In this guide, we'll explain what the Dolby Atmos sound is, how it enhances audio, and how you can create a Dolby Atmos setup in your home theatre, so you can decide if it's worthy of a permanent place in your movie nights.
What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is an advancement in surround sound technology that adds overhead audio into the soundscape, allowing you to experience the sounds as though they were truly coming from above you. Think aeroplanes soaring through the sky, thunder rolling, or dialogue spoken down from a window.
Capable of reproducing 118 simultaneous sounds, the soundscape is more immersive and realistic than ever before.
Picture a typical everyday moment. There’s never simply one or two sounds. There’s ambient audio, murmuring in the background, clinking plates, ticking clocks, traffic noises, and more. With Dolby Atmos, sound designers take each sound and place it exactly where it should be in the 3D space, which is decoded by your intelligent, state-of-the-art speakers and transported into your home cinema for stunning realism.
Do I Need Dolby Atmos Speakers?
If you want to elevate the experience that much further, Dolby Atmos can provide the final piece of the puzzle for a fully immersive and compelling 3D audio soundscape.
Does KEF Support Dolby Atmos?
At KEF, we offer several speakers imbued with Dolby Atmos capabilities. Both our R8 Meta and Q8 Meta speakers can direct sound upward allowing it to reflect off your ceiling or firing downward when mounted on a wall, for Dolby Atmos overhead audio.
Our KEF XIO Soundbar also provides Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 spatial audio, which is equivalent to the audio experience of five standard surround sound speakers plus two overhead speakers.
Lastly, you can create your own Dolby Atmos setup by combining our in-ceiling speakers with surround sound home cinema speakers. A few even come with THX(R) certification.
How to Set Up Dolby Atmos Surround Sound
The best setup for your KEF Dolby Atmos speakers depends on your chosen speaker type and desired level of surround sound.
If using our Q8 Meta or R8 Meta, stacking it on top of the front and rear left and right speakers will bring the height effects required for full Dolby Atmos surround sound.
If you are using a Dolby Atmos soundbar, such as our KEF XIO, you should position it just below the television screen.
If you use ceiling speakers to build a Dolby Atmos setup, there are several configurations available depending on the level of immersion you want. The best ceiling speakers have been THX ® certified.
The 5.1.2 configuration requires five surround sound speakers - one centre channel speaker to the front, one each in the left and right at the front, and one each at the left and right at the back - plus a subwoofer for low-frequency effects. Then, you’ll require two more speakers - either installed into the ceiling or stacked on the front left and right speakers - to handle the height channels.
The 7.1.2 configuration is the same, with two speakers to handle the Dolby Atmos effects, but seven surround sound speakers. The additional speakers are placed on either side of your seating, facing inward. Finally, the 9.1.2 configuration follows the 7.1.2 configuration with the addition of two pairs of front-wide speakers.
The 5.1.4 and 7.1.4 configurations have the same number and placement of surround sound speakers as the 5.1.2 and 7.1.2 configurations, but they now have four speakers providing the Dolby Atmos sound.
Using four speakers for Dolby Atmos is the best method for perfect Dolby Atmos sound as the position of the sound object can be defined from four positions. This creates a much better experience instead of just using two speakers.
Are you ready to experience the world of your movies, games and shows in more detail than ever before? Explore our HiFi speakers to create a Dolby Atmos setup. You can even book a demo to experience the phenomenon of Dolby Atmos in person before deciding if it’s the right choice for you.
