Any help picking atmos speakers?

[Deftones]

Hi!

Could use some help in deciding which of the speakers I own would be best suited used as Atmos. No matter what Dolby reccomends they will be placed above screen because of the rooms physical limitations.

I plan to set up a 5.1.2 system using:
2 x Dali Ikon 6 mk2 f
2 x Dali Ikon vokal 2 mk2
1 x Dali Ikon sub mk2
2 x Dali zensor 1 https://www.stereophile.com/content/dali-zensor-1-loudspeaker-specifications
2 x Argon Alto 5 wall https://black-box.pro/product/argon-audio-alto-5wall-passive-speakers/

Now I could imagine some would say they are both useless for it. But again, I dont have any ways of using surround left/right in a 7.1 system. So maybe the best use is the good old 5.1 system and settle for Atmos height Virtualization?

Btw, since the love of my life (Yamaha RX-A2020 Bought 2012) died this winter I consider buying either a Denon AVC-x4800H or Yamaha RX-A6A.

Cheers all!

 

[salmonmancer]

Hey, Deftones. Just chiming in as someone who’s also dealt with setting up a system in a less-than-ideal space (our old house). Please take my opinion with a grain of salt, since I only have nostalgic memories about my lost setup and haven't got the chance to install a sound system in the new place.

Between the Zensor 1s and the Argon Alto 5s for height duties, I’d lean toward using the Zensor 1s. They’ve got a wider dispersion and generally perform better overall. Try to mount them as high as possible and angle them toward your main listening position. It’s definitely not Dolby-spec, but in my experience, real speakers - even when placed imperfectly - still tend to outperform Atmos Height Virtualization.

That said, if your placement ends up being way too awkward, going with a 5.1 setup plus virtualization might actually give you a cleaner and more consistent result.

On the receiver front, I’d personally stick with Yamaha, especially coming from the RX-A2020. The RX-A6A feels like a natural step up from your RX-A2020. One other thing to note: Yamaha’s also really solid with music playback, not just movies. So if you're using the system for both, that’s definitely a plus.

 

[Deftones]

Thanks alot salmonmancer! I will take your advice and mount up the argons right away!

You also make me pretty sure to go for A6A or Even A8A if budget allows. There is $300 price cut on that model right now. Also on the A2A but not A6A unfortunately. Cheers for reply!