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Confirm that Atmos is actually working?

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19K views 38 replies 9 participants last post by  Worf 
#1 ·
I have a Sony STRDN1080 that I got from Amazon to review prior to general availability. I ended up using it to replace my Denon AVR-X2300 since I got it for almost free, and could still return the Denon (although I had to put my PS3 and PS4 on an AB switch and pull the Xbox 360 out altogether to get myself down to the paltry 6 HDMI inputs on it).

Yesterday I thought I'd dip my toe finally in the Atmos playground, and picked up the Onkyo 5.1.2 speaker system. I have things hooked up, and the calibration plays out of the individual speakers as expected, both front speakers sounding separately for the main and reflected ceiling.

But the amp apparently only shows "Dolby" regardless of Atmos or standard, so I have no way of knowing if it's truly Atmos playing, or just a standard surround.

Now, I can *hear* that the left front and left right are playing sounds that aren't the same as the front left upper, and front right upper, so if I stand by one of them, I can hear separate sounds between the front and up firing speakers. But when I play the Atmos enabled things, either UHD blu rays that say "Atmos" on my Xbox One S with bitstreaming on, or MKV's encoded (and confirmed with mediainfo) with Atmos on my home theater PC, using mplayer that supposedly can do Atmos, I'm severely underwhelmed. Was I just expecting more from the hype? I don't get any sense of presence or things moving in 3d space, watching Gravity, any of the demos available online, Secret Life of Pets, Fifth Element... Doesn't sound any different at all than it has with the 5.1 I used up to this point.

Is there really any way to confirm that it's working? Is the fact that I'm hearing different things out of the upward firing speakers proof that it's there, and I need to lower my expectations? From what I saw in forums online, people seemed to have a totally different result with their Atmos experiences...

Thanks for any info

John
 
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#2 ·
But the amp apparently only shows "Dolby" regardless of Atmos or standard, so I have no way of knowing if it's truly Atmos playing, or just a standard surround.
I don't have the receiver and the manuals apparently aren't available for download yet but based on the marketing photos it should show DATMOS when playing back Atmos material. When playing an Atmos track try toggling through the sound fields, I think the Movie button on your remote may do this based on other receivers.
 
#3 ·
Thanks - even with the blu ray, I can't get it to show that via HDMI connection. Bitstreaming is enabled on the Xbox ONE S so it should be sending the right signal, I had "the bitstream format as "DTS Digital Surround" as well as "Dolby Digital" - but all I get switching "movie" button sound fields is "Dolby Surround", "Neural:X" and "Front Surround".

Oddly enough the physical manual that comes shows nothing at all about displaying "Atmos" just that the display will show "dolby" when surround is enabled.

However, I just found a setting under the blu ray app on the XB1 that has a checkbox to let the receiver decode audio, I did that, and then the system showed a scrolling "Datmos - Dolby True HD" - it still only gives me the three above listed things with the movie button, but apparently the signal is being seen. Of course, apparently "The Secret Life of Pets" isn't necessarily the best way to test...

At least I have some progress and an actual indication about a visible Atmos signal. Of course, that indication of Datmos only shows up when I initially press "Play" for the blu ray - I apparently have to "stop" and "Play" again to get it to show again, you'd think they would have it show up at other times, maybe every few minutes scroll it past...

But it's a step in the right direction - at least now i know where to FIND the indication that the receiver is getting an Atmos signal, even if it doesn't sound any better than the old 5.1 so far due to the source material so far. I'm hoping once I get the PC side functional, all those Atmos demo files I downloaded to test will actually sound like something it was worth spending money on.

I appreciate the tip!
 
#11 ·
VLC won't play the Atmos encoded MKV's at all - choppy, even with me having done what they claim needs to be done to bistream.

So I downloaded mplayer - that plays without choppy audio, but there's two versions it installs, a portable version, and the normal version. Normal version you can't turn off subtitles at ALL, and still no Atmos signal to the receiver, and in the portable app version, you CAN disable subtitles, but the location of the sound is all screwed up - the main sound all comes from the left rear channel as if that's the center channel now.

Blu Ray played on Xbox One at least SHOWS atmos signal on the receiver (for the split second it shows ANYTHING other than the name of the input) but it's not PLAYING as atmos - nothing ever comes out of the upward firing atmos speakers... And if I do the Dolby test file on the XB1 using internet explorer, the should is screwed up just like the PC...

I'll have to pull one of my Oculus systems over by the receiver and plug them in to see what I get playing media in Windows... But I'm thinking that Atmos must not be anywhere near ready for prime time and I should just return the speakers and stick with the 5.1 I had...
 
