# Speaker setup advise - in-wall/ceiling Atmos setup



## TimV86 (Sep 24, 2018)

Hi,

I'm in the construction fase of a new house and want to setup a nice surround experience.

- It's not a dedicated home theater but my 'standard' TV room that the whole family will use, most of the time for standard tv shows but where I also want to enjoy a good movie from time to time.

- As you can see in the images attached its a rectangular room, not too small, not too big (4,30 x 4,50 meters / 14 x 15 feet). 

- My AV guy proposed a 5.1 in-wall speaker system : Bowers & Wilkins CWM Cinema 7 (image attached)

- I read a lot about Dolby Atmos lately and would like to add this also. My AV guy has no experience with Atmos and thinks 2 in-ceiling speakers will be enough because of te relatively big back surrounds. He thinks adding 2 more (4 in-ceilling in total) will have not much effect.
He proposes Bowers & Wilkins CCM Cinema 7 in-ceiling speakers. Those have angled drivers angled so they can be directed to the listener. (image attached)

- Subwoofer would be the Bowers & Wilkins ISW-3, build in under the TV in the furniture. This has a separate amplifier (B&W SA250 Mk2)

- Proposed AV receiver is the NAD T777 V3 but it supports 'only' a 5.1.2 system. So if I go for the 5.1.4 system I need to add an external amplifier (or I was thinking the Denon AVR-X4500H who support 5.2.4 natively and is cheaper).




Now the questions  :
1/ What do you think about the placement of the speakers in the back wall? I read a few times that this is not ideal in a 5.1(.2/4) setup. An important remark is that I cannot place an in-wall speaker in the right wall (facing the TV). The AV guy also uses Dirac Live room correction software to fine tune the system but if a speaker is placed wrong I can not imagine that it can correct that.

2/ What do you think about the Atmos setup. 2 or 4 speakers in my case? I admit that when I put 4 speakers on the layout the back in-ceilling speakers look very close to the back in-wall speakers. Maybe the AV guy is right that those extra 2 will not do a lot? (layouts attached) 

3/ Should I go for the NAD T777 v3 or the Denon AVR-X4500H. The last one has more options and is cheaper. The NAD on the other hand is future proof with upgradable plug-in modules and has the Dirac Live room correction software. 

4/ Any other remarks are welcome. A still have all options open.


Thank you very much!
Tim


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## thumprchgo (Sep 28, 2017)

Locating Dolby Atmos speakers

I would divide the room in thirds, from front to back, and from left to right. The four points of intersection would hold two top front, and two top middle speakers. This a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos type setup. The MLP (main listening position, or SweetSpot) would be inside those four points of speakers 
Think of the high speakers as the “top” of the half-sphere of sound that Atmos creates in your home theater. 
Having four is better than two DA speakers because the AVR firmware maps the “sound objects” of Atmos sound effects relative to its connected speakers. 
You can hear a helicopter approach from the far off left-back, pass overhead, hover, and sound like it is landing on the right channel speaker. 
It is amazing when you finally hear it, esp if you are using Dirac for room tuning. 
I would keep the rear back speakers, get the Denon, for a 7.1.4 setup. Thus, Dolby Atmos will make use of them. Since Dirac is not built in to the Denon, you would need to use an external box, like MiniDSP or a laptop. 
The one lack is see is one sub. It really does make a difference to have two, if you’re getting as fine grained as Dirac and calibration. 
Enjoy this process. You have to. Otherwise you’d throw your hands up and head out to drown the frustration with a beer or three. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## TimV86 (Sep 24, 2018)

Hi thumprchgo,

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

My wife already thinks I'm exaggerating for the family tv room so placing the sofa in the middle is not really an option. We would be too close to the tv (at 2 meters / 7 feet) and will lose too much usable space.
I would like to place the sofa at a maximum of 0,6 meters / 2 feet from the back wall.
I would also like to keep a 5.1 system and not a 7.1 system.

Keeping this in mind are the 2 back surrounds (cinema 7 in-wall) acceptable (with Dirac room correction) or is it a no no for a 5.1 setup? If it's a no no I can replace the in-wall back's by smaller speakers on a stand that I can put angled in the back corners for example.
And 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 then, taking the sofa position and back speaker position in consideration? If I read the Dobly recommendations right, when using 4 in-ceiling Atmos speakers, the 2 back's need to be at a minimum of 125° so it looks like I've not enough space behind me for that setup? (again considering the sofa position) 

The Denon has also an 'Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room measurement system' as an alternative for the Dirac in the NAD.

Thank you very much!


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

For your size room I wouldn't go beyond 5.1.2 https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/dolby-atmos-speaker-setup/5.1.2-overhead-speaker-setup-guide.pdf


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