Atmos System Questions from a Noob

[midnightlightning]

We currently have an old Panasonic Blu-Ray player that came with a 5.1 surround speakers. It's not very good and I frequently struggle to hear dialogue.

I am looking to upgrade to get better dialogue clarity and also Atmos. I am on a budget, say £1000 - £1500, and probably looking at 5.1.2.

Have spent days googling and not sure which way to go so if anyone can help with the following it would be appreciated.

Wireless (WISA) vs Wired - Pros and cons? Not having speaker cables would really help but I feel it might be more of a dead end in terms of making any changes/upgrades in the future - also not sure if quality is as good as wired.

For a wired system I am considering the Marantz Slim 70 and a speaker package like the Wharfedale Diamonds to stay in my budget. BUT, I am also wondering if I could build a system over time allowing me to get a better system and stretch my budget.

For example get the Slim 70 and a good centre speaker now (e.g. Klipcsh R-30C) and add other speakers later.

I have two Mordaunt Short (6 ohm) speakers and the old Panasonic (3 ohm) surround speakers and SW. Can I mix and match these old speakers given the different impedances?

Do the two up-firing speakers in 5.1.2 need to be at the front or could they be put at the back, also is it worth getting 5.1.4 - though I don't think the Slim 70 would work?

Any thoughts on the above are welcome.

The room is challenging, 5m x 4m with the TV in a tight corner (between fireplace and window) with the chairs between the two adjacent corners. Cables on one side will have to run across the front of a fireplace, so perhaps under the carpet next to the gripper(?)

Apologies for the long post.

 

[R2D2]

We currently have an old Panasonic Blu-Ray player that came with a 5.1 surround speakers. It's not very good and I frequently struggle to hear dialogue.

I am looking to upgrade to get better dialogue clarity and also Atmos. I am on a budget, say £1000 - £1500, and probably looking at 5.1.2.

Have spent days googling and not sure which way to go so if anyone can help with the following it would be appreciated.

Wireless (WISA) vs Wired - Pros and cons? Not having speaker cables would really help but I feel it might be more of a dead end in terms of making any changes/upgrades in the future - also not sure if quality is as good as wired.

For a wired system I am considering the Marantz Slim 70 and a speaker package like the Wharfedale Diamonds to stay in my budget. BUT, I am also wondering if I could build a system over time allowing me to get a better system and stretch my budget.

For example get the Slim 70 and a good centre speaker now (e.g. Klipcsh R-30C) and add other speakers later.

I have two Mordaunt Short (6 ohm) speakers and the old Panasonic (3 ohm) surround speakers and SW. Can I mix and match these old speakers given the different impedances?

Do the two up-firing speakers in 5.1.2 need to be at the front or could they be put at the back, also is it worth getting 5.1.4 - though I don't think the Slim 70 would work?

Any thoughts on the above are welcome.

The room is challenging, 5m x 4m with the TV in a tight corner (between fireplace and window) with the chairs between the two adjacent corners. Cables on one side will have to run across the front of a fireplace, so perhaps under the carpet next to the gripper(?)

Apologies for the long post.

Have you thought about having a soundbar package before? You can get for example a Samsung Q990F soundbar with sub and rear speakers from AO.com for £1000 plus pay roughly £50 for membership for a year. Or you can pick up the older SamsungQ990D speaker package for £800 I believe. Does Dolby Atmos and DTS:X if your TV does DTS:X. Then pick up a 4K Blu-ray player to go with it.

AO.com deal:

https://ao.com/product/hwq990f-samsung-qseries-soundbar-black-106423-111.aspx

https://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-hw-q990d-bluetooth-wi-fi-cinematic-soundbar-with-dolby-atmos-dts-x-wireless-subwoofer-rear-speakers-black/p111913557

 

[Jasonovich]

I think if you're new to HiFi, there is a tendency to over complicate things. Firstly, let's get some of the questions out of the way. Wireless is unreliable and in it's present development, it is not anywhere near the sound quality of wired systems.

It is always good to have wireless connectivity in addition to a wired setup but if you value sound quality over convenience, you should consider the traditional speaker format.

Do the two up-firing speakers in 5.1.2 need to be at the front or could they be put at the back, also is it worth getting 5.1.4 - though I don't think the Slim 70 would work?

Your receiver will have a calibration software, make sure you run this once you have positioned your speakers in place, that is large speakers at the front, smaller ones at the back etc.

I was going through Richer Sounds for the best deals, found something that will suit your budget- see link below. The Q Acoustic speakers are more versatile than the Klipsch, though I do like my Klipsch R-50M.

