Streaming multichannel in car audio?

[jwckauman]

Does anyone know if the streaming music services that provide immersive audio and/or Dolby Atmos, can be listened to in car audio systems that support multi-channel? I just pre-ordered a 2023 TLX Advance package with the ELS 3D Premium Audio system (17 speakers!) and am curious to see what it can and cannot do. My current car is a 2011 TSX with 5.1 support via DVD-AUDIO/DTS. With a lot of the immersive and Atmos mixes coming via streaming only, i am wondering if i have any options to enjoy those in my new car...

 

[Cheezmo]

Mercedes just announced a deal with Apple so they will support it, and I think Lucid also. I don't think there is anything official out now.

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022...immersive-spatial-audio-to-drivers-worldwide/

 

[LennonCobain]

Does anyone know if the streaming music services that provide immersive audio and/or Dolby Atmos, can be listened to in car audio systems that support multi-channel? I just pre-ordered a 2023 TLX Advance package with the ELS 3D Premium Audio system (17 speakers!) and am curious to see what it can and cannot do. My current car is a 2011 TSX with 5.1 support via DVD-AUDIO/DTS. With a lot of the immersive and Atmos mixes coming via streaming only, i am wondering if i have any options to enjoy those in my new car...

My 2022 Acura MDX A-spec does not support multichannel via Apple CarPlay. The only choice I have is to “get creative” and find a way to convert those Atmos and 360 RA mixes to 5.1 FLAC to listen in the car via USB audio.

 

[jamesc]

I don't understand why Dolby hasn't pushed Atmos harder in autos. It seems like a great solution to the problem of the average person not being able to hear Atmos mixes properly because they don't have the space, cash, tech savvy or desire to put a dedicated system in their home. The car is such a great place to experience surround sound so it seems like they should make a greater effort to get Atmos into as many cars as possible, not just luxury cars. I mean, if they want the format to take off, that is...

 

[jwckauman]

My 2022 Acura MDX A-spec does not support multichannel via Apple CarPlay. The only choice I have is to “get creative” and find a way to convert those Atmos and 360 RA mixes to 5.1 FLAC to listen in the car via USB audio.

let me know if you have any success "getting creative". they recently released Seal in Dolby Atmos for Apple Music only and i've love to hear that in my car. I dont have any Apple devices other than an Android app with an Apple Music subscription so no idea what that's good for...

 

[mlrocker]

Hendrix music on the latest Acura commercials - cool

 

[jlladuke]

This is a good thread, thanks for all this information! I don't own an Acura, but am thinking about getting an MDX. Was hoping the 2024 models would have a touchscreen, but looking like that's not going to be the case.

I'm not sure if anyone would have tried this, but I'm interested to know if there are any Roon + Acura users out there. I have a bunch of 2CH & MCH music on a Synology server at the house, and a Roon Nucleus+ for home playback (and now remote playback via Roon ARC). I use an Android mobile device, and the Roon ARC app uses the standard Android audio driver that is capped at 24/48. But it sounds like that's also a limitation of the new Acuras. None of my MCH music is in Wav; it's all ISOs or FLAC or Dsf (DSD/SACD).

Recently, the Roon ARC app became available in Android Auto & Carplay and I'm wondering, if I converted some of these MCH files to Wav files, would I be able to stream them in an Acura via Roon ARC. I wouldn't mind having to use a USB stick, but the fact that having to use either 1) USB stIck OR 2) Android Auto/ Carplay sounds absolutely awful to me (I currently use a Kenwood head unit that allows for both simultaneously, but only 2CH). I'm thinking this might be a great fix for those that are experiencing the 'device not found' errors and the inability to use AA/ Carplay for things like Waze while listening to MCH music.

Hoping there's not some reason this wouldn't work, but let me know if y'all have any thoughts on this.

