Pioneer VSX-1022 From Height Channel

[XAKEP]

I am in process of researching for my next Home Theater setup and it looks like because of the size I am going with 7.1.2 setup. That will be an upgrade to my current VSX-1022 AVR by Pioneer.

But my post is about Front Height L / R Channels on my current Pioneer AVR. I am looking at all new AVRs and most if not all of them don't have something like Atmos L/R or something like that. All of them use Height L and R labels. Now I am thinking if I connect 2 more speakers to my Height L and R jacks, does it mean my AVR support Atmos ? Cause I am confused what they are for. I mean VSX-1022 is 7.1 system but it's pretty old I mean it got all TrueHD and DTS-HD audio formats but ATMOS was nowhere near when I purchased it.

In the manual most of the time this 2 channels would of been used as SPEAKERS B. If let's say I want to use nice stereo speakers in other room. BUT , it's only if system is in Speaker B mode. When it's in main Speakers A mode it's being used as Front Height Speakers and manual doesn't really say much about what it is. Only one thing comes to mind, my AVR at least on the paper is 7.1 if you add this 2 channels it's 9.1 . So this 2 channels are not discrete and they mimic or duplicate L and R channels or they add some additional effects ?

Then right away question comes with all current 7.1 systems with ATMOS enabled does it mean all this ATMOS is not really dedicated channels because how you can ADD 2 more and 4 more speakers in 7.1 setup to make it 7.1.2 or 7.1.4

But again ATMOS is object based system and it's totally possible that amount of speakers or channels no longer matter and they "generate" effects and sounds in completely diffirent way, I heard Dolby making some crazy AVR with 32 speakers available..... Kinda confusing.

 

[americanaudiophile]

The height speakers in your Pioneer probably just play the front channel L/R at a different volume with maybe some processing. Not really discreet channels at all. You don't have Atmos processing (didn't exist then).
You can have a lot of Atmos speakers to cover a large listening area (a real movie theater). They do need to be positioned and aimed correctly for your seating so you may need more than two.
All the other speakers need to be at ear level so as not to distort the vertical information.
Overall I think that investing in better sounding speakers is much more critical to getting a great sounding HTS. If you are wiring a room by all means run some speaker wire for Atmos speakers but don't skimp on the rest of the gear to get them.

 

[XAKEP]

I figured it out. It's basically back surround OR high L/R to have 2 sets of speakers for main Left and Main Right speakers something like one on top of each other.