Is Dolby Atmos failing or just slow starting?

[Sliced Bread]

I’ve been interested in Dolby Atmos since it was announced and all I’m waiting for is the DTS equivalent to be released and for a speaker solution that ticks my boxes.

Dolby Atmos was released in the home in June 2014, but to this date has just 9 films on Bluray available or scheduled to be available (i.e. not yet released)

http://www.dolby.com/us/en/experience/dolby-atmos/bluray-and-streaming.html

In addition, I’m just not seeing a commitment from the speaker industry on this. Kef seem to be the only serious speaker player at the moment and even they have only produced a speaker module for one speaker range.

This slow start is now making me very hesitant to spend a small fortune adopting the technology.

So my question is this:

Do you think Object Orientated Surround formats are a damp squib?

To my mind Atmos in the home is failing (maybe not irreversibly, but at least for now) and the success of the whole concept now sits on the shoulders of DTS.

One thing is for sure…I won’t be buying a new receiver until I see more software and a speaker options.

 

[cheeseboy]

imho, it's just too much for most people to take on board. It might filter through eventually, but most people have enough problems setting up a standard surround sound system in their house, in fact, most people I know had one, ended up removing it, or just getting something cheap to watch movies. Only those with the cash lucky enough to have a cinema room or similar still have them set up.

Either that or they are single and have been for quite some time

 

[The_Lhc]

Dolby Atmos was released in the home in June 2014

Err, the existance of it may have been announced then but the first receivers to support it have only really become available this year, without hardware support there's little point releasing software. Now the receivers are appearing I'd expect software to grow in response. Bear in mind though that many (if not most) theatres haven't implemented Atmos yet and many films really won't be suitable for it, so I think it's unlikely you'll see blanket support on all films for some time to come. As for the speaker manufacturers, at the moment it appears most are waiting to see how the market fairs before committing to however Onkyo and Pioneer have also come to the market, so they are coming but don't forget that ceiling speakers are readily available for most manufacturers and are perfectly suitable for Atmos purposes

I think you just need to be a little patient, let the market grind into life before you declare it dead. Give it a year and Atmos support should be on mid to lower end receivers, bringing the cost much more into reach for the majority of buyers.

 

[bigboss]

It's a new format and will take time to adopt. It won't cost the studios much to release blu ray in Atmos format since the film is originally coded in Atmos for theatre. See what DTS announces.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my Atmos. *music2*

 

[Sliced Bread]

Yes maybe I just need to wait, but just 9 films (that includes what's been scheduled in the future) seems pretty thin on the ground.

I hope it comes through and I'll be disapointed if it doesn't, but I'm starting to feel a bit pessimistic about it now.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Just slow starting. End of the year will be when it picks up, after more titles are released, DTS:X is also out, more speaker options available, and receivers have both formats available.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Just slow starting. End of the year will be when it picks up, after more titles are released, DTS:X is also out, more speaker options available, and receivers have both formats available.

 

[Series1boy]

Definitive technology also have upfiring speakers for Dolby atmos, so it's starting to spread very slowly... I agree you'll see more options for speakers and receivers by the end of 2015 but not sure about the films though.

 

[ellisdj]

I think its a difficult tech to sell. Having ceiling speakers is not something a lot of people would do - not even die hards like me and it doesnt get much more die hard and commited than me to SQ.

After the WHF Bristol demo I do get it but it didnt give me the I must go out and get it that some demos do to me. I am more interested in getting dual subs than atmos after that demo and that is true.

The rain in the Dolby trailer was the best bit - the film demo was not so hot for me

Following trend the AV market would have been better served doing what I said - making them sound better (for stereo) not adding more channels

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I am not interested in it, just like 4K. I have limits and when I bought my current home cinema system I said this is it.

 

[spiny norman]

After the WHF Bristol demo I do get it but it didnt give me the I must go out and get it that some demos do to me.

Yes I think I get it too, despite being a fairly dyed in the wool stereo person. Having only heard the Onkyo dem at Bristol I understand what it's trying to achieve, and for what I think I heard mentioned as £800 for receiver and speakers, the package they were running was quite impressive (if you like that kind of thing).

 

[bigboss]

Personally, I've found significant improvement to cinema experience with Atmos. The first scene from Expendables 3 for example is reference for what Atmos can actually do, with the helicopter hovering on top of you from left to right. It sent a tinge down my spine.

 

[Sliced Bread]

So fingers crossed for the end of the year then

Although it is quite interesting to hear (on this very very small sample) the % of people who are interested / not interested in ceiling speakers as this is comming from real HC enthusiasts. This could become quite a niche format, even by HC standards.

 

[spiny norman]

It sent a tinge down my spine.

Any particular colour? ;-)

Mind you, could be because I am no fan of the big popcorn action movies so beloved of the domestic cineastes that I've never really got into the whole surround sound thing.

 

[bigboss]

I meant tingle.

 

[spiny norman]

I meant tingle.

Must be your handwriting, Doc... ;-)

 

[Series1boy]

I think its a difficult tech to sell. Having ceiling speakers is not something a lot of people would do - not even die hards like me and it doesnt get much more die hard and commited than me to SQ.

