Is Dolby Atmos a "Worthless" Upgrade?

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The hotly contested debate over whether Dolby Atmos is a gimmick or a legitimate contender against the legacy audio format Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound will be finally settled today. Well, maybe not "settled." But we will certainly test the quesiton.

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Опубликовано:

29 апр 2024

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Комментарии : 139

@raulgutierrez1501 2 месяца назад

I run 11.2. The ATMOS is a hit-and-miss. It all depends on who mixed the soundtrack.

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

Yes 100%! The sound crews should be publicly honored for the best soundtracks. That would bring some wholesome competition to the craft.

@winstonrhock9021 2 месяца назад

Yup sometimes the 5.1 is better, it’s totally movie dependent. Same applies when using Dolby vision vs hdr 10

@gabrieltechreviews8185 2 месяца назад

Anyone that says atmos does not make a BIG difference has simply not heard a properly setup Atmos system. You just cannot install speakers anywhere and think that will be great. And of course upfiring and soundboards are not even close to the real deal.

@Tearial311 2 месяца назад

Atmos is awesome

@TheVid54 2 месяца назад

No upgrade is worthless if you enjoy it, but still, It's all in the mix and the installation. Atmos in most home theaters never sounds as good as in a large theatre auditorium with the maximum channels in use. Some 70mm six-track soundtracks from the 50's and 60's sound better than modern atmos mixes when played with Dolby and/or DTS upmixers at home. Some older 2-channel matrixed surround films are more enveloping than modern discrete ones as well. There is no doubt that Dolby Atmos and DTS:X metadata can create more detailed directional cues, but not so much at home. Most audiences could tell an Atmos or Dts:X mix played with ceiling speakers disengaged because of constant improvements in fidelity and microphonics - and that's not to mention that an IMAX proprietary 6-track presentation is often preferred over Atmos or DTS:X for many viewers both at home and at a theatre. There's satisfaction at any level with a quality sound mix, even when using phantom channels, as many audiophiles do, when watching films.

@WiP999 2 месяца назад

Someone today with a 5.1 system is actually hearing Atmos downmixed on the fly to 5.1 so your initial video is a representative example of what 5.1 owners hear today assuming your system was downmixing correctly when you turned off the height speakers. The Atmos mixing tools are way better than the tools which were available in the 5.1 era so it's no surprise there would be noticeable difference between old and new soundtracks. You can do things with moving sound objects that were impossible prior to Atmos. I work with immersive audio recordings i.e. ambisonic audio and mixing them in Atmos and I have a 5.1 system at home and it's amazing to hear planes and birds fly overhead even though I have no height speakers. I'm sure with a 7.1.4 system height would be more present but it's surprising how much height information from the recordings comes through on a 5.1 system.

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

Here's a question for a person in the mixing biz: Do you think the speaker layout should be exactly like the Dolby renderer with the "top" speakers in the ceiling corners? Or, should every room be set-up like the Dolby Studio requirements? It's a big debate in the HT hobby. Thank you.

@TheVid54 2 месяца назад

I absolutely agree with you. I would also add that I actually prefer the old 6-track, 8-channel systems, and Sony SDDS installations, which had 5-speakers behind the screen for precise dialogue directionality and greater on-screen depth and clarity. I think you can compare the sound quality of old roadshow films like BEN-HUR, CLEOPATRA, EL CID, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, FUNNY GIRL and PATTON to many modern mixes when it comes to an impressive immersive audio experience.

@dkindig 2 месяца назад

Moodfood by Moodswings is an interesting album. They use phasing and actually create an effect where the sound source seems to move all around the room even though it's a stereo source. Pretty impressive what can be done!

@WiP999 2 месяца назад

While I’m working with Atmos I’m far from an expert. I use Atmos to primarily improve headphone listening, I’m mostly only interested in the binaural mix so I mix on headphones. I’m actuall really looking forward to Google/Samsung rolling out their immersive audio format for possibilities on YT content. I do know the height speakers layout is a hotly debated subject in the industry, some think 6 height speakers placed like the renderer is the way to go. I’m a bit of a pragmatist where Atmos is concerned, most people are listening to music on headphones, most People watching films if the have a home theatre system probably won’t have height speakers, many have sound bars with minimal height presence so as an Indie I’m focusing on the ear level mix. When I said to my partner about putting 4 speakers in the lounge ceiling she just said something about over her dead body something something. I haven’t mentioned it again...

