Question Auro 3D is it worth it?

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I've got a Marantz SR-7009 and currently a 5.1 set up with:
- MA Silver LCR centre
- MA Silver 8i fronts
- MA Silver RXFX rears
- BK Elec XXLS400-DF sub

I can get an Auro 3D update for the Marantz for €150 and some extra speakers, but is this worth the outlay?
- Will it improve my system's surround sound that much?
- Will there be enough blu-rays that support it?

 

[bigboss]

Not many titles in Auro 3D to justify the outlay. I would focus on Dolby Atmos for now and increase your speaker numbers.

CONSUMER_v1 – AURO-3D

www.auro-3d.com

 

[scene]

Not many titles in Auro 3D to justify the outlay. I would focus on Dolby Atmos for now and increase your speaker numbers.

CONSUMER_v1 – AURO-3D

www.auro-3d.com

Yes - if that list at the end is the sum total of blurays available - then Auro 3D does seem to have lost the battle for 3D sound at home - still in cinemas I see, but no use to the home consumer.

Right Atmos it is...
Thanks bb.

 

[michael hoy]

I did consider this route my self, however for similar reasons went down the Atmos only route.
Very happy with the 5.1.4 setup I have.

 

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I did consider this route my self, however for similar reasons went down the Atmos only route.
Very happy with the 5.1.4 setup I have.

Thanks michael - that's good to hear and answers a question... I was sort of assuming 5.1.4, rather than 7.1.2 would be the set up to aim for (as I don't really want to go for a 7.1.4 set up)

I do have some Atmos related questions about speakers and placement - like in ceiling vs. up firing, placement, timbre matching, and people's experiences on this front - but that's probably for a separate "scene does atmos" thread when I start to plan and cost this (maybe a blog...)

 

[Deleted member 116933]

I've got a Marantz SR-7009 and currently a 5.1 set up with:
- MA Silver LCR centre
- MA Silver 8i fronts
- MA Silver RXFX rears
- BK Elec XXLS400-DF sub

I can get an Auro 3D update for the Marantz for €150 and some extra speakers, but is this worth the outlay?
- Will it improve my system's surround sound that much?
- Will there be enough blu-rays that support it?

Simple answer is no,

Complicated answer is many people barely have enough room to fully realise 5.1 correctly with rear speakers plastered right on peoples ears like headphones. IMO unless the space is really there, none of there extended surround formats are viable. But thats just my opinion

but in your case only you can decide if its worth it given none of use have seen you space

 

[scene]

Simple answer is no,

Complicated answer is many people barely have enough room to fully realise 5.1 correctly with rear speakers plastered on people right near peoples ears like headphones. IMO unless the space is really there none of there extended surround formats just aren't viable. But thats just my opinion

but in your case only you can decide if its worth it given none of use have seen you space

Thanks millennia_one - I agree that surround set ups can all end up rather overcrowded. I have posted on this (way back, so no reason to know this): the room with my main AV set up is 6.45m x 5.85m (IIRC), with the screen not quite central on the shorter wall because of the doors into the room [there were links to photos, but they're on photobucket and they've stopped free accounts sharing, and free accounts now...) The main seating position is 4.5m back from the (50') screen, with a 5.1 config and the rears about 30-50 cm behind where your head is, and between 1.8-3m from your head. The angles were pretty much in line with those recommended for a Dolby 5.1 set up - though I think the seating may have been about 30cm further forward when I first set it up...

So, I think there's quite a lot of space... What do you think?

 

[bigboss]

You should be able to have a 7.1.2 setup quite easily in your room. I would prefer 7.1.2 over 5.1.4 simply because the 7.1 speaker setup would include a lot of non Atmos codecs like DTS-HD MA.

 

[scene]

You should be able to have a 7.1.2 setup quite easily in your room. I would prefer 7.1.2 over 5.1.4 simply because the 7.1 speaker setup would include a lot of non Atmos codecs like DTS-HD MA.

That's a good point...

I'd been concerned about the vertical soundstage and having it extend behind me. But you're right, there's a lot more films with 7.1 codecs than Atmos.

Hmm.

 

[WishTree]

I recently got the AVR and the relevant speakers to 'scratch the itch' of surround sound. It comes preloaded with Auro 3D. I am able to activate it even with 5.1.4, so tried it on. I felt that for some tracks, the 3D effect, especially the height layer processing is better with Auro 3D than other modes. Essentially, I keep switching the few options it throws and some times I prefer DTS Neural X processing and the rest of the time it is Auro 3D.

Having said that, I would not spend more money just to have this processing. If it is free / included then it is a different story of using it.

Also, as my understanding goes, though the Front L & R are run via external amp, the Marantz can still only run only max 4 height layer speakers on internal amps. To get VoG speaker or complete 11 channels, we still need an additional mono / stereo amplifier.

 

[scene]

I recently got the AVR and the relevant speakers to 'scratch the itch' of surround sound. It comes preloaded with Auro 3D. I am able to activate it even with 5.1.4, so tried it on. I felt that for some tracks, the 3D effect, especially the height layer processing is better with Auro 3D than other modes. Essentially, I keep switching the few options it throws and some times I prefer DTS Neural X processing and the rest of the time it is Auro 3D.

Having said that, I would not spend more money just to have this processing. If it is free / included then it is a different story of using it.

Also, as my understanding goes, though the Front L & R are run via external amp, the Marantz can still only run only max 4 height layer speakers on internal amps. To get VoG speaker or complete 11 channels, we still need an additional mono / stereo amplifier.

Yes, I had read that Auro was better at "3D" sound than other methods, and it's interesting to hear from someone who's done the actual comparison, thanks.

