7.1.4 Home Theater System

[Shinyoung Gedris]

Bringthe cinema experience home with the incredible, immersive sound experience of the Klipsch R-625FA 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos Home Theater system. Klipsch signature controlled directivity and acoustic technology make this home theater system unlike any other.

Klipsch exclusive 90 x 90 Tractrix horn technology ensures the Reference series speaker's high-frequency energy is aimed at the listener and reduces artificial reverb or filtering caused by indirect sound bouncing off of walls. Using this proprietary focused technology gives you the best clarity, dynamics, and detail from your movies and music.

Klipsch exclusive Linear Travel Suspension (LTS) aluminum tweeter minimizes distortion for enhanced, detailed performances. Using Kapton, an extremely light and rigid material, in the tweeter suspension provides high efficiency and improves resolution and detail. LTS tweeters are a hallmark of Klipsch speakers, making them some of the best speakers in the world.

Most home theaters are content with traditional 5.1 surround sound, and only a smaller subset of users expand to 7.1 or the immersive audio formats of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Even those that go to Atmos typically top out at a 7.1.4 configuration.

The new, multi-AVR method has a very simple formula for deriving the extra speakers. The ProLogic II decoders in each downstream receiver extract common information between the front mains and Surrounds. In order for this to work, we have to assume that there will be some common information between those channels.

What happens to my Rear Height speakers? The X8500H receiver has an option that allows me to clone the Top Middle channels into both the TM and RH speakers simultaneously, so that I get identical audio from both.

In a series of articles I wrote last year, I discussed the problems I had trying to integrate two subwoofers into my home theater. Despite reading reams of expert advice proclaiming the advantages of dual subs, my own experience was that the bass in my home theater was both audibly and measurably worse after I added a second subwoofer.

Trial and error eventually led to a non-conventional solution. I now have one subwoofer to the left of my Center speaker, and the other off to the side of the room in an alcove near the front right corner.

Audio theory is wonderful, but it can only take you so far. The acoustics in every room are different and unique. At the end of the day, the only way to find out what works best in your room is to test and measure.

Yes This is both impressive and complicated. I admit going through the layout is pretty dizzying, and that having to force a signal for the various height channels is hardly ideal. (Especially in Atmos tracks with helicopters and wind and rain, etc. where the heights seem quiet.) But at that same time, this is exactly what the new formats promised (DTS:X even more than Atmos). I guess another level of AVR is needed here. At least something with sufficient preouts (say for $4k and way less than $15k).

Also, I noticed that your wides from the picture look closer to the fronts than the surrounds. Was there any reason for this? the Dolby recommendations seem like they have them closer to the surrounds than the fronts.

You would need to have two Atmos receivers. One must be at least capable of 9.1.2 and the other at least 7.1.6 (which effectively means the Denon X8500). Split the HDMI output from the source to go to both receivers. Program the first AVR for 9.1.2 and wire only the ground speakers. Leave the heights unwired. Program the X8500 for 7.1.6 and wire only the height speakers, leaving the ground speakers unwired. The way Atmos works, any audio meant for the height layer will always stay in the height layer, regardless of whether you have 2 speakers up there, or 4 or 6.

Hi there,

I would love to have some kinda advice. Im looking to add front wide speaker into my current build which is 5.2.4 (5 floor, 2 subw, 4 ceiling atmos) my current receiver is Marantz SR 6011 (9.2) and i was planning to buy Denon AVR X4200W which has support for wide channels.

So, do i need that specific denon or can i get those wanted wide channels trough some other method, maybe by cheaper ? I mean is there way to snap that wide info from between surround and front channels ? and how to do that ?

Hi. A newbie here. Is it possible to monitor a surround sound mix from Logic Pro X 10.7.4 using a 2022 MacBook Pro 14 inch thru a Denon X6700H 7.1.4 home theater system? If it is, detailed instructions instructions for setting it up in Logic Pro and the Denon would be deeply appreciated.