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

@@WiP999 Thank you for replying. I'd like to think that Atmos on headphones could be great. But, for me headphones put all of the sounds behind me or at best inside my head. My guess is the Atmos debate will continue for several years to come. I hope you continue to enjoy mixing and you have fun doing it. It's too bad that your lady is against installing ceiling speakers. Maybe getting her watch a properly mixed Atmos movie and listen to Atmos music she would change her mind. I feel my 7.2.4 system is a blessing even though it is a budget set-up. All the very best, Kevin

@porschedrifter 2 месяца назад

Of course it's not a worthless upgrade. Adding more speakers in places they weren't before is always noticeable. 5.1 to 7.1 is a big difference, adding Atmos is a big difference. It's all worth it imo

@nmdpeaceout 2 месяца назад

I think a key point we are missing here, is "is it worth the upgrade from regular 5.1"???. E.g. all the extra expense of extra speakers, and new systems, do you get a relative increase in sound experience??? Of course it is better, but by how much?. And is that improvement truly worth all the extra expense???

@porschedrifter 2 месяца назад

@@nmdpeaceout I say yes it is.

@Echo-jg8is 2 месяца назад

Two points that people don't take into account is that a 5.1 or 4.1 Phantom system offers the Greatest amount of immersion for the fewest amount of speakers, and lastly a 5K, 10K or 20K 5.2 system will always sound much better than a 5K, 10K or 20K 7.2.4 system...🔊🤔

@Antimonkat 2 месяца назад

@@Echo-jg8is I disagree.....at 5K yeah more than likely then 5.2 wins, at 10k....it's a lot closer, but 7.2.4 is probably better enough without diminishing the componant quality too much, at 20k, the 7.2.4 will win hands down over a 20k 5.2, no question. Especially if calibrated. and like in my case, I took my 7.1 system, and just upgraded it to 7.2.4, using the same components and just added the new ones I needed.

@Echo-jg8is 2 месяца назад

Your mistaking more immersion with better sound quality...If your 20K budget goes on 5 speakers and 5 amplifiers, then this will be over twice as much on Hardware as spending 20k on 11 speakers and 11 amplifiers, so yes, a better quality of sound, all thing being equal... Sure it's diminishing returns as the price hikes up but seeing as 98% of home cinemas are under 20k, my statement stands.

@TomGur147 2 месяца назад

I recently rewatched the band of brother and pacific blu rays and I have to say they both sounded better than any other soundtrack I’ve heard including tons of Atmos movies on 4k blu ray! The sound was pin point and the panning and background sounds were incredible, even during quieter scenes. I have a 5.1.2 set up with set to play in neuralX with 5.1 tracks and the neuralX literally made it sound like planes mortars were flying above and across me. It’s rare I get that even with Atmos tracks. I remembered they always sounded good and to this day they’re still the best I’ve heard, especially the pacific. I’d love you to try them out and get some of your thoughts especially in your home theatre!

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

I haven’t seen Band of Brothers but have wanted to see it. What is Pacific? I’m not familiar with that?

@TomGur147 2 месяца назад

@@GeorgeTheaterAtHome the pacific is the follow up to band of brothers. I was watching them in anticipation for Masters of the Air (Apple TV) which is the 3rd of these mini-series. Seriously thought, the dts-hd MA on these is insane! Comparable to saving private Ryan Atmos track but a lot better in my opinion

@patrickmiller4987 2 месяца назад

I upmix most movies to Neural X. Im so tired of the Dolby Atmos marketing machine. "Got a 1940's AM transistor mono radio? Atmos is the answer!!"

@TomGur147 2 месяца назад

@@patrickmiller4987 Atmos when its done right on a disc and played on a good set up is a real game changer, as is DTSX. Dolby do seem to use it as marketing hype though on lots of products that have little or nothing to do with actual Atmos. NeuralX works really well at upmixing to height speakers especially if the original audio is very good to begin with (BoB and the Pacific are good examples)

@myhometheater7029 2 месяца назад

Atmos is better All the way! A properly setup atmos trumps a 5.1 or 7.1 setup any day! I been seeing your post on FB so I subscribed to support! Us small channels need support. Keep up the good work!

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Thanks! I’m subscribed to your channel as well. Keep up the great work!

@Echo-jg8is 2 месяца назад

Two points that people don't take into account is that a 5.1 or 4.1 Phantom system offers the Greatest amount of immersion for the fewest amount of speakers, and lastly a 5K, 10K or 20K 5.1 system will always sound much better than a 5K, 10K or 20K 7.2.4 system...🔊🤔

@dwaynepiper3261 2 месяца назад

I am a skeptic. It's biology. Our ears are horizontal and our ability to locate sounds vertically is diminished to our horizontal location ability. Some owls have ears offset vertically for this reason. Atmos will be slightly better but I don't expect the extra expense and effort vs improvement to be a worthy upgrade. Many details have to be optimized even for 5.1 to be as good as it can be which many people are not willing to put the time into optimizing. How good 5.1 is depends alot on your system and setup. I would be willing to bet that there are some 5.1/7.1 setups that sound better than another system atmos setup depending on the implementation. I would add 2 speakers for the back before heights to a 5.1 system. Atmos is great for the sound mixing engineers, it makes their job much easier for any surround system including 5.1. That's the real benefit and why it was probably created, but as usual anything new will be exploited by salesmen and marketing.

