PSB Imagine XA Dolby Atmos Height Speakers Pair | Vertically-Firing Driver | Heat Sink

PSB Imagine XA Dolby Atmos Height Speakers are a 2-way design with a vertically-firing driver array that sits on top of the front or rear speaker and powers up to 80 Watts of immersive object-oriented surround sound.

The advanced vertically-firing driver array

Working with Dolby and using advanced acoustic research, PSB crafted the Imagine XA with custom-designed vertically firing drivers that accurately reflect sound off of your ceiling. The Imagine XA’s frequency response and directivity pattern have been specifically engineered to meet Dolby’s Atmos specifications so you can hear the lifelike detail of your favourite films as if you were truly there.

Add Dolby Atmos® to your existing home theatre system

The Imagine XA is purpose-built to fit on top of PSB’s Imagine X Series floor-standing and bookshelf speakers, creating a 5.1.2 to 7.1.4 or beyond Dolby Atmos-enabled system from your existing home theatre setup. When combined with either the Imagine X2T or X1T, the Imagine XA can harness the power of the tower speakers, ultimately creating a richer listening experience.

Flexible to install

Unobtrusive in the home, the Imagine XA is small enough to sit atop your existing front or rear speakers, whether they are bookshelf or towers. It can also easily be mounted to a wall with the included brackets. Elevating the cinematic experience without the need to install in-ceiling speakers is what the XA is all about.

What is Dolby Atmos?

While conventional surround systems typically distribute sound horizontally, Dolby Atmos takes realism to a whole new level. In reality, sound comes from all directions, including vertically. What sets Dolby Atmos apart is its ability to replicate the movement of every sound in a scene across all three dimensions. This results in an authentic 3D acoustic representation where each individual sound is precisely positioned and moves in relation to the listener, creating an uncanny, exhilarating, and captivating experience. It can be both thrilling and amusing, evoking various emotions while maintaining a deep sense of immersion.

How does it work?

Compared to channel-based home theater systems, Dolby Atmos offers unmatched flexibility and adaptability. When a Dolby Atmos stream is transmitted to a compatible A/V receiver, the receiver intelligently processes the object-based audio and reproduces it through the specific speaker arrangement of your home theater. This precise rendering ensures that you experience the sound exactly as intended by the filmmakers. Dolby Atmos is capable of accommodating various speaker configurations, meaning you can achieve the full immersive effect using just seven KEF speakers.

What do I need?

By incorporating an A/V receiver or pre-processor that supports Dolby Atmos decoding and playback into your setup, you can bring the immersive Dolby Atmos experience to your home. This allows you to enjoy Dolby Atmos content from various sources such as Blu-ray disc players, game consoles, or streaming services. Just ensure that the output settings of your device are configured to bitstream output with secondary audio disabled.

Setting up your Dolby Atmos system

5.1.4 Hybrid Overhead / Dolby Atmos Option

When arranging a surround sound set-up, you will notice that each configuration carries a three digit number. The first of these numbers refers to the number of surround sound speakers which are included in the configuration, the second refers to the number of powered subwoofers which can be connected (one in this case), and the third refers to the number of overhead or Dolby Atmos speakers which can be connected, which, of course, is four within this configuration.

In this configuration, place the centre speaker beneath the screen, and the surround sound speakers on each side of the screen, angled towards the centre of your seating position. Following this, place the overhead or Dolby Atmos enabled speakers on the ceiling, diagonally forward and left, and diagonally forward and right, of your seating position. The Dolby Atmos enabled speakers are positioned behind the right and left corners of your sofa or chair. The distance between them should be slightly greater than the distance between the two overhead speakers.

7.1.2 Dolby Atmos Enabled Speaker Option

If you decide on this option for your Dolby Atmos experience, you will be able to connect seven surround sound speakers, one powered subwoofer, and two Dolby Atmos enabled speakers. Place the centre speaker beneath the screen, directly opposite your seating position.

Place surround sound speakers directly behind the right and left corners of your seating position, in line with the corners of the screen, then place speakers directly to the right and left of your seating position.

The Dolby Atmos enabled speakers should sit at the left and right edges of the screen, angled directly towards your seating position. This means that all the placed speakers should be facing you, ensuring that you remain at the convergence of several different dimensions of sound, making for an incredible visual and auditory experience for the audience.

For more information on the best Dolby Atmos set-up configuration for you, or to learn more about the how Atmos could transform your viewing experience, get in touch with our team today.