#19 ·
I own a Denon X1200 and faced these issues before getting it to decode Atmos.
First issue was with my older laptop which did not support HD Audio.
Installed MPC in my work laptop. Still no joy.
Tried the Windows sound setting with the AVR connected - it was showing 2.1 as default. Changed it to 7.1. Used the in built test - individual speakers responded properly. (Hope you have checked this).
Another setting change in MPC - Enabled bitstreaming. Atmos displayed on the AVR :).
PS
I remember somewhere in Denon a speaker setting to set as two separate speakers.
 
#21 ·
Yep, checked that - tried all config options - the audio shows all formats supported on all three computers I tried. Bitstreaming enabled on all the various media players I've tried, no avail...

I've gone through and through on the Sony settings, and everything it shows SHOULD be what it needs - its own test tones work fine, and have the separate signals for the front forward firing, and front upward firing... Just nothing that I try to send Atmos to it will actually use the correct speakers, and things are just a hot mess, with the rear channels instead of playing L and R separately mixed both as a single channel, so the Atmos test from any PC or the Xbox One S (that shows "DAtmos" when I play an atmos disc) when it tries to send a tone to the surround left, it actually sounds on both surround channels, L and R, same when it sends the test to surround R. Oddly enough, the atmos speaker test L will play ONLY on the surround L speaker (rather than the atmos upward firing one that's actually PLUGGED INTO that channel) and the atmos speaker test R plays only to the surround R speaker...

Ugh... :)
 
#20 ·
So you're keep the Sony? Sounds like you loved the Denon and that Denon got stellar reviews,
Cnet raves about the 1080 in their newest Review maybe you got a faulty model?
How is it at loud music volumes clarity wise ?
I like Sony's UI imo by far the best and I like their live concert setting for my live music & their own movie setting.
 
#22 ·
Loved the Denon, but since I could get the money back for it, and this one only cost me a little bit in taxes I have to claim as income next year (and thus will actually "cost" me less than $100 bucks taken out of next year's tax refund) it made sense to keep this one. Of course all that was decided before I bought an Atmos 5.1.2 speaker system and ran into all of this.

Loved the Denon, worked flawlessly for me, I had a AVR-X1200 prior to the 2300, but upgraded since I have both the 65" 4k HDR TV, as well as one of the high end Viewsonic 1080 projectors, so needed the dual HDMI out again to simplify my life...

Loud music volume, it was right there on par with the Denon with the older smaller Yamaha 5.1 system I ran - haven't tried music yet with the larger Atmos speaker system I have now. Mids and highs sounded sharp and clear, something I am critical of since I listen to a lot of Jazz and Classical as well as rock. But the new speaker system I have seems to have a wimpy subwoofer despite being twice as large as my previous one, so I may need to do some tweaking with settings to get the bass to sound decent again... Either that or just replace it with my old Yamaha speaker system's sub... This one keeps turning off in sleep mode in the middle of watching or playing things, then there's the delay of it turning back on again when low freq. signals hit it... Annoying to say the least... But I haven't even touched that issue yet since I've spent these days off beating my head against the Atmos speaker issue...

The UI *is* far prettier on the Sony, but I use a Logitech Touch remote, so I never really see it, I program buttons to do what I need without ever hitting the UI for most things. I like the fact that it has icons and you can assign and change them for various inputs - makes the on screen display look so much nicer. I haven't even looked into seeing if there's any IOS app for this yet to control things with.

But if you use airplay at all, even bluetooth, I had no issues, other than it takes a few seconds longer than the Denon did to get the airplay connection, but once it did, it was rock solid. Cover art and scrolling names/album/song title were much crisper than the Denon as well...
 
#25 ·
I'm a member of the Vine program, so we get things to review, often before they're released. Used to be a lot more fun when it was free, but a few years ago they changed it so we're considered "employees" and have to claim things as income and pay taxes, like people winning things on a game show... Still better for some things since the tax costs less than buying it at retail price.

As for being on the level of the 2300, it's a mixed bag. In some ways, yes. I love the GUI much better than the Denon's and the fact that this can actually do the volume display with a 4k source is nice, I've gotten used to NOT having the on screen volume display with the Denon 2300, since you don't get that option at the full 4k settings until you get to the 3300 level.

But the remote doesn't give you direct access to *TWO* of the HDMI inputs - so fully 33% of the HDMI sources can't be selected without using the GUI. I use a Logitech Harmony Touch remote, so I can program things, and it's not an issue for me. And as I said in the review on Amazon, the fact that it only has 6 HDMI inputs, seems a serious lack for the price point, since even the Onkyo can do 8 in / 2 out at this price, and I found the Denon 2300 for *less* than this costs retail...

