[Music Alchemist]

Here you can post your thoughts and experiences of Dolby Atmos.
 
Many of you have already heard of this speaker technology that delivers the ultimate immersive experience.
 
I just think it's SO COOL! Too cool, in fact, for me to describe it all myself.
 
Here are some reference links:
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/dolby-atmos.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Atmos
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Dolby+Atmos
http://dolbyatmos.onkyousa.com
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-c5YSeMjBFVZ/brands/dolby-atmos.aspx
http://www.cnet.com/news/dolby-atmos-at-home-ears-on
 
What interests me the most is that your music collection can still reap the benefits.
 

If you invest in building a Dolby Atmos home theater, you want to get full use of it, even if the content you’re playing isn’t mixed in Dolby Atmos. That’s where the new Dolby surround upmixer comes in.
 
When you enable it for non-Atmos multi-channel content, the Dolby surround upmixer expands the audio so that it takes advantage of your entire system, including the ceiling or Dolby Atmos enabled speakers while still honoring and maintaining the artist’s intent for the mix. Dolby surround upmixer replaces the Dolby Pro Logic II family of upmixers, offering greater flexibility and superior audio performance.
 
Unlike previous wideband upmixing technologies, the Dolby surround upmixer operates on multiple perceptually spaced frequency bands for a fine-grained analysis of the source signal. Dolby surround upmixer can individually steer frequency bands, producing surround sound with precisely located audio elements and a spacious ambience. The Dolby surround upmixer will provide audio to the same set Dolby Atmos enabled or ceiling speakers configured in your system.

 
It even works with headphones!
 

The Dolby Atmos renderer on the device takes the spatial information from the audio objects created for the cinema and renders them in three-dimensional space over headphones. Combining the object-based audio with binaural headphone rendering, which relies on outer ear and shoulder cues, Dolby Atmos reconstructs a natural, immersive sound experience. 

 
For those who have direct experience, it would be especially helpful if you shared advice with everyone. Comparisons with high-end headphones and virtual surround sound processors are welcome too.

 

[Giogio]

Just read today an article about it on WhatHiFi.
I find it a pity that it is something which must be hardware integrated. This means that there is no chance to keep my smartphone.
It also means, that in the moment I will have a smartphone with this, I will no more be able to enjoy my music on the PC.
It would have been better a software.
For example, with the Jabra Revo Wireless comes a Dolby software which do, actually, improves the sound. And once you have the App (which requires a code which you receive with the Revo) you can use it with any headphone, but only when you use that App as a music player, which, well, it sucks a bit, and I kind of think that what I gain with the Dolby I lose it by not using Neutron.
Anyway, this Atmos it is super interesting.
I am really curious to see how it improves the sound.
In my Xperia Z1 Compact I have the Sony enhancement stuff, and there is a sort of reverb, hall, studio, etc.
The way the sound improve from off to studio is very noticeable. No matter how good is your headphone and its soundstage, it still improves.
 
So, this must be even better!
My problem is that I am addicted to Xperia due to the Waterproof thing.
I am not sure I can ever more use a non waterproof phone.
 
So. If now Sony make an Xperia, waterproof, with Atmos and with LDAC, I'm sold (IF the MDR-1ABT are really that good).

 

[cel4145]

I wouldn't get too excited about Dolby Atmos for headphones. Seems it might be more of an update to Dolby Headphone. The Atmos concept is built around adding more speakers to a home theater setup to create better spatial effects. Other than the fact that it works with objects instead of channels if the source is Atmos encoded--which might improve virtual surround a bit for headphones--it's not really a technology advancement geared toward 2 transducer setups.

So when they say on their website, "Put on any headphones or earbuds, and experience Dolby Atmos sound on your mobile device," I just don't buy it. http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/dolby-atmos/mobile.html

 

[cel4145]

Here's more advertising hype of the Dolby Atmos for headphones: "And today, we’re really proud to see the Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 tablet launch with the ability to play movies with Dolby Atmos® soundtracks over standard headphones.

If you’ve ever been to a Dolby Atmos movie in the cinema, you’ll know what a huge development this is. Dolby Atmos transports you into the movie with multidimensional sound that fills the theatre with amazing richness and depth. Sound comes from all directions, including overhead, making you feel like you are truly inside the story."
http://blog.dolby.com/2014/09/dolby-atmos-goes-mobile/

It can't duplicate the Atmos theater experience. Cmon, Dolby. Do you think we are that gullible? LOL

 

[Giogio]

Yes, but, it can surely dramatically improve the "non atmos" experience, right?
Better than nothing. It does not sound like in a theater, but it sounds much better than without Atmos.
 
