Dolby 5.1.2 Speaker Placement

Dolby Atmos Setup Guides - Dolby Dolby Atmos speaker layouts parallel the 5.1 and 7.1 setups for surround sound. A 5.1.2 or 7.1.2 system uses two ceiling speakers, or two Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers or modules. A 5.1.4 or 7.1.4 system uses four ceiling speakers, or four Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers or modules. Hello everyone, I decided to add 2 KEF Ci50r speakers to my 5.1 set up (Denon AVR-2300W & Jamo A102 speakers) but I'm having trouble finding a definitive answer about the placement for them. Do they go in line with the Surround L&R speakers and slightly in front of the main listening position. While Dolby Atmos can function properly with elevated rear speakers, they can’t be more than 1.25 times higher than the front ones. For best results, the speakers should all be the same distance from the listener. Dolby Configurations Explained. A 5.1.2 system uses two ceiling mounted speakers in addition to a normal 5.1 setup. The configurations noted in this speaker setup guide are illustrative. 5.1 Home Theater Speaker Placement. 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos Enabled Speaker Placement. Optimize your sound system that includes Dolby Atmos technology with this step-by-step guide to the best speaker setup. ## 5.1.2 Atmos Home Theater Overhead Speaker Placement. Side view of a 5.1. Emerging audio formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D are also bringing immersive height effects into the home, creating more channels that extend to 5.1.2, 7.1.4, 11.2.6 and beyond. Regardless of the number of speakers in a home audio system, the final goal is the same – precise localization of special effects, a spacious sound stage.

A 5.1.2 system uses 2 ceiling speakers in additional to a basic 5.1 system. For the requirement of 5.1.2 ceiling speakers, they are not easy to fit for apartment but better for house.

For the 5.1.2 system, it consists of:

Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 Speaker Placement

NOTES: for items 2-4, they are totally 5 normal speakers as 5 with the subwoofer as the “.1” and final “.2” refers to 2 additional speakers in-ceiling.

Let’s take a look on the floor-plan of the 5.1.2 theater.

The installation suggestion is based on the information available from the Dolby Lab. With our experience, it should be fine-tuned for every listening room. The key is the positioning as the angle of the speaker position and the physical height of the speakers.

To take an example, a room with wooden wall should be sounded very well. Further adjustment will be necessary for a brick wall. In order to build the best-fit system, you need to set your height and position of each speaker with the help of the AV system. Then, you have to compare the effects when sitting down at your seat by playing the same track until the most comfortable one.

Also, the 3-D plan is being shown below:

How To Position 5.1 Speakers

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Dear BPBS,

I've been shopping for a receiver lately and want to get one that does the immersive audio stuff (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X). Some of the receivers say they're 7.2 and other say they're 5.1.4. What do I need and what do these numbers really mean? And can I do the same thing with a soundbar intead of buying a receiver and lots of speakers?

Thanks,

-Peter in Pittsburgh

Dolby Atmos 5.1 2 Height Speaker Placement

Hi, Peter,

Thanks for your question. It's one that we've gotten often over the years.

As the technology of audio and video reproduction advances, things have gotten more complicated. Monophonic tube radios evolved into stereophonic HiFi systems, which in turn evolved into multi-channel surround sound systems. The most recent advance in surround sound -- 'immersive sound' -- reproduces sound in all directions, not just in front of and behind the listener, but above our heads too. As these technologies have advanced, a common shorthand has arisen in order to identify the different options available to consumers. And those are the numbers you're asking about.

This series of 3 numbers can be used to describe the number and type of channels in any sound system, from a simple soundbar to an advanced A/V receiver to a professional movie theater surround sound system.

The format is 'x.y.z' where:

1. 'x' is the number of channels or speakers at or near ear level,
2. 'y' is the number of channels or speakers dedicated to low bass reproduction
3. 'z' is the number of overhead channels or speakers.

If a system does not have any dedicated height channels, then the last digit is left off. Here are some examples:

• 1.0 - this is a monophonic sound system with just one speaker reproducing all of the sound.
• 2.0 - this is a standard 'stereo system' - it has two speakers to reproduce a stereo soundfield
• 2.1 - this represents a standard stereo system, but it adds a dedicated speaker for low bass reproduction (a woofer or subwoofer)
• 3.0 - this is similar to a stereo system, but it adds a dedicated center speaker between the front left and right speakers. This can help in reproducing movie dialog and commentary clearly.
• 3.1 - as above, but with a dedicated bass speaker (subwoofer).
• 4.0 - A typical 4.0-channel system uses two speakers in the front and two in the rear or side to reproduce surround sound. But a system with 3 speakers in the front (left, center, right) and one in the rear of the room could also qualify as 4.0
• 4.1 - as above, but with a dedicated bass speaker
• 5.0 - this is typically used to describe a traditional surround sound system with three speakers across the front (front left, center and front right) and two speakers on the sides or in the rear to generate surround sound
• 5.1 - as above, but with a dedicated bass channel or subwoofer
• 7.0 - this type of system has three speakers in the front, 2 on the side (side surround) and 2 in the rear (rear surround)
• 7.1 - as above, but with a dedicated bass channel or speaker
• 5.1.2 - this is a 'standard' 5.1-channel surround sound system, with the addition of two height channel or speakers that generate sound from above the listener
• 5.1.4 - as above but with 4 height channels or speakers to generate sound above the listener
• 7.1.2 - a standard 7.1-channel system with two additional speakers dedicated to reproducing sound above the listener
• 7.1.4 - as above, but with 4 height channels or speakers

64.4.32? Sure? Why Not?

The numbers can go even higher. Some theatrical immersive sound systems utilize dozens of speakers to reproduce sound as realistically (and immersively) as possible. But a 7.1.4 system is where we find most home theater receivers and speaker systems max out. And in a large living room or even a dedicated home theater, a 7.1.4 channel system is probably good enough to create an enjoyable audio experience anywhere in the room.

It's important to note that not every speaker represented by one of the numbers needs to be in its own physical box. A '3.0' soundbar may have all three of those speakers: front left, center and front right - in a single speaker cabinet. Similarly, not all 'height channel' speakers need to be physically placed above the listener in the ceiling or high on a wall. Some height speakers are placed at the listener's ear level but are angled up in order to bounce sound off the ceiling. This gives the illusion of sound coming from above when it's actually being generated from ear height or below.

Can a Soundbar Do That?

While a receiver with dedicated speakers will generally give you the best results, some companies are making soundbars that provide a pretty realistic immersive surround experience. New soundbars from companies such as Yamaha, Samsung and LG are designed to bounce sound off both the side walls and the ceiling in order to create a '5.1.2' immersive surround sound experience from a single soundbar and dedicated subwoofer. These types of systems can be effective at generating an immersive soundfield, but for best results, the listening room must have regular wall and ceiling surfaces that are reflective enough for sound to bounce off and reach the listener's ears from the right directions.

Best 5.1 Speaker Placement

In general, you will get better overall results from a receiver or preamp/amp system that uses dedicated height speakers installed on or in the ceiling, but for those in smaller spaces or in apartments where running a lot of additional wires can be problematic, these reflective and virtual surround sound options offer a viable alternative.

Also, to answer the last part of your question, some receiver makers tout their receivers as '7.2' or '7.2.4' to designate that they have dual outputs for subwoofers, this can be misleading. In many cases, the two subwoofer outputs are not independently adjustable, so they really shouldn't be counted as separate channels. While it is recommended in many listening rooms to use more than one subwoofer (to compensate for standing waves and room modes), the fine adjustments in level and phase for each subwoofer are typically done on the subwoofer itself, not in the receiver.

I hope that helps!

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