The Simple Method You NEED For Atmos Speaker Placement - 9.2.4 Dolby Atmos

Placing your speakers correctly in a 9.2.4 Dolby Atmos configuration can be tricky. There is a lot of confusing information out there. Here's an easy method for placing speakers in any room

[GeorgeTheaterAtHome]

You should measure to the wall and ceiling if you have in-wall/in-ceiling speakers. If you have box speakers (bookshelf, tower etc) then you should measure to the front of the speaker.

[NickMatzkeMusic]

George, I went and double checked my theater and it matches up perfectly with the .58 and .7 for the heights! I did the .7 from Steve Smith (Home Theater Gurus) which gives you 55 degrees which is closer in than Dolby says on the home spec which is 45. Steve got 55 from the Atmos studio spec sheet. When I checked my bed layer I was surprised that the L&R and rears were exactly the .58! I positioned the L&R to be right next to the screen so it just happened to be at that exact spot to get the .58(30 degree angle). Then for the rears, I originally had them closer in per Anthony Grimani’s recommendation but found they were a little too close. I literally just moved them a bit to where it seemed right and they were exactly at 30 degrees! My sides and rears are all equidistant to each other. One thing I would add to your method is that you only should measure to the wall/ceiling if you’re doing in wall speakers. If you are doing any sort of box speaker (monitor, bookshelf, tower) you need to measure distance to the front of the speaker box, not the wall. So if you’re doing bookshelf speakers for Atmos and they are 10 inches deep, subtract 10 inches from your measurement of mlp to ceiling.

[juleocan]

very clear explanations...good job my friend!!!

[viralologymr]

Wish a video like this existed before I built my HT. My atmos speakers unfortunately fall into those awful dolby diagrams but still very happy with the performance. Acoustic treatment and DIRAC Live has helped a ton. Thanks for the info!

[roanedog]

Very Helpful! Saved this video for when I can finally build our dedicated home theater room! Thank you!

[frankgarcia]

Hello and good day, thank you for all your awesome and very informative content. You mentioned that these formulas are for a 9.2.4 set up. I have a 5.2.4 set up and was wondering if you have a set of formulas for a 5.2.4 set up?? I would greatly appreciate your input/assistance
Thank you

[tom]

These are Steven Smith's (HT Guru) measurements as well. The .7 multiplier for Atmos equates to 55 degrees, 45 degrees would be multiplier of 1. Not everyone watches his great tutorials so good that you presented as well.

[welderfixer]

Sir, I believe you are on the right track here. During the past ten years or so I have been attempting to find the optimum placement for my speakers from 2.1 to 7.2.4. I've watched dozens of videos, read several forums, downloaded all of the Dolby speaker placement guides (the home guide is total BS), asked a couple of the "Big Guys" for advice and currently I am set-up using the results from the Audio Advice Home Theater layout calculator online. The only set-up I really think is correct is the Dolby Atmos Studio guide. If you don't hear it exactly as the Audio Engineer did how can anyone expect to hear the sound track correctly? As I said, I like your layout math and I am sure it works great for 9.x.4 or even 9.x.6.
It's depressingly unfortunate that my 6 channel amp is in "sick bay" awaiting my attention. So, I am now down to 5.1. Bummer, but better than nothing. Really not that bad.
I do have a thought on the front Left and Right speaker placement in systems 2.1, 3.1, 5.1 and 7.1. May experience has been it is best to have them close to the sides of a TV no more than a foot away as the characters and sounds moving off screen follow smoothly. I don't have any experience with a projector, but I'm thinking the same thing even if the speakers are behind the screen. Just my useless 2 cents.
All the best, Kevin

[cbmore]

Very good explanation. How important are the wides? I was planning on going 7.2.4. If you eliminate the wides how would that change your L-R-side placement?

[usmankhalid]

Thank you so much for this video! I was waiting for this one and you made it so simple to follow the steps you outlined, I really appreciate it! Can't wait to put these steps into action. Building out my first home theater over the next month and I'll be sure to revisit this video when I am picking speaker locations!

Just a quick question, have you had the pleasure of being in a theater that implemented the placement locations you point on this video, and if so, what did you think? Thanks!

[shaolin]

Also note that to measurements should be based on the front of speaker (tweeter) because a bigger tower, for example, is going to affect calculations if you are going by the wall distance.
Keep up to great work!

[MusicForHourss]

Where are the measurements coming from i cant find it. I'm used to meters so this was hard to follow, but i cant find any.

[stefanhartmann]

Very nice tutorial, easy to understand. I love it. 👏
I would be happy if you can do some more tutorials like this. Like how to find the MLP. Viewing angles & avoiding sound dipp and peak.
And a other one like what's the hight position on the Side walls if you have one or two rows of seats.
Or how to align the speaker to the MLP and what's the benefits if you do.

[shaolin]

The sound won't "jump" from side to mains if you don't have wides. It will be a smooth pan provided proper location, calibration and capable speakers

[mfkhometheater]

Good video, I think I'm going to have to shift that square forward a bit due to the back row being basically against the back wall. Distance from MLP ear level to ceiling is about 90" so 63" offset to speaker locations. Problem is, the rear pair would be about 6" from the base of the rear speakers so I definitely have to move the rear pair forward. The front pair can work at 63" but this places them a touch far back for the front row. I'm thinking maybe just move the whole square forward 18".

[alexledesma]

Awesome video, thank you!! Curious how you came up with the length of your riser for the second row given your room size. Planning for a similar layout like yours with mini bar behind second row. Any specific calculation for design of riser length/depth by chance that you may have used?

[paulgross]

Great video! Thanks for explaining it so simply. We don’t have a dedicated theater so doing the best we can in the living room. With that we have to place our side surrounds in the ceiling. I know it’s not ideal but it’s what our room will allow. Do you have any guide to how far to the left or right from the MLP they should be placed?

[byucatch]

is the 'main listening position' always assumed to be centered on the screen? What if it isn't - would you still put your center channel directly in front of the MLP or would it be better to center it to the screen?

[mowse]

Great video! I learned alot and you definitely helped me figure out placement.

Question: so I am setting up my living room, which unfortunately has vaulted ceilings. We have 10' walls and roughly a 10' vaulted ceiling. MLP sit roughly 115" from center, fronts are perfect (I guessed and got it, lol). But my atmos will have to go on the top of the wall above fronts. How far out on the wall from center (top of wall) should they go?

[thomascochran]

I just returned from CEDIA 2024 in Denver. I have been attending CEDIA since 1992. ALL of these questions are addressed in the CEDIA "recommended practice 22" (RP 22). If you are serious about placement of speakers, you will obtain this document. It is the state of the art at this time. It took a couple of years of true experts to formulate this paper. It can be downloaded free. USE IT! Learn from the experts! The experts are now referring to "zones" and tend to avoid exact "angles". Good luck!