Listening to Now (In Dolby Atmos)

[salsdali]

I'm digging the Alanis atmos

although I'll probably cancel my trial after 3 months because the compression just kills the execution of a great idea.

Funny that Jay-Z doesn't get it, if you're gonna release in atmos then you NEED to have the fidelity to go along with it. Just having more speakers does not a superb mix make, it kinda defeats the purpose.

Just goes to show that even some musicians don't really understand surround. Is it a wonder there are so few surround options out there, only the niche few really appreciate it.

 

[salsdali]

Coldplay is good too, but again the low volume and compression just make it too distracting to be enjoyed the way it should be.

 

[Eggplant]

Lots of big bass. Thanks Flea!

Ironic is pretty nice — much better than the previous 5.1 mix found on the Mercedes demo DVD. That one sounded limp and weird, but this mix better retains the sonic feel of the original, from quiet acoustic guitar to raucous electric In the chorus, which fills out well. Could have used more dynamics. Sounds best loud, but don’t they all?

The other two are okay but not exactly demo material.

The track from that album I’d most like to hear Atmos’d is You Learn.

 

[zimmy]

Pretty good! The opening drum brush strokes move from one rear channel to the other, some backing vocals there too. I think it suffers from some streaming compression but all 3 sound pretty full and involving. Not super discrete but kinda gone for an Atmos 3D in the song mix.

This was actually the first thing i listened to today when i finally managed to use Dolby Atmos on Tidal with my Firestick. The album was the first in the list of albums. I was really amazed by how good it sounds. Yes it can of course sound better on an Bluray but this is what we got now. But i actually didn´t notice that it was just 3 songs. I had to much searching to do that i could not stay on one album longer that one song

 

[harync]

Gabby Barrett
Goldmine

First listen, never heard of her.
I'm enjoying what I'm hearing...this is more discrete than Alanis's.

Update: This is a really good release. The mix is first class as are the songs.

Thanks for mentioning the Gabby Barrett album. Never would have thought to listen to this, but it was pretty good. For some reason my AVR is treating the Alanis songs like there is zero bass. Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[harync]

Have to follow-up my own post on the Tidal bass issue... went from Alanis Morrisette with zero subwoofer activity to Ariana Grande with so much bass it is shaking my house. It is ridiculous how inconsistent the mixing is.

 

[bracelis]

Funny that Jay-Z doesn't get it, if you're gonna release in atmos then you NEED to have the fidelity to go along with it. Just having more speakers does not a superb mix make, it kinda defeats the purpose.

You can't blame Tidal (alone).
I'm not aware of any streaming device (Apple 4k TV, Android TV, Firestick, etc) which currently supports lossless (TrueHD) Atmos streaming.
Can the hardware support it ? Maybe with a firmware update, I don't know.
And if the hardware can support it, will they implement it ? I don't see this happening anytime soon.

The same applies to movies (Netflix, Vudu, etc), where one of the things that differentiates Blu Ray discs from streaming is the lossless audio.

It's about compatibility -- so I think we should be thankful that they are the first music streaming to support Atmos on a home speaker setup (i.e. not just on a mobile phone or the stupid Amazon Echo Studio thing). And as I mentioned in a separate post, you don't even need an Atmos setup, a 5.1 setup is fine (at least with the Apple 4K TV) and you get discrete 5.1.

Edit: I believe Tidal is also the first music streaming to support multi-channel, period.
HD Tracks (which is a download store, not streaming) doesn't have multi-channel, either.
There may be some songs that can be downloaded (for example from Acoustic sounds) that are multi-channel, but those are not 'mainstream' music.

 

[Audiowannabee]

I'm just curiously reading about the atmos stuff...I'm stuck in 5.1 disc spinning...like mr baggins determined...can streaming replace a bluray or physical media....answer NO!

Maybe in a decade or sooo...but right NOW the answer is NOT A CHANCE!

 

[beerking]

After watching Manu just managing to win their FA Cup tie away at Norwich 2 1, with no Tidal on...
I thought I would play a very nice album by Coldplay , Everyday Life via Tidals Atmos streaming.

 

[bracelis]

I'm just curiously reading about the atmos stuff...I'm stuck in 5.1 disc spinning...like mr baggins determined...can streaming replace a bluray or physical media....answer NO!

Maybe in a decade or sooo...but right NOW the answer is NOT A CHANCE!

I'm pretty sure your favorite album will never be available on Blu ray Atmos (unless Abbey Road is your favorite album).

So for me the question "will streaming replace blu ray" is irrelevant, because I don't have a choice.
Sure Galvany Street on Atmos is great -- but I would never have listened to that if it were not for Atmos.

Perhaps we should be asking, "Will streaming get better" ?

We've all been hungry for more multi-channel, and a decade has passed but we've only got a few (Thank you Dutton Vocalion, etc).
And even fewer Atmos.

But with the dominance of streaming, AND now that Atmos has become a 'thing' and many got onboard, we finally get multi channel, albeit on Dolby Digital+ for compatibility (as I mentioned, TrueHD Atmos is not supported on streaming).
We also got Sony 360, which is useless to me (as of now).

Also keep in mind that Blu rays are full albums -- it would be more difficult / time consuming / expensive to mix a whole album in Atmos (or they may not have the multi-track masters available on all the songs). Whereas on Tidal, there are many singles available. I must admit, I don't listen to all the tracks on an album, I only listen to my favorite tracks.
So for me having those Atmos singles which may otherwise never been available on a Blu Ray / sacd album is a good thing.

