Hello; MLs in my stereo and likely now also in my home theater

[IEnjoyOLED]

Hello.
In our “great room,” I have a pair of ML ElectroMotion ESL X and a Dynamo X 800 sub. I use an Anthem STR integrated amp and music is mostly Tidal over Bluesound Node 2i.

Our home theater was there when we bought the house a few years ago. It’s ready to be Atmos enabled. I’m replacing the Anthem MRX520 receiver with an Anthem MRX740. I’m still somewhat undecided about speaker replacements; the previous owners installed Atlantic Technology System 20 in wall LCR and bipolar/dipole surrounds. My current thought is to replace the LR with ML 35XTi on stands with ML Motion AFX on top for front Atmos. Center will be ML 50XTi.

im not sure what to do with the rear in ceiling Atlantic Technology bipolar/dipole. It would be a real PITA to try to install monopole surrounds back there. I know it’s not optimal, but I’m tempted to leave them as surrounds.

Boy, i did blab on for an introduction. Maybe I should repost this as a question about what to do with the the rear surrounds.

 

[Robert D]

I hired a guy to come out and install 4 martin logans in the ceiling for atmos. It took most of the day, but he was able to do it without tearing up the wall. It sounds great now. He was able to take the speaker wires under the floor at one point because the home theater is on the ground floor and the basement under that part of the house is still unfinished. You might want to have someone out to your place to see the room.

 

[IEnjoyOLED]

I hired a guy to come out and install 4 martin logans in the ceiling for atmos. It took most of the day, but he was able to do it without tearing up the wall. It sounds great now. He was able to take the speaker wires under the floor at one point because the home theater is on the ground floor and the basement under that part of the house is still unfinished. You might want to have someone out to your place to see the room.

Since the media room has only one purpose, I don’t even mind running wires in open sight, but mounting speakers in the rear is difficult. We had to put in a large dehumidifier (no other suitable place) and the other wall is all stone (great acoustically, but not so great for mounting speakers). Between them are windows. I’ve included a photo.

Most of the time, it’s just my wife and I (and dogs) watching. When we have guests, they sit in front and my wife and I use the repurposed couch. The sound quality is heavily prioritized for the two theater recliners.

In the photo, on the ceiling, you can (sort of) see where the rear dipole/bipole speakers are (currently surrounds). I think I should make them height speakers, even if they are a bit too far back.

 

[spkrdctr]

Save yourself a lot of work. If you get your front L/C/R how you want and it sounds great with the existing rears, then just leave them. No need to replace them if they sound great!

 

[IEnjoyOLED]

Save yourself a lot of work. If you get your front L/C/R how you want and it sounds great with the existing rears, then just leave them. No need to replace them if they sound great!

Thanks, Yeah, that’s the conclusion I’ve come to. Going from 5.1 to 7.1.2 will be enough change for me to deal with.

 

[Robert D]

If there is an business near you that does home theater installs, you could have them come out and look at the room. See what they say. They should do that for free. Sometimes the pros have some ideas you haven't thought of.

 

[IEnjoyOLED]

Update:
Thanks to Shawn, I decided to go with an Anthem MRX1140 for 5.1.4 in the HT. I kept the rear in ceilings as my rear height channel, but otherwise I’m using new ML speakers. The 1140 arrived earlier than I thought — kudos to Shawn.

AVS forum would have you believe that the 1140 is buggy and the ARC doesn’t work; mine has worked flawlessly. The fan does come on occasionally, but it’s quiet. I’m still waiting on GIK panels; they were supposed to ship next week but I got an email saying that they were running 3 weeks late. System sounds pretty good already, some bass traps can’t hurt.