@luisd7636 2 месяца назад

Great Atmos is life-changing.

@JavonDGreen 2 месяца назад

I’m going to give you some atmos tracks outside of most people’s top list. The BFG: 2 scenes in particular. 1 When he first brings the girl back to giant country. 2 When flesh lump eater barges into his cave. Brave: scene 1 when they are fighting in the great hall. Scene 2 when she goes to the witches shop for the first time. The Incredibles 2: the scene where jack jack goes to the other dimension. I believe that all 3 of these movies are demo worthy for atmos through and through. I know you will understand what I’m talking about the moment you give these scenes a listen. However I’d recommend you go through the entire movies and listen to the atmos tracks in their entirety. Nope is also a very good atmos track. The scene where the ship pulls everyone up at the theme park is very immersive as well as when it’s hovering over the house in the rain.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Thanks for the suggestions! I am considering making a video for ‘Best Atmos demo tracks that aren’t on all the other lists.’ These could be good candidates. I’ll check em out. Thanks for watching!

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

It seems the animated films has better soundtracks. I've often used the opening scene of Incredibles 2 for the bass hits. Although, they are not the best and could have been better. Now that you have mentioned them I have watch BFG and Brave again. THX!

@marcharshaw8184 2 месяца назад

If you want to hear sound from a location in physical space, you have to put a speaker there. Immersive audio formats attempt to do this in 3D space, but ultimately the speakers in the room must do the heavy lifting, so more is better. Are there diminishing returns? Maybe, but I don’t think we/I are there yet. All in for 20+ years, still listening!!!

@Saturn2888 2 месяца назад

I didn't think the Atmos upgrade made as much sense until my volume for the heights as bumped up with proper room correction. Same with surrounds. I used to have the volume at 0 for all speakers, so didn't realize the surrounds were too low in volume.

@chrishamilton5960 2 месяца назад

Ok time to just enjoy your system! I like what Atmos adds and it was worth the upgrade for me.

@chrishamilton5960 2 месяца назад

Some of the best Atmos has nothing to do with action as well.

@alef3356 2 месяца назад

Even more excited to test it out myself. Great video!!!

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

@stevenbullock9276 2 месяца назад

Interesting. I JUST started playing with ATMOS, and I like what I've heard- soundtrack mix dependent, as some have pointed out. That being said, I'm using up-firing modules that don't work the best, as it's a drop ceiling and probably absorbing rather than bouncing. Will install some ceiling speakers when time allows. Thanks for the vid!

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

You’re gonna love the ceiling speakers. Major upgrade over the upfiring style. Thanks for watching!

@DavidVenables-hr9iu 2 месяца назад

Its still a big investment for a two minute clip from a 2 hour movie. If you’re interested in following the dialogue rather than the a tion upgrade the front centre speaker.

@dwaynepiper3261 2 месяца назад

Exactly spend your money first on best quality 5.1 speakers over an Atmos system of equal cost.

@patrickmiller4987 2 месяца назад

Agree. A robust 2.1 (Largish speakers w/ multiple subs and w/ room correction and sitting in the phantom center) works great. Adding an EQUALLY good center for other seats is my next priority then the satellites. Some are so eager to get the most speakers set up for Atmos/DTS:X they forego a great front stage and smooth deep bass, i.e. large stereo towers with a dinky MTM center in between.

@dwaynepiper3261 2 месяца назад

@@patrickmiller4987 You're on the right track

@mcleanirish Месяц назад

What I've learned (so far) is that the more speakers you have the greater the responsibility is needed to get things right. But, like with anything, the greater the payoff is when you do get it right! One room might sound amazing with 3 speakers but add more and the sound a mess. Once you hit that point where you have the EQ, distances, room acoustics, SPL levels and everything in harmony.... you then hear it! And you know when you hear the perfection of what was intended. Only issue with Dolby Atmos in some of the larger chain-theater auditoriums is that there is too aggressive of a roll-off in the high ends. Almost as if the engineers were over-preventing any of that treble shrillness from having speakers pointed at you from all directions. Have found that this takes away a lot of the imaging which the higher-frequencies produce. Cannot tell if it's an over-treatment of certain auditoriums or an earlier roll-off in the treble to compensate or prevent potential reflections. This is just what my ears are hearing in certain theaters. The Arclight theater I went to many times was like this - powerful beyond belief in the low-end but underwhelming highs. AMC seems to get it right in their "Dolby Theaters" and it's an unreal experience. Again, when Atmos is done right... to quote Humvee's motto, it's "like nothing else!"

