[jrubins]

Any of you NC audio peeps into home theater? I'm building my theater now, but I'm curious if it's worth investing in Atmos. I'd need a new receiver (probably need a new one anyway) and probably a new player. I don't do 4k (can't tell the difference), but I've heard Atmos demos and been impressed... but that's a controlled situation. Is there enough source material to even worry about it, or should I be content to get a nice used Integra 7.2 without Atmos for less than 1/2 what an Atmos receiver costs?
Any thoughts?

[witchdoctor]

Any of you NC audio peeps into home theater? I'm building my theater now, but I'm curious if it's worth investing in Atmos. I'd need a new receiver (probably need a new one anyway) and probably a new player. I don't do 4k (can't tell the difference), but I've heard Atmos demos and been impressed... but that's a controlled situation. Is there enough source material to even worry about it, or should I be content to get a nice used Integra 7.2 without Atmos for less than 1/2 what an Atmos receiver costs?
Any thoughts?

I have been using Atmos and Auro 3D for 2 years. I use the upmixers 95% of the time to upmix non native content to immersive. The upmixers are excellent and most people couldn't tell the difference between native atmos content to upmixed content using Dolby Surround.
YES, DO IT! Surround is just empty once you get used to immersive audio.

[richidoo]

witchdoctor or James can you post a link to what is Atmos? I've heard of it and intrigued by witchdoctor's continuous enthusiasm. I'd like to learn about the basics for now, like how many channels, what's the location of all the speakers, how many subs, etc.  I assume it is a DSP program included in some advanced receivers and preamp/processors. Thanks

[jtwrace]

Any of you NC audio peeps into home theater? I'm building my theater now, but I'm curious if it's worth investing in Atmos. I'd need a new receiver (probably need a new one anyway) and probably a new player. I don't do 4k (can't tell the difference), but I've heard Atmos demos and been impressed... but that's a controlled situation. Is there enough source material to even worry about it, or should I be content to get a nice used Integra 7.2 without Atmos for less than 1/2 what an Atmos receiver costs?
Any thoughts?

Done right, Atmos is incredible!  I've now heard 3 full Atmos systems and by far are the most amazing theaters I've ever heard regardless of speakers. 

[jrubins]

witchdoctor or James can you post a link to what is Atmos? I've heard of it and intrigued by witchdoctor's continuous enthusiasm. I'd like to learn about the basics for now, like how many channels, what's the location of all the speakers, how many subs, etc.  I assume it is a DSP program included in some advanced receivers and preamp/processors. Thanks

Hey Richidoo, check out this site: http://www.onkyodolbyatmos.com it has some good info (if very marketing - speak)
Put simply, atmos is different than typical surround sound because in traditional "discrete" surround sound, sounds are mapped to channels. In atmos there are "sound objects" which are mapped to space, eg above and to the left. These are decoded by the receiver to figure out how to map that to the channels in your actual room.
The minimum channels are 5.1.2 - 5 normal surround channels, 1 sub, and 2 height

[richidoo]

Thanks James.