Beyond that, the other way this works FAR better for me than the Denon is that it seems to be much better with my home theater PC (an HP Mini Pavilion). With the Denons, even with level enhancements and all other audio settings in Windows as maxed as they could go, I had to get to about 80% or more just to get a DECENT listening level - and there was no cranking movies, even at 100% it was just underwhelming. But the other inputs worked fine. The Sony, here, with the exact same settings in Windows, has sound levels WAY beyond what I could do with the Denon - about 30 to 40% of volume level here is my "happy" spot for watching normal things, where I'd have to sit about 85% with the Denon...

Now if I could just get Atmos to actually be recognized right by the receiver... Then I'd fall over my own feet singing its praises... ;)
 
#31 ·
I had a Yamaha RX-V773WA before my first Denon, didn't use it if it was there. And certainly never used it on the Denon, surround sound put everything where I needed it, and I heard things well. What does it do, adjust frequency levels so things like footsteps that may normally be drowned out by the other ambient noise are easier to hear?

Downloaded and burned an actual Atmos test disc to test with the Xbox One S tonight when I get home. The web browser, when hitting their site and using the edge browser on the XB1, does the same bad signals as all the PC's I've tested do. I want to see if I get a different test tone result using an actual test disc rather than the webpage and a browser on the game console. Especially since I at least see the "Datmos" when I do the UHD discs encoded with it, it just doesn't sound good. This will at least prove that the disc is putting channels in the wrong places as well like the webpage test does, regardless of the Datmos display on the receiver.

I'm still crossing my fingers that there will be a firmware update when it goes public, since it still isn't slated for release until the 30th of the month...
 
#32 ·
Still couldn't get anything to play in Atmos with VLC, Mplayer for windows, SMPlayer, media player classic home theater, absolutely nothing.

*FINALLY* I found this thread about an hour ago - http://rubenalamina.mx/2014/03/04/bitstreaming-audio-with-media-player-classic-home-cinema/ and followed it. Unlike the other threads I found for other players that, when followed, still didn't get Atmos working, this actually DID.

Today I had downloaded a 35GB or so Dolby Atmos blu ray demo disc, and with this guy's instructions, it works. It finally works. *THIS* player and these instructions worked like a charm.

I was half expecting to be blown away, and half afraid I'd be let down because it was overhyped, so it wasn't a surprise when I felt almost disappointed that I wasn't blown away. Then I tweaked the level on the height speakers slightly, like I had to with the subwoofer. .

Every Atmos thing I had now plays beautifully, The 747 demo, when I close my eyes, I'd swear it's going right over me even just with a paltry 5.1.2 speaker system. And since I had ripped my blu ray of The Secret Life of Pets, I could confirm that the Xbox One S is also actually putting things at the right speakers when playing a blu ray, while it can't with the files you try to play via a web browser from the Atmos site.

So absolutely confirmed now, Atmos works. Things show "Dolby Atmos" scrolling when they start (but ONLY at the start, I've seen no way to get it to re-scroll so far to confirm Atmos is the format if you didn't catch it when you first started playing the content).

Even with this cheap Onkyo 5.1.2 speaker system ($600 retail, usually found now for about $380 or so) the sound is better than I had hoped once I did the level tweak.

Finally I can just sit back and start enjoying some movie experiences!
 
#36 ·
I run 6 ohms anyway so that's always what I have to look at to get an idea of what my speakers will deal with. Nice thing here compared to the Denon is that I didn't have to get into a special menu via special key combinations on the front panel to get it changed from 8 to 6...
 
#39 ·
The impedance setting is for safety reasons. When the manufacturer submits their unit for testing, they say what speaker impedances they support. The labs then test the units at those impedances using worst case signals designed to stress the unit. To pass the unit must survive, and not cause any damage to surroundings - I.e., it don't cause a fire, self-destruct, get too hot (and possibly burn someone), etc.

To do this, many manufacturers have an impedance selector that limits max power at lower impedances, and the power restrictions can be severe - the 4 ohm setting may have as little as 20% of the power available at 8 ohms.

So the recommendation is keep it at 8 ohms which gives you maximum amplifier power, because you're never going to practically encounter the worst case scenario (and if you do, it's a transient and not for hours at a time). Of course doing so means there's a slight chance the amp can burst into flame when stressed since there was a reason the manufacturer implemented the option. But it's a very slight chance since it involves a worst case test signal that will drive you nuts long before it happens.
 
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