TIDAL unveils Sony 360 Reality Audio

[humprof]

MPEG-H shouldn't require expensive hardware/chips, but it would require a fair amount of processing to implement if its full video & '3D audio' as specified, hence more expensive than the 'normal' devices, but I wonder if there is a royalty payment to use it akin to HDMI.

Shouldn't be any royalties; my understanding is that MPEG-H is an open standard. Perhaps Sony's particular implementation of it involves money, though...

 

[winopener]

Since there is the Fraunhofer Inst. behind MPEG-H, the very likely route for this should be the same as old MP3 +- 25 years ago (napster time): open standard and source code available but you can't distribuite compiled code specific for a platform unless you pay $$$.
The inclusion of 360ra into ffmpeg and android code are promising, it should be seen how it will be implemented.

 

[alek2702]

Since there is the Fraunhofer Inst. behind MPEG-H, the very likely route for this should be the same as old MP3 +- 25 years ago (napster time): open standard and source code available but you can't distribuite compiled code specific for a platform unless you pay $$$.
The inclusion of 360ra into ffmpeg and android code are promising, it should be seen how it will be implemented.

So with ffmpeg implementation, would one be able to extract the 7.1 stems out of the Tidal stuff for example? Is there any more news on this?

 

[winopener]

Will love to...

 

[fredblue]

is this the first bit of HDMI-based 360 Reality Audio decoding equipment?

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/sound-bars/ht-a9

review of the HT-A9 system;

 

[MagnumX]

I love he wants you subscribe and "like" without watching the dang video first. That's like those web sites that throw a friggin' popup to subscribe before you've even seen one iota of their site. I dump'em and say F'em. Too many damn bad web sites and Internet behavior anymore. They should not be rewarded for being greedy bastids.

OMG...I couldn't resist. This guy has his lips PLASTERED on Sony's virtual BUTT. I never heard such a sheer level of brown nosing in my entire life. Garbage speakers that magically sound better than EVERY FLIPPING SPEAKER ON EARTH. It was AWESOME!!!!!

No center speaker. His response? "It's BETTER than having one! Why bother! It's SO AWESOME!!!! Wow. How much does Sony pay this guy to sing the Sony's praises. I couldn't help but leave the guy a response saying just that too. My god....

 

[HomerJAU]

It did mention the 2nd HDMI was eArc and mentioned it could pass surround so I guess the A9 can send surround to an AVR. I’d imagine that would feed from its surround streaming apps.

If that assumption is correct, Sony should consider selling the box only. No speakers.

 

[winopener]

It did mention the 2nd HDMI was eArc and mentioned it could pass surround so I guess the A9 can send surround to an AVR. I’d imagine that would feed from its surround streaming apps.

If that assumption is correct, Sony should consider selling the box only. No speakers.

The fun thing (or we may say, very ironic) is that, after 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 12.1.2, 24.348.8192 and so on we're back to classic quadraphonic setup, with a "theorical" reinforcement which to me it seems just a way to reinforce bass response than developing height (sony speakers are defined as 4.0.4).

Have a look at these old Philips speakers....

 

[winopener]

 

[fredblue]

It did mention the 2nd HDMI was eArc and mentioned it could pass surround so I guess the A9 can send surround to an AVR. I’d imagine that would feed from its surround streaming apps.

If that assumption is correct, Sony should consider selling the box only. No speakers.

if that little control box can properly decode 360 Reality Audio and route it to any old HDMI receiver discrete (5.1, 5.1+?) that would make it a great piece of kit, so much so i'd get the set and ditch the speakers to enjoy all the 360 stuff properly played back (until Sony pull the 360RA streaming from Tidal as they're bound to do and then it'd all just sit in a cupboard! )

 

[fredblue]

The fun thing (or we may say, very ironic) is that, after 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 12.1.2, 24.348.8192 and so on we're back to classic quadraphonic setup, with a "theorical" reinforcement which to me it seems just a way to reinforce bass response than developing height (sony speakers are defined as 4.0.4).

Have a look at these old Philips speakers....

wow those are goofy speakers! what sounds did those Philips speakers route out of the unit on the top of the speaker cabinet? looks like low end from just looking at the driver itself?

wouldn't "4.0.4" be 4 main channels, no LFE and 4 height channels?

its amazing Sony's "gone back to Quad", souped it up to 'Quad+' and called it 360 Reality Audio!!!

 

[winopener]

wow those are goofy speakers! what sounds did those Philips speakers route out of the unit on the top of the speaker cabinet? looks like low end from just looking at the driver itself?

wouldn't "4.0.4" be 4 main channels, no LFE and 4 height channels?

its amazing Sony's "gone back to Quad", souped it up to 'Quad+' and called it 360 Reality Audio!!!

I suspect the upper is a passive woofer, have a pair of them but never opened to see what's going inside. Decent sound if you place on a bookshelf. These were not a low-end but a bottom-end product, elegant version of boomboxes.
But they do provide height channel and with 4 of them you have a system that looks like 4.0.4

 

[winopener]

its amazing Sony's "gone back to Quad", souped it up to 'Quad+' and called it 360 Reality Audio!!!

It's all a recycle....


http://www.cvinyl.com/images/labels/columbiaus4.jpg

 

[AYanguas]

What experiences do you have listening to Sony 360 Reality Audio via headphones?

Is there any headphone model that could be best for Sony 360RA, or it really does not matter, and I just have to worry about the Sound Quality of the headset, as always?

Being a TIDAL subscriber, I figured I could make the most of the 360RA offering by finding a suitable headset, to renew my old Bluetooth Sennheiser set. With this Sennheiser I compare same song stereo and 360, and the differences for me are minimal. Just a little bit “spacious open” the 360, but I don’t perceive any location effect from sounds. (Since I'm skeptical at first).

Have any of you noticed immersive surround differences with 360RA, using ‘standard’ headsets or ‘specialized’ ‘certified’ Headsets like the Sony WH-1000XM4 ?

 

[Bob Romano]

I found, no matter what headphones were used, it all.sounded like mush.

 

[AYanguas]

I found, no matter what headphones were used, it all.sounded like mush.

I think I will wait for my old Sennheiser to break before I buy a Sony...

So far, I use the bluetooth headset only at swiming pool when I'm lounging in the pool chair and fall asleep. It still sound good but the bow of the headset is frayed by the pool water in my hair

Edit: in my hair? Well, on that part I have no more hair