More than a decade has make it since Dolby first brought its secret plan - modify spatial audio frequency technology , Dolby Atmos , to celluloid screens .
Since then , Dolby Atmos has flourish to cover TVs , soundbars , smartphones , headphones and more . The audio feature is also supported by major streaming platforms likeApple Music , Netflix andDisney Plus , as well as game consoles like theXbox Series XandSeries S.
Keep reading to find everything you need to roll in the hay about Dolby Atmos , including what it is , how it works and where you could find it .
What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is a surround phone technology that allows sound to be position in specific places , creating a naturalistic and immersive hearing experience with the auditor directly in the centre .
With Dolby Atmos , each sound is no longer limited to a special channel as they were in pre - existing 5.1 and 7.1 set - ups . Rather , reasoned designer can define where a sound originates , the direction it motivate in and where it ends . These sounds are called audio physical object and convey a more lifelike , three - dimensional presentation of sound .
There are up to 128 audio channels in full and 10 channels are still used for ambient sounds that do n’t ask any specific placement . These sounds stick with the traditional channel - based overture used in other phone system . The other up to 118 channel are used for audio objects , which is what spend a penny Dolby Atmos audio so dynamic and all - encompassing .
Audio object are also compatible with any act of speakers , meaning Dolby Atmos can be heard on the enceinte screen with a cinema - spirit level 64 loudspeaker system set - up , or adapted to bet through an affordable yoke of earbuds .
Of course , Dolby is n’t the only company to usher in object - ground immersive audio . DTS : Xand Auro 3-D create a similar issue , though each organization requires a somewhat dissimilar speaker system frame-up .
How can I listen to Dolby Atmos sound?
The gentle way of life to hear what Atmos is about is to discover a movie theater with the necessary technology .
Another option is to upgrade your home sound solidifying - up . Of of course , when it comes to upgrading your personal system , 64 talker is a logistic challenge at best , and utterly crazy at bad . Which is why Dolby and home cinema brand name have been bring out a motley of product to dilate Atmos ’ reach .
All headphonesare adequate to of playing Dolby Atmos as there ’s no specific tech require to get it working . Soundbarsare more and more capable of playing Atmos film soundtracks by incorporating upward - fire speakers that shoot audio recording towards the ceiling or by reproducing the Atmos consequence nearly via digital processing .
If you have space for surround speaker set - up , this is the best way of bask immersive object - based sound recording with the ability to total upfiring speaker faculty to existing place - ups . To get Atmos from a talker computer software set - up , an Ab receiver is required to decode Atmos sound . There are plenty of options available , such as Denon’sAVC - X4700H.
So even though you wo n’t be able-bodied to hearten the full 64 - verbaliser film set - up at home , you could still get a unspoiled Dolby Atmos experience in the sustenance room .
Home Atmos system are able of reproducing all 128 audio objects across from as few as seven loudspeaker . For those who want to go all out , home Atmos systems support up to 34 loudspeaker system , but such a solidification - up is unneeded .
But before you worry about talker , there ’s some other information to be cognisant of . first off , you wo n’t need a newBlu - ray actor . Standard Blu - rays are capable of containing the necessary Atmos data , as are Ultra HD Blu - irradiation , so unless you feel like upgrading to UHD Blu - ray , there are no formatting issues to worry about .
The amount of content has been rising with each twelvemonth . Sky mixes subject matter in Atmos , withPremier League football , events such as theIsle of Wight music festivaland usher such asPortrait Artist of the Year , as well as a range of on - demand movies . BT has put its system of weights behind the format , too , with every Premier League and Champions League match beam in Atmos .
The across-the-board reach of Atmos content is available to digitally stream from services such as Netflix , Apple TV+,Disney+andTidal , Amazon MusicandApple Musicvia built - in smart TV apps and cyclosis box seat like theApple goggle box 4KandRoku Streaming Stick .
Atmos in gaming is becoming more democratic , with the technology usable in a wide range of a function of game such asHalo : Infinite . Xbox has gone gravid on the engineering , with itsSeries SandSeries Xconsoles featuring Atmos .
What set-up do I need for Dolby Atmos?
For those overhead Speaker , you may be question whether you ’re going to have to drill fix in your cap to add the requisite utterer . Luckily , that is n’t necessary .
you may grease one’s palms peculiarly contrive Dolby Atmos talker . These integrate forward - facing verbalizer with upwards - firing version , which rally the audio off the ceiling , mimic the effect of overhead verbaliser .
If you like your current loudspeaker set - up , there are speaker module that can transubstantiate the exist exercise set - up into Atmos - enabled one . It ’s a caseful of set the modules on top of the be loudspeaker system to add together the overhead functionality .
Another mode is to take the dip and install literal overhead loudspeaker . As mentioned , home Atmos system work out with up to 34 speakers , so if overhead speaker instalment is n’t a problem , you could go Atmos mad .
Before ruining the gypsum board , though , it ’s worth bearing in mind that Dolby ’s guidance states that using only two overhead speakers will “ provide a convincing and powerful core ” while four overhead verbalizer will give you the “ optimal sense of audio movement and precision . ”
In fact , Dolby ’s cite guides for the best Atmos speaker set - up recommend using 12 speakers at most . Once you ’ve got the correct Ab receiver , you may upgrade your live 5.1 or 7.1 environs sound by tally two or four ceiling Speaker and either a couple of speaker module or Atmos - enabled speakers .
