Why is everyone so jazzed about ATMOS?

[J. PUPSTER]

I have yet to hear an Atmos demo but am certainly excited for the prospect. Thinking specifically about the (2 or 4) overhead channels, it would seem a no-brainer for movies as there are many ways that sound can come from overhead, but my question is about Atmos music mixes. It would seem that the overhead channels would primarily be for ambience / decay / reverb, and less about discrete musical information, correct? Having musicians seemingly playing all around you (front, back, sides) makes a lot of sense to me but I can't imagine having guitars or percussion or solo voices coming from overhead sounding natural in a music-only format. I wonder when music-only releases start to appear if we as a group will voice our displeasure at "not enough discrete information coming from overhead"? I'm curious as to what others expect will be an "ideal" music mix in, say, 7.1.4.

Hey mrcond, nice to hear from you again. I've yet to experience it outside of a movie theatre myself; however, I expect that the extra ceiling speakers will take some of the load off of the typical four corner speakers when it comes to phantom -between the speaker imaging, but in a more height or 3 dimensional way. Personally I don't think there's that much surround music out there, that really takes advantage of great phantom imaging. Obviously good speakers play an important role in all that.

 

[mrcond]

Here is my perspective on your questions:

1) There are already Atmos and Auro-3D albums with discrete music in the heights. Kraftwerk and David Miles Huber are good examples. There are some others. For certain types of music, it's very cool.

2) There are albums that mainly or exclusively use the heights non-discretely, but just to "expand" sounds. This can also be very cool and, in my experience, a bit of an upgraded experience over a purely 5.1 mix. My example of this would be Automatic for the People by R.E.M. There are plenty of discrete moments in the surrounds (for my taste), but the music also sounds HUGE, expansive, vast and spacious, at times, in very cool ways. There's an organ during one song that sounds 20' tall, instead of 3' tall. There is something to be said for the Elliot Scheiner 5.1, but the Atmos is a uniquely different experience and one that I love.

That's a great point about the expansion of sound. I can also imagine certain mixes could benefit from swirling synthesizer effects (thinking something like Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" or can you imagine Flaming Lips "Yoshimi" in Atmos? The mind boggles.)

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

Another Atmos capable studio:

https://www.audiomediainternational...tudio-launches-dolby-atmos-music-mixing-room/

1. Sweet Baby Jesus!
2. How do they clean that stuff on the walls?

 

[J. PUPSTER]

1. Sweet Baby Jesus!
2. How do they clean that stuff on the walls?

Hey that place may sound great, but it doesn't look too cozy to me; where's the soft couch to melt into and the giant bag of chips. All those acoustical walls look like some kind of death trap out of the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" movie

 

[HomerJAU]

The good news: With the expense of building and equipping that Blackbird Atmos Studio you’d have to think they’re planning to do LOTS of Atmos and multichannel mixing!

The monitors are those expensive ATC speakers that Elliot Scheiner is now using

I wonder if Elliot will be (or is) involved?

 

[J. PUPSTER]

The good news: With the expense of building and equipping that Blackbird Atmos Studio you’d have to think they’re planning to do LOTS of Atmos and multichannel mixing!



I wonder if Elliot will be (or is) involved?

I was wondering the same thing; and also Steve Wilson

 

[Perp]

It may be too early to tell for me but at this point in time with too few Atmos mixes that I’ve heard, they should do 5.1 mixes to Rock, Jazz, Blues and Country music and use Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and, (possibly Auro-3D) for Classical and Electronic (or music that use keyboards) mixes. If it’s only Drums, Guitar and Bass, why bother? I can use an upmixer.

 

[HomerJAU]

I don't agree Perp. For example: I was listening to Porcupine Tree In Absentia in 5.1 in my car over last few days and thinking there's so much going on in some tracks it would be incredible in Atmos or DTS:X.

 

[Larry Geller]

I think the future for Atmos music will be automotive. Easiest way to get in ceiling speakers and a captive audience. 5.1 in a car is awesome, Atmos would be a natural.

 

[EricKalet]

I think the future for Atmos music will be automotive. Easiest way to get in ceiling speakers and a captive audience. 5.1 in a car is awesome, Atmos would be a natural.

The other way to get more consumer acceptance of surround and immersive music is the ability for people to stream it. I might be old school and prefer to have the physical disc and play on my system, but for the past 10+ years or so, streaming has been and will continue to be the future of music playback and that's even in the car.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

The other way to get more consumer acceptance of surround and immersive music is the ability for people to stream it. I might be old school and prefer to have the physical disc and play on my system, but for the past 10+ years or so, streaming has been and will continue to be the future of music playback and that's even in the car.

Good points Eric, streaming from where though; not much out there currently streaming Hi-Def Surround which requires much more bandwidth than (MP3 stereo.) Perhaps 5G (my apologies BBQ) will open up more possibilities. There's even a hopeful chance that Involve, though not ATMOS, could swing a deal with a large corporation and at least draw more attention to the world of multi-channel audio.

