How to Experience Dolby Atmos Music
Dolby Atmos is an immersive listening experience supported by Major streaming platforms - Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon. Listeners can experience Dolby Atmos music on headphones, smart speakers, and surround sound systems.
Below are three ways in which you can experience a Dolby Atmos mix.
Option 1: Binaural Audio using High-Quality Headphones
Option 1: Binaural Headphone Mix
Mixes created in Dolby Atmos can be experienced using high-quality headphones or earbuds that are capable of reproducing a wide range of frequencies. Binaural audio is designed to create an immersive experience that makes you feel like you're in the middle of the sound. Pay attention to the sounds coming from different directions and try to visualize them in your mind. Play the file named “Binaural” and focus on the sound which enhances the immersive experience.
Note: Binaural mixes are best experienced on headphones. Do not use speakers to playback this file.
The Dolby Atmos Renderer is a visual representation of the Dolby Atmos mix to experience on headphones. This downmix technology is also called Binarual. Where the surround mix is folded down to be played on headphones.
Option 2: Spatial Audio for Apple Music
Spatial Audio is Apple’s version of binaural audio. By using Apple hardware, this technology creates a three-dimensional sound experience for the listener, simulating sounds coming from different directions and distances, which creates a sense of immersion and depth.
Step 1
Locate the file named “Spatial Audio” and click “Share > Export File > Save to Files.”
Save the file to your local storage named On My iPhone.
Step 2
Open your “Files” folder and locate the file you downloaded from Dropbox. When your file is saved to local storage, it will appear in this folder.
Note: This is the version you want to play, not the file from Dropbox.
Step 3
Connect and pair your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max and enable Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio Fixed. Notice the file format recognized by iOS as ‘Dolby Atmos’ under the volume slider.
This ensures you are playing back the Dolby Atmos file provided by AlexProMix using Apple’s Spatial Audio for a Dolby Atmos experience.
Option 3: Surround Sound for Home Theater
Dolby Atmos mixes exported as .mp4 files are multi-channel files that can be played back on TV, AV receivers, or soundbars with surround sound. You can experience the mix created in Atmos on a 5.1 surround sound system with these instructions.
Download the file named surround sound to a USB thumb drive.
Play the track on a home theater sound system.
On the TV remote, press the ‘Source’ button.
Then press USB Device or Connected Device.
The music should begin playing and display “Dolby Audio.”
This method allows you to preview the Dolby Atmos mix on a 5.1 home theater system, where vocals and effects are panned to the rear speakers. This gives the listener the illusion of being right in the middle of the audio, immersing them in the mix.
While the loudness standard for Dolby mixes is -18LKFS, music streaming services like Apple Music will increase the volume of your mix.
Tracks that are mixed and mastered in stereo should be exported by following these steps.
Export all stems with processing
Separate vocal dry from vocal effects
Export all stems at 48kHz/32-bit
