Height Speakers and 'Dolby Atmos Enabled' speakers - What's the difference?

Yungblud

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Hi, Surround sound newbie here, so apologies for basic questions. I have a Pioneer VSX 933 AV receiver that decodes Atmos as a 5.1.2 set up. The two height channel speakers that I need to get will be mounted high up above by front left and right, pointing down. Now should I be purchasing some surround/elevation type speakers eg Dali Alteco C-1/SVS Prime elevation, or should I be buying elevation type speakers that say ' Dolby Atmos Enabled', like the Klipsch R-41SA/PSB Imagine XA? Are the 'DA Enabled' ones better in hearing sound from overhead? Thank you so much
Regards
 
Height speakers are placed up high and fire sound directly at you like a normal speaker.

Dolby Atmos Enabled speakers are lower levels speakers that project sound towards the ceiling (aka “bouncy house” speakers) which in theory is reflected to listener in an attempt to make it seem like its coming from above you.

 
Thanks Mr Wolf. That's what I thought about height speakers. But if I need to listen to Atmos, or DTS-X, do I need these height speakers to be labelled as 'Dolby Atmos Enabled'? The SVS Prime Elevation speakers (as an example) are NOT sold as this but can be used as Atmos speakers. At the moment i've just the 5.1 set up but want to purchase the correct height speaker type to hear overhead soundtrack from movies. Any help is really appreciated, I don't want atmos speakers that reflect sound off the ceiling but rather down at me
 
Height speakers are placed up high and fire sound directly at you like a normal speaker.

Dolby Atmos Enabled speakers are lower levels speakers that project sound towards the ceiling (aka “bouncy house” speakers) which in theory is reflected to listener in an attempt to make it seem like its coming from above you.


How many times did you rewrite that to try and make it not sound skeptical?
 
How many times did you rewrite that to try and make it not sound skeptical?
Nah, that was a hole in one - it comes naturally to me :D
 
But if I need to listen to Atmos, or DTS-X, do I need these height speakers to be labelled as 'Dolby Atmos Enabled'? T
I'm not familiar with your AVR and the options it gives you in the set-up menu for type of height speaker. If there's an option that says "Front High" or something similar then use that one.
 
Just Googled your user manual and found this on p.84 so my lucky guess was correct - you want "FRONT HIGH" ("TOP FRONT" would be an in/on-ceiling more above you.)

Set the speaker type if height speakers are connected to the SURROUND BACK or HEIGHT terminals.

Select "Front High", "Top Front", "Top Middle", "Top Rear", "Rear High", "Dolby Speaker (Front)” or
"Dolby Speaker (Surr)” according to the type and layout of the connected speakers.
 
I think the OP was referring to the way the speakers are marketed. Know how they like to sell them as DA enabled as if there’s something special about them?

@Yungblud, if it’s marketed as DA enabled, then typically it’s a slanted style designed to sit on top of your existing speakers, or wall mounted and angled down. But ultimately it’s just a speaker, you could use normal bookshelves as heights and point them downward to the MLP if you wanted.
 
Thanks all. Think I'll purchase either the Klipsch r-41sa or PSB Imagine XA; as they are in my budget. Appreciate all the advice
 
I have some Klipsch RP-140SAs that sit on top of my speakers in a large room. They work great. Try them that way first to see if you even need to mount them on your wall and maybe save yourself some work. Remember that the Atmos channels are an enhancement to your bedrock 5.1 layer, not a "channel" unto itself. Play a movie with only the Atmos speakers connected, and you'll see what I mean.
 
I have some Klipsch RP-140SAs that sit on top of my speakers in a large room. They work great. Try them that way first to see if you even need to mount them on your wall and maybe save yourself some work. Remember that the Atmos channels are an enhancement to your bedrock 5.1 layer, not a "channel" unto itself. Play a movie with only the Atmos speakers connected, and you'll see what I mean.
Just out of interest, what do you set your Atmos crossovers at? Cheers.
 
Sorry I took so long to get back to you!

Klipsch recommends 150hz crossover in the manual for these. My Yamaha RX A4A doesn't do that number, so set to 160hz.
 
My Eltax DAES have frequency response down to 70hz allegedly. Audyssey sets them at 80hz from what I remember. With my new sub I set the crossover on these to 120hz. But my experience with them is more of a sound envelope that goes above the screen rather than anything from the ceiling.
 
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I have a NAD t778 av receiver and it is Dolby atmos compatible but does not have Dolby atmos height visualisation. I bought the Dali Alteco c1 speakers to put on top of my floor stander speakers. My question is will they work properly as Dolby atmos without the height visualisation feature?
 

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