3D area and locating sound like objects in the field I was under the impression straight down was desirable regardless of if you have 2, 4, or more.


Aimed at the listener is generally preferable but if the off-axis response is really good (speaker dependent) it's not as important. Room correction can help regardless.


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## dareknarozny09

Dear Colleagues, 
I sent pictures of my room and ask you I have :
Denon av 2700H 
Large front - Cervin vega E-310, 
Central - Roth Oli30 
The active subwoofer - the Cervin Vega 28sx - is just right 
Rear surround - Sony SSB -1000 
I want to hang the speakers from the ceiling -
just advise where and if these speakers are ok and which? 

Quadral Phase A5
DYNAVOICE
Ref Magic FX-4 v.3
ATMOS RAPTOR X WILSON
Dolby Atmos Magnat ATM 202
Polk Audio Reserve R900HT
DALI Fazon Mikro Speaker Pair
Heco 200M
JAMO A500 or your suggestions
I am asking for opinions, do you know, is it worth it and which, why, maybe different? 
If you advise me what speakers, help me with the topic or hanging them from the ceiling (e.g. 40 cm below is ok)
I am sending you a photo of the hanger


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