What is Your Opinion of Atmos Music?


Most members here have "stereos" for music and "home theater" for movies. Atmos music takes the immersive format that started with movies and uses it for music. It seems Dolby has a series of interviews/tutorials with recording engineers and that is picking up momentum. Personally I listen to immersive music (atmos and surround sound) about 80% of the time and the other 20% I listen to two channel on my desktop system. What is your experience with either Atmos music/spatial audio or using any of the various upmixers (auro-3d, dolby surround, etc) for immersive music listening?

 

kota1

I saw that Fosgate piece yesterday and of course immediately wanted it. Then I read the Stereophile review by Kal and realized it wasn't for me. If it needs service you gonna call?

@brianlucey can you recommend a pair of headphones for atmos music? I noticed the headphones have to be enabled for atmos. Just pulled the trigger on a new headphone amp, Thanks.

@kota1 yeah so that's incorrect. For listening to Atmos, you have two general categories of options, Apple Music and Amazon/tidal.  The latter uses the Dolby Binaural, which has the 3d data included in the streaming file which means it can play on any headphones. Apple has their own proprietary spatial DSP happening when you use the high-end Apple products, which is the Apple Max or the AirPod Pro. If you don't listen with those products than Apple uses something similar to the Dolby binaural.  So where do you intend to listen? What is the DA converter and headphone amp that you intend to use? How much do you have to spend on headphones?

ima cool with checking it out... compared to the money spent on unsavory adventures that ruin one's life, this is money in da bank

@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.