 

[Green]

Not sure about all this 'Atmos-fear'....

Get light headed. Breathe it all in.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Get light headed. Breathe it all in.

Maybe when POT is Federally legalized ...... so will ATMOS!

 

[DisneySpirit]

I just recently added 2 more atmos speakers to theater room to finally arrive at a 7.2.4 configuration primarily for newer movies but I must admit I really enjoy listening to my multi-channel audio sources utilizing all these speakers to surround myself with the music. I look forward to hearing the Beatles Abbey Road in atmos!

 

[Green]

Maybe when POT is Federally legalized ...... so will ATMOS!

I hadn't noticed.

 

[EricKalet]

Good points Eric, streaming from where though; not much out there currently streaming Hi-Def Surround which requires much more bandwidth than (MP3 stereo.) Perhaps 5G (my apologies BBQ) will open up more possibilities. There's even a hopeful chance that Involve, though not ATMOS, could swing a deal with a large corporation and at least draw more attention to the world of multi-channel audio.

Qobuz has some 5.1 FLAC music for download but I can't get my receiver to playback in 5.1 over WiFi, I guess only download at this time.

 

[Larry Geller]

The other way to get more consumer acceptance of surround and immersive music is the ability for people to stream it. I might be old school and prefer to have the physical disc and play on my system, but for the past 10+ years or so, streaming has been and will continue to be the future of music playback and that's even in the car.

I'm assuming streaming, as vehicles no longer have disc players.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

I just don't get it. I haven't heard anything that i thought was THAT much better by adding ATMOS to the mix. And it certainly doesn't warrant the expense of more speakers and the hassle of more wires etc. To each his own but I'll pass.

You are absolutely right. Atmos is rubbish!

Glory on 4k atmos was utter junk rubbish whoever remixed the edition for bluray few years ago they didn't even change much of it for the rubbish 4k rubbish dolby atmos. The same mix only made worse with few rubbish overhead sounds that are barely notifiable for this overrated rubbish movie now.
dolby atmos is just another way of scamming and milking. dolby atmos is rubbish. dtsx is also rubbish as well as auro3d is rubbish.

 

[Frogmort]

 

[OldAsMono]

I'm a little surprised that "our group" is voicing these adverse opinions on an emerging technology. Others have mentioned how similar it sort of sounds to quad / surround opinions from stereo (mono) only lovers.

To start, and echo others, it isn't hurting "our cause" at all and is actually potentially giving strength to more surround music. Every upgrade we make to our systems has the balance of cost to benefit. I admit this one is a higher cost both monetary and in physical space. For many ATMOS,DTS-X & Auro 3D may not have much if any benefit to their ears or environment. I personally found ATMOS to provide (someone else said this) a more immersive experience. My wife who really hates this entire equipment fuse even said, "Now the music and sounds are coming from everywhere in the room, even between the speakers." You still have very directional sounds but they appear more spread around the room. Maybe a good way to describe it as they ‘seem’ have wider presence without overlapping other sounds. I know, YES, we get this from 5.1 but I’m describing the change I heard going to ATMOS. Is it monumental or earth shattering? No, it is an enhancement that each person must way the benefit to justify or not for themselves.

I started with 5.1 and upgraded to 7.1 for many years. I decided the rear two speakers were not adding the expected benefit and changed back to 5.1. I do not fault anyone loving a 7.1 system and perhaps with a different room setup may even go back to 7.1 in the future. I did add a second sub-woofer as I felt a second sub in my room took a direction out of the bass (I know bass is not directional but this is what I experienced and enjoy). I now have four ATMOS up-firing speakers and feel that ceiling mounted ATMOS speakers would most likely be better but… cost to benefit holds back that additional change right now.

In all fairness to both sides (why do we have sides on this any ways?) I DO use my system for movies too. Movies soundtracks are already done very immersive in my opinion but do benefit from the ATMOS treatment. I do like Dolby 5.1 but like DTS more. I like DTS-HD MA&* Dolby’s lossless but like ATMOS a little more. It is all relative to your perceived benefit. Friends are blown away by my sound system but I must admit…they rarely will listen to music and focus almost entirely on movies. Except my brother of like tastes who said, “This ATMOS is made for music. Why even worry about the movies.”

Lastly we need to understand it is an emerging technology where they don’t have mixing mastered yet. Heck, many would say that about surround still. Many ATMOS movies are faked ATMOS like the duplicate stereo called surround. Most are just OK and only a few are perfect. Same with music. Will Abbey Road increase acceptance. Most likely but I’m more concerned that Giles’ hesitation to stretch the ATMOS wings may actually give basis to the naysayers. We need another Dark Side of the Moon that let Quad and surround be appreciated for what its potential is all about. Until then, let’s be a little more patient. Please first try some well-reviewed ATMOS material in a real ATMOS setup before making judgement. Don’t we ask that of Amazon reviews that are bashing before the product is even available?