Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater QS8s at ear level for surround only in ATMOS setup

thanks oak, you make some very good points. all things to consider. thank you for your responding.

I was surprised to see Klipsch Speakers offering this package listed as the Klipsch Speakers 7.1.4 Dolby ATMOS Speaker Package it also includes an ATMOS ready receiver. note the 4 surround speaker configuration. keep in mind that this may be a package offered by the online seller/distributor and not Klipsch, but it's clearly sold as an ATMOS package.

I would gather that they think this type of surround speaker is suitable in an ATMOS capable system. seeing this gives me a glimmer of hope that my QS8's might be ok for use as surround speakers in an ATMOS setup.

here is a 5.1.4 setup listed on the Klipsch Speakers site. interestingly enough, the front L&R towers have built-in ATMOS modules on the top down inside the speaker, but, the system also includes 2 ceiling mounting speakers for the rear heights. I wonder why didn't they just go with 4 ceiling mounted speakers? in any case, not the surround speaker driver configuration shown. this is offered directly from Klipsch.

hey oakvillematt, just wanted to make sure you understood, I didn't make the previous two post to piss you off or anything. I posted them because I found a speaker maker that sells an ATMOS system that appears to go against the bi/di/quad pole surround sound speakers either not recommended or not able to sound correctly in an ATMOS configuration.

I'm also not saying it sounds good or bad in an ATMOS configuration, I am showing that it is something that is in fact available for sale as part of a listed ATMOS system.

I didn't want this to become a battle or anything. I respect yours and anyone's opinion and insight to my quest for understanding.

There are speaker manufacturers who are selling up firing speakers too and selling them as ATMOS. I personally could not care less as I have ZERO plans to got to that sound format. To me it's a total waste of money for honestly no real gain what so ever. Manufacturers are free to flog whatever they want. Dolby suggests what will work best, but it's not like THX that has a defined standard that must be met to get the official stamp logo.

The only part that has me somewhat interested was a comment made by DTS about their DTS-X in that they were saying that object based mixing they could let level control be given to each item, or for example, give a +5db to the voices object and not effect any other object that may be coming through that center speaker. That may be cool for those of use with slightly less accurate hearing who sometimes get stuck with badly mixed movies who loose the voice because too much other non essental audio is getting pushed out the center that it obscures what is being said.

I don't need sound coming from above me to enjoy a movie. I am not about to toss my QS8 surrounds let alone my LFR1100 fronts that are also omni polar.

while I do not share the belief that ATMOS (or DTS-X, AURO:3D or any potential new object based audio system for that matter) is a waste of money. I know there are many people who have it and love it. I respect your point of view as you have made it very clear.

I also respect you not wanting to give up your QS8's as I do not intend to give up mine.

I never wanted this to be as much about ATMOS (DTS-X or AURO:3D) as I really just wanted to know how people liked the sound of their QS8 speakers at ear level. I mentioned the ATMOS part to get folks to understand why I am going to lower my QS8's to ear level (since i'll be mounting 4 speakers at the ceiling level) and I've never heard them at that level before and was just wondering how they performed and what peoples experiences with them at that height were. I love the QS8's exactly where they are and they are the best surround speakers I've ever heard. just listening to them in my 7.1 system is amazing.

Oak, thank you for your responses.

moving forward, I am hopeful to get more folks who as I asked in my OP, who have the QS8's at ear level either wall or stand mounted and how they like the sound of them at that height.

My QS8 are at ear level and they work just like they are supposed to. As they are not a directional speaker, They tend to fill a large space with defused sound that solves the issue with dolby/DTS surround modes. In mixing for these movies, the surround from what I was to understand is supposed to be seen as coming from somewhere behind you. What the QS speakers do well is open up the sweet spot so you can sit 3-4' from the speaker and still have it sound radiant so the sound still seems to be coming from somewhere rather than 'oh that surround speaker just went off'.

I understand why you put the speaker in the ceiling level to get it as far away from the seating as possible, as this was the trick for directional speakers to allow them to radiate sound as much as possible before it hit someones ears. As the QS speakers do that so well for you, this need is no longer there.

You will be more than happy with the effect you are getting.

thanks oak, that's what I wanted to hear (pun intended! ) was input from folks that actually have heard the QS8's at ear level. they do an excellent job up high, but, since I'm moving them down, it's great to have heard from a couple of folks on how good they sound at ear level.

again, thanks for your input!

My QS8s are at ear level about 6' back on my rear wall in my oddly shaped room.

They are quite asymmetrically placed in relation to my MLP but still work really well due to their unique sound dispersion characteristics...

TAM

thanks TAM, I have 2 surround back QS8's (currently mounted up high) sound great as well. I'm glad to know you have a positive experience with the QS8's mount at ear height.

thanks for sharing!