Adding Height Speakers To Blodgett Theater ~ 5.1.2 'Dome Of Sound' With Titans And New KB & Mouse For Linux19Feb26

Height Speakers For Blodgett Theater... Formerly 5.1 THX system was updated to 5.1.2. With the addition of modern decodes like Dolby Atmos and others available in the 'new' Integra DHC-80.6, listening to modern soundtracks is often improved with some overhead speakers. I re-rigged the main L/R speakers from bi-amp to single to free up a couple of channels in the RDA-7 for the left & right height speakers, and adjusted the speaker layout setup in the Integra controller to the appropriate 5.1.2. The new height speakers are Paradigm brand like the rest of the theater's array...  but they are one click down from 'Reference' to 'Performance.' They are unused Paradigm Titans retired from the Blodgett Fam Rm when I built custom Onkens for that room. I bought some decent & small speaker brackets from 'Mount It' for the install to the ceiling and I did just rudimentary cabling to start, but will find a way to hide them ultimately. Once the speakers were up and connected I reran Integra's AccuEQ for balance and as a check for proper settings. All's good. I'll isolate and measure the L&R height speakers from listening position when I have my measurement mic in town.

I Run Fore/Aft Dipoles... For surrounds (on stands) so that spreads the sound out forwards and back against the wall already. That's why they are not 'behind' the listening position.

Paradigm Titan V1s Updated & Relocated... These 'bookshelf' speakers needed to be updated before installing them, as one of the speaker binding spring things was busted. I updated to more modern, and my preferred, banana jack style terminals. Fortunately the old terminal cups weren't glued and I popped them out easily. The holes needed were about the same as my replacement banana jack cups and made sufficient with a Dremel tool. Titans are two-way bass reflex speakers in 10L cabinets. All the drivers still work and the speakers sound decent. While I was in there I measured and noted the driver compliment as well as the crossover and cabinet and port dimensions in case something ever blows. Mid-Woofer is a 3.6 Ω 6" Paradigm custom driver and the tweeter is a 3/4" dome. The bass port is just 1.5" diameter and 3.25" long ~ if things were appropriately designed, that puts the port capable of ~55Hz (I don't know the fs of the driver... probably no one does) in this cabinet. The last pic in this series has the terminal update and the placement of the ceiling mount.

Listening To Full Soundtracks... Discrete decodes, most often from movie soundtracks, but also Blu-Ray discs of concerts when so recorded, is awesome with the height speakers installed. Helicopters coming from behind (in surrounds), then overhead (in heights), and then forward to the front array (in L/R & CC) is pretty cool. Even signaling derived from 2 channel PCM is compelling and immersive ~ though when I do listen to music  on this system it is often in 'straight' stereo.

New Keyboard & Mouse For Streamer Control In EleFrugalKit... I also replaced the rickety wired keyboard (with some missing keys) and bluetooth mouse for the streamer, used sometimes when controlling Linux running JRiver MC in the EleFrugalKit. I most often use my Harmony remote via Flirc for navigation but it's easier to do Linux maintenance, etc with a real KB. As prior noted, I've moved the whole EleFrugalKit to the lower level to be more house friendly. I acquired a Logitech Pop keyboard and associated Pop mouse. These are supposedly meant for youngsters with Insta & Tik Tok penchants but I found the pair perfect for my HAPC (home audio PC). Logitech has updated their USB dongle to 'Bolt' for security and I bought the USB dongle as it's compatible with my my new Pop purchases. The KB is surprisingly stout and heavy and clean for a Chicklet, and the 75% footprint is desired in this application... I really like it compared to other HAPC KBs I use. The only issue was that I had to pre-associate the USB dongle with the KB & mouse on macOS before moving the interfaces to my mele Linux streamer... weird.