Dolby Atmos : the next evolution in 2.0 stereo?

[Enkay78]

Somehow I am getting a feeling that Apple music will be responsible for a coming future disruption in music industry. From the many lossless tracks, Hi-res tracks and the coming up new tracks of "spatial audio" Dolby Atmos......Apple music is doing something impactful.


The dot is this : look at the numbers of Apple products : iPhone, iMac, iPad, Apple Tv 4k, earpod, earpod Max .........you know the gist. We are talking of millions of consumers given this exposure of Apple music as part of an ecosystem.

Personal experience:
So I was not much in an apple camp, except for an iPad pro 12.9 (which I use to read my clinical textbooks and article....the screen size ans aspect ratio is fantastic)....never bothered about other products.

Then I bought an Apple TV 4k 2021 version. (I needed a streamer, I had already a Shield TV .....so I thought why not something new). I am impressed by the quality.

And I played few songs of 'spatial audio' classical included, Apple TV >>denon x2500H in 7.1 set up.

And then I was hit by this feeling which led to this post.

This is going to be a game changer. And Apple is poised for a long lasting greatest disruption in music ans audio industry.

Perhaps may lead to the deathknell of 2.0 music.


PS: let's keep the discussion gentlemanly

 

[argho]

I have a current gen Nvidia Shield Pro.

In your view, is it worth buying the Apple TV 4K for the spatial audio alone ?
I already subscribe to Apple music.

 

[srinisundar]

There will be always upgrade to sound in future to keep the business going.. To the younger generations especially who does not have chance to hear the lower bit rate files will be more fascinated with these stuff. The calmness and less fatigue for longer listening is must for music hearing and also for movies. Choose the speakers which lies in-between and you will enjoy all.

Plus i have 7.1.4 setup and my preference is to hear only in stereo setup of the songs. May be it will be better to be a demo for the visitor and not for regular hearing.

Plus there will no death knell to 2 channel music in future and it is kind of baby step into the world of music. Grown adults fascinated by the marvel comics will jump into REGULAR hearing of 7.1 channel of music

 

[raghupb]

Who is producing multi-channel music? Most recordings even today are L/R
I did hear Porcupine Tree's (Steven Wilson) DVD-A version of In Absentia.
It was good, but not sure if I want it to be the mainstay.
In reproduction one can put a skin/spin for multi channel effect.
Spatial audio (Windows setting) sounds good on headphones, definitely.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[sbg]

Here is how I understand , and , are my opinions
Its all "How People play Games" and nothing of a "game changer".

I'nt seen any thing great since listening to endless collections of CDs and limited Vinyl for stereos.
For Atmos on Blu-rays - they are still built of 7.1/9.1 bed masters with additional "object" channels, and there hasn't been anything significant game changing "perceptible" changes in my opinion, until now.

Possible, that these all perceptions are for people accustomed to lower bit rate digital moving to much higher bit rate . But never across the board comparing the masters.

It will be a game changer when something surpasses the master for now. ( other than Live ).

 

[Enkay78]

I have a current gen Nvidia Shield Pro.

In your view, is it worth buying the Apple TV 4K for the spatial audio alone ?
I already subscribe to Apple music.

I have used both nvidia shield tv and Apple Tv4k. Bu my shield is the 2017 version.

Currently my avr does not show the format as Atmos using shield....vis a vis Apple music.


But one thing I am sure is the music in Atmos from Apple music through apple tv 4k is much better than the usual 'stereo 2.0 or 2.1' (atleast for me).

 

[argho]

I have used both nvidia shield tv and Apple Tv4k. Bu my shield is the 2017 version.

Currently my avr does not show the format as Atmos using shield....vis a vis Apple music.


But one thing I am sure is the music in Atmos from Apple music through apple tv 4k is much better than the usual 'stereo 2.0 or 2.1' (atleast for me).

How do you play Apple music from the Shield ? As far as I know, there is no Apple music app for Shield / Android TV.

 

[Enkay78]

Here is how I understand , and , are my opinions
Its all "How People play Games" and nothing of a "game changer".

I'nt seen any thing great since listening to endless collections of CDs and limited Vinyl for stereos.
For Atmos on Blu-rays - they are still built of 7.1/9.1 bed masters with additional "object" channels, and there hasn't been anything significant game changing "perceptible" changes in my opinion, until now.