The acclivity of Atmos in the home has also cooccur with the rise ofAtmos - enabled soundbarsas a cheaper , less obtrusive style of gravel Atmos in the family .
These simpler solution incorporate up - firing speaker unit with traditional soundbar tech to fork up an Atmos experience without the hassle . The Sonos Beam 2 use digital processing to deliver Atmos for around £ 450 , and DenonDHT - S517 , which has upfiring speakers , and cost $ 399 / £ 379 .
Sennheiser’sAmbeo 3D Soundbartakes the Dolby Atmos codec and adds Ambeo 3D processing to create a massively immersive experience . It vocalise fantastical , but it ’s also one of the most expensive ( and mammoth ) soundbars on the market place .
Atmos on mobile
Because Dolby Atmos is designed to be adaptable to whichever gadget you ’re hear to , you may experience Atmos phone using your smartphone , tablet or headphones . Though as it is on Mobile River , do n’t go expecting the sense of sound above or around you – think of it as just better sound .
Atmos on mobile is made potential by combining traditional virtual surroundings technology with the object - based audio of Dolby Atmos , the compounding of the two allow for headphones to reproduce a convincing rendering of the 3D soundscape .
Dolby toldTrusted Reviewsthat producer can embed Atmos into both software and ironware , which means your equipment does n’t necessarily need specific computer hardware to use it , although Apple’sSpatial audiowith Dolby Atmos uses the accelerometers in certain iOS gimmick to produce the head - tracking effect required .
What is Dolby Atmos Music?
Atmos is n’t just for home cinema aficionados . Its presence has been acquire in the medicine industry too . Dolby Atmos Musicdoes the same thing as Atmos did for cinema , producing music in a 3D soundscape . Currently , Tidal , Amazon Music and Apple Music offer the biggest catalogue of Dolby Atmos Music .
The first Blu - shaft audio phonograph recording with Atmos sound arrived in 2015 in the 25th anniversary version of R.E.M ’s Automatic For The People . Atmos Music has farm since with Hans Zimmer ’s Live in Prague concert film released with Atmos audio frequency , as has INXS ’ reprint of the Kick album , Roger Waters ’ The Wall and many other titles .
At the2019 Bristol Hi - Fi Show , Trusted Reviewswas treated to a behind the scene reckon at classic songs remixed in Atmos . Tracks include Public Enemy ’s Do n’t Believe the Hype ( in orchestral manikin ) , the Beach Boys ’ God Only Knows ( by the Royal Philharmonic orchestra ) and Elton John ’s Rocket Man .
The end issue was interesting , as some Song dynasty are well suitable to the data format than others hence the orchestral versions of some songs . Music studios are put more music out there in Atmos , though the number of new vent per calendar month is still comparatively few , and it also face competitor from Sony’s360 Reality Audio .
How does Dolby Atmos stack up against the competition?
Dolby is n’t the only caller product immersive audio . TheDTS : Xformat was put in in January 2015 and also expend an object - based system . Unlike Dolby Atmos , DTS :X was originally aimed at home manipulation , before beingtargeted at movie theater .
How is DTS : X different ? In many ways it ’s the same , the crucial difference is in the speaker Seth - up . Whereas Atmos supports up to 34 speakers in the home , 64 in a picture palace and requires new utterer / module to operate properly ; DTS :X substantiate up to 32 utterer and will forge with your current family verbalizer set - up . That signify that while extra overhead speakers will enhance the DTS :X experience , they ’re not necessary .
Another competing object - free-base , 3D sound organization is Auro 3D. develop by Belgium company Auro Technologies and officially introduced in 2006 , the format is base upon a three - layer design : environs , height , and overhead .
The key difference between this system and Dolby Atmos comes down to the verbaliser layout . With Auro 3D , an extra words of speakers is placed above the traditional row regain in 5.1 and 7.1 set - ups . This total the height element . A single verbaliser is then range on the cap to add the overhead dimension .
Although Auro 3D also creates a spatial sound field , the ship’s company does n’t use the full term audio aim as Dolby does . Auro ’s plugins permit well-grounded decorator to order where sounds should grow and move to , and the format can be used in cinemas , at abode , and over headphones , just as with Dolby Atmos .
Films such as The Hunger Games , The Croods , and Red Tails have used Auro three-D in the cinema , but it is n’t as pop as Atmos .
Atmos and VR
With virtual reality ( VR ) still on the rise , recreating the way we hear sounds makes all the difference to how immersive a VR experience feels .
Dolby has already worked with VR content creator Jaunt to add up Atmos audio to three of the company ’s VR experiences : Black Mass , Kaiju Fury ! and video recording from a Paul McCartney concert entitled Live and allow Die .
Since then , Atmos has been extended to stomach VR experiences on iOS , Android , OS X , and Windows . Dolby list theHTC Viveas a supported equipment , as long as you have Windows 7 and above . On top of that , the company enjoin theSamsung Gear VRis compatible with Atmos technology while the Meta Quest 2 bear out 3D audio recording , which we presume means it can support Atmos .
Is Dolby Atmos worth it?
So there you have it . Dolby ’s environs good data formatting is an exciting proposition for anyone who care about audio engineering science .
We ’ve seen manufacturers throw their weight behind the format , especially with ever - cheaper soundbars . broadcaster have bring forth more and more content in Atmos , and both gaming VR have throw their backing behind it .
As long as you have the right outfit then Atmos can fork over an experience that ’s beyond the limitations of stereoscopic photograph . It ’s a whole new world and it ’s never been well-fixed to try .
