Affordable Atmos Mixing Room

Building an Atmos mix room is expensive, but if you know the right ways to make tradeoffs, you can get have all the critical features for a reasonable budget.

This video covers the three perceived cost barriers to building an Atmos room. I show how I cobbled together a 7.1.4 speaker array, speaker management using my DAW (Cubase / Nuendo), and playback of streamed Atmos mixes via an inexpensive Atmos processor -- all on a reasonable budget.

Correction: In the section on calibrating relative speaker loudness, I recommended using an iPad with a decibel meter app. I now find that the device's microphone is more sensitive to direction than I thought. I am now using my calibration mic, which is omni, at the listening position and pointing up, and displaying a VU meter plugin in DAW on my computer screen.

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[peterranallo]

Thank you for all the great information you are sharing . I too am thinking of adding Atmos in my studio, and your videos have been invaluable in me understanding all this . Continue your great work !:)

[stephenr]

This is the very best video on start off building a budget atmos studio. Very good tips to look for and cost effective. Before this the very minimum to start doing atmos mix was $4000 bucks…. 😢

[delsurmusic]

Great video, I needed a simple way to listen to atmos and this is it!

[kieselguhrvonepp]

Thank you very much for this informative and encouraging video! I was very discouraged by the potential cost of mixing in Dolby atmos, but a setup like yours seems within reach

[gtlittlejr.]

GREAT Video! Your series is so helpful, with lots of great ideas and workarounds. Keep up the good work!

[electreelife]

By far the most comprehensive and practical info I found so far - I also use Nuendo and thinking to get a complete kali audio setup as it's not going to break the bank...i might need to watch a few more times and understand the calibration and processor connectivity parts...and yes i wish it was easier :-)

[TheRealATema]

VERY DETAILED & HELPFUL. THANK YOU SIR

[DJMarcAurel_official]

Great Video with short but good explanations about every detail.

[supercinematographer]

A lot to learn about this nifty feature. I'm going to be proud at mixing and finding the right people for my performance mixes. I used to look at this method as the tweaker speaker quality sound around the room in an average home stereo system. Cars used to after market install these into the inner sides of a vehicle. If I end up having to go this route. I certainly wouldn't mind and I'm sure having a big "tall" room helps the Atmosphere. I'm definitely good for this new technique and I'm already picturing harmonies, stacks, and adlibs being on this new Astral plane level of music sound.

[gianni]

My wife says she’ll leave me if I invest in Atmos. 😂

[brennyC]

Excellent Video with a handful advice from a Legendary mind.!!

[elcubofilosofico]

You are a genius. Thanks for sharing!!!

[ray]

Really great job. You gave me a lot of great ideas!

[_mysilentblue]

I understand that you're looking to propose a budget Atmos. The used market for studio monitors is cheap, you need at a minimum the same speakers for the sides and rears. Then also all the same for height, for the imaging of object-based audio. They don't need to be all Yam 8's but you are not going to get imaging between studio monitors to PA speakers and then to computer speakers. Kali 6' or JBL 5'. I'll definitely agree with the 3 identical across the front just turn it upright like @SilentSynergyMusic said or use Phantom mode.

[citizenworld]

Pro Tools for me but this guy is sincere.

[lazzap]

e eu achava que fazia gambiarra... esse tio dobrou a meta.

[michaeltablet]

This was very helpful! Thank you very much!

[Edwardi]

8:12 Emotiva BasX MC1 13.2 is also a good choice it's based on this tonewinner unit but only does 13.2 channels of processing which is fine for a 7.1.4 set up and is only $1, 099

[hireality]

How do you physically connect your computer that is running Nuendo to your Atmos processor? And what computer are you using? You didn’t explain it in your previous videos neither. (We have a MacBook Pro running Nuendo)

[Edwardi]

Thanks for doing this, i've been wondering if it's possible to mix Atmos music with consumer grade Home theater gear.