Dolby Atmos upgrading? From older Denon (1 Viewer)

[Tibornagy]

Hello
I have a older Denon avr 2803. I have been running a 6.1 setup. Two fronts front center left and right rear surround and a single rear channel and a svs sub. The speakers are Klipsch rf3s. I was looking at the avrx3500h. Which is a 7.2 channel. I alreadly have two ceiling speakers that I was thinking I could use for the height speakers ( they were there when I bought the house, I don't know the brand or really anything about them. But the previous homeowner generally bought good stuff, Soni think they are decent). It seems like I can't use my center rear channel and the height speakers the new reciever doesn't have enough channels. Would I be better off with the current setup I have with the new reciever. Or scratch the rear center channel and use the ceiling speakers.. yes I could go with a reciever with more channels but my budget won't allow it..you can see the ceiling speakers in the first pic

 

[JohnRice]

Just eliminate the center rear speaker and use the in-ceiling ones for front Atmos. And... put the plant that’s in front of your center speaker somewhere else.

 

[Tibornagy]

Lol.. the plant was my wife and it was a battle I gave up.. sometimes you have to pick and choose. Not really sure of the quality of the speakers in the ceiling and the right one is a bit off for placement. But maybe move it over down the road. My budget is about 600.. the Denon is a 2018 model and almost half off. Bringing it 500. I found a onkyo one that's 9.2 and about 500.. you think it's best to go with Denon and not use the rear center?

 

[Tibornagy]

With the Onkyo I could use the rear center also I believe, and the ceiling speakers..8.1.2..i believe. I'm not real sharp with Atmos. In your opinion would the 7.1.2 using the Denon and eliminate the center rear be abetter choice?

 

[Dave Moritz]

The only way you could have 7.1.2 in the room is to put two surrounds on the back wall instead of the center channel which is a bad choice. Not sure how you could actually get 8.1.2. And the rear speakers need actually need to be closer to ear level especially if you are going to have Atmos speakers weather they are is going to interfere with imaging and you will not get enough separation. You could also go with in wall speakers for surrounds with paintable grills that would make them disappear into the room and maybe the wife would back off on the plant. It seems like your best option if you can not put rear surrounds in is actually a 5.1.2 which will produce great results especially if you get your speakers properly placed. You could always threaten to put the biggest center channel you can under the tv or loose the plant, ROFL.

This is my 7.1.4 system

 

[Tibornagy]

I think those are vintage k horns? Nice.. anyway.. so ditch the rest center completely and lower the rear surrounds. I thought at one time that was the desired height? Like 15 yrs ago?

 

[JohnRice]

Yeah, your surrounds are too high, even without Atmos implemented. If you do, with seating against the back wall, the benefit would be minimal. The surrounds should also be further to the side, if they can. You really don’t want any speakers that close, if you can avoid it. Compromises always have to be made.

 

[TonyD]

You need to move that plant.
It doesn’t look good at all if that’s what your wife thinks plus it’s in the way of the sound coming out of the speaker.

 

[JohnRice]

You need to move that plant.
It doesn’t look good at all if that’s what your wife thinks plus it’s in the way of the sound coming out of the speaker.

I agree. Of course, I've seen people (more than once) who put the center speaker behind the TV, so it could be worse. Hell, I've seen setups where every single speaker was hidden behind furniture, plants, the TV, etc.

 

[Mike Frezon]

You also might want to consider a blackout blind for that window behind your display, too. They are very effective at eliminating distracting light from windows that would interfere with your viewing enjoyment.

Get one of those and your wife could hang any size curtain/banner/flag over that space that she'd like!

 

[Tibornagy]

I don't really remember why I put the surrounds so close. I'm thinking it was because I was trying to keep them equal to the front speakers. Which I couldn't go farther.. since it's a basement that's finished the room with the tv isn't very deep. So the surrounds are as far back as they can go. Only other option would be to move the couch forward. Then that would be in the middle of the room. But next question I decided to relocate the future to be height ceiling speakers, more towards the middle. I pulled of the grille and they looked like a decent speaker. They came in the house already so no idea of the brand. I pulled them off and it's radio shack brand.. can they pass as a decent height speaker? Here is a pic

 

[JohnRice]

Radio Shack speakers? You can definitely improve on those.

 

[Tibornagy]

You also might want to consider a blackout blind for that window behind your display, too. They are very effective at eliminating distracting light from windows that would interfere with your viewing enjoyment.

Get one of those and your wife could hang any size curtain/banner/flag over that space that she'd like!

The room is in the basement and very little light comes in thru it, and besides 90percent of the time it's night time when we use the room and it is a pitch black room with out any lights on

 

[Tibornagy]

Radio Shack speakers? You can definitely improve on those.

Yeah I was disappointed..lol..anything you can suggest that's reasonable. Like under 150 for a pair? It's Xmas time and most of spare funds is for the kids stuff.

 

[JohnRice]

I’d just stick with those where they are until you can put a little more $ into them.

 

[Tibornagy]

I’d just stick with those where they are until you can put a little more $ into them.

So I was looking at the Denon avr x3500h(2018) it's 600. The 2500 is 400(both are close to half off being last year's model) the only real difference is 3500 is 105 watts per channel the 2500 is 95 watts. My old Denon was at 90 watts and I never came close to Max volume. I could go with the 2500 and have about 200 for new ceiling speakers? What is your opinion?

 

[JohnRice]

Either is a good way to go. Last year's model is usually a great option for the savings. I tend to go better with electronics, when I can, and the X3500 really is nice, but I have to admit I'm not really down on what the differences are between it and the 2500. It tends to be more general construction rather than specs and features that are more obvious. What's the difference in weight? That can say a lot.

 

[Tibornagy]

Either is a good way to go. Last year's model is usually a great option for the savings. I tend to go better with electronics, when I can, and the X3500 really is nice, but I have to admit I'm not really down on what the differences are between it and the 2500. It tends to be more general construction rather than specs and features that are more obvious. What's the difference in weight? That can say a lot.

3.1 pounds. The only difference is 105 vs 95 watts a channel. The 3500 does multi room HDMI output( I don't need it) and playback from digital audio inputs.. 3500 has it.. 2500 doesn't.. not real sure what that means.. I see these ceiling speakers at a steal. But I would have to get the cheaper 2500 to swing it. I mean I have the money to get the 3500 and the ceiling speakers, but it's Xmas time for the kids.. not me

 

[Tibornagy]

Either is a good way to go. Last year's model is usually a great option for the savings. I tend to go better with electronics, when I can, and the X3500 really is nice, but I have to admit I'm not really down on what the differences are between it and the 2500. It tends to be more general construction rather than specs and features that are more obvious. What's the difference in weight? That can say a lot.

I went with the 3500 fyi.. and Klipsch new ceiling speakers..ugg.. wife gonna kill me..lol.. I'm not moving the plant..lol

 

[Wayne_j]

I think those are vintage k horns? Nice.. anyway.. so ditch the rest center completely and lower the rear surrounds. I thought at one time that was the desired height? Like 15 yrs ago?

At first I thought you were talking about Dave's setup which was strange since his rear surrounds appear to be at or near ear level.