If everything’s good, finish your cut. Wayne Pflughaupt over at Home Theater Shack, has assembled a five-part guide to in-wall wiring that’s as useful for general wiring as it is for speaker cables. Perhaps you want to install four speakers in case you want to add more later, even though your receiver can only support two? See attached photo. Your speaker hopefully came with a circular template, that will let you trace the precise size of the opening you need to cut. Before you settle on a ceiling speaker, make sure your ceiling can accommodate it. This guide will help you get started. Are you sure ceiling speakers are the right choice for your Dolby Atmos home theater setup? The quality of in-ceiling speakers can range from background listening options to full audiophile level speakers. If your system can only accommodate one pair of in-ceiling speakers, mount them slightly in front of where you’ll be listening. I was able to scope out how I would install the speakers. angle from the overhead speakers to the main listening seat. These are for those of you who are looking for the most discreet audio install possible. Provide clearer delineation of ear-level speakers, overhead speakers, and height speakers. For each wire, twist the copper strands until they form a tight, single bunch. For a 5.1.2 speaker setup, you would install a pair of ceiling speakers slightly in front of the main viewing position as shown in the above illustration. The smaller the number, the thicker the wire. Now you can return to the bottom of the wall and start pulling the fish tape out. Do not over-tighten these tabs… there’s no need to do so, and if you accidentally snap them they’ll be useless. For instance, if you’re running cable from the top of a wall to the bottom of a wall, you insert the fish tape at the bottom of the wall and run it up, so that the end of the fish tape emerges at the top. Dolby’s installation guidelines further specify that listener-level speakers should all be placed at the same height — 3.9 feet, or ear-level for an average listener. If you’re installing speakers in a finished ceiling, with finished walls, you’ll be cutting drywall, running wire through cavities that may have obstructions, and using tools like fish tape. A fish tape spool makes this very difficult as gravity will constantly pull the tape down, usually right into the obstacles you want to avoid. Installing ceiling speakers can be tricky. Indicate the recommended speaker angles on the floor and ceiling to better help with floor-standing and bookshelf speaker placement. Installing ceiling speakers can be tricky. I have Martin Logan Motions (60xti, 50xti, 15i) on the ground, but I don't think I need particularly expensive in ceiling speakers. 2.General Dolby Atmos Home Setup Guidelines The following components are needed to set up a Dolby Atmos home theatersystem: • A source device to play Dolby Atmos content. You don’t need to be a licensed contractor to do this, but if you’re not the patient sort, or don’t think your handiwork will impress, now’s the time to decide where your limits are. A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Ceiling Speakers for your Home | … Gently lift the speaker into the hole, while taking care to keep your excess speaker wire from sitting on top of the speaker housing — this could cause unwanted vibrations. Your ceiling speakers will be anywhere from 6 to 12-inches in diameter, which likely won’t be a problem given that most ceiling joists are 16 inches apart (on center), with a 14-inch gap between them. 4. Another benefit to a cable fishing rod is you can push as well as pull the cable. If not, got to the manufacturer’s website and see if there’s one you can download and print, making sure you’re set to “100 percent” ratio for the size. For a 5.1.2 setup, the same the rules apply, but the overhead pair should be positioned for a tighter elevation angle just in front of the main listening area. You should now have a line of magnets that show you where one joist is. To find the next joist, measure perpendicularly from your magnet line, approximately 16 inches. You may need to do this several times, and combine it with a twisting motion. How to install Dolby Atmos ceiling speakers | Digital Trends This Sonance 8-inch in-ceiling speaker is easy to install and includes a paintable grille that blends into surrounding decor. Fortunately, there’s a very reliable hack: Get a set of rare earth fridge magnets, and glide one across the surface of the ceiling in a growing spiral pattern, starting at the center of where you want to put a speaker. We’ll give you some tips on where to place your speakers correctly. Best Ceiling Speakers For Atmos - December 2020 - GearsLoft Placement Of Speakers. Recently, I upgraded my receiver to Denon’s 7.2-channel, Atmos-capable AVR-X2400H. This includes the speakers themselves. In any case, .2 Atmos can be ok with the height speakers just in front of the viewer(on/in the ceiling). I’ll be receiving my new Marantz AV 8805 in a couple