Overhead Speakers - Pioneer Elite SC-89 Operating Instructions Manual

Many installations currently have systems with a subwoofer and either five or seven
speakers positioned at about ear level. These speakers are referred to as the
"listener level" in this document. Any speaker type that is capable of accurately
representing a stereo pan is suitable to reproduce objects.
As in the past, the placement of all listener-level speakers should follow these
recommendations, which are based on ITU-R BS.775-3:
The speakers located in the front of the room shall be used as a reference
point. All speakers in the listener plane should ideally be equidistant from the
listener position. If this is not possible, compensating for distance may be
used to time align the arrival of audio from each speaker to the listener.
All listener speakers should be at the same height, typically 3.9 feet (1.2
meters), which is ear level for the average seated listener (as defined in ITU-
R BS.1116-1).
If possible, the height of the rear speakers should be the same as the height of the
front speakers. If the room design makes this impractical, or impossible, the rear
speakers may be higher than the front speakers. However, it is suggested that the
height of the rear speakers should not be more than 1.25 times the height of the
front speakers.

Overhead Speakers

Overhead sound is a vital part of the Dolby Atmos experience. There are a variety of
options for adding this capability to a room.
One solution is to install speakers overhead. Most high-power, full-frequency
conventional overhead speakers with wide dispersion characteristics will work in a
Dolby Atmos home theater.
Characteristics
Dolby Atmos audio is mixed using discrete, full-range audio objects that may move
around anywhere in three-dimensional space. With this in mind, overhead speakers
should complement the frequency response, output, and power-handling capabilities
of the listener-level speakers. Choose overhead speakers that are timbre matched as
closely as possible to the primary listener-level speakers. Overhead speakers with a
wide dispersion pattern are desirable for use in a Dolby Atmos system. This will
ensure the closest replication of the cinematic environment, where overhead
speakers are placed high above the listeners.
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