I do not know anything about this Dolby Headphones.
Can be installed in any Handy and PC?

 

[cel4145]

Yes, but, it can surely dramatically improve the "non atmos" experience, right?
Better than nothing. It does not sound like in a theater, but it sounds much better than without Atmos.

I do not know anything about this Dolby Headphones.
Can be installed in any Handy and PC?

True Dolby Atmos is a recording that is encoded with up to 128 objects instead of a much more limited number of channels (5.1 or 7.1). And then you have (at minimum) a 5.1.2 speaker setup--two more speakers in the ceiling than a normal 5.1 setup (read about speaker configurations) to take advantage of that (even more speakers is better). So how does a headphone, which only has two speakers, really benefit from that? Sure. Might get a little better surround encoding for virtual surround because of the objects, but it's still only going into two speakers. But it sure will sell devices when they say that they have Dolby Atmos for headphones.

As for Dolby Headphone, it's hardware based. You need a sound card with it.

 

[Music Alchemist]

There is virtual surround sound software for headphones that emulates the sound of speaker systems. Out Of Your Head is relatively affordable. The Smyth Realiser A8 is more advanced -- a hardware device with proprietary software and technology that lets you visit and measure any speaker system and "copy" its sound. Many people (even those very experienced with speakers and headphones) said that it was indistinguishable from speakers!
 
Dolby Atmos content relies on the audio objects, so it would be different from normal content, even on headphones, but obviously nothing like a Dolby Atmos speaker system.

 

[cel4145]

Dolby Atmos content relies on the audio objects, so it would be different from normal content, even on headphones, but obviously nothing like a Dolby Atmos speaker system.

Does it? While I realize that is optimal, I was under the impression that Dolby Atmos will attempt to use all 5.1.2 speakers with non-Dolby Atmos content. Could be wrong.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Does it? While I realize that is optimal, I was under the impression that Dolby Atmos will attempt to use all 5.1.2 speakers with non-Dolby Atmos content. Could be wrong.

 
I said Dolby Atmos content, as in audio mixed specifically for Dolby Atmos. It can still use non-Atmos content.

 

[cel4145]

I said Dolby Atmos content, as in audio mixed specifically for Dolby Atmos. It can still use non-Atmos content.

My bad. So you are basically just confirming what I said in the previous post about Atmos

 

[Giogio]

So, do you think that normal content, with Dolby Atmos, on Headphones, would not sound much different?
Or that other things like those Out of Your Head would be better?
The Dolby Headphones, I could not find much info on their website.
How does it depend on hardware?

 

[Music Alchemist]

My bad. So you are basically just confirming what I said in the previous post about Atmos

 
Yep! ^_^
 

  So, do you think that normal content, with Dolby Atmos, on Headphones, would not sound much different?
Or that other things like those Out of Your Head would be better?
The Dolby Headphones, I could not find much info on their website.
How does it depend on hardware?

 
I have no idea, since I haven't used them myself. I'm going to assume that all of them change the sound, though.
 
Click the Smyth Realiser A8 link if you want to learn about the technology of the device. Looks really cool. I want it, but it's nearly $3,000...

 

[Giogio]

That's a bt too much out of my budget

 

[Music Alchemist]

  That's a bt too much out of my budget

 
Out Of Your Head is affordable and has a free trial, but I've never used it. There are also free solutions out there.

 

[Giogio]

I have downloaded the trial.
I am not overly impressed.
First of all, it only works with presets. Presets of existing speakers.
I find the idea absolutely non interesting.
I could eventually accept presets, invented ones, like, studio, room, hall, etc.
But what i am looking for is something where I can customize the effect. Like the App of Parrot Zik 2.
Besides, this is only for PC and Mac. No Android.
I need something for both PC and Android, or two different things.
Also, they offer a bypass mode so that you can compare the different presets and supposedly see the difference with or without effect.
Well, I think they kind of cheat there. The bypass mode is NOT a bypass mode and make things sound like ****. When I completely turn the program off, the difference is huge. So, they want you to believe that your headphones without the program sound like ****.
Not nice.
For me they are out.
But some presets were cool. I kind of felt them a bit too much reverbering, if you know what I mean. Really way too much reverb effect.
But thanks