Sony - 4" Dolby Atmos Enabled Elevation Speakers (Pair) - Black

Sometimes upgrading your equipment can have dramatic effects. Do you remember being dazzled when you went from stereo sound to surround sound or from standard definition to high definition 1080p? However, sometimes the upgrade although positive, is more subtle, like going from 1080p high definition to 4K HDR definition video. It’s an improvement and it has benefits, but you have to be a bit of an “Enthusiast” to feel satisfied with the incremental improvement the feature offers. The Dolby Atmos feature that these Sony speakers can add to your home theater is one of those incremental improvements. When I sat my wife down to hear our new 5.2 surround system a few years ago she was dazzled. When I sat her down last week to hear our new 5.2.2 surround system with functioning Atmos, I had to point out to her that the sound of monsoon rain hitting the forest canopy shown on the TV’s screen, really did seem to be coming from the ceiling above. However, because of the way our ears and brains perceive vertical sound direction (compared to horizontal sound direction), she had to tilt her head slightly upwards to really get an impression of where the rain’s sound was coming from. If I hadn’t pointed it out she might have a vague feeling that something was making the experience more realistic, but she might have attributed it to the realistic picture rather than the realistic sound. I’m only giving you this overly detailed description of the Atmos sound experience, so you won’t have expectations that are too high. On top of that, only source video or movies encoded with Dolby Atmos (or the competing DTS:X) running though an Audio Video Receiver that can decode Atmos, into a theater that has properly placed Atmos speakers (like these Sonys), can produce the overhead sound effect. These 4” Sony speakers are what are called “Up-firing” speakers. They allow the easiest installation method for Atmos. Rather than cutting holes or mounting bolts in the ceiling and running wires behind the drywall to feed the signal, Up-firing speakers can be placed right on top of your left and right speakers, as I did in the attached picture. It’s relatively easy to just run the speaker wires from there to the Atmos capable A/V receiver. When the A/V receiver gets the code for sound above the listener, the sound from these speakers is focused and aimed at the ceiling. From there it bounces down to your ears. The downside to that easy installation is that the sound energy from these speakers has to pass though the sound waves emanating from the left and right speakers. Some of sound wave energy from the Up-firing speakers is absorbed or deflected. I tested a preferable Up-firing speaker location by crudely mounting the speakers on 2x4s set against the back wall about 6’ above the floor. This got them out of the sound waves from the left and right speakers and the overhead Atmos sound effect seemed clearer. When I have the time I will run the wires behind the wall and mount the Sony Atmos speakers more permanently 6’ above the floor. Since I have a two story house, I just don’t have the ambition or skill to run wiring across the ceiling and mount speakers into the ceiling cavity between the floors. Up-firing speakers are a good compromise to get the Atmos effect without mounting speakers in the ceiling. PROS: - Comes with hardware brackets, adhesive foot pads and screws for most installation needs. - These speakers are attractive with speaker grills that can be easily removed for that “Naked” look that some prefer. - They allow the two simplest Atmos installation methods, directly on top of front speakers, or mounted higher on the back wall. - The 4” cones and their drivers are well sized for the clear high to mid-frequency sounds that reflect off the ceiling well. CONS: - They can’t deliver the “Ultimate” Atmos experience which requires multiple ceiling embedded speakers. - If you are a stickler for visually matched speakers, the matte finish might not match the shiny piano-key, wood-grain or different fabric grill look of your existing speakers. CONCLUSION: - These Sony - 4" Dolby Atmos Enabled Elevation Speakers will allow you to upgrade your home theater sound with the vertical audio image that Dolby Atmos or the competing DTS:X audio encoding both offer. If you are the type of enthusiast that enjoys experiencing noticeable but subtle incremental improvements, then these speakers are worth the investment of time and money.

25+ years ago I bought my first "5.1" surround sound receiver. The technology was awesome but wiring up rear speakers was such an ugly pain. No matter how neatly I tucked wires around the room (open floor plan, basement and ceiling runs were not an option) I despised my setup--eventually bailing on surround enhancements completely. Flash forward 25 yrs to give "Atmos-enabled" speakers a try with my new Atmos capable receiver (Sony STR-DN1080) and I am thrilled have "surround sound" effects back in my life. To be clear, these are wired speakers. They sit nicely atop my ~42" tall JBL front speakers so no more need to run wires to the back of the room for surround effects. Obviously you still could but as mentioned previously, I like all my audio devices "up front." Once I had the speakers properly configured in the receiver (I did have a surprisingly difficult time getting the Sony receiver to identify my setup properly using the calibration tool and ended up configuring everything manually) I essentially ran two different speaker tests based on my tv/movie listening preferences: 2-channel and "all channels" (for me, I prefer 3.0.2: left/right front towers, center, and the left/right Sony Atmos upward pointing speakers). First I noticed increased vocal clarity from 2-channel to all channels. The Sony SSCSE speakers (coupled with the magic of Dolby) clarified vocals in movies significantly. Second, I immediately noticed what I would call 365° effects. Was it as perfect as having rears in the mix for a 5.x.2 setup? No, but it was still good enough (and loud enough) to capture effects I would hear in a theater. If you run a 5.x.2 or 7.x.2 you are definitely going to fill your room with sound--especially from above and the sides. I did plug my rears back in for one final test but again, I don't have a good way to deal with the wires. Including the rears makes a difference but I could be content to live without them and just rely on the SSCSE speakers for effects. Additionally, I ran some music through these speakers. Again, I am primarily a fan of "loud and from the front" for my music experience. I was concerned that leaving the Sony SSCSE speakers on for musical enjoyment would wreck the acoustical balance and/or blow the SSCSE speakers. I was pleasantly surprised that neither happened. Again, these little guys can handle the power and given the amount of bass my JBL speakers put out, the SSCSE added some nice mid-range enhancements. Lastly, I was impressed by the weight of these speakers. Honestly, I expected them to be lighter...which in the world of audio is usually a bad thing. Traditionally more weight means better sound. These have nice sound and power. Would I recommend? Yes, but not necessarily to just a movie audiophile. I think they are great for someone who wants to "get into Dolby effects" without breaking the bank and without having to commit to a 9-speaker setup right off the bat. Whether a 3.x.2, 5.x.2 or 7.x.2 setup, these speakers are a great, cost effective way to add fullness and effects to your movie/tv experience.