days. Impressive speakers positioned in strategic locations will sound even better.. Average home speaker cable comes in 16AWG or 14AWG gauge, which determines the thickness of the two copper wires. - Designer Audio Video Do you suggest I stay with Klipsch for the ceiling speakers, or is it OK to mix in a different brand, like Sonos or something else? He covers several scenarios, including open-attic ceilings, drilling through fire blocks and top plates, and has some excellent tips for the first-timer, like how to use a pull-chain and a magnet to make your life way easier. Short Video to demonstrate the Process of installing in-ceiling speakers. Eventually, you’ll feel it tug — that’s the head of a drywall screw, and it’s a reliable indicator of the presence of a joist or a metal strap. For those of you who need the low-down, you can check the links at the left for a comprehensive catch-up. In an Atmos system, those are the ones used for the main left/right, center, surround left/right, and rear left/right speaker positions — essentially, the same layout you’d use in a standard 7.1-channel surround speaker setup. We will guide you. So, you wouldn’t be the first to wonder if you can use a spare set of bookshelf speakers for Atmos.. You can use bookshelf speakers for Atmos in two ways. We have a 7.4.4 system with HSU, Paradigm and 2x Velodyne for the subs (plus Buttkickers). Most will only need three to four inches of clearance, but there are some that need eight or nine. Using a drywall knife, plunge the blade into the middle of the circle, and make a cut out to the perimeter. On the ceiling in a 5.1.2 they should be fixed to the ceiling roughly above where your knees are when sitting and in line with the front left and right speaker. —Felix Diezel, via email, A Although installing a Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 configuration using only in-ceiling speakers is something you could do, it’s not a solution I’d advocate. Now that we’ve done our due diligence, let’s get at it. Push the fish tape back a few inches and try again. If the cable will need to pass around a bulkhead, your tape measure needs to do the same. Take your final measurement, and add 10 feet. Keep in mind, depending on the location of your ceiling joists, you may have to alter the final placement, but you should know before you start whether or not things like recessed lighting, or HVAC/plumbing bulkheads are going to make this a non-starter. It should slide in with little or no resistance, and you shouldn’t have any visible gaps between the edge of your hole and the leading edge of the speaker. From the official Dolby Atmos home theater installation guidelines: “To get the best Dolby Atmos experience, there must be separation between the listener-level speakers and overhead speakers. If you’re fortunate enough to be working with an unfinished ceiling, or your room is below your attic, this will be a lot easier to figure out. Installing all of the speakers in the ceiling will not give the optimal experience and is not recommended.”. Get immersed in high-fidelity audio with this Sonance 8-inch in-ceiling speaker. Be patient, and don’t give up — if the fish tape made the first journey, it should be able to make it back. You may need to repeat the automatic leveling procedure if your receiver came equipped with a room mic. If you don’t mind buying your speaker cable in bulk, this is a good way to go. “A thicker speaker wire will carry the full frequency and current better,” said Napoleone, “but this is only a factor for long runs or high-power/high-current applications.”. I finally was able to squeeze my way in the attic space above my great room today. While Dolby is very specific about the requirements for listener-level speakers in Atmos systems, they’re more flexible about overhead speakers, which could be either in-ceiling, on-ceiling, or “Atmos-enabled” models. Using the settings menu, find the appropriate section for speaker configuration, and follow the on-screen instructions. We tried to follow a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 installation with discrete speakers. What layout would you use to arrange the Atmos ceiling speakers? How To Install a Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D Speaker Setup … - Hooked up the JBL Arena 61Cs for a free air SQ test and really liked the sound! Mark the spot on the hanger, and measure once you pull it back out. In this article, we will discuss the top ten best Ceiling Speakers. Thanks for the add. There’s a good chance you’ll need to drill holes in wooden obstacles like fire-blocks. A 1-inch silk dome tweeter delivers crisp high-end frequencies, while the 8-inch glass fiber cone woofer fills the air with deep, resounding bass. 01. • An A/V receiver (AVR) or processor unit capable of supporting Dolby Atmos. You’ll hear a click as the tabs swing out from their home position and begin to descend their guide rails. As long as nothing blocks its path, you can push a fish tape very long distances. If you end up