Sony TA-AN1000 with Q Acoustics 3020i 5.1 (Black)

Shop for Sony TA-AN1000 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X AV Amplifier with Q Acoustics 3020i (Black) 5.1 Speaker Package with Richer Sounds for expert advice and Lowest Prices Guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

Oh Ps. Make sure you join Richer Sound's VIP Membership to get the best deals, it's Free!

 

[midnightlightning]

Have you thought about having a soundbar package before? You can get for example a Samsung Q990F soundbar with sub and rear speakers from AO.com for £1000 plus pay roughly £50 for membership for a year. Or you can pick up the older SamsungQ990D speaker package for £800 I believe. Does Dolby Atmos and DTS:X if your TV does DTS:X. Then pick up a 4K Blu-ray player to go with it.

AO.com deal:

https://ao.com/product/hwq990f-samsung-qseries-soundbar-black-106423-111.aspx

https://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-hw-q990d-bluetooth-wi-fi-cinematic-soundbar-with-dolby-atmos-dts-x-wireless-subwoofer-rear-speakers-black/p111913557

Thanks for replying. I am considering sound bars and they would certainly help the space issue and will take a close look at the ones suggested. As things stand I have read that surround/up-firing speakers provide a better experience - unfortunately I don't know how much of a difference it makes. The dialogue clarity is very important to me.

Update. The Q990F reviews are very good, it may well be the best solution for our space limitations.

 

[midnightlightning]

I think if you're new to HiFi, there is a tendency to over complicate things. Firstly, let's get some of the questions out of the way. Wireless is unreliable and in it's present development, it is not anywhere near the sound quality of wired systems.

It is always good to have wireless connectivity in addition to a wired setup but if you value sound quality over convenience, you should consider the traditional speaker format.



Your receiver will have a calibration software, make sure you run this once you have positioned your speakers in place, that is large speakers at the front, smaller ones at the back etc.

I was going through Richer Sounds for the best deals, found something that will suit your budget- see link below. The Q Acoustic speakers are more versatile than the Klipsch, though I do like my Klipsch R-50M.

Sony TA-AN1000 with Q Acoustics 3020i 5.1 (Black)

Shop for Sony TA-AN1000 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X AV Amplifier with Q Acoustics 3020i (Black) 5.1 Speaker Package with Richer Sounds for expert advice and Lowest Prices Guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

Oh Ps. Make sure you join Richer Sound's VIP Membership to get the best deals, it's Free!

View attachment 9547

Thanks, good to now about the wireless - I suspected that might be the answer. I have Q Acoustics 2020i in our kitchen, I thought they were pretty average when connected to a Denon Ceol Piccolo but I just replaced that with a Wiim Ultra/Vibelink and they sound amazing now!

Any idea how the Q Accoustic centre speaker above would compare to something like a Klipcsh R-30C or Polk XT-35.

 

[daytona600]

.Wall mounted or in wall for Atmos
Wireless or Soundbars will never give you a full effect
Keep all speakers from the same range 5.1 & you can add atmos modules

Eg Elipson Planet 3 Front / 2 Rears on back wall / 4 In ceiling 5.1.4





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[Jasonovich]

Any idea how the Q Accoustic centre speaker above would compare to something like a Klipcsh R-30C or Polk XT-35.

I have Q Acoustic 3090ci (centre speaker) and Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 (Atmos) - 7:1 setup in the lounge and diner setup the Klipsch R-50M works nicely with my Velodyne SPL Series 2 subwoofer.

I know I'm not comparing Apples with Apples but these are my impressions.

My Q Acoustic 3090ci has a more open mids than Klipsch R-50M, slightly recessed than the Q's but more forward and crispier. The treble is also brighter on the Klipsch.
The Q's I think have a more rounded natural sound. The detail and clarity on both are about the same, The Q's are more laid back but more coherent in this comparison. The Klipsch probably do better in action movies but if you want to forget you have the speakers on, the Q's will not tire you.

My little Polks, I'm impress with them, beautifully constructed and they sound good as Atmos speakers.

Below Youtube video is the closest I've come to a direct comparison.

View: https://youtu.be/BIhaLcgHy0Q?si=RmG4MEOSR-QYaw5D

 

[midnightlightning]

.Wall mounted or in wall for Atmos
Wireless or Soundbars will never give you a full effect
Keep all speakers from the same range 5.1 & you can add atmos modules

Eg Elipson Planet 3 Front / 2 Rears on back wall / 4 In ceiling 5.1.4
View attachment 9551

View attachment 9549


.View attachment 9550

I wont be able to use ceiling speakers but could use up-firing.