@bric7244 2 месяца назад

I d have to say it def added to the sound. I can hear mine. I think alot of people place them wrong , & then say atmos sucks ! If proper placement & proper speakers with the right amount power it onky adds to the experience. If you have bouncing atmos Seakers yea it does suck .lol

@Davis1138 2 месяца назад

I really enjoy your videos but more importantly I have to give a shout out to your wife. She's a trooper for all the listening sessions you put her through. LOL. I can only imagine the "look" my wife would give me if I asked her to do that.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

She’s been very patient and accommodating! I’ll pass your message on to her. Thanks for watching!

@jc4626 2 месяца назад

I got 4 Atmos ceiling speakers installed in my 7ft ceiling. They were angled in-ceilings as well, but they seem to just project the sound into the floor in front and to the rear of my MLP. Replaced the 4 in-ceiling with more of a Auro set up 2 front height above my screen and 2 back heights as well. These seem to work better in my low ceiling room. Thank you for your Video, it's fun to watch. I wanted to ask what is the height of your ceiling? Keep up the good work

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! My ceiling is 7’8” high. I had the same problem as you with my Height channels. I removed two of the in-ceiling speakers and replaced them with bookshelf speakers mounted to the ceiling and angled them to direct the sound at the main listening position. Much better!

@gab7344 2 месяца назад

I really enjoy your videos, different to the normal reviews and showcasing of peoples rooms. Very informative for people looking at adding ATMOS speakers. I'm undecided if to install in ceiling or to use bookshelf speakers for over head as I really feel nervous about cutting holes if the ceiling. Apart from The aesthetics look what are the pro's and cons of each, of the in ceiling and bookshelf as overhead ATMOS speakers. Wouldn't bookshelf be better as they are sealed and can be aimed better at the MLP. ? I have some Polk ES 10 speakers which I could use as overhead ATMOS laying around as spares or should I go bigger in size. I've been told by alot of people you don't need to spend big dollars on ATOMS speakers

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

So glad you’re enjoying my videos! I made a video about how to use bookshelf speakers as Atmos speakers. Good luck with your project! Atmos Guide: Choose the Best Speakers For Your Home Theater Setup ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eNOXzZD5KnA.html

@DaniloZimatore 2 месяца назад

Polk ES10 sono quelli che uso io su soffitto. Ho in vendita anche altri altoparlanti perfetti per Atmos: Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 150W

@gab7344 2 месяца назад

@@DaniloZimatore Hi what brackets do you use to mount the Polk ES10 to ceiling ...Cheers

@DaniloZimatore 2 месяца назад

@@gab7344 I have buy three different support and now i use one model who i have buy from amazon italy: this is description of item: Drall 2 Pezzi staffe da Parete universali per Altoparlanti Fino a 15 kg - inclinazione e Rotazione - Staffa per Altoparlanti per Montaggio a soffitto

@Handi2478 2 месяца назад

This is an interesting idea. I wonder if I can try this comparison on my AVR system? 🤔 Did you calibrate your AV receiver after changing modes?

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

You should be able to do it. Select movies that include both the Atmos track as well as the 5.1 track. My processor is calibrated for my room so it plays both tracks correctly.

@Antimonkat 2 месяца назад

Hey! You went with the Matrix scene, Sweet! Good call guys. Love that scene.

@matthewfuller1129 2 месяца назад

As someone who is considering "upgrading" to an Atmos-capable setup when I renovate my viewing room, I appreciate this review. I don't have a dedicated theater room, but I'd like to get some more details regarding the Atmos sound tracks that you used as it relates to speaker configuration. Did you go from 5.1 to 5.1.2? 5.1.4? 5.1.6? Or something else?

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

My Atmos setup is 9.2.4. However, I think even a 5.1.2 or 7.1.2 Atmos setup would be a significant upgrade over 5.1. Let me know when you upgrade. Would be curious to hear if and how much it improves your listening experience. Thanks for watching!

@TheWolfCub71 2 месяца назад

I wondering if the mix firm the disc is the way to go. I used to test out speakers using that specific scene on the DVD of The Matrix in 5.1. One of the things I would listen for is the plinky plinky sound of bullets hitting the ground. Because the scene has extensive sub bass, bass, mid frequencies and upper frequencies, it was easy to tell which speakers were better if the sub and bass frequencies were easily heard clear and not muddled, but also the higher pitched buzzy synths would sometimes cause the plinky bullet sound to be less crisp and distinguished and the placements were still all around the room, just less precise. If that wasn’t present in the 5.1 downmix on the UHD disc that is a shame. I have bought The Matrix trilogy on DVD, Bluray and UHD, I will give them all a listen and reply back to this comment what if any differences I notice from disc to disc.

