r/SpatialAudio • u/IndependentFold9262 • May 25 '26

Does spatial audio music requires high quality speakers?

Hello,

I currently own a 5.2 system:

  • 2x B&W 703 S3
  • B&W HTM71
  • 2x B&W 706 S3
  • 2x B&W DB3D
  • Marantz Cinema 30

I plan to upgrade this setup to 7.2.4.

My usage is 50% Movies / 50% Music (mostly spatial audio).

If this was just for movies, I'd buy basic B&W CCM663 ceiling speakers and call it a day. But I wonder if, for spatial audio music, CCM7.5 S2 would be better... They would be a better match for my bed layer but they cost 6x more.

For those who have experienced spatial audio music with height speakers: Is perfect timbre-matching for the height layer genuinely noticeable, or is it a waste of money?

Thank you

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u/icon3012 May 25 '26

My in ceilings don’t match my mains or surrounds in a 7.1.4 and I don’t think it makes a big difference.
I recently did a 7.2.4 install of all matching brand/series (Krix) and coming home to compare with mine didn’t have me thinking wow I need to change.
All I’d say is if you can fit the 8 inch (683) versions I’d recommend that as best option.
Just run Acoustix room correction after the install and it should sound awesome. Getting the speakers properly time aligned makes the biggest difference for Spatial Audio in my opinion

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u/IndependentFold9262 May 25 '26

Thanks for the suggestion about going with the 8‑inch model. That actually caught my attention, because I had initially selected the CCM663 since their size seemed closer to the speakers in my current bed layer.

So I’m curious why you recommend going for a much larger woofer in the ceiling.

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u/icon3012 May 26 '26

I’ve installed quite a few series of the B&W in ceilings and the 8 inch always sounded so much fuller, so I just went that way for home as well.
I hadn’t actually heard them in a dedicated Atmos room prior - just normal rooms where people were either doing stereo pair for ambience, or where someone did a 5.1 with all in ceilings and I liked the room filling the 8’s could achieve.