Assuming your audio interface has at least 6 output channels for a 5.1 surround mix in Logic, then you should be able to connect that into any line level surround input on the receiver. Some receivers also have a direct preamp input - which may be 5.1 as well. You might be able to do it with an HDMI connection between the laptop and the receiver. I would first spend some time getting to know the MultEQ XT32 room calibration software that comes built into the receiver to setup the room. It's more challenging to get a surround system setup to mix with compared to stereo. Play some commercial surround releases of preferably music you already know after going through the room calibration with different speaker placements. There's often some trial and error in placing the subwoofer as you can really mess up the low end with the subwoofer in a bad spot.

Editor's Note 1: This article covers both objective and subjective looks at my immersive system. Many more articles detailing specific parts of the system, the system as a whole, and immersive audio in general are in the queue. - CC

Editor's note 2: This review was done using the Wilson Audio Alexia V loudspeakers, but this couldn't be mentioned at the time of review due to a standard manufacturer's embargo on release of information about unannounced products. All measurements and listening impressions used the Alexia V, while all images show Alexia Series 2. A full review of the Alexia V has now been published and is available here. - CC

My immersive audio system has been several months in the making. A system with 12 speakers, 7 amplifiers, cabling in the walls, etc... isn't designed in a weekend, or even an extended holiday weekend. Months of research and taking to experts culminated in my selection of components and software. Waiting for everything to arrive was tough, but it gave me additional time to eat, sleep, and breathe immersive audio. Once all the pieces of the puzzle arrived, I installed the system on my own because I like to understand absolutely everything about the products and I like to share the experience with the Audiophile Style Community (as seen here). Everyone else has the luxury of a highly qualified dealer to handle the design and installation.

Now for the fun part. After everything was installed, I reached out to the people who could help me make the system really sing. Peter McGrath and Tyler Hall of Wilson Audio, Maier Shadi of The Audio Salon, and Mitch Barnett of Accurate Sound. Each person helped me either from afar and/or a personal visit to my listening room.

Last week, Peter McGrath and Tyler Hall of Wilson Audio both spent ten hours, over two days, in my listening room. I wanted to help, but watching these two work their magic, it was clear that I'd only be a hinderance. I watched and took notes as Tyler made tiny adjustments to the speakers and Peter immediately identified if the adjustments were better or worse sounding, from the listening position. A half-inch here, a half-inch there, and the results were amazing.

Anyone who has ever seen Peter work in similar situations understands what I'm talking about, completely. I had the opportunity to watch Peter setup two speakers and two subwoofers at RMAF in 2019. I couldn't believe what he did, using only his ears and years of experience. Last week, I had the privilege of watching the same thing in my own listening room. It was an experience to remember.

Once the physical setup was 100% complete, and Tyler and Peter had gone back to their hotel for the night, I measured my room using Audiolense and an Earthworks M30 microphone, and sent the results to Mitch Barnett. Running the measurements is the easy part. Creating a custom FIR convolution filter for a 7.1.4 system is well beyond my skill set. Mitch has designed the convolution filters for my system for roughly three years. My first experience with his work was when he delivered custom filters for my Wilson Alexia Series 2 loudspeakers. After that experience I was sold. I've since been conveying to everyone in the HiFi industry that convolution is capable of taking audio systems to levels never before seen / heard. It isn't your father's room correction. It's incredibly powerful.

I fully understand that everyone wants to know how a 12 channel all-Wilson audio system sounds, but before I get further into my listening experience, let's take an objective look at my system. I encourage everyone to read through it because the results are stunning and Mitch describes it all in easy to digest language (OK, fairly easy). I don't believe there is another high end audio system like this in the world, yet.

The hardware/software consist of two Wilson Audio Alexia speakers, Wilson Audio WATCH center channel, eight Wilson Audio Alida speakers, one Wilson Audio Lōkē subwoofer, two Constellation Audio Inspiration mono amps driving the Alexia speakers, five Mytek Brooklyn AMP+ driving the Alidas and WATCH center, Merging Technologies HAPI Mk2 DAC, Merging Technologies Anubis D to D, and it's all cabled by Transparent Audio. Music servers are one MacBook Pro running Audirvana, Apple Music, and Hang Loose Convolver multichannel, one CAPS Twenty server running Windows and JRiver Media Center 29. Convolution on all systems uses FIR filters designed by Mitch Barnett of Accurate Sound. I know this is a lot to digest, but I have another article in the queue describing every element of the chain. A list of my two channels and immersive systems can be found at this link -

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