Immersive Audio and How to Achieve It

@kota1

Thank you for your kind words about my system.

I think we would disagree on virtually every aspect of your assertion. Perhaps, you are just trying to be controversial.

For many years I have preferred listening to my system for any amplified music. Over the decades I have ended up at a couple rock concerts a year, as part of my job. I would typically walk… or run out after the first tune with my hands over my ears. Napkins stuffed in my ears would occationally allow me to stay for two. After ten years with season tickets to the Oregon symphony my system became so close as to be virtually indistinguishable. Then the the Oregon Symphony “upgraded” their hall with cutting edge DSP processing and were unable to resist using it during all acoustic symphony orchestra concerts… essentially destroying the wonderful acoustic sound. So, now my system sounds better. It is completely immursive.

Your idea of using multi speakers and Atmos… well, it is one of those things that sounds great on paper but isn’t remotely close to working in the real world. Other folks can point out the plethora of problems with the idea. But just from the point of view of cost. High quality sound requires top quality components. So scale up a really high quality system to have 7 or 12 or more speakers / amps and you just increased you system cost by ten times. The list goes on.

I have a home theater system with a flagship surround processor, B&W 805 speakers and two B&W 800 subwoofers. It sounds great… but not remotely in the same league as my audio system.

@kota1. “…I am in the camp that a good system can play music or movies, channel or object based audio…”

I think this comment of yours identifies the point of contention. Playing music and music by definition is a home theater system.  The  assumption that a home theater system will reproduce music as well, very few of us would agree with. Most of us want the very best audio playback possible. That requires the very highest quality and fewest components possible. Those of us that have, or tried both know that multichannel is highly compromised with respect to music… so, say for an investment level.

So what you are saying is you want an immersive home theater system. So, I am confused as to what the point is. 

@drbarney1 

Ok, fair enough. Then you are not an audiophile, or a person dedicated to high end audio. That makes you a normal person. Those of us that are tend to be solitary people that will do every thing possible to get the best possible sound… at the sweet spot. The sweet spot is assumed. Nothing wrong with having a good sounding system that everyone can enjoy… that makes you like most folks. The vast majority of people are not dedicated to the best sound possible. But your going to find those of us that are really dedicated to high sound quality here and on Audio Afficianado and a couple other forums.

@kota1

I am really happy that folks try to employ new technology to old problems. I am actually an early adopter, both in my personal life and professionally for over fifty years. My job was to evaluate new technology and to not adopt to early… or too late. To get technology that gained the most for a appropriate cost.

When evaluating new technology you have to look at what the objectives are and the whole entire picture. So, remember Quadrophonic… four channel sound… they had some good demos and a few albums. But it died. It was too soon.

So, multiple channels comes up again. It is absolutely spectacular for home theater. Which is fundamentally different than audio only at this time… if you are interested in high quality reproduction of music. The video distracts you from the nuances of the music. So, the sound quality is not as important. I have a great home theater system. It is great for home theater, but is completely inadequate compared to my 2 channel audio system.

I am not saying that some day in the future the convergence of home theater and audio only will not happen, I am sure it will. But not for decades.

Great, there are a few albums in Atmos that sound great on a mid-tier home theater system. So what. I have access to millions of albums in red book CD quality and over half a million in high resolution formats that will sound better on a two channel audio system… by far.

What I am very concerned about is sending the message to folks that want a great music system into chasing a dream that is not there yet. If I really want to hear great immersive audio… music… and have $10K, $50K, or $200K, then home theater is not it. End of story.

If I want a home theater that sounds ok with just music… sometimes good, ok, your on.