That information piggybacks on top of existing surround sound signals. So if Dolby Atmos is just metadata, what am I listening to?Īs we said, Dolby Atmos isn’t sound, it’s information about sound. Chances are good that if you’re equipped for Dolby Atmos movies, you’re ready for Dolby Atmos Music, but to be sure, check out our full Dolby Atmos Music explainer. It’s impressive when you hear it, but to get it you’ll need a specific combination of apps and Dolby Atmos-capable devices. Though it’s still just getting a toehold on streaming music services, Dolby Atmos Music does for music what Dolby Atmos does for movies. The result is a very convincing 3D placement of sounds for a much more immersive movie experience. With Dolby Atmos, the helicopter is treated as its own discrete object, and a Dolby Atmos receiver can use that information to separate the helicopter sound from the background sounds and move it independently from one speaker to another. How Dolby Atmos works and what it is Hanif Jackson / Digital Trends But so are all of the other sounds you’re hearing. Without Atmos information, the sound of the helicopter is embedded in one, or many, of the surround sound channels. A good example is when a helicopter flies overhead in a movie. It’s metadata that is used by compatible audio gear to control which speakers are reproducing certain sounds. What exactly is Dolby Atmos? Dolbyĭolby Atmos isn’t actually a soundtrack at all. It’s a bit technical, but we’re going to make it as simple as possible. To understand if your Atmos system is delivering true Atmos sound - and not just really good surround sound - you need to understand how Dolby Atmos works with all of your media sources and components. Well, as it turns out, no, not necessarily. How do I know if I’m getting Dolby Atmos?.So if Dolby Atmos is just metadata, what am I listening to?.

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