So back to the question, "Will streaming get better" ?
This Atmos on Tidal is definitely a major breakthrough, and let's hope for better things to come.

And if they won't be available on physical disc, let's also hope that they become available for download (example HD Tracks or Acoustic sounds) -- i.e. legally.
Maybe those could be the TrueHD version, to differentiate them from streaming.

Edit: We're still waiting for Amazon's next move, i.e. Atmos support beyond the Echo Studio.

 

[MrSmithers]

After watching Manu just managing to win their FA Cup tie away at Norwich 2 1, with no Tidal on...
I thought I would play a very nice album by Coldplay , Everyday Life via Tidals Atmos streaming.

Good choice Mike - sounds great and it’s Glasto weekend too! Ohh I thought Manure (silly autocorrect ) could be facing penalties, damn!

 

[MrSmithers]

Maybe in a decade or sooo...but right NOW the answer is NOT A CHANCE!

Ha in a decade the Robots will have taken over! Humans will be too busy having to oil their Master's joints to enjoy music! Just joshing... Don't forget this thread...

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/can-streaming-atmos-replace-blu-ray-audio.28497/

 

[Audiowannabee]

Ha in a decade the Robots will have taken over! Humans will be too busy having to oil their Master's joints to enjoy music! Just joshing... Don't forget this thread...

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/can-streaming-atmos-replace-blu-ray-audio.28497/

No by then they will have inserted our foreheads w chips to digitally send soothing music into our brains...they the controllers will be picking out ur listening choices for U ....on a positive note No speakers or wires needed...it'll just stream into ur mind!
Lol

 

[beerking]

You know when an album is above average, as you go back to it more than the other also rans.
Gabby Barrett's Goldmine via Tidal, is that above average release.

 

[beerking]

Bon Jovi
Limitless

It's a keeper.

I've now learned to go through the Tidal app on my android smartphone to search out all there is available in Dolby Atmos...and save them as favourites in my collection.
Found a few tracks that I didnt know were available.
They maybe on playlists already, that I've not checked out yet.

For instance...Meredith Brooks ....*****
Another keeper.

 

[beerking]

And ..You and Me...Flume Remix
Disclosure, Eliza Doolittle.

This one is great.

 

[beerking]

Bowing out tonight with...
Wait for it...
Glen Campbell
Where's the Playground Susie.

Another fine mix.

 

[IMachine]

I really love the Coldplay album, but I also have to say that the sound and punch in stereo is much much better than the atmos mix. I really hope there will be some physical releases in the future...we will see.
Generally I‘m not that excited to get into Atmos as I was, getting in surround 5.1.
The only output that really did a wow effect was Kraftwerk.

 

[salsdali]

I'm pretty sure your favorite album will never be available on Blu ray Atmos (unless Abbey Road is your favorite album).

So for me the question "will streaming replace blu ray" is irrelevant, because I don't have a choice.
Sure Galvany Street on Atmos is great -- but I would never have listened to that if it were not for Atmos.

Perhaps we should be asking, "Will streaming get better" ?

We've all been hungry for more multi-channel, and a decade has passed but we've only got a few (Thank you Dutton Vocalion, etc).
And even fewer Atmos.

But with the dominance of streaming, AND now that Atmos has become a 'thing' and many got onboard, we finally get multi channel, albeit on Dolby Digital+ for compatibility (as I mentioned, TrueHD Atmos is not supported on streaming).
We also got Sony 360, which is useless to me (as of now).

Also keep in mind that Blu rays are full albums -- it would be more difficult / time consuming / expensive to mix a whole album in Atmos (or they may not have the multi-track masters available on all the songs). Whereas on Tidal, there are many singles available. I must admit, I don't listen to all the tracks on an album, I only listen to my favorite tracks.
So for me having those Atmos singles which may otherwise never been available on a Blu Ray / sacd album is a good thing.

So back to the question, "Will streaming get better" ?
This Atmos on Tidal is definitely a major breakthrough, and let's hope for better things to come.

And if they won't be available on physical disc, let's also hope that they become available for download (example HD Tracks or Acoustic sounds) -- i.e. legally.
Maybe those could be the TrueHD version, to differentiate them from streaming.

Edit: We're still waiting for Amazon's next move, i.e. Atmos support beyond the Echo Studio.

I'm not knocking you, but all that you wrote is just an excuse for streaming services to "cheap out" on providing what people want.

Technology is not the limitation, Greed is.

It's just the age old adage of giving people the minimum and those same recipients being grateful for what they can have.

ie. Don't praise a King who withholds, he's just withholding what is rightfully yours in the first place.

 

[Eggplant]

I really love the Coldplay album, but I also have to say that the sound and punch in stereo is much much better than the atmos mix.

This has been a problem with surround mixes from the very beginning. I’ve screamed about it for decades, mostly to the wind. Seems many are too busy being wowed by the surround effect to notice. But it’s unacceptable and defeats any advantage from additional channels.

It doesn’t have to happen. There are new mixes that manage to keep that punch. But too often no one seems to care or even notice that the result is a limp, weenie‘d version of the original — not even the artist. This will likely continue since it isn’t even possible to spend as much time on any remix as the original.