Need information on atmos


Looking at getting 4 ceiling speakers for atmos. My fronts are totem. Has anyone ever listened or used totem kin ceiling speakers.  And are they worth the cost.  I also thought about def tech. I spoke with someone about atmos and they said dont spend much on ceiling speakers because not much info up there.  But my thought process tells me u want that extra detail of rain, helicopters,  planes,  swaying trees, etc.... to add to the realism.  So any help will be appreciated.  Speaker suggestions also.  Is it worth spending a 1k or more for ceiling, not including amp.  And before anyone ask, yes I have searched the forums and not having much luck. Also new speaker tech changes. Ty Pete 
pcc67
A $200 ceiling speaker and a $2000 ceiling speaker are not gonna sound worlds apart.  
 
Out hearing has most of its detail in front of us, above and behind is where we are far less critical of sounds (just look at how our ears are shaped. 
 
The “detail” you hear with rain comes from it hitting the ground in front of you, not falling on top of you. 
 
For Atmos, as long as the speakers are decent, the main thing you want to focus on is bass response. If you use a 5” woofer, you probably are gonna be crossing at like 120”, thus any bass from those heights (a spaceship flying above you), is gonna be directed towards the sub. 
 
I recommend 8” woofers for ceiling speakers. 
 
You also want coaxial, no double tweeters or any of that nonsense, those are fine if you are directly in-line with them, but once you go off-axis (not directly under), you get phase cancellations.  
 

The HDX-R80 models should be sufficient.  
 

@mzkmxcv, 
Thanks for the info. Apparently u the only one running ceiling speakers.  

Paradigm Pro or Elite In-Ceiling Speakers are a great choice.  Made in Canada, two US patents on the rubber surround used on the woofer, PPA Lens over the tweeter to help dispersion, RED Deflector to help break up standing waves from the woofer - they will mate well with your Totems.  

Most in-ceiling speakers work like a maglite flashlight - The sound is very directed like the beam coming out of the light and doesn’t disperse it evenly over the room.  Paradigm’s have a lot of technology in the Pro and Elite models that rectify that.

With many  in ceiling speakers, you’ll see pivoting tweeters and midranges.  Those are gimmicks.  No engineer looks at that and says “that’s a great idea”, but sales and marketing guys do.  That solution causes as many problems as it tries to fix.

Though I said the speakers will mate well with your Totems, you just want to find a good in ceiling speaker - I wouldn’t be so concerned with trying to tonally match them as I would just trying to get a good speaker.  At the end of the day, a good speaker is a good speaker and that’s what you want for the application.
I was going to go with the paradigm but ended up getting a great deal on the totem ic82.  They are waiting for me to pic up. Already paid for. I do like paradigm. 
I like triad speakers for surround.         We put in newer kef stuff in our lake house and it’s good at normal levels.   The triads jandle transients and not sure the audiophile word for it but the guitar player in me calls it sustain.   The triads do that    My fronts are platinums the rears are golds and ceiling silvers.    Would not hesitate to recommend used higher end triad. 
I recently installed the Triad Silvers in the ceiling, they do have an adjustable plinth if you will, that allows you to focus the sound toward the primary seating position. The ideal location is not always possible with existing home construction, I found a heat duct directly over head, so I placed the speakers forward of the seating area. The adjustable Triad is perfectly aimed.