7.1.4 soundcard for PC (Atmos)

[prerich]

I'm running 7.2.4 with HDMI out of my Nvidia GTX-1060 to my Denon x4300h receiver (I'm using it as a prepro - I have a B&K Reference 200.7, two Yamaha MX 830'S, and a Behringer NU4-6000 for power amps). I will be replacing the B&K with a McIntosh MC8207 and the B&K may take the duties of the Yamaha's.  The Behringer is for my subs. 

One thing that you have to do in Windows - you will need to get the free Atmos "app" for Windows 10 (you have to pay for the head phone app). I'm also running a ES9038 DAC (usb out) to a tube preamp buffer before going into my receiver for 2 channel audio. 

[Derkoli]

6 hours ago, prerich said:

I'm running 7.2.4 with HDMI out of my Nvidia GTX-1060 to my Denon x4300h receiver (I'm using it as a prepro - I have a B&K Reference 200.7, two Yamaha MX 830'S, and a Behringer NU4-6000 for power amps). I will be replacing the B&K with a McIntosh MC8207 and the B&K may take the duties of the Yamaha's.  The Behringer is for my subs. 

One thing that you have to do in Windows - you will need to get the free Atmos "app" for Windows 10 (you have to pay for the head phone app). I'm also running a ES9038 DAC (usb out) to a tube preamp buffer before going into my receiver for 2 channel audio. 

You'd probably benefit more from a better Processor/Pre-Pro, Denon units and most other AV Receivers measure terribly. McIntosh gear is pretty source sensitive, so the MC8207 probably wouldn't be too happy being fed with an AV Receiver.

[prerich]

We'll see. From what I've seen in the way of measurements for the X4300H is using the receivers amps (which are subject to more harmonic distortion). My system currently is very efficient (Infinity Prelude for mains Overture 1's everywhere else, along with custom subs from Acoustic Elegance that feature a 15 inch sub and two 18 inch passive radiators that are tuned to 8 hz).  I'm not in DATASAT or Storm Audio territory yet...that's just out of my ball park - so the only choices for prepros would be Yamaha or Marantz - as the Monolith and Emotiva have too many issues. 

[prerich]

On 7/6/2020 at 7:05 PM, Derkoli said:

You'd probably benefit more from a better Processor/Pre-Pro, Denon units and most other AV Receivers measure terribly. McIntosh gear is pretty source sensitive, so the MC8207 probably wouldn't be too happy being fed with an AV Receiver.

P.S. You actually run an Denon x8500H yourself (top of the line) ...do you use the amps in the receiver as well?  Are you going to crossgrade to per say a Lexicon RV-9 - you would lose a few channels but, you would gain in quality ....right (or will you)?  What speakers are you driving with your Denon - I know you have at least one pair of Polks and you have a fore mentioned tube amp (which one and do you roll your tubes or do you keep them stock).  

[Derkoli]

2 hours ago, prerich said:

P.S. You actually run an Denon x8500H yourself (top of the line) ...do you use the amps in the receiver as well?  Are you going to crossgrade to per say a Lexicon RV-9 - you would lose a few channels but, you would gain in quality ....right (or will you)?  What speakers are you driving with your Denon - I know you have at least one pair of Polks and you have a fore mentioned tube amp (which one and do you roll your tubes or do you keep them stock).  

I actually had that setup ages ago. Now for home theater I use a Bryston SP4 processor, with yamaha amplification for everything but the front L/R, which are powered by two McIntosh MC1.25kW + two McIntosh MC2301's (Speakers are a pair of PMC Fact Fenestria's, bi-amped. I did have a pair of Sonus Faber Aida's, but I just didn't enjoy them massively)

 

My surround monitoring setup for mastering work is simply a 7.1 monitor controller, 2 Genelec 7380A subs and 7 Adam Audio S5H monitors.

 

When I did run the X8500H, I just used the pre-outs. I might've used some internal amps, but I'm fairly sure I didn't.

 

I probably would've got some benefit from a higher end processor/not an AVR. But at that point I didn't do any work from home and the room the setup was housed in wasnt ideal, so I didn't see a huge need for the tiny increase in overall fidelity.

[vjNobody]

How about now? I wanna hook up 5 2 channel amps or whatever or even use my discreet 7.1 input and maybe another amp and a couple subs to piece together a budget atmosphere setup, all I need I suppose, will be a sound card capable- maybe a thing that uses a couple sound cards and map the channels through both 7 channel cards? Hasn't this been done yet?! BTW keep yet stick on the ice (American trying to relate to you Canadian duck tape users)

[gree]

On 5/11/2020 at 10:10 AM, Lucian Andries said:

I fixed my issue, and now I have 5.1.2 working. And with both Atmos and DTS:X.

I was just an idiot and placed the Atmos speakers up, and I didn't hear any effect... I now places them at the correct height, 1 meter from the floor.

