AN INTRODUCTION TO IMMERSIVE AUDIO
In the past decade, technological advancements have transformed the way we listen to music. From portable MP3 players to streaming services that offer millions of songs on demand, music has become more accessible than ever before. Now, a new technology is revolutionising the way we experience music: immersive audio, also known as 3D audio. Immersive audio allows the listener to be fully enveloped in sound, creating a more realistic and immersive listening experience. With major streaming platforms like Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited now offering immersive audio options, it’s clear that this technology is here to stay. In this article, we will take a detailed look at what immersive audio is, how it differs from other audio technologies, and where you can find it.
The future of music is already here. Immersive audio has arrived and is available on various streaming platforms. In this article, I will explain what immersive audio is, where you can listen to it, and clarify some misconceptions.
Immersive audio is the latest way to experience sound. It is often referred to as 3D audio because sound comes from both above and around you. Unlike surround sound (2D audio), which comes from around but not from above. There are two main technologies that make immersive audio possible: Dolby Atmos and Sony 360. While Dolby Atmos is already available on a wide range of streaming platforms, Sony 360 is limited to just a couple of streaming platforms. In fact, Sony 360 refers to its immersive audio as “Reality Audio.”
Currently (as of March 2023), Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, TIDAL, and Deezer are the platforms offering an immersive listening experience. Amazon Music Unlimited and TIDAL offer both Dolby Atmos and Sony 360, Deezer offers only Sony 360, and Apple Music provides Spatial Audio, which is its own version of Dolby Atmos. In other words, both immersive audio technologies are available on three streaming platforms. However, Dolby Atmos has much wider commercial adoption due to its various applications described earlier. Dolby Atmos was first commercially used in cinema in 2012 and became available for music in 2019. Sony 360 was also introduced in 2019.
It’s worth clarifying the term Spatial Audio. As mentioned earlier, this is Apple’s proprietary term used to refer to immersive audio. However, it has been adopted more broadly and is generally used to refer to immersive audio. The correct term, unless specifically referring to spatial audio streaming from an Apple device, is immersive audio.
There are a couple of significant differences between surround sound and immersive audio. As we’ve mentioned, with surround sound, all the speakers around you are at the same level, usually in a 5.1 or 7.1 configuration. This means you have five or seven speakers around you and a subwoofer. With Dolby Atmos, height speakers are introduced that are placed above you. Typical configurations are 7.1.4 and 9.1.6, with seven or nine surround sound speakers, one LFE, and four or six speakers above you.
However, the biggest difference between the two formats lies in adaptability. With surround formats, sound must be assigned to a specific speaker. So, if you listen to a 7.1 mix on a 5.1 system, any sound assigned to the two surround speakers you don’t have will be lost. With Dolby Atmos, the mix you hear adapts to your listening setup. In other words, the mix can be scaled up to a 9.1.6 system or down to a pair of headphones. No information is ever lost due to the listening system. This is crucial because it makes the technology accessible to the general public affordably through headphones. A complex setup is not required.
When an immersive mix is rendered for headphones, something called Binaural Audio is used. This makes the immersive mix sound as good as possible on headphones. Obviously, headphones don’t have any height elements, but Binaural Audio does its best to simulate this experience. This technology is constantly improving, so the Binaural listening experience will only get better.
To conclude this article, I want to briefly mention 8D audio. 8D audio doesn’t exist. It’s a term that has been invented for use as a marketing gimmick. 8D audio simply uses 3D immersive audio technology.
GLOSSARY
Also known as 3D audio, it enables the listener to fully immerse themselves in the sound, creating a more realistic and enveloping auditory experience.
Technology that uses multiple speakers to create a sound field that surrounds the listener.
A surround sound technology that introduces high speakers positioned above the listener, creating a more enveloping sound experience.
An immersive audio technology that is limited to a couple of digital streaming platforms (DSP) and is marketed as “Reality Audio.”
Online music streaming services that offer users access to an extensive music library.
Apple’s proprietary term used to refer to immersive audio.
A subwoofer that produces low-frequency sounds, adding depth and bass to the overall sound experience.
A technology that utilizes a special recording technique to create a sense of 3D stereo sound, making the immersive mix sound as good as possible on headphones.
A term that has been coined for marketing purposes and simply utilizes 3D immersive audio technology.
