Tal00
New Head-Fier
Only 2nd Generation AppleTV 4K (check me on that) will broadcast Dolby Atmos sound for Apple Music via HDMI.After using both Spacial Audio and Atmos, below are some of my thoughts and observations:
Spatial Audio - Works fantastic on the iPad/iPhone with the AirPods Pro. It does give the sense that main dialogue is coming from a speaker in front of you even when you turn your head. I think there are some surround effects but didn't notice it as much as the main soundtrack and dialogue coming from in front of you. I think Audeze has similar DSP software on some of their gaming headsets. I have not tried using Spatial Audio/AirPods Pro with the Apple TV but guessing it works the same as on the iPad.
Dolby Atmos -
- With AirPods Pro - Definitely enhances the Soundstage and the Instrument/Vocal Separation - probably as much or more than the average audiophile IEM. In my experience though, IEM offerings from Campfire Audio and 64 Audio are still better with Soundstage and Separation (without Atmos DSP) while blowing the AirPods out of the water with their technical abilities (Details, Dynamics, Speed, etc). For the price though, the AirPod Pro's sound pretty decent and you can't beat the versatility - Bluetooth, decent for calls, noise cancelling works very well, sweat proof and great for exercise (which is my main use case for them).
- With an Atmos Speaker setup - This is where the Atmos music really shines. I have a 5.4.1 setup (5 traditional Dolby speaker setup with 4 add'l ceiling atmospheric speakers, 1 sub) and Apple Music sounds terrific. If you have a home theater setup and a receiver that can decode Dolby Atmos, I highly recommend trying it out. It sounds very spacious and better than the usual DSP on receivers for 5.1 music or all channel stereo (Receiver makers usually call these DSP modes different things depending on Brand).