Audio Video News

Dolby Atmos holds great promise for taking the home theater experience to new heights but is it audio’s Next Big Thing?

In the wake of announcements that the commercial surround technology is making its way to home gear, we asked readers if they would upgrade to Atmos. Nearly a third (30 percent) said they would have to wait to hear a demo and read reviews before deciding, while one in five indicated that they would upgrade to an Atmos setup but only with properly installed ceiling speakers.

Another third dismissed Atmos as either too much of a hassle to install or too expensive. Only 6 percent of survey respondents said they would upgrade to Atmos with speakers designed to reflect sound off the ceiling—a percentage that we expect to grow once people hear live demonstrations.

Here’s the complete breakdown of the results:

30% Maybe, but I’ll wait to hear a demo and read the expert and user reviews

20% Yes, but only with properly installed ceiling speakers

20% No, installing new/extra speakers and amp channels is too much of a hassle

12% No, it costs too much to add the extra speakers and amp channels

12% I’d spend the money if there was enough Atmos-encoded software to make it worthwhile

6% Yes, with the new Atmos-enabled speakers that reflect sound off the ceiling

See our first impressions and news coverage of Dolby Atmos here.)