Possible, that these all perceptions are for people accustomed to lower bit rate digital moving to much higher bit rate . But never across the board comparing the masters.

It will be a game changer when something surpasses the master for now. ( other than Live ).

Much agree to what is said.


But I am looking from a perspective of how Apple through apple music can change the music industry.

Artist/musicians/producers are increasingly using apple iMacs for music production......and at the consumer end we have a portal of Apple music on millions of Apple gadgets.


See like this : ipod changed the walkman culture .....it led to demise of CDs.

With such ecosystem.....and yes affordability, the mass consumer may get the necessary push for lossless and Hi-res music .....instead of niche and ultra-expensive system of audiophilia - Tidal/Roon/Qubuz and what not.


Apple did lower the AFFORDABILITY of songs...though iTunes. a la 99c.


Now for me to pay Rs 99/month for Apple music or some thousands for Tidal and software like Roon.....it becomes no brainer what to choose.


At an age when I am hitting half century, and having gone through some of the evolutions of music industry (vinyl/cassettes/reel) I very welcome such transition. And yes I like the experience. - mutichannel music makes redundant all those soundtage issues... at least for me.

 

[Enkay78]

How do you play Apple music from the Shield ? As far as I know, there is no Apple music app for Shield / Android TV.

As a forum member I don't want to suggest something not 'official'

May I suggest a link?

https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidiashield/comments/c14typ

 

[argho]

Tks

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Dolby atmos or Spatial Audio is good for casual listening, people who have been listening decent stereo for quite sometime will straight away understand the quality difference between the two.

I had tried Apple Music on Nvidia Shield Pro but for some reason when I checked it on the Denon it still showed me very less bitrate compared to what it was displaying on the app.
Tidal on other hand shows higher bitrates when playing masters. This is not just for dolby atmos though. Someone can check this out and confirm.

Apple music or Tidal on Nvidia Shield doesn't sound great, HEOs alone does a better job at this. Some Atmos songs have been mixed very well, and it is a joy to listen or show off your system.

Some dolby atmos songs don't use the center channel at all. I don't know how are these songs mixed.

Apple has already disrupted the market by launching lossless and hi res apple music at a affordable price. Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio can be the breakthrough but it will still take a lot of time. I still prefer 2ch over all this.

Here is a playlist I had made for Dolby Atmos Music.

https://tidal.com/playlist/5557b5a0-6a4d-496b-aefe-42cfc16c8331

 

[Enkay78]

Dolby atmos or Spatial Audio is good for casual listening, people who have been listening decent stereo for quite sometime will straight away understand the quality difference between the two.

I had tried Apple Music on Nvidia Shield Pro but for some reason when I checked it on the Denon it still showed me very less bitrate compared to what it was displaying on the app.
Tidal on other hand shows higher bitrates when playing masters. This is not just for dolby atmos though. Someone can check this out and confirm.

Apple music or Tidal on Nvidia Shield doesn't sound great, HEOs alone does a better job at this. Some Atmos songs have been mixed very well, and it is a joy to listen or show off your system.

Some dolby atmos songs don't use the center channel at all. I don't know how are these songs mixed.

Apple has already disrupted the market by launching lossless and hi res apple music at a affordable price. Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio can be the breakthrough but it will still take a lot of time. I still prefer 2ch over all this.

Here is a playlist I had made for Dolby Atmos Music.

https://tidal.com/playlist/5557b5a0-6a4d-496b-aefe-42cfc16c8331

Shield limits the bitrate I feel.....and due to android's limitation.

My experience is also same. But apple tv 4k.....my AVR correctly recieves Atmos and display as such "Dolby atmos".....shield doesn't.


I would reserve the opinion about 'casual listening'.

Personally I feel this is going to be a game changer. And it won't be long when 2.0 becomes something like vinyl.

SOTA multichannel DACs will be in the coming future of consumer audio.

 

[ssf]

I have run Tidal from Firestick 4K to experience Atmos and I have to say, from all the songs that I heard, only one came close to some sort of realism. 'Riders on the storm' by Doors. The rain and thunder from atmos speakers was a nice effect.