@TheWolfCub71 2 месяца назад

So I did my homework. Started with the Original DVD, set my Marantz receiver to not upmix the 5.1 and it was interesting to hear it that way again. I definitely heard the bullets hitting the floor in the particular section they highlight it with sound. They definitely come from different speakers and you can hear it. Sub bass and electronic bass in the soundtrack seemed slightly blurred or smeared and the ambiance is not there. I switched to Bluray, and this was from the Ultimate Matrix collection, not the Bluray included with the UHD disc. This posed an issue. It had Dolby TruHD so my receiver had a number of options, so I did three tests. One was just the Dolby 5.1 mix with no added conversion from my receiver (which seemed to get very excited receiving a TruHD signal and wanted to throw it into an Atmos package for output) so I did Dolby 5.1 and it had slightly more definition and dynamic range in the audio. The bass management was slightly improved but the atmosphere felt pretty dry/flat. I then listened with the Dolby Atmos upmix, it was similar but the perceived push I to the ceiling speakers did very little to envelope me any more than with no upmix. It maybe had a slightly wider soundstage. Then of course I had to try Dolby Digital w/ neural:X. It definitely had. Ore things happening in the ceiling speakers, but at the expense of muddying the entire mix. The DVD was on par with the Neural:X upmix with the give and take between them. Then I finally made it to the UHD. Total night and day difference. The sound was expansive and immersive. The dynamic range with the sound and the clarity of every single piece of sound was on a whole other scale. The bass management was perfected and there was punch and definition in the sub and low end of the mix that was just not there in the other two discs. Then the bullets…. Specifically placed all around and piercingly plinky and so well defined that, this could be my imagining, you could hear the room reverb as each bullet hit and bounced around accordingly. The gunshots and whizzing bullets and explosions and disintegrating pieces of marble and plaster flying all around the room actually sounded like it was placed within the room and traveled through the space. The previous two discs never had anything close to that. The sound was definitely “around” me with those two discs but the sound really never left the speakers. With Atmos, the sound never even sounded like they started at the speaker, but appeared within the room. I played each disc through the ride up the elevator shaft and the huge explosion in the lobby. The touch through the elevator shaft in Atmos is spectacular, while it’s just white noise on the previous discs. The explosion at the end is also different from disc to disc, the DVD was a deep rumble and whoosh when the door flys by, and it’s pretty cool on DVD. On the Bluray the explosion is deeper and richer and there’s more sounds within the explosion and the whoosh of the door is brighter and crisper but the movement is blinding make fast from front to rear as the door passes. In Atmos though, the explosion has life in it, it seems to slowly fill the room and the base management makes for a much richer and menacing sound with crackles that were not present and it gave the fire an audible night to it, the the low rumbles around your ankles and knees and the crackles at about eye level. The whoosh of the door though is accurately represented in space as it flys toward you and over your head and lingers in the rear speakers giving the room depth behind you that wasn’t at all there on the other two discs. Anyway, I know this was quite the dissertation and anyone of us audiophiles will already instinctively know these nuances and therefore it’s why we fuss and spend to get things as perfect as we can. I just wanted to report my findings, which definitely was in line with the experience your wife had hearing the difference. I absolutely think MOST people will hear a huge difference with back to back comparisons. I also think it depends on the individual if they would know what they were missing with DVD or BluRay or know what they are gaining when they listen to an Atmos track without any comparison. A good home theater is going to wow most of the populace with surround sound regardless of the amount of channels or the ability to play object based sound.

@Lowkey_nxthxn 2 месяца назад

I still have a 5.1 setup in my bedroom and i don't even mind if it's not in atmos but i do own a 5.2.2 setup. I still think 5.1 holds up tell this day and you can enjoy Apple Music just with a 5.1 setup. Sometimes 5.1 blows my mind away

@sage11x Месяц назад

My problem with Atmos: placing your surrounds where they SHOULD be placed- up high where Dolby recommended before they started adding height channels- has almost the exact same effect. Atmos makes sense in a theater where there are large spaces to cover. In a home it’s mostly a waste. I would suggest anyone looking at Atmos to save the cash and upgrade their speakers or display instead. You’ll get a lot more from your money there.

@Chrismontt 2 месяца назад

I have a 5.1.2 at home and I can hear the difference when it comes to atmos track movies especially when the height channels are on full blast its another level...

@roysonparsons3300 2 месяца назад

I like your approach. Not surprising that Atmos “wins.” As lots of commentators have pointed out the Atmos mixing tools are superior, and I agree that it greatly depends on the level of mixing effort and skill employed. I have a fairly high performing 9.1 system, and though I plan to upgrade to Atmos I am still enjoying what I have. I have been experimenting with things like moving my wide and height speakers to different positions. Also I’ve tried disconnecting all the speakers except for a surround pair that I’m testing. What I’ve discovered is that lots of mixes make very little use of the surround height and width speakers. It’s tricky, because my system isn’t Atmos, so I’m sure I’m missing out on software decoding. I love messing around with this stuff and I’m sure it will be fun to experience real Atmos when I upgrade.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Let me know how the upgrades go and if you notice a difference and if it was worth it. Thanks for watching!