 

[OdysseyMusik]

For now you can experience hirez stereo music through USB* playback of FLAC files (thanks for that at least) in a Tesla.
But unfortunately playback of multichannel FLAC so far only uses the front channels L and R. Hope a Tesla upgrade soon will allow playback of ALL channels.
More about that here: https://printzmusic.com/tesla/

 

[OdysseyMusik]

An August 2023 Tesla upgrade made it possible now to playback/stream mp4 (also with 5.1 sound) and multi-channel FLAC from USB or the site where 29 artists kindly offers free 5.1 listening of one track or more from their albums: Free Surround Streaming and albums - Surround Music One – But unfortunately the surround sound is downmixed to stereo before send to the 9 loudspeakers in the Tesla (Model 3). This is strange when it IS possible to balance the music to a single speaker to the left rear seat or right front seat.
Does any of you have other model with Premium Sound System? (15-Speakers, 2 Amplifier and 1 Woofer ) - is it the same for the other models? You can stream a 5.1 test audio clip from the buttom of: https://surroundmusic.one/streaming/

Tesla – Printz Music is updated

 

[jamesc]

An August 2023 Tesla upgrade made it possible now to playback/stream mp4 (also with 5.1 sound) and multi-channel FLAC from USB or the site where 29 artists kindly offers free 5.1 listening of one track or more from their albums: Free Surround Streaming and albums - Surround Music One – But unfortunately the surround sound is downmixed to stereo before send to the 9 loudspeakers in the Tesla (Model 3). This is strange when it IS possible to balance the music to a single speaker to the left rear seat or right front seat.
Does any of you have other model with Premium Sound System? (15-Speakers, 2 Amplifier and 1 Woofer ) - is it the same for the other models? You can stream a 5.1 test audio clip from the buttom of: https://surroundmusic.one/streaming/

Tesla – Printz Music is updated

No luck here, unfortunately. I keep a couple of 5.1 flacs on my USB drive in the car to test from time to time. I'm getting the same results, where the channels are downmixed to stereo.

This is on a 2023 Model Y LR (which has the premium sound) and I just got v2023.32.4 yesterday so I assume this is the August update being referenced. I'd love to have surround in the car again and hope they make it happen some day. Would be cool to watch movies in surround as well since Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ apps are included.

Where did you hear about the new capability?

 

[OdysseyMusik]

No luck here, unfortunately. I keep a couple of 5.1 flacs on my USB drive in the car to test from time to time. I'm getting the same results, where the channels are downmixed to stereo.

This is on a 2023 Model Y LR (which has the premium sound) and I just got v2023.32.4 yesterday so I assume this is the August update being referenced. I'd love to have surround in the car again and hope they make it happen some day. Would be cool to watch movies in surround as well since Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ apps are included.

Where did you hear about the new capability?

I also have 5.1 flac on my USB storage and just checked it out yesterday after some weeks last
Also found out that my Model 3RD from June '23 now have Premium Sound instead of Regular Sound System (that must be from older cars)
But progress on mp4 files now working so I'll try to encourage further development on Tesla's X site and hope some will notice

 

[OdysseyMusik]

Please like & comment my (Jan Printz's) post about surround playback and help 27 artists releasing their music in higher quality in the comments of Tesla's Youtube video.
This COULD help music in surround sound to get more porpular and prosper, I will say.
The same could be done for other carbrands, but is there others than Tesla who often uses over-the-air updates?

 

[KiloEchoNovember]

I can confirm for even the newest Acuras it will not take a 5.1 audio source via the phone. My Android phone's audio stack can be bypassed and via USB transmit it correctly. But the Acura headunit will not accept it, instead it downmixes to stereo. So for 5.1, it must be a USB stick.

Tried this on my 2021 TLX, Pixel 7 Pro with multiple programs including VLC player, Neutron Player and USB Audio Player Pro.

 

[LennonCobain]

The technology is ready. However, most car manufacturers have not taken the necessary steps (which appear to be very minimal and software-based):
https://professional.dolby.com/music/dolby-atmos-for-cars/dcx2-product-update/#gref

A Dolby Atmos for cars product update is now available to our automotive industry partners. With these updates, Dolby Atmos can now be implemented in a wider range of vehicles, from luxury to mainstream, which will provide consumers more options for experiencing their favorite immersive entertainment available in Dolby Atmos through their car. The update adds support for enabling Dolby Atmos in vehicles with baseline audio systems with as few as four channels. Now, just about every vehicle can bring consumers closer to the content they love.

In addition, this new update adds a new capability for car manufactures and consumers – support for Dolby Atmos playback over Apple CarPlay. Car manufacturers must integrate both support for this latest Dolby Atmos product update and Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos in CarPlay in order to enable this experience for consumers.