What is Dolby Atmos?

If you’re looking for a new TV, soundbar, speakers, or even a new pair of headphones, you’ll probably come across the term “Dolby Athos.”

It has become an immersive audio buzzword and appears to be painted on everything from soundbars to smartphones, streaming sticks and services to even cars.

But what exactly is Dolby Atmos and why do you need it in your life?

After all, it appears that there will be a new Dolby audio format every other week, so it’s easy to chuck Atmos into the pile with something like Prologic or Digital Plus.

However, Dolby Digital and the entire Spatial Audio Revolution are a big deal. Think of it as an equivalent audio when it comes to color from a black and white TV.

Guide: What is spatial audio?

It’s a big leap in how you experience the sound with the three-dimensional soundscape that surrounds you, and you feel like you’re really taking action.

It’s not just about improving clarity. It is about experiencing sound as the creator intended, with unparalleled space and depth.

It works in music, movies, games, etc. Read this to learn everything you need to know about Dolby Atmos.

Beyond stereo

Traditional stereo sound, which has been the norm for decades, divides the audio into two channels, left and right. Surround sound, such as the 5.1 or 7.1 system, added speakers to the mix, creating a more comprehensive experience.

In a real-world example, three Sonos Rays of three systems (front, left, center) out of a 5.1 system may count five Sonos ERA 100s.

But spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos take things even more. It’s not just about adding speakers. It’s about mixing and changing the way sound is delivered.

It uses what is called “object-based audio.” Instead of assigning sounds to a particular speaker channel, each sound (actor’s voice, raindrops, explosions) is treated as an independent audio object. These audio objects can be accurately positioned and moved into 3D Sonic Space.

Imagine a scene from a movie that is raining. In traditional surround sound, rain sounds are assigned to the left and right speakers, which may sound like the rain is coming from the side.

With Dolby Atmos, each raindrop is treated as an individual audio object (well, almost) and allows sound designers to place them with pinpoint accuracy, creating a realistic, immersive downpour that appears to come from around you, even from above.

Dolby Atmos uses up to 128 audio channels, with 10 dedicated to ambient sounds, and the rest dedicated to these precisely positioned audio objects, creating a dynamic, comprehensive soundscape.

How does it work?

In home theater setups, Dolby Atmos usually has experience via soundbars and multi-speaker systems, but you can actually get your TV with its own Atmos speakers.

Whether physical speakers are located around the room or relying on a soundbar with Atmos Smarts, we use a combination of traditional drivers and upward-facing drivers to create the illusion of sound coming from all directions.

These upward speakers are important. They bounce sound off your ceiling and effectively create height dimensions into the mix. This allows for realistic reproduction of sounds generated from above. Think of the atmosphere of a rainforest, with planes flying overhead when it rains.

Soundbars like the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and Denon DHT-S517 use these upward combustion drivers to provide height effects, but use digital signal processing to create virtual ATMOS effects.

More elaborate setups, such as the 7.1.4 system (7 speakers at the ear level, one subwoofer, and four overhead speakers), can provide an even more immersive experience. You can go to 34 speakers at home, but Dolby recommends aiming for around 12 for the best experience.

Take the above Sonos 5.1 surround sound setup. If you replace that ray with a Sonos Arc or Beam 2, you will throw an ERA 300 at the rear. All of these boast Dolby Atmos. Now you have a 7.1.4 system.

But it’s not just the sound from above. Dolby Atmos also uses side-filing speakers to create a wider, more enveloping sound stage.

These bounces will ring out of your walls, making the speakers appear even further apart than they really are.

Some soundbars use clever digital signal processing to create virtual rear surround speakers.

In fact, Sonos Arc Ultra claims to do all of the 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio Sound on its own.

Dolby Atmos for headphones

Dolby Atmos isn’t just about setting up your home movies. It can also be used with headphones, providing a personalized spatial audio experience.

Instead of relying on physical speakers, headphone-based Dolby Atmos is used by Apple’s spatial audio tech, such as Airpods Max, but uses binaural rendering and head-related forwarding functions (HRTF) to simulate how to listen to your ears in 3D space.

This tricks your brain into thinking that the sound is coming from outside your head. This can be achieved through software or hardware integration on mobile devices. Some devices use accelerators for head tracking.

Head tracking technology found in high-end headphones like the AirPods Max and Sonos Ace adds another layer of realism. They track your head movements, dynamically adjust the audio in real time, creating a more reliable and engaging experience, especially for things like blockbuster movies and games.

Dolby Atmos Music

Dolby Atmos has also entered the music industry. Many of the latest tracks are now mixed with spatial audio in mind – checkout collision By Dave and Stormsy if you want to blow your mind.

Older albums such as The Beatles Back Catalog and Rem, Neil Young and Pink Floyd have also been remastered for the new format.

Dolby Atmos Music allows artists and producers to place instruments and vocals with incredible accuracy, providing a more immersive and engaging listening experience.

You can find Dolby Atmos Music on streaming services such as Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Tidal.

Why is Dolby Atmos so popular?

Dolby Atmos has become the dominant force of spatial audio for several important reasons. The biggest driver, as we mentioned, is that it supports not only a huge range of devices, but all major streaming services as well. Think Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and more.

Furthermore, the latest top-end smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming consoles often support Atmos. Often you will find the latest TV shows and live sporting events available with Atmos Audio via cable boxes, set-top boxes, and more.

Also, the standard Blu-ray can include the required Dolby Atmos data, just like Ultra HD Blu-ray, so you don’t need to buy a new Blu-ray player.

Dolby Atmos is truly an earthquake change in audio, but its effects depend on the setup. A cinema and full-home theater system with authentic physical speakers strategically placed around the room will deliver the best results (Dolby has many guides on how to do this), while Atmos Soundbars and Headphones offer a much more dramatic upgrade than standard stereo or surround sound.

If you rely on a budget-friendly soundbar or built-in TV speaker, you may not get the full effect, but that will definitely improve.

However, while Dolby Atmos is not the only spatial audio format, things like DTS and Sony have pretty clever tricks on the sleeves too.