@4luvofmovies485 2 месяца назад

I also have a 5.2.2 set up but I really think a 5.1 is great for 90 percent of movies though

@damonappel 2 месяца назад

7.1.4 ...I find that a truly standout Atmos soundtrack is not super easy to come by. But, the upgrade to an Atmos AVR and an excessive number of channels "fills out" the room with even a 5.1 mix. It also tends to expose deficiencies in your overall system more. It IS different from a regular matrixed surround. My prior AVR was 9-channel capable and I ran it that way for a few years and it never sounded like THIS. I can also say why "5.1ers" will say "It's good enough!". If they're surround aficionados like me, it may because they've tried the matrix surrounds of the past and found that 5.1 & 7.1 wasn't dramatically different. OR, they know Atmos is probably going to be better, but aren't ready for that next investment. And we're not just staying it's a 'money' investment. If you love this stuff, you're going to then start looking at all the releases you buy for the "Dolby Atmos" icon. Sometimes, even an enthusiast isn't 'ready' at certain points in their life. It's better just to say, "5.1 is good enough". Because it's still pretty good on a good system.

@BobFrostV 2 месяца назад

I like your videos. Fun stuff

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Thank you!! So glad you’re enjoying them.

@Macroproxy 2 месяца назад

Not a detractor but did you level match the scenes or just go by volume slider?

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

I level matched them. I had to adjust the Atmos tracks down a few dB’s

@mexdrago3009 2 месяца назад

I dont think so even with a soundbar like a Q990B. Im saving eventually for a 15.1 channel. 9.1.6 set up but the current receivers that do are capable of doing that many channels don't have 120hz pass through yet. I need that for gaming. After a system like that I don't see ever upgrading.

@we8463 Месяц назад

ATMOS is worth it as long as you have the space and the green! I run a 9.4.6 and it all depends on the movies. There are so many movies that are poorly mixed! To bad DTS:X Pro is not used as much!

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

Atmos has been a good upgrade for my house. Currently 7.2.4 on a low budget. I'm not 100% sure of my speaker placements yet, but woking on nailing it down. One of the biggest issues with Dolby Atmos is getting well recorded/engineered soundtracks. Streaming services are sketchy at best. I feel VUDU/Fandango at Home is the worst at delivering Atmos. I've been with them since it was owned by Walmart and I have always questioned if I was getting Atmos sound at all. Every "4k Atmos" movie I've played over VUDU never shows up on my AV processor. But, I always see Dolby Atmos and hear it on Netflix, Disney+ and others. Is asked VUDU about this issue several times over the years and never get a proper answer. They always blame my gear and set-up. Having discs is best, of course, and I am slowly buying the 4k discs to replace the collection I own on the VUDU servers.

@kingeo25 2 месяца назад

Interesting. I've been a Vudu/Fandango customer going back to 2016 and have had no issues getting my content to display as Atmos via my equipment. What processor/receiver are you using? Streaming boxes? On board TV apps?

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

@@kingeo25 300+mbps download -> Apple TV 4k -> Emotiva MC1 processor -> 2010 Sharp Aquos 1080p TV. The processor only says 5.1 + LFE. The other movie services, including Apple Music, shows Dolby Atmos on the processor screen. I think it's time I mail a handwritten letter to the CEO of Fandango. I've been kindly asking them for help for too long. Their customer service is very likely a contractor that doesn't care one bit about VUDU's customers.

@MrBjorn6 2 месяца назад

I have Vudu and it's good but nothing like physical media UHD Blueray 4k with Atmos.

@richellebrittain2127 2 месяца назад

You need to be sure everything in your chain is passing thru Atmos from your source (disc or streaming service) to your AVR/soundbar; all connections need to be HDMI (not analog, optical or coax audio), and all should be set to either bitstream Dolby codecs or (for Apple TV 4K, some gaming consoles & Atmos TVs) partially decode to MAT/PCM Atmos. If so, your AVR/soundbar should display "Dolby Atmos" together with "TrueHD" (usually bitstreamed from discs), "Dolby Digital Plus" or "DD+" (bitstreamed from streaming), or "MAT" or "PCM" (partially decoded). TrueHD is the best as it's lossless audio; the others are either lossy or may be partially decoded from lossy.

@welderfixer 2 месяца назад

@@richellebrittain2127 Thanks for the info. You are 100% correct about Dolby Atmos w/ TrueHD is the cream of the crop and I wish my processor would display the format while playing. However, all of my gear is as you say and up to the task. VUDU is the only service I use that fails me. I plan to do as much testing as I can this evening to prove or disprove my long term disappointment with VUDU. I'll leave my finding here when I can. Thanks again - all the best.

