Dolby Atmos sound is seemingly everywhere, from soundbars to phones, and soon you may even find it in your car. But if you have AV equipment that supports Dolby’s immersive audio tech, what should you be watching to ensure you are getting the most out of your system?
Atmos expands upon a traditional surround set-up by adding channels to bring sound from overhead. But Atmos is about more than just shoving some speakers in your ceiling and waiting for a chunky aeroplane sound effect. The technology is used by filmmakers in the mixing stage to place sounds and voices at exact points in the soundfield rather than more broadly assign them to discrete channels. So, in addition to the traditional combination of up to 9.1 channels, Atmos can deliver up to 118 simultaneous sound objects, creating an enveloping soundstage that is replicable by any kit with the capacity to decode it, from theatre systems to ‘virtual’ Atmos-enabled headphones.