First things first: what Dolby Atmos is NOT

Nuendo Dolby Renderer module

Dolby Atmos is not a multichannel audio system, simply because its mixing philosophy is not based on channels but on objects. One of the goals of Dolby Atmos was to overcome a major limitation of multichannel mixing, which required a different mix for each multichannel format. Anyone who has worked in film sound knows this: one mix for stereo, another for 5.1, another for 7.1, and so on, because downmixing systems and plugins have never worked well for automating this process.

Dolby Atmos is much more than a Surround System
So, how does Dolby Atmos solve this? Through object-based audio. Instead of mixing with channels in mind, we mix with sound objects that are placed in a three-dimensional space. The result—and this is the key reason why I believe Dolby Atmos will become widespread—is that the “master” consists of a set of audio files with metadata indicating the spatial position of each sound element. The Dolby Atmos algorithm then adapts that mix to the channel and speaker configuration of our system, whether it’s a 7.2.1 system, a soundbar with six speakers, a stereo system, or headphones with binaural emulation.

What does this mean? Greater compatibility between listening systems and a higher “guarantee” of fidelity between what is mixed and what is heard. I put “guarantee” in quotes because it will always depend on the quality of the speaker system or headphones being used.

Does it make sense to produce Music in Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos has been the standard for film sound mixing for many years, mainly due to the possibilities it offers for using three-dimensional space to pan (move sound in space) audio sources and their movement. This allows us to extend the two-dimensional space of the screen into the three-dimensional space of sound.

The idea is to bring this concept into music production. There is room for experimentation with unconventional panning techniques. Let’s not forget that when stereo first emerged, there was a lot of experimentation in this regard. If you listen to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, for example, you’ll hear drums panned entirely to the left or right and lead vocals positioned similarly—something we would consider bizarre today. The 3D space opens up an entirely new field for exploration.
Even if we stick to the traditional mixing approach we use today, there is a three-dimensional space that can be enriched sonically. We can play with reverb and different depth planes to create a more immersive listening experience. Even though we are accustomed to listening to music in stereo, with musicians positioned in front of us, room acoustics influence our listening experience and add a fundamental quality to the overall sound of music—something well understood in classical and film music.

Therefore, the ability to replicate natural human hearing in a mix, where reverberation reaches our ears from a three-dimensional space, enhances the listening experience, in my opinion. From this idea, we could debate endlessly about whether a mix sounds “better” in stereo or Dolby Atmos. From a stereophonic perspective, an Atmos mix may sound less compact or “powerful” because it doesn’t concentrate all the sound in a single frontal source. Instead, it aligns more closely with natural human hearing. The reality is that we are conditioned by our listening habits—our experience with front-facing, stereophonic playback. Similarly, when we attend a classical or film music concert in a well-designed auditorium, the perception is different. We consciously or unconsciously appreciate the way the space itself enhances the music and our listening experience.

Visualizador Dolby Atmos Music

On Dolby’s own website, you can test listening to the same track while switching between Dolby Atmos and stereo. Here’s the link if you want to try it: https://www.dolby.com/atmos-visualizer-music/

How will the industry and consumer trends evolve?

I have no idea, but here are three key factors to consider:

• Generally, when Apple bets on a technological shift, it tends to be right—usually after thorough research and with a long-term vision. History is full of examples: the iPhone, FireWire, Thunderbolt…
• More and more tools are emerging to facilitate the transition from stereo to Dolby Atmos. Dolby itself offers a variety of free tools and tutorials, including a free Dolby Atmos training course. Additionally, manufacturers are increasingly incorporating tools to enable self-production in this format. Cubase has already integrated Dolby Atmos production tools (Nuendo introduced them a couple of versions ago). Steinberg has developed Immerse Virtual Studio, a plugin that simulates a studio with a 7.4.1 speaker setup (https://www.steinberg.net/immerse-virtual-studio/). This is similar to what Dear Reality did a few years ago with their Dear VR Monitor (https://www.dear-reality.com/products/dearvr-monitor). This shift is not just Apple’s doing—developing these tools takes time, and they weren’t created overnight in response to Apple’s push. Also, let’s not forget that platforms like Tidal and Amazon Music have been offering Dolby Atmos music distribution for a while now.
• Consumers don’t need to invest in a complex multi-speaker setup to enjoy music in Dolby Atmos. Compact solutions with multiple built-in speakers (such as the Sonos 300: https://www.sonos.com/en/shop/era-300), soundbars, and headphones with built-in Dolby Atmos decoding already exist. What does this mean? That many users already have the hardware at home to take advantage of the (supposed) benefits of Dolby Atmos.

As I said, this is just my opinion—totally debatable. But major industry changes are introduced gradually and often require a strong advocate to push them forward. I believe this is exactly what’s happening now.

What do you think? Let me know your thoughts!

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