@nigelstone3729 2 месяца назад

The horror movie It Follows 4k Atmos, also has bass sound above too with the creepy sounds. Oh good sounds like you've fixed your speaker placements. 👍

@miguelborja6896 2 месяца назад

Atmos has more dynamic range, bitrate, virtual channels. Dolby Digital (unless you use DTHD) still a lower bit rate audio mix. That's why is easy to pickup the difference. Also Atmos is mixed differently on propurse.

@marcroth3033 2 месяца назад

You should do a Atmos movie demo using 5.1 with speaker virtualization turned on. ATMOS LITE.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

I like it! Have to give that a try. Thanks for watching!

@mellorarma 2 месяца назад

Do you use Blu-ray, or do you stream your movies?

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

4K UHD

@jvcalleja 2 месяца назад

One last thought as I didn't post the comment until the review ended...she said its not that 5.1 is bad is that atmos is a little bit better...when one considers that she recognized atmos soundtrack immediately I must say that in order to do so the difference has to be miles better not a bit better...but amazingly she managed to hear the difference immideately!!!

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Yes, it was significantly better. I was surprised at how obvious the difference was, given how many people claim 5.1 is just as good as Atmos. Thanks for watching!

@liutungwei5160 2 месяца назад

Your system is calibrated for Atmos setup. In order to be fair, I'm not sure if you should calibrate your system at 5.1 setup to play 5.1 track. Plus, your Atmos is lossless while 5.1 track is lossy. I'm not sure if it's fair or not. There are movies with lossless 5.1 and atmos: 1. Spider-man Far From Home (DTS-HD MA 5.1 vs Atmos) 2. Godzilla King of the Monsters (DTS-HD MA 5.1 vs Atmos) 3. Gran Turismo (DTS-HD MA 5.1 vs Atmos) 4. Pacific Rim (DTS-HD MA 5.1 vs Atmos)

@theatremad9797 2 месяца назад

Atmos is not an upgrade anymore. Atmos is being shipped out in units as a standard feature and will only get more popular with time. Is Atmos worth it depends on the mix as some mixes are better than others. I have listened to mixes that are terrible and others which are fantastic. You can have a fantastic system and wonder what all the fuss is about. I put on Dark side of the moon(pink Floyd) and it was fantastic. In fact it sounded better than any movie I have listened to. Yet again, I have also witnessed a standard DTS-MA being fuller than Atmos. All depends how much love has been put into the mix plus a combination of your equipment being used. It all starts with the concrete slab and that is the mix.

@imnoone492 2 месяца назад

Like all new formats Atmos is still in its birthing stage, and they’re trying to figure it out. I remember the transition from mono to stereo, and early stereo mixes were horrible, especially when using headphones. I have high hopes for the future, especially for Atmos music.

@jvcalleja 2 месяца назад

Maybe I'm rusting then...5 systems one of these is a dream system and I never managed to get the feeling mentioned and how quick she got them right. I'm losing ground. Atmos to me is money down the drain.

@PIPERBOYWILLIAMS Месяц назад

Definitely clearer but not really worth it. Spent 20k on my system and very few movies make it worth it. Just get height channels and call it a say

@ronfrancois 2 месяца назад

Phew! ... That round was a marriage decider. 😂 ... She can stay.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

😆😆

@mrtickleuk 2 месяца назад

Very strange to ignore 7.1. It's as if 7.1 doesn't exist, but in reality a better test would be 7.1 vs Atmos.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

Good suggestion. Maybe I’ll do that one next?

@mrtickleuk 2 месяца назад

@@GeorgeTheaterAtHome you could, but of limited value (just like B&W vs Colour, SDR vs HDR - unless you have an implementation issue, the improvements are obvious and don't need checking). I just meant that things clearly didn't stand still at 5.1, so 5.1 was not "the old thing" that Atmos superceded.

@garyharper2943 2 месяца назад

I have 5.1.4 with four ceiling speakers and it can be awesome, but some are not great.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

What are some of your favorites?

@garyharper2943 2 месяца назад

@@GeorgeTheaterAtHome Bladerunner 2049, Deepwater Horizon, Quiet place both 1&2. Oh and The Others lots of creepy over your head.

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

@@garyharper2943 I keep seeing Deepwater Horizon mentioned. I need to see it!

@garyharper2943 2 месяца назад

@@GeorgeTheaterAtHome it’s great, lots of creaking pipes etc. before it blows. A Quiet Place is really awesome with things happening over your head. Just thought of another Zero dark Thirty really works well.

@adriangoins8404 2 месяца назад

Excellent choice to use the wife test!

@robertrobitaille320 2 месяца назад

Well you have a well calibrated home theater. It make a big difference. Have a 5.2.2. Love it but calibration is the game. Proper speakers placement. Cheers to your wife.