I've been looking for awhile and these speakers are exactly what I wanted. The Sony Atmos speakers are a great addition to my surround sound system. They sound great playing music as well as making movies more like a theater experience.

If you love surround sound in your movies and you have good ears, then pick yourself up a pair of Atmos speakers. I really like the added dimension these speakers provide. By design they are intended to sit on top of a pair of floor speakers. For my room and taste that didn't seem to work real well. I do have a popcorn ceiling so that might have something to do with it but from what I've read that should be OK. After listening to a variety of Atmos movies I was disappointed that I didn't seem to hear the sound coming over my head. I confirmed that I definitely had good sound coming out of the speakers but all it did was to make the sound more full/rich. My plan all along was to hang the speakers on the wall so the sound comes directly at you instead of bouncing off the ceiling. Technically they would be considered high speakers not Atmos. Once I put them in that position though it was a game changer. The sound being generated definitely gave more of an elevated feel. I was able to find the Atmos demo trailers. Two 1 minute clips from Dolby that exercise the speakers. Seek them out! After playing those videos you'll know whether you have them positioned correctly or not. I've watched about 6 movies now. Some use the Atmos soundtrack better than others. For example, Blade Runner The Final Cut had multiple rain scenes and you can hear it falling all around you. Other scenes had thunder going off while they were indoors and it sounded high and distant. These are some of the places Atmos shines. It may take some time and effort to get them in the right position for your room and taste but the payoff will be worth it when the editors do their job correctly.

Let me start out by saying that, yes, it Dolby Atmos is best experienced with normal, in-ceiling speakers. When that isn't possible, though, the next best thing are elevated, upward-firing speakers. The Sony SSCSE, or Core Series Elevated speakers, match the excellent quality of the whole Core line, and look good doing it. To set these up, they're made ideally to sit on top of floor-standing speakers, but if you don't have those in your setup the can be wall-mounted and include the hardware to do so. They're heavier than they look, at about 17 pounds each. After plugging in and letting your receiver do the rest, you're setup to a great cinema experience. The two movies I watched this past weekend, Saving Private Ryan and Blade Runner 2049, both in 4K, highlight what Atmos brings to the sound. After the opening beach scene from SPR, you'll never want to go back to old audio formats again. The bullets were whizzing around the room in areas I never thought I'd hear, and the immersive experience is nothing short of spectacular. Quality seems high overall, and they go perfectly with my Sony CS floor-standing (CS3) speakers. The also look better with the grills off, in my opinion. My only gripes are that, like the other Core series speakers, there isn't anyway of using banana plugs, or any plugs, on the speaker wire to attach on the back. Also, while they do their job, anyone with less than a 12-foot long room may not see the best out of these, as they really work wonders on bigger rooms due to the inflection points. All in all, these are a great introductory pair of Atmos for anyone on a budget, looking to up their audio game. Recommended.

My teenage kids often complained to me that our movie sound system just didn't sound as good as some of their friends. My existing 5.1 system sounded decent to me, but I could hear an obvious difference when visiting friends and listening to some music or watching TV. Enter in these Sony - 4" Dolby Atmos Enabled Elevation Speakers. WOW! I didn't think they would make as much of a difference as they did, but movies and music are much more immersive and the depth of the sound is much better. I have them temporarily hooked up as shown in the pictures, but plan to elevate them a bit and have them sit on top of my bookshelf speakers when I can get the wiring run. The 7.1 setup truly delivers great sound - I'm guessing you won't believe how much of a difference they make to your system. I have a hard flat ceiling and plan to bounce the sound from these "up-firing" speakers right to my ears. Use your receiver's speaker calibration microphone to get the best (and easiest) configuration for your setup - I ran it after I hooked up these Atmos speakers and it was simply awesome. I had 3 teenage boys in the movie room when I was doing that and to say they were quite impressed is an understatement. What's nice is that you can slowly add components like these to you system (as long as you have the right receiver) to get to an Atmos solution - versus going out and purchasing a whole new setup. Once setup - seek out the Atmos Demo and give them a whirl - maybe start here: https://www.demo-world.eu/2d-demo-trailers-hd/ Overall - what an awesome improvement! You will not be disappointed!

Need more loudness from speakers, but does the job.

These little speakers did so much for my Atmos stereo. My may never goto the movies again.