Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio

@uncledemp 

The speakers ‘disappear’ and ‘you are there’. Also, his processor takes away the need to hang room treatments everywhere, and agonize with speaker and sub setup.

True, audio starts and ends with acoustics. The Martin Logan Forte steamer/amp your son got has room correction as well and hits way above expectations, nice size for a desktop setup too, hope he likes it!

@rettrussell

Classical music was on an infrequent rotation in my listening room until I started listening in atmos. Some of the classical Atmos recordings were miked and mixed in such a way that you get an experience as if you are listening from the conductors position. Now I love it and symphonies are my favorite, it just conveys the experience in my room that is so different, even from a live concert, because you NEVER sit where the conductor is.

Another scary good experience was listening to West Side Story soundtrack album. I didn’t see the most recent movie but the atmos mix on the soundtrack recording is unlike anything I ever heard in my room. Stephen Spielberg directed the movie and his finger prints are all over the creative team that worked on the album.

Bringing together the best of both Broadway and Hollywood, the film’s creative team includes Kushner, who also served as an executive producer; Tony Award® winner Justin Peck, who choreographed the musical numbers in the film; renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor and GRAMMY® Award winner Gustavo Dudamel, who helmed the recording of the iconic score;

Academy Award®–nominated composer and conductor David Newman (“Anastasia”), who arranged the score; Tony Award®–winning composer Jeanine Tesori (“Fun Home,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie”), who supervised the cast on vocals; and GRAMMY®-nominated music supervisor Matt Sullivan (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Chicago,” “Hairspray”), who serves as executive music producer. The film is produced by Spielberg, p.g.a., Academy Award®–nominated producer Kristie Macosko Krieger, p.g.a., and Tony Award®–winning producer Kevin McCollum.

Gustavo Dudamel—renowned music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela and the Paris Opéra—was engaged to conduct the orchestra for music recordings. The music was performed by the New York Philharmonic with additional music performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. David Newman, a celebrated arranger and conductor who has worked on more than 100 movies, handles both arrangements, as well as some conducting. Dudamel said, “‘West Side Story,’ for me, as for all of us in the music world, is part of my DNA. Every single melody in it is so natural and easy for anyone to process. Naturally, it felt right to work with the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein’s own orchestra, and have the musicians be part of the new chapter of this masterpiece.”

The West Side Story Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211129005251/en/The-West-Side-Story-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack-Set-for-Digital-Dolby-Atmos-Music-Release-on-December-3

So I am in the very small minority with a duel music/movie room. It is all the room is used for, fully treated and painted black with felt walls. It is used for 99% two channel music (I play video games often when listening) and watch probably 5 movies a year in the room (music everyday).

Anyway I am not sure I can be bothered. Ceiling speakers sound like crap. They are too small and well in the ceiling. My rears don’t match my front either. Honestly if I wanted to listen to multi channel music I would want all channels to be the same which is a huge waist of money.

the other problem is the walled garden of apple. You can’t get an Apple TV or computer to a good DAC as it requires HDMI for atmos which is 99% just home theater processors right now.

I believe kids with headphones will drive this market. If some of us use it, we will be in the extreme minority. My system is fully ready and capable and I can’t say I care. Music is played on a stage in front my us. Not behind us or over head. 

@james633 

I believe kids with headphones will drive this market.

I hope you are right, get them started from where they are right now with spatial audio and some apple air pods and have them spread the word on tiktok.