making an “oops,” you may need to do a small drywall repair, then prime and paint. It’s perfect for pulling cables through conduits, or walls, or any other location that is fully enclosed, but with few or no obstacles. Can I Use Regular Speakers as Dolby Atmos Upfiring? If your system or intended system is mainly for background music, then balanced sound ought to be your focal point. This gives you many options when you are choosing a ceiling speaker, and you want to use it with Atmos. Hey Guys, I'm looking to install 4 x ceiling speakers in a Dolby Atmos 9.2 set-up and am considering buying some thin line (shallow depth) ceiling speakers due to space issues. Assuming everything worked out with your cable runs, this is the easy part. A company I contacted said they can run wiring through my basement’s ceiling to install a pair of height speakers for Atmos. Modern homes will have decidedly less space to play with. Before the cutting, wiring (and cursing) begins, you should have all of your materials on-hand. Right now I’m running a 5.1 but would like to add ceiling speakers for an Atmos setup. A Pioneer SC-97 handles the heavy lifting and outboard Marantz amps help with Atmos. What’s a listener-level speaker? Install two pairs of in-ceiling speakers; place the front overhead speakers in front of the main listening position and the second pair behind it, or If you don’t want to mess your ceiling, use Atmos-enabled add-on speakers fitted with angled, up-firing drivers and place them on top of your current speakers First, I have a Denon AVR-X3600H receiver and currently have a 5 speaker set up with all Klipsch speakers and a Klipsch sub-woofer. The MCACC-Pro system takes about 20 min to line everything up, then I season to taste (+2db on LFE and Atmos). This might be the most important part of the plan. If you’re reading this, and you’re currently contemplating installing ceiling speakers, we probably don’t need to tell you much about Atmos — you’re ready to get going, so go ahead and skip to “Are you sure about ceiling speakers?”. Keep turning until you encounter resistance, and repeat for all four tabs. The Atmos-enabled category consists of integrated models containing both front and upward-firing driver sets, the latter meant to reproduce overhead effects by bouncing sound off the ceiling, or add-on modules with upward firing drivers that sit atop your main and rear speakers. Cable fishing rods are actually quite similar to regular fishing rods, in that they’re designed to be straight, rigid poles, that have enough flex that you can guide them from an angle. Making sure you respect the positive and negative wires, connect them to the appropriate terminals on the speaker. Try to stay as close to the circle’s line as possible. Dolby Atmos is the latest and greatest surround sound format for the home. - Did have to move the Front Left Atmos one foot wider to avoid a ceiling board seam in the tray. They sit right on the ceiling beams and "disappear". Atmos also supports “height” locations on the front and back wall where the ceiling meets the wall. If your home theater receiver and/or your amp is a budget model, there’s little to be gained from buying expensive ceiling speakers. Most of the time, a stud finder will do the trick, but be warned: Unlike walls, ceiling drywall is often not in direct contact with the joists. It has two vintage designs making the unit appropriate for creating music in the background. If not, you’ll have to measure carefully, as you don’t want to run short — splicing speaker cable is not recommended, especially if that splice ends up in the ceiling or wall, where it could get damaged. In this case, your plan needs to include: Some Atmos receivers support up to four “height” (ceiling) speakers, but you can also choose to do just two. If possible, write on the actual cable itself, instead of using an adhesive label, which could get ripped off when you run the cable. Install in-ceiling speakers easily, here’s how! This creates two challenges. The key to any successful installation is having a well thought out plan. My idea is to have the front left, center, and front right speakers in a straight parallel line close to the screen wall, and the surround speakers in the extreme rear corners of the room in-line with the front left and front right speakers. Once you’ve got some length exposed, securely attach your cable to the end of the fish tape with electrical tape. I have cathedral ceilings that start at 8’ and peak at 11’. Q I sell home cinema and A/V systems professionally and wanted to get your thoughts on the following questions. You may need to deviate from that plan if unexpected things happen, but always start with a plan. If you hit a joist, you’ll have to reposition your template and begin a new hole. Dolby Labs has a series of PDF brochures you can use to figure out the best spot for each ceiling speaker, relative to where you’ll be sitting, and to your existing surround speakers. 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