 

Yeah, I'd like to have at least 7.1.2 or 7.1.4, but by room is very cramped, and I don't have where to put them. I'm living in a cardboard box...

hi lucian,

may i ask how you achived the .2 height setup?

i am thinking about a method, remapping jack/atmos channels within windows based on a modded realtek driver...

thanks for sharing your setup knowledge. looking forward

 

[gree]

On 2/16/2021 at 7:48 PM, vjNobody said:

How about now? I wanna hook up 5 2 channel amps or whatever or even use my discreet 7.1 input and maybe another amp and a couple subs to piece together a budget atmosphere setup, all I need I suppose, will be a sound card capable- maybe a thing that uses a couple sound cards and map the channels through both 7 channel cards? Hasn't this been done yet?! BTW keep yet stick on the ice (American trying to relate to you Canadian duck tape users)

did this idea with multiple 7.1 cards and remapping channels worked out?

 

[Lucian Andries]

3 hours ago, gree said:

hi lucian,

may i ask how you achived the .2 height setup?

i am thinking about a method, remapping jack/atmos channels within windows based on a modded realtek driver...

thanks for sharing your setup knowledge. looking forward

 

Hey.

 

For me, I'm just passing the sound through my GPU. No special drivers needed, other than the GPU ones.

 

You talk about a realtek driver, meaning you're using a sound card. All you need to do is set your speaker configuration in Windows playback devices and you are half there.

All you need to do is enable Atmos for Home Theatres in Windows playback devices, IF you want Atmos from the Netflix app. This is ONLY for Netflix app.

But if it's just for MKV files, then enable Bitstreaming in your media player app, VLC, MPC, or just use the Windows one, it does it by default.

All you need to do, is set your AV Receiver to Straight every time you watch a movie.

 

As for speaker placement, if you have Dolby Atmos Enabled speakers that fire upwards, then they need to be placed at 1m above the floor. Or on top of your front tower speakers.

If they are normal speakers, then place them 2m+ up on the wall. Not the ceiling.

 

And that's pretty much how you achieve it.

[gree]

14 minutes ago, Lucian Andries said:

Hey.

 

For me, I'm just passing the sound through my GPU. No special drivers needed, other than the GPU ones.

 

You talk about a realtek driver, meaning you're using a sound card. All you need to do is set your speaker configuration in Windows playback devices and you are half there.

All you need to do is enable Atmos for Home Theatres in Windows playback devices, IF you want Atmos from the Netflix app. This is ONLY for Netflix app.

But if it's just for MKV files, then enable Bitstreaming in your media player app, VLC, MPC, or just use the Windows one, it does it by default.

All you need to do, is set your AV Receiver to Straight every time you watch a movie.

 

As for speaker placement, if you have Dolby Atmos Enabled speakers that fire upwards, then they need to be placed at 1m above the floor. Or on top of your front tower speakers.

If they are normal speakers, then place them 2m+ up on the wall. Not the ceiling.

 

And that's pretty much how you achieve it.

thanks for your description.

 

i am thinking of extending the realtek 7.1 soundcard by another 2 channels via the frontpanel jack. currently i am not sure if there is a possible solution to this idea. maybe i can create a virtual 7.1.2 soundcard and map input and output channels manually. 

 

i ve already installed the modded realtek atmos driver, but i cant get the height channels output within the soundcard properties - levels. i've already changed the default.xml to include 2 height channels. but they wont show within the properties level mixer. 

 

any suggestions on this?

[Lucian Andries]

1 hour ago, gree said:

thanks for your description.

 

i am thinking of extending the realtek 7.1 soundcard by another 2 channels via the frontpanel jack. currently i am not sure if there is a possible solution to this idea. maybe i can create a virtual 7.1.2 soundcard and map input and output channels manually. 

 

i ve already installed the modded realtek atmos driver, but i cant get the height channels output within the soundcard properties - levels. i've already changed the default.xml to include 2 height channels. but they wont show within the properties level mixer. 

 

any suggestions on this?

Oh no no no. You misunderstood how this works.

 

Atmos is not a driver / sound card thing. Atmos is a CODEC, and it only works IF you have a sound system that can Decode Atmos packets. And those "packets" are Encoded into the source file of the movie, i.e. mkv, mp4, etc.

 

You will not get Atmos just by adding 2 more channels and putting the speakers up somewhere.

 

-The movie file contains the audio track.

-The audio track is coded by Object based.

-The video player Bitstreams those objects to your Atmos compatible sound system.

-Your Atmos compatible sound system Decodes those Object based sounds and sends them to the right audio channel. And that channel is All of them, not just the .2 channels.

 

Learn more about it here: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/dolby-atmos-explained,news-26573.html

[vutonium]

How about now? Is there a way to get 5.1.2/5.1.4 or 7.1.2/7.1.4 channel setup on a Windows 11 desktop without an AV receiver?

 

Is an AV receiver absolutely necessary for say Dolby Atmos or any height channels in general?