After the WHF Bristol demo I do get it but it didnt give me the I must go out and get it that some demos do to me. I am more interested in getting dual subs than atmos after that demo and that is true.

The rain in the Dolby trailer was the best bit - the film demo was not so hot for me

Following trend the AV market would have been better served doing what I said - making them sound better (for stereo) not adding more channels

there is upfiring speakers if you prefer this and is what I'm going to try first and other people on other forums have said it has improved the surround sound greatly. I'm going to try the cheaper onkyo upfiring speakers for 5.1.2 and they will sit on top of my focal floorstanders, only £129 so not a massive investment. If I like these then I'll add an additional power amp onto my Denon 4100 and install rear upfiring speakers for a 5.1.4 configuration.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

imho, it's just too much for most people to take on board. It might filter through eventually, but most people have enough problems setting up a standard surround sound system in their house, in fact, most people I know had one, ended up removing it, or just getting something cheap to watch movies. Only those with the cash lucky enough to have a cinema room or similar still have them set up.

Either that or they are single and have been for quite some time ;)

I bridle at your inference that I am lacking in relationship skills, Sir! I don't have Dolby Atmos, but I do have 11.1. 8.1, 7.2 and 5.2 home cinema systems in various rooms. And I've been functionally single for most of my considerable adult life .... oh dear ......

I think its a difficult tech to sell. Having ceiling speakers is not something a lot of people would do - not even die hards like me and it doesnt get much more die hard and commited than me to SQ.

But they don't have to be ceiling speakers, they could be upfiring ones, which would suit me better than ceiling speakers. In my case, the only room that would be suitable for Dolby Atmos would be my largest room, the parlour, 18'2" x 14'3" x 10'6", but I can't afford a new receiver just now. What I could afford earlier today, however, was £6 for the Blu-ray of "The Wolf of Wall Street" and £25 for the 2 for £25 offer on 3D Blu -Rays, so I bought "How to train your Dragon 2 3D" and "Transformers: the Age of Extinction 3D." The latter disc was the first encoded for Almos. No Atmos yet, so I'll just have to enjoy it in 3D in my kitchen, the 8.1 system.

And nobody has so far mentioned Auro 3D, which uses a quite different arrangement of upper speakers from the Atmos layout.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

there is upfiring speakers if you prefer this and is what I'm going to try first and other people on other forums have said it has improved the surround sound greatly. I'm going to try the cheaper onkyo upfiring speakers for 5.1.2 and they will sit on top of my focal floorstanders, only £129 so not a massive investment. If I like these then I'll add an additional power amp onto my Denon 4100 and install rear upfiring speakers for a 5.1.4 configuration.

That sounds like a plan! 5.1.4 should be good, bigboss says that that's definitely better than 7.1.2.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Suggesting that better stereo would be better than better surround shows how little can be understood by some of our 'friends' here. One day I may experiment with an Atmos receiver but certainly the layout & setup will become even more crutial. DTS-X also due soon ofcourse.

 

[cheeseboy]

I bridle at your inference that I am lacking in relationship skills, Sir! I don't have Dolby Atmos, but I do have 11.1. 8.1, 7.2 and 5.2 home cinema systems in various rooms. And I've been functionally single for most of my considerable adult life .... oh dear ......

*biggrin*

It's ok, the speaker systems are cheaper and more managable than a partner

 

[bigboss]

Suggesting that better stereo would be better than better surround shows how little can be understood by some of our 'friends' here.

+1

 

[ellisdj]

The market has apparently shifted interest towards stereo / 2 channel products and AV sales has suffered this has been said by a long established industry seller on here. This could be why the majority of the Bristol show was stereo setups this year - I dont know?

I felt ages ago the AV market should look to improve SQ rather than keep adding channels to receivers - more speakers doesnt mean better quality - it can just mean more of an average quality, each to their own on that obviously

I personally believe SQ is largely a result of speaker placement (it plays a big role) - therefore to get proper atmos the speakers need to be in the correct place - therefore upfiring speakers will not be in the correct place and you are relying on the speaker creating an echo / a phantom image, mixed in all with all the other echos already in the room? I dont see how good that can be - I also dont see how that will be any different to the normal multichannel speakers creating the same image if mastered like that because they already do?

I dont see why suggesting AV products target is to provide better actual SQ including stereo is a worse idea than focusing on adding more speakers to the soundstage which can compromise it?

Some people run 2 full systems because they cant listen to music of the AV system - thats madness to me, it should be one system for both?

 

[bigboss]

It really depends on what you want out of the system. 90-95% is movies for me, and only 5-10% is music. I don't subscribe to the argument that adding more amplification channels compromises sound quality. Not to forget that 9-channel AV receivers have been around for a number of years prior to Atmos. Only this time they're being used effectively because of Atmos.

 

[ellisdj]

The best sound I have heard has been from mono block amplifiers.

There are lots of obvious reasons for this.

The more channels thats added to a single amplifier the further from the mono block you get.

It doesnt matter what you are replaying stereo or multichannel it will be the same