What kind of A/V unit do I need to make this work and do I need to by front facing speakers or will the built in ceiling speakers do the job?
With the crazy cables, I completely missed your other question. Any AVR will do for the most part. Newer AVRs are quite expensive atm, but drop back a few models and there are bargains available. But which to get, depends on what you want to get out of it. Do you want 5.1 surround with 4 ceiling speakers i.e. 5.1.4. or do you want 3.1.4, 5.1.2, 7.1.4, 7.1.2 etc. Take a look at the dolby guides below to see what speaker setup you want. Personally i would get 5.1 as a minimum, but as you have ceiling speakers in place, 5.1.4 is good for you. The question then is which AVR, 5.1.4 needs 9 channels (5=4 = 9), which say 5.1.2 or 3.1.4 only needs 7 channels. Many budget AVRs cap out at 7 channels, like the denon x1700, x2700, but these are still limited to 2 ceiling speakers, so 5.1.2 is possible but not 3.1.4. If you want the 4 ceiling speakers you'll need something like denon x3600, x3700, x3800, x4600, x4700 etc. If you can set a budget for what you want, and what speakers you have available (if any) I can try to see what works.
Here is a pic of how my room is setup -
Denon X3800H Owners Thread
First off, if you want good sound, your left, right, centre channels should be in front of you, not the ceiling. So personally, i would buy 3 speakers for the front to go around the TV. And use 2 in the ceiling above the TV for atmos (Top Front). (Leaving the 3rd speaker unused)
Now for the 4 speakers above the sofa. Honestly, not sure why they put in 4 speakers. You only need 2. I would wire up the 2 outer most speakers for atmos, and leave the inner two again unused. You could but i wouldn't recommend it, use the outer 2 for surround and the inner 2 for atmos (Top Rear). Surrounds, need to be at ear level, like the left/right speakers around the TV.
Personally i would get separate speakers for use as surrounds.
Browse our wide-range of Dolby Atmos speaker step-by-step setup guides to find the best speaker placement and configuration for your home theater.
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Learn how to set up Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 overhead speakers for an immersive Dolby Atmos experience. Get professional tips and guidance for optimal speaker placement.
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