Denon X4200W and Onkyo 410 Atmos

[stealth1980]

Hi guys, I love my new Denon Receiver, I bought it around 4 months ago to replace a X3100 that wasn't able to do UHD pass throough. At the same time I purchased the Onkyo SDH 410 "upward firing" speakers as I live in rented accom and therefore can't use ceiling mounted.

The receiver it self seems a MASSIVE step up, everything just seems clearer with more accurate steering, I don't know if this is just down to the amp itself, Audyssey XT32 or maybe the old amp had a slight fault!

Anyway, one thing I can't quite get right is the atmos affects. They never seem to pan over head and I'm now asking what peoples success has been.

My current set up;

Samsung JS8500 55"
Panasonic UB900 UHD player
Denon X4200 using an Arcam A85 to power the fronts via pre-outs
Monitor Audio Bronze 5.1 + 2x additional Bronze FX
Onkyo SDH 410 Atmos speakers

My seated position is against the rear wall (really cant do anything about this) with the rears mounted on the sides and rear wall at a height of 160cm. The centre is too high, again I can't do anything as home owner decided to put a 1.3m fireplace in meaning my TV sits directly above on the wall with the centre above that at a height of around 2.2m!!

So I can't do anything with the placement of the centre or surrounds, however I'm perfectly happy with their performance, Audyssey seems to have sorted this. My only issue is with atmos affects placement

any advice appreciated, thanks

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Those upward firing Atmos speakers can be really hit or miss, and a lot of people reckon the Onkyo ones are the Torquay United of the bunch (sorry Torquay fans, but I'm a lifelong Bristol City fan, and Torquay are even WORSE....).

See if you can beg steal or borrow a set of small speakers you can hang on picture hooks near the ceiling, angled down if you can. Alternatively, look at the Klipsch RP-140SA speakers and figure out what you could do-it-yourself with a pair of used bookshelf speakers off the 'Bay and a chainsaw. The landlord probably won't notice / object to picture hook nail holes hig up on the walls near the ceiling. Experiement with using them at the front or sides angled downwards and see what you think works best. Can't help with speaker cables I'm afraid, some things just have to be put up with when you rent (BTDT).

 

[stealth1980]

Hi thanks, I read somewhere that adding +5db can help achieve better results. Adding +5.5 seems to have helped a lot, I think the problem i'm having is cause by the centre's height, which I can't do anything about

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

You've cranked up the volume on the At.os ceiling bouncers so there's more sound to bounce off the ceiling. That'll certainly help.
As for your centre, you could look for some brackets to fit under / behind the TV that screw to the wall - NOT the TV - you don't want to topple it over - to form a sort of cradle. It might get toasted if you put too much coal on the fire, but I doubt a gas fire would harm the speaker.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

You've cranked up the volume on the At.os ceiling bouncers so there's more sound to bounce off the ceiling. That'll certainly help.

As for your centre, you could look for some brackets to fit under / behind the TV that screw to the wall - NOT the TV - you don't want to topple it over - to form a sort of cradle. It might get toasted if you put too much coal on the fire, but I doubt a gas fire would harm the speaker.

Either that or stop using your fire, put a TV unit in front of it.... And buy one of those coal fire DVDs to keep warm

 

[Series1boy]

I had the onkyo speakers when I had my x4100 and they were rubbish, so they went straight on fleebay.

ive decided to to go for front heights and rears for my recently purchased x6200 because drilling holes in the ceiling, and feeding the cables down the chimney breast is just too much hassle...

the only good reviews I've read are on the Kef R's upfiring speakers, and then it's still hit and miss and is highly dependent on placement, ceiling height etc....

hope this helps

cheers

 

[stealth1980]

You've cranked up the volume on the At.os ceiling bouncers so there's more sound to bounce off the ceiling. That'll certainly help. As for your centre, you could look for some brackets to fit under / behind the TV that screw to the wall - NOT the TV - you don't want to topple it over - to form a sort of cradle. It might get toasted if you put too much coal on the fire, but I doubt a gas fire would harm the speaker.

It's basically the only place I can put the tv due to the room shape (long) which makes the set up work. The centre speaker is currently mounted in the place currently possible, and no lol, it's not a coal fire, it's gas but it's never used due to central heating.

 

[stealth1980]

I had the onkyo speakers when I had my x4100 and they were rubbish, so they went straight on fleebay.

ive decided to to go for front heights and rears for my recently purchased x6200 because drilling holes in the ceiling, and feeding the cables down the chimney breast is just too much hassle...

the only good reviews I've read are on the Kef R's upfiring speakers, and then it's still hit and miss and is highly dependent on placement, ceiling height etc....

hope this helps

cheers

Thanks, i'll have a look, doubt the mrs will be game for more speakers haha