Option #1: Ceiling Mounted Speakers Firing Down
The addition of ceiling channels provide two benefits that are difficult to balance in a home environment: Ambience and Directionality.
Pretty much any conventional direct radiating speaker can be utilized for option #1. Even an in-ceiling coaxial speaker can work. While not necessarily the most practical solution, option #1 is the most true to form of how Atmos is implemented into commercial cinemas. It is also, in my opinion, the most accurate way to truly project the height effects for accurate localization and spatial imaging the way the director intended. Unfortunately many folks are unable to add ceiling mounted speakers due to aesthetic concerns or an inability to run additional wires in existing homes. In addition, some home installations may not have the ceiling height necessary to fluidly move the objects across the screen. We will revisit this topic at a later date as it’s beyond the scope of this particular article.
Proposed 5.1.4 Speaker Layout Utilizing Ceiling Mounted Speakers - courtesy of Dolby