To add overhead sound you can use two or four speakers mounted in or on the ceiling or use dolby atmos enabled speakers that fire sound upward toward the ceiling from where it s reflected back to the listening area.
Dolby atmos ceiling speakers placement.
So if the first digit is a 5 for example this means there is a left center right and a pair of surround speakers.
A dolby atmos surround sound system incorporating only in ceiling speakers is not recommended.
Dolby atmos allows you to bring immersion into a home where you will not be allowed to cut holes in the ceiling for in wall listener level speakers eggers recommends they are at least 3 feet below the ceiling.
The next digit is the number of subwoofers.
How to set up your system to create an optimal sound system enabled with dolby atmos first familiarize yourself with the role and position of each speaker.
For a 5 speaker setup the left and right surrounds should be to the left and right of your main seating position as far apart as your front left and right speakers.
A 9 1 2 system adds a pair of front wide speakers to a 7 1 2 layout.
Then choose a central seating point and angle your speakers at it keeping them at your ear height when you are seated unless noted otherwise.
If you want to add 2 of them then you get the option to place them either on top of the front speakers to place them in the middle or above the rear speakers.
You can add a single speaker in the middle of the area.
Your ceiling speakers will be anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in diameter which likely won t be a problem given that most ceiling joists are 16 inches apart on center with a 14 inch gap between.
Dolby atmos systems with four height channels are designated 5 1 4 or 7 1 4.
Dolby atmos speaker layouts parallel the 5 1 and 7 1 setups for surround sound.
Almost all new av receivers that support dolby atmos and dts x give you a variety of setups for the ceiling speakers.
A 5 1 2 or 7 1 2 system uses two ceiling speakers or two dolby atmos enabled speakers or modules.