I think this is a Betamax vs. VHS issue and although better technically, Auro just wasn't as successful commercially, and so lost the format war with consumers. Though still used in cinemas.

And yes, the Marantz can only run four height speakers max. But very few amps can natively drive 6 height speakers (ok, if I had £3200 I could get the Denon AVR-X8500H and go 7.2.6.).

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Thanks millennia_one - I agree that surround set ups can all end up rather overcrowded. I have posted on this (way back, so no reason to know this): the room with my main AV set up is 6.45m x 5.85m (IIRC), with the screen not quite central on the shorter wall because of the doors into the room [there were links to photos, but they're on photobucket and they've stopped free accounts sharing, and free accounts now...) The main seating position is 4.5m back from the (50') screen, with a 5.1 config and the rears about 30-50 cm behind where your head is, and between 1.8-3m from your head. The angles were pretty much in line with those recommended for a Dolby 5.1 set up - though I think the seating may have been about 30cm further forward when I first set it up...

So, I think there's quite a lot of space... What do you think?

Sorry for the slow reply people normally ignore me lol, I would say no my room is roughly the same size and would seriously struggle. I don't think you have enough between the speakers to really hear/relise the benefit.

Think of a cinema if you where to sit in the middle everything would be of equal distance. I would argue that your rear speakers are still very close and have you allowed 20-50cm breathing room behind the speakers to comfortably sit in the room? What would be the real dimensions of the room once set up. eg imaginary walls starting from the speakers baffles if you get me.

But it you really want it i would seriously consider in wall speakers, dont let me put you off but. 7.1 was enough and was more of gimmick than anything. I'd prefer a properly set up impactful 5.1 over anything else. But i gave up on the AV game a few years ago putting all money into a 2 channel system and have never looked back.

If you really have the itch to upgrade i'd spend the money on a kick ass sub something that can seriously shake the walls and the sole. Or spend and have an expert come in and set the system up and calibrate it for you.

 

[scene]

Sorry for the slow reply people normally ignore me lol, I would say no my room is roughly the same size and would seriously struggle. I don't think you have enough between the speakers to really hear/relise the benefit.

Think of a cinema if you where to sit in the middle everything would be of equal distance. I would argue that your rear speakers are still very close and have you allowed 20-50cm breathing room behind the speakers to comfortably sit in the room? What would be the real dimensions of the room once set up. eg imaginary walls starting from the speakers baffles if you get me.

But it you really want it i would seriously consider in wall speakers, dont let me put you off but. 7.1 was enough and was more of gimmick than anything. I'd prefer a properly set up impactful 5.1 over anything else. But i gave up on the AV game a few years ago putting all money into a 2 channel system and have never looked back.

If you really have the itch to upgrade i'd spend the money on a kick ass sub something that can seriously shake the walls and the sole. Or spend and have an expert come in and set the system up and calibrate it for you.

Hi millennia_one

Thanks for the info - much appreciated. Unfortunately, it's not a dedicated room (it has to double up as the living room as well...) and the set up is a little off-centre. The fronts are along one wall (well in about 30-40cm as measured from the baffles) from one wall and the front pair's centres are about 2.1m apart, with the centre in the a cabinet. The sides (the MA RXFX) are perforce about 1.95 m up the side walls, behind the main seating position and the ceiling is 2.4m (give or take). There's a huge set of folding glass doors along the wall opposite the screen (3.3m long and 2m high) - so tend to close the floor length lined curtains to keep out the light and reduce the sonic reflections when watching films.

Hang on - see if the link to my system as it evolves thread is still working... It does! here - shows the set up and the speakers,,,
... need to update this as:
1. The BDP has been upgraded
2. The amp is now the SR7009
3. The wi-fi router has changed
- rest is good though... need to update that thread (more pictures when I tidy the room).

I would like to go for a 7.1 - but not sure about speaker positioning - the glass doors prevent them being wall mounted and putting them on floor stands is a bit of a no-no with the boys and Mrs. S. Have toyed with the thought of ceiling speakers to extend to 7.1 - but that got me thinking: ceiling speakers = height speakers => Atmos/Auro 3D and that gets to this thread...

 

[PeterFC]

YES! Surely Auro-3D is worthwhile because, besides native Auro content (indeed market no so big as Atmos) Auro-3D uses Auro-Matic® Upmixing which creates sound in 3D from legacy content (i.e. also Atmos), best use case is even playing vinyl input and upmixing to Auro-3D = impressive. Also coming soon is a new firmware update of Auro containing more features and optimizations.

 

[waterford82]

YES! Surely Auro-3D is worthwhile because, besides native Auro content (indeed market no so big as Atmos) Auro-3D uses Auro-Matic® Upmixing which creates sound in 3D from legacy content (i.e. also Atmos), best use case is even playing vinyl input and upmixing to Auro-3D = impressive. Also coming soon is a new firmware update of Auro containing more features and optimizations.

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Your answer makes the most sense to me considering the research I’ve done so far on Auro3D. My only gripe is I’ll have to shell out more money than I want to get the Denon receiver. Bit I think it’s worth it. I feel Atmos like Dolby Vision isn’t quite fully baked yet. I live in the U.S.

 

[bigboss]

Your answer makes the most sense to me considering the research I’ve done so far on Auro3D. My only gripe is I’ll have to shell out more money than I want to get the Denon receiver. Bit I think it’s worth it. I feel Atmos like Dolby Vision isn’t quite fully baked yet. I live in the U.S.

All new content is using Atmos as that is the only immersive format supported by streaming services. There are only a handful of movies supporting Auro 3D.