I prefer 2 channel to all other Atmos mixes that I heard on Tidal.

 

[prateekatasniya]

Multi-channel is a better way to get us closer to live music experience.

 

[Enkay78]

I have run Tidal from Firestick 4K to experience Atmos and I have to say, from all the songs that I heard, only one came close to some sort of realism. 'Riders on the storm' by Doors. The rain and thunder from atmos speakers was a nice effect.

I prefer 2 channel to all other Atmos mixes that I heard on Tidal.

Maybe it’s due to mastering.

In future a well mastered dolby atmos music will be something uncomparable to traditional stereo. IMO we are seeing the tip of the iceberg. (Off course this may turn out to be wrong……but the way the industry is warming upto atmos….and the Apple factor, the music industry is sure going to ‘evolve’)

 

[Enkay78]

Multi-channel is a better way to get us closer to live music experience.

I totally agree with this.

Think over on the commercial aspect also: how will the music industry earn more money? Hi-res? which will remain in niche market.

But doubly atmos ? The spectrum will range from mobile smartphone to home theatre. And the mass consumer market do seems to warming upto Dolby atmos. (Talk of 192 kz/24 bit format you will receive a blank eye…..but speak of atmos, any Tom dick Harry will light up. That’s the power of consumerism. And Apple factor have had made sweeping changes in tech and music industry. ) Please note I am not saying this through Audio Industry…..but rather from music industry which drives audio.

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Well Paul from PS audio has this question in latest video.
I too agree with him, its great but too far. Some songs are joy to listen but some sound meh. Always comes down to mixing.

 

[Enkay78]

Well Paul from PS audio has this question in latest video.
I too agree with him, its great but too far. Some songs are joy to listen but some sound meh. Always comes down to mixing.

And as usual……Paul spouts nothing but BS.

He is not accounting the consumer push from ‘consumer audio industry’ - the sound bars, the wireless HT speakers etc with the mantra of Dolby and Dolby atmos. (It’s a current selling point and will sell more in future). Into this ecosystem comes something like Apple Music.

He is not accounting the fact that ‘audiophiles’ buys separate systems for music and movies (just look at the threads in this forum for example ). So te consumer industry push may result into simplifying the buying decisions of consumers. A home theatre which will also serve the purpose of music- Dolby atmos music.

And since the audio and music industry needs moolah, and CDs/Vinyls etc are not the money spinners like yesteryears, atmos May probably make more money for them (and it is starting to sell - look at the smartphone features )

It’s a napster in making…..and Apple will reap much from Apple Music. As far as mixing is concern, one may listen to the new songs coming out as Dolby atmos , Apple digital masters. That’s the inkling of the future.

(Off course Paul won’t say anything against his business…his generations will bank on audiophilia. Now I wonder how the industry will be after 10years. iPod was launched in 2001…Apple music in 2015. Apple Music lossless and hi-res in 2021.)

 

[mail2sumanth]

Nice conversation. Apples aim is to bring as many consumers as possible into their ecosystem. They will do what ever it takes to keep it fueling with these type of innovations. Coming to audio, you are good with two channel, even stereo correctly mixed you will get more of what atoms delivers. I would like you to look at this in a slightly welcoming way. Moving to digital suddenly limits us in many technical ways. Bit rates, formats, speaker configs, compression, DACs etc. Audiophiles are now given an opportunity to expand thier senses to more immersive experience. I read people telling, there is no center channel playing in few songs. I feel they tried to keep the mix as original as possible. So you can always down mix and you have your stereo. For me it’s a welcoming change along with changing lifestyle and the options given to enjoy music. lol… I get calls to help suggesting 2.1 and 4(two pair stereo).1 setups in bathrooms. !!! It is evolving for sure .

 

[msankadi]

Op is so overdamatic and elliptical post. Talk about hyping up the os you are fan of.

Spotify had already announced that it will have hires by end of the year. Apple just introduced it few months before. Now it is going to have a long lasting disruption? For years to come? Seriously?

Atmos seriously a revolution or an innovation? First of all it is just gimmicky and gives people a headache when heard for long. Secondly it has been available for years. Have you heard those 8d videos on youtube? You can see the number of views there is probably 10x the number of apple music subscribers across the world and that didn't bring about any revolution.