@ericmatthews8497 2 месяца назад

You cannot escape the law of diminishing returns. Adding more speakers improves the experience but once you move past 5.1 the gains become exceedingly small. Even new big budget films on UltraHD blu-ray (AVATAR: The Way of Water) won't do much with the height channel speakers - mere seconds of audio across a three hour film!!! Quite frankly .. I don't yet think it's worth the time, the effort, and the money. For now... I'll keep my 7.2 theater as it is.

@LEMON48 2 месяца назад

Hehe , you think in my small 13m2 room ATMOS even 2 speakers has any sense of working properly ???? Now i had 9.1 on my old Onkyo TX -NR919 and thinking about upgrade so ???????

@ChadAV69 2 месяца назад

Good video. I still think atmos is overhyped. If it was seriously really good we wouldn't need tests just to see if people notice the difference. I think it's similar to 7.1 but because Atmos is SO hyped right now people expect to be blown away, which never happens. Hell I can barely notice it when I'm in a Dolby Cinema at AMC. It also is heavily dependent on placement relative to your side surrounds in order to get enough separation to actually be able to hear the atmos effect which Dolby will never admit.

@OG_G4m3r 2 месяца назад

Personally I think it makes a very noticeable difference. It just sounds more full overall.

@DCMedien 2 месяца назад

In cinemas I also hear too much if a difference, at home on my perfectly measured place it's a different experience. In my opinion with atmos its even more necessary to sit at the right and measured place. Also many movies have atmos tracks, but never really uses the ceiling speakers at all, apart from music. Really good Atmos tracks are rare sadly. But with the right movies, equipment and measurement it really is a big improvement.

@kthx1138 2 месяца назад

Atmos-pheric: Is THAT why Dolby calls it Atmos?

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

I believe so

@JCOTV 2 месяца назад

"Read the script woman! Atmos has to win!!"

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

This made me laugh out loud 😆. Thanks for watching!

@olic6653 2 месяца назад

It is much better with Atmos

@PeterLong-xc2xb 26 дней назад

You are not going to get good 5.1 surround effects if the speakers are positioned for Dolby Atmos not 5.1. Did you change the height of the surround speakers? And if your system has 7 or 9 base level speakers did you change the angle of the surround speakers? 5.1 Surround speakers should be at 110-120 degrees, at 1-2' above ear level, higher than front speakers. Atmos Surround speakers should be at 110-120 degrees, at ear level, same height as front speakers. 7 or 9 base level speakers Atmos Surround speakers should be at 90-110 degrees, at ear level, same height as front speakers. With the additional rear surround speakers at 135-150 degrees, at ear level, same height as front speakers.

@lanla6838z 2 месяца назад

You must play atmos in 5.1 and 5.1.4 (or whatever your layout is.) by turning off the height channels in settings. The receiver must play atmos regardless of the layout in all scenarios. At the moment you're playing different things. If the production didn't care for 5.1, then it's no comparison. On a Yamaha it will be fire whichever track. On Denon the atmos will be more noticeable because denon is hopeless in 2.0 stereo.

@dwaynepiper3261 2 месяца назад

Agree they will put more effort (time and money) into a specific mix Atmos, DTS X or whatever and then the others will be an after thought so you cannot judge and generalize their true capability this way. Also these are object based vs older discrete channel surround methods and the benefit is for the sound mixers job and nothing to do with needing to have height channels. Any can sound great if done well and regardless if you 11 channels or only 5.1 system that's properly implemented.

@Echo-jg8is 2 месяца назад

Two points that people don't take into account is that a 5.1 or 4.1 Phantom system offers the Greatest amount of immersion for the fewest amount of speakers, and lastly a 5K, 10K or 20K 5.1 system will always sound much better than a 5K, 10K or 20K 7.2.4 system...🔊🤔

@keywestjimmy 2 месяца назад

Ugh...you just compared Atmos to Atmos, not 5.1 mix to a 7.2.4 mix. Do you see the difference?

@GeorgeTheaterAtHome 2 месяца назад

I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying. I switched between the 5.1 and Atmos tracks from the Settings menu on each disc.

@keywestjimmy 2 месяца назад

@@GeorgeTheaterAtHome Your Bluyray has stems of all tracks and a master ADM file (with metadata information). There is not a 5.1 mix on your disk. There is not a 7.1.4 on your disk. When you choose a folder-down, for example to 5.1, 7.1, 2.0, 7.1.4, 9.1.6, the software in the decoder, on the fly, creates the mix-down you hear. ALL of the examples listed above are all consider an Official Atmos mix. So in short you're comparing the Atmos 7.1.4 to Atmos 5.1 translation only, not a 5.1 Dolby Surround ProLogic to Atmos mix. To do this you'd need to get an older 5.1 Surround mix Blu-ray and then a new Re-mastered Atmos Blu-ray for a valid comparison test.