I routinely burn AVCHDs with a lossless Atmos stream to standard single layer DVDs, but I've never seen this format used on an official release.
Roxy Music -Avalon 40th anniversary Dolby Atmos Mix (now streaming)
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Indeed, as do I... However such muxes conform to the Blu-ray disc AVCHD specification, not the DVD specification.
When it comes to lossy multi-channel audio, the DVD specification supports: 5.1 channel Dolby Digital (AC-3) up-to 448kbps, 6.1 channel DTS (DCA) up-to 1509.75kbps and 7.1 channel MP2 (MPEG-1 layer 2) up to 912kbps.
Lossless multi-channel PCM audio can also be used provided its bit-rate does not exceed 6,144kbps.
Being a fan of Avalon and of Bob Clearmountain, I literally went out and bought a Sony SACD player so I could play and experience the 5.1 surround mix when it was released (I later upgraded to an Oppo UDP-203, which plays everything).
Those of us here on this forum (and others dedicated to surround sound) are outliers, not the GenPop.
Unlike Quad in the '70s and DVD-A 5.1 in the '00s, Atmos is being shoved down everyone's throats whether they like it or want it or both. Once it becomes standard issue in new vehicles (one of the last places that people listen to music through multiple speakers), the adoption rate will increase, but not by choice for many folks.
On my first listen to the Atmos version on Tidal, I felt it was only OK, and not up there with the original SACD 5.1. I'm wondering if Tidal still have this alleged wrong version? Or perhaps I was having an off day and I need to go back and listen some more.
I've only listened to the Apple Music version so far, and it's brilliant. I'll compare it to the Tidal this weekend.
Thanks. I'd be interested in your conclusion.
himey
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Tidal never had a wrong version. That was AM title track before it was released in its entirety. It sounds great in my opinion although I sit in the MLP and turn off the center channel so it gets redirected to the mains.
Atmos version of Roxy Music Avalon still not available on Tidal for some reason - original stereo mix only
himey
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I see it on the app and emailed the link to myself. Has been working fine since day one.Atmos version of Roxy Music Avalon still not available on Tidal for some reason - original stereo mix only
https://tidal.com/album/380185404?u
It seems very hard to find Atmos mixes on Tidal. I think I'm getting the hang of it, but it's not intuitive at all.
I did find Avalon. The trick is to search for the artist and then on the results page view all albums. If you actually go to the artist's page and view all albums, the Atmos mixes aren't there.
I did find Avalon. The trick is to search for the artist and then on the results page view all albums. If you actually go to the artist's page and view all albums, the Atmos mixes aren't there.
himey
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Yes. You have to click on an album by an artist then click more albums from this artist. Even on the web view it will give you more results.
You are right! What a convoluted, non user-friendly way to find an Atmos version of an album.
Listening to it in Atmos now - the problem with comparing it to the Apple Music version is that Tidal Apple TV plays back Atmos mixes at extremely low volume. I have to take my AVR to +6 dB to get a decent level, and then still not as much as I'd like - my AVR (Pioneer Elite VSX-LX505) maxes out at +6 dB
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Yup, no news here. Tidal integration on media players absolutely SUCKS, and they do not have any intention of fixing it. People have been complaining to them directly for years. The presentation is slow and messy, you have to scroll through pages of videos before you can find any audio, Atmos is completely buried and hidden, absolutely zero QOL features, relevant recommendations, even a "previously listened to" section... the list goes on, and on, and on...
JediJoker
Audio Engineer/Enthusiast
They were always an "also-ran" among the music streaming services, despite the hype and marketing push from Jay-Z and others. I would imagine their financials simply don't warrant investing in improvements to their backend services.
himey
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At least on this particular album, all the tracks have the same DN level. It could be worse, and sometimes is.
I mean, the functionality is great on mobile and even on PC. They literally only need to port the exact same experience over to streaming devices that can actually utilise Atmos.
The usability features of Tidal could use a overhaul and refresh..
In other areas, they have so many things right. High-res audio files, the Credits feature - I love this, its lets me do a deep dive and click on writers, musicians, pricers, engineers to click over and see what other music they've written/performed/produced/mixed. They were one of the first streaming services to do this.
Their service also sounds so much better than Spotify, it's not even close. I finally ditched Spotify this Spring after 13 years with the service - all my archived playlists were holding me back - then I found an app that would let me port them all over to Apple Music and Tidal. Now I get an e-mail every 2 weeks fro Spotify asked me to come back, and offering me a discount to do so. I'm like "all, so you were overcharging me all this time and *now* you want to give me a deal? Thanks, but no thanks."
I'm very new to Tidal and I'm finding it super glitchy, but not so bad for finding Atmos stuff.
They have a horizontal bar of albums titled 'Available on Atmos' that I can scroll along and then another horizontal bar that's a row of Atmos playlists (so tracks, not albums) by a wide variety of genres, with the first being 'New Arrivals'. Based on these playlists, I can the go look for the album (if it's there, because it could just be a single, like the two new David Gilmour singles). These two horizontal rows are fourth and fifth down from the top, so I don't have to scroll through pages of videos.
Perhaps it depends on the platform you are viewing Tidal on? I'm viewing it on my new TCL TV.
You can also do a search of the word Atmos, which, surprisingly, only picks up a certain number of Atmos albums and a whole bunch of albums and bands using the word. Still, it was worth my while doing as I caught some albums I'd not otherwise spotted and was keen to 'favourite'.
Tidal are obsessed with videos though, aren't they? Perhaps that's for younger listeners who possibly regard music as something best watched, the way many of us regard music as something best 'held in our hands'.
Life in Surround Comparison of the 5.1 & Atmos Mixes
Thanks, I look forward to watching it.
(I'm new to Tidal, where this mix also is, and only thought it 'OK', then discovered, glitchy old Tidal was sending it in stereo. I'm looking forward to hearing it properly. Then I'll watch your video assessment.)
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