What is Your Opinion of Atmos Music?

@brianlucey , I have been streaming Atmos music either using Tidal through a firestick (it is not very good) OR through using the Atmos renderer in the X-Box which converts everything to Atmos once you select it as your audio output.

Either one sounds better than Dolby Surround upmixer on my processor.

I intend to listen in my main listening system (in my profile). The DAC/pre I bought is the Sony Signature TA-ZH1ES. I can use it as a DAC with my HT processor, as a 2 CH preamp connected directly with my active speakers (they have both XLR and RCA inputs with a toggle switch), and as a headphone amp. My transport/streamer is my Sony Universal/Blue-Ray player, my Onkyo DAP (android OS), or my Bluesound Node. I am thinking about Sony’s matching headphones, the Signature MDR-Z1R and have a budget of around $2K. I can get an Apple product if necessary. Thanks for any advice.

@kota1

I intend to listen in my main listening system (in my profile). The DAC/pre I bought is the Sony Signature TA-ZH1ES. I can use it as a DAC with my HT processor, as a 2 CH preamp connected directly with my active speakers (they have both XLR and RCA inputs with a toggle switch), and as a headphone amp. My transport/streamer is my Sony Universal/Blue-Ray player, my Onkyo DAP (android OS), or my Bluesound Node. I am thinking about Sony’s matching headphones, the Signature MDR-Z1R and have a budget of around $2K. I can get an Apple product if necessary. Thanks for any advice.

I have three headphones: Senny HD650, Sony Z1R and Apple AirPods Max (in order of acquisition). I reckon if you already have the Sony signature player you’d be mad not to get the matching headphones. They are beautifully constructed and detailed, light and most comfortable to wear despite the large-ish size, and of course sound very good. Bass is extended and well rendered. Detail retrieval is very nice. Voicing of the treble is exciting but can overcook things at times on modern productions with processed vocals. I usually use them at my home office desk powered by a Chord Mojo, so they aren’t getting any help. I have the recurring fantasy of running them from Woo Audio Fireflies, which I should try. But I’m not a headphone freak so it’s a ways down my listening/shopping list. My usual source is Apple Music: the spatial audio tracks play as expected but the head-tracking doesn’t, of course.

What about AirPods Max? I use them a lot: noise cancelling is effective (which also means you can enjoy listening at lower levels) and the spatial effect is better. Head-tracking is fun (when running on devices that support it, Apple Silicon Mac, iPhone or iPad in my case) and nails the illusion of audio coming from the image source (I’ve done the LiDAR thing on my ears). Despite the smaller drivers (40 mm on Apple vs 70 mm on Sony) the bass isn’t lacking in quality or quantity—I think Sony actually made the Apple drivers judging by published images. The somewhat smoother/darker/mellower high-end is preferable on certain tracks. Distortion is low and detail is excellent. They are at least as well made. And of course, wireless is very handy. But that means 24/48 tops as Apple hasn’t gone any further.

I’d get both of course (easy to say when I already did). But you’d want an Apple source device also—otherwise you are wasting usability and spatial potential—that’s a bigger decision. I gave up on Tidal/MQA for example, so my source lineup and yours don’t correlate at all. If you want to dip your toe in at less expense, most reports suggest the new series AirPods Pro are quite good.

@kota1 I forgot to mention: the cheapest Apple source (if you did want to try AirPods Pro or Max) is of course an AppleTV box. You probably get a free trial period of Apple Music with that. And you get to try all the spatial things.

@axo1989 , thanks for the tips. I have been less than thrilled with the Firestick, but it integrates well with Tidal and Atmos music. I agree it is time to take the leap into the apple ecosystem and the new ATV4K seems easy enough. It is nice to have so many choices of headphones and have never gotten into them much before. I was looking at getting a separate preamp for 2 CH in my main HT system and this checked that box. I was looking at DAC’s like the Chord Qutest and this checked that box too, the Qutest was about $300 less but lacked all of the other features this unit has. Finally I have never gone down the headphone rabbit hole because I prefer speakers. The fact that this unit had the other features I wanted the headphone amp was what pushed me over the edge to pull the trigger. I use a Sony universal player for CD’s. SACD’s, streaming via DLNA, and bluerays. I like the sound signature and we’ll see how it works as a transport for this unit. Just wanted to get some advice before jumping in with headphones that will do both 2 CH and atmos.

Apple "Spatial Audio" mix might be different than the Dolby Atmos mix created in the studio if you are using headphones. Apple has its own "spatial audio" renderer for headphones that takes the original atmos mix and puts it through its own renderer UNLESS you are using ATV4K via HDMI to a receiver. If you want the original mix on headphones use Tidal. Check out this diagram and the follow up article: