Dolby Atmos is the most immersive version of surround sound you may get at home . Though it ask some time to get on , the format is now everywhere , from movie theaters to Ultra HD Blu - ray magnetic disc , as well as the world’sstreaming serviceslike Netflix , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV+ , and Disney+ .
But what , exactly , is Dolby Atmos ? How is it different from other kinds ofsurround phone ? And perhaps most significantly : If you decide you want to experience Atmos at home , how can you make certain that ’s precisely what you ’re getting ? Dolby Atmos can be awesome , but getting it is ( unfortunately ) a piece more complicated than simply buying a boob tube or a soundbar with the Dolby Atmos logotype on the boxwood .
Just desire to know what all the Dolby Atmos flurry is about ? We get you covered . Want to become a Dolby Atmos expert ? This guidebook will get you there , with as niggling patois as possible .
How to use this guide
We ’ve organized this ultimate guide to Dolby Atmos into three parts .
Part 1covers the basics . If you just want to know what Dolby Atmos is and why you should care , this will explain a few key concepts . The next time Dolby Atmos fall up in conversation , you ’ll know incisively what folks are spill the beans about .
Part 2gets a little deeper . It ’s for citizenry who are badly think of how they can get a Dolby Atmos experience at home , with explanations about the gear you ’ll need and how to decode some of the jargon that gets fox around , like discrete versus virtual channel , and what numbers like 7.1.4 mean .
Part 3is dedicated to navigate the Dolby Atmos ecosystem to ensure you ’re actually getting the Dolby Atmos sound you ’ve invested in . As with so many things in our technical world , it ’s not quite as dewy-eyed as it should be . That ’s why we ’ll get into the sneaky gotchas that can derive between you and a genuine Dolby Atmos experience .
Part 1: what is Dolby Atmos?
Traditional surroundings speech sound literally smother you . The sound comes from in front , beside , and sometimes behind you , too . Dolby Atmos takes this to the next ordered step , with sound that comes fromabove . rather of sitting in a ring of sound , with thing coming at you in a fair savourless , directional manner , you ’re sitting under a dome of sound .
Another machine characteristic of Dolby Atmos that makes it so immersive — so “ 3D ” as many people advert to it — is its power to move individual sounds around within that dome . It mimics the manner sound study in the real macrocosm ; you get the sense of motion , not just direction .
Do n’t worry , you do n’t inevitably require to mount verbalizer to your roof to get this effect . ( Though doing so will sound unbelievable . ) Thanks to the engineering that do Dolby Atmos potential , there are plenty of ways to experience Dolby Atmos that do n’t involve invest holes in drywall or spending K of dollars , and we ’ll enshroud many of these choice in a moment .
Before we do , let ’s get over a central conception that will serve you infer how Dolby Atmos actually works . desire me , when we get a little thick , you ’ll be glad we started here .
Metadata — Dolby Atmos’ secret sauce
At a deeply technological level , Dolby Atmos is n’t really a soundtrack at all . It ’s metadata ( special data about the soundtrack ) that is used by compatible audio gear to dominance which speakers are reproducing certain sound .
In the studio apartment , audio engine driver using Dolby Atmos shuffle applied science are able to treat individual sounds as “ object , ” which can then be moved severally inside that attic of sound . The classic example is the eggbeater that fly in from a location behind your right shoulder joint , then hovers in home overhead for a few second before screak off to somewhere just to the left of your TV screen .
What ’s so clever about Atmos is that the effort of the helicopter is stand for as a solidification of pedagogy ( the metadata ) , not embedded directly into the soundtrack .
A Dolby Atmos sound system can study that metadata and decide how good to send the chopper ’s movements to your available verbalizer , at long last creating a sound experience that is far more immersive than previous surround sound technologies .
And what about Dolby Atmos Music?
Dolby Atmos Music does for euphony what Dolby Atmos does for movies and there are now plenty of ways to experience it , fromDolby Atmos - able soundbarsand speaker , like theSonos Arc UltraandSonos Era 300 , to the pumped up and wireless headphones you use with your smartphone . It ’s impressive when you hear it , but it has unlike demand than Dolby Atmos for movies and television set shows , so check out our fullDolby Atmos Music explainerto see if your current gear supports it .
Part 2: channels, speakers, and gear galore
Ready to experience Dolby Atmos at home ? Here ’s what you should eff before you buy .
Dolby Atmos: the gear you need
At a lower limit , you need three thing to reach Atmos nirvana .
Dolby Atmos picture show , shows , and music
source for Dolby Atmos mental object are now very vulgar . You ’ll discover Atmos on Blu - ray disk andvideo cyclosis serviceslike Netflix , Disney+ , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV+ and many others . ForDolby Atmos Music , your best bets aremusic streaming serviceslike Apple Music , Tidal , and Amazon Music .
Not all titles come with Dolby Atmos soundtracks . elderly movies typically do n’t have them unless they ’ve been lately remastered , like the Star Wars franchise on Disney+ , but it ’s very usual on new releases , specially Hollywood blockbusters . Another thing to keep in mind : some teem services like Netflix , only offer Dolby Atmos as an option when youpay for their most expensive subscription tier .
Dolby Atmos playback devices
Virtually allBlu - ray playerscan decode Dolby Atmos from Blu - ray discs . But just to be certain , you may want to check your instrumentalist ’s stipulation . Withstreaming deviceslike theApple TV 4 K or Google Streamer , etc . , it ’s much more of a mixed bag . All of the top - conclusion devices from the major manufacturers support Dolby Atmos , but some of the lower - priced model will , too . Again , look into the spectacles to be sure .
There ’s a very right prospect your smart goggle box also is a Dolby Atmos playback gimmick . If it is , you ’ll be able-bodied to see Dolby Atmos from its build up - in speakers . ( Again , if the contentedness patronage it . ) But since tv set speakers are n’t on the nose the upright for vainglorious , bold , and immersive sound , you ’ll want to verify the video can also go by Dolby Atmos through to an outside machine via itsHDMI ARC / eARCport . Not indisputable what that entail ? We ’ll discuss passthrough more in Part 3 .
Dolby Atmos sound system
This is the part of the Dolby Atmos par where you get the greatest compass of gear , not to bring up level of investment . As I say originally , your TV may already incorporate a Dolby Atmos sound organisation . But the odds are ripe that even if it does , you ’ll want something better .
The two main type of Dolby Atmos sound systems areAV receiver - ground with pumped speakers , andDolby Atmos soundbars , which may also admit additional pumped-up or wireless loudspeaker system .
AV receiver ingredient - base systems are considered the golden criterion for Dolby Atmos . They give you the most control over the sound because they let you pick each component and station each speaker unit exactly where you want it to be . If you already own a 5.1 or 7.1 AV receiver - based wired surround sound organisation , you’re able to keep all of your existing speaker unit , and then kick upstairs your system with a Dolby Atmos AV receiver and some extra tiptop - burden Speaker . ( Which would add another decimal office to ensue in a 7.1.x or 5.1.x scheme . ) Or , your be Ab receiver might already be Dolby Atmos adequate to , in which case you only want to add height - burden speakers .
The downside of AV receiver systems — particularly if you ’ve never owned one — is they be given to be expensive , complicated to set up , and not exactly user - friendly when endeavor to adjust options .
This is why Dolby Atmos soundbars are by far the most pop way to upgrade . They ’re dewy-eyed to set up , they often cost far less than AV receiver - based household theatre of operations systems , and some models let you add additional speaker system or subwoofers as your want ( and your budget ) grow .
In the other Day of Dolby Atmos soundbars , Ab receiving system organization held a big lede in terms of levelheaded quality and immersion . More recently , however , we ’ve seen Atmos soundbar systems that would satisfy all but the most demanding audio and cinephiles , though not without a considerable investiture , ahem , Nakamichi Dragon .
You may also run into the termDolby Atmos FlexConnect . This is a new technology created by Dolby that lets take Dolby Atmos - equipped telly boost their build - in audio systems by institutionalize sound to additional wireless speakers without the penury for a soundbar , an AV telephone receiver , or even an HDMI cable system .
We have yet to examine one of these organisation , so we ca n’t comment on how they execute compared to soundbars or abode theater systems , but it ’s a good bet they ’ll still be proficient than your TV ’s built - in loudspeaker alone .
What about headphones ?
OK , so we ’ve covered what you need to get Dolby Atmos speech sound from your television speakers , a soundbar , or a home theater loudspeaker organization , but there ’s one more option : Headphones .
It ’s potential to get Dolby Atmos for both moving-picture show and medicine via any hardening of pumped up or wireless headphones , but you ’ll need some specific equipment to make it happen .
Dolby Atmos for film via earphone
If you have an Apple TV 4 K , you’re able to associate any set of Bluetooth headphones , and the streaming equipment will create a virtualized Dolby Atmos experience as long as you ’re watching a movie with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack . But if you own a duo of Apple’sAirPods Pro , AirPods third - orfourth - generation , orAirPods Max , the Apple TV will also enablehead - tracking spatial audio recording — an even more immersive version of Dolby Atmos ( and multichannel surround ) that copy what it ’s like to hear without any headphones at all . It ’s quite sorcerous .
you could get the same experience ( without the head trailing ) on any roving phone or tablet that supports Dolby Atmos .
Dolby Atmos Music via headphones
Dolby Atmos: what are all of those numbers for?
ring good soundtracks and sound systems are defined by channels . A communication channel is a unique hardening of sound , typically assigned to a single loudspeaker . When you see surround speech sound described as Dolby 5.1 , that mean the soundtrack include five channel of environs sound ( front leftover , front right wing , center , surroundings leave , and surround right ) plus one communication channel dedicated to low - frequency effects — usually handled by a subwoofer .
Dolby Atmos soundtrack add up the missing overhead component part that give you the bonce of strait . But here ’s where it can get a moment confusing .
Dolby Atmos is scalable . As long as your Ab receiver or soundbar is Dolby Atmos - compatible , it will do its best to cede a Dolby Atmos experience regardless of whether it has two speakers or two dozen speakers . That ’s why Dolby Atmos soundtracks do n’t apply the distinctive 5.1 ( or 7.1 or 9.1 ) designations . They ’re just labeled as Dolby Atmos .
So why are some Dolby Atmos audio systems publicize with designations like 5.1.4 or even 11.4.6 ? This is an attempt on the part of the manufacturer to give you a sense of the system ’s capability — how immersive it will voice when you use it . The reality is , your Dolby Atmos experience will calculate in large part on the number of driver ( the single component that produce audio ) and the phone number of speakers ( the physical boxes containing the drivers ) in your sound organisation .
We ’ll discuss the specifics in the next section . But for now , here ’s a undercoat on what these number are theorise to represent .
The first two identification number that describe a Dolby Atmos sound organisation are the same as a traditional surround system — the first number connotes the horizontally arranged channels and the second number is the humble - frequency groove . Atmos tot a third number , which represent the “ peak ” channels — the channel that give us that overhead dome of sound effect .
There are tons of combinations , but here are some examples to give you a sense of what we ’re babble about :
You may also see organization that use a number gravid than 1 to exemplify the down in the mouth - frequency subwoofer channel for instance 9.2.4 or even 9.4.4 . This intend the producer has decide to include multiple subwoofers , for better direction ( and power ) of low frequencies . But because Atmos only has one low-toned - frequency channel , each of these subwoofers gets the same signaling .
How far can you go ? Dolby Atmos support up to 64 loudspeaker localization , so the sky is almost the demarcation line .
This treble - digit organization represents a best - case scenario . In other words , as in the diagram above , there should be one forcible speaker for every channel . However , because some Dolby Atmos systems expend virtualization , there can be far fewer physical speaker than channels , and this can mean dramatically unlike results ( see the next surgical incision ) .
It ’s also worth noting that your choose system needs to be of the right scope , scale , and power for your room , otherwise , you could end up with a big invoice and a organization that does n’t sound as good as it could .
Dolby Atmos: discrete and virtual channels
There are two ways that a Dolby Atmos organisation can deliver sound channels : discretely , and virtually .
distinct channels mean that there ’s a direct beginning of speech sound for each canal . In this complete world , it ’s one speaker unit for each channel , include the correct number of roof speaker for the height channels . But making that happen requires a Dolby Atmos AV receiver , oodles of speaker telegram , and probably some drywall cutting and repair , so a second discrete option exists : Dolby Atmos - enabled talker .
Dolby Atmos - enabled speakers accomplish their height channel by bounce sound off your roof toward you instead of projecting it directly down at you .
More on Dolby Atmos
AV receiver owners can corrupt full - size towboat or bookshelf speaker that have these extra , slant drivers establish - in , or you could tote up just the angled driver as its own talker , which you ’d place on top of your existing speaker .
you could even integrate and mates . Perhaps you initiallyinstalled two ceiling speakersbut you now want a 2nd circle of height groove , and you do n’t want to cut new holes in your dry wall . You could add Dolby Atmos - enabled speakers rather , ( assuming your AV receiver is able to support four or more acme channels ) .
The shape of your way and the height and angle of your ceiling all play a role in find out the right resolution .
Soundbars can have the equivalent weight of Dolby Atmos - enabled speakers too , but we refer to these as “ up - inflammation ” drivers , which can be located in the main soundbar as well as in surround verbaliser if your soundbar has these .
practical channels mean that the effectual system practice software bonk as digital signal processing ( DSP ) to make “ phantom speakers ” in your room in seat of real verbalizer . Using the principles of psychoacoustics , it ’s possible for instance , for two speakers in the front of your way to assume an additional two surround speakers . It ’s even potential to virtualize height channels , though this effect is usually less convincing than practical surround channels .
These virtualized television channel ca n’t full interchange real speakers , but we ’ve been shocked at just how convincing some virtualized systems can be . Bose , Sennheiser , and Sony each have createdDolby Atmos soundbarsthat virtualize up to six channels , and they vocalize amazing .
However , we need to point out a major caveat with virtualization . There is no oecumenical monetary standard for how virtualization is carry through . This can lead to wildly different resolution between brand and model . Moreover , from a marketing level of view , Dolby Labs does n’t distinguish between Dolby Atmos sound system .
Every system that supports Dolby Atmos technology encounter the Dolby Atmos label , regardless of how well it achieves Atmos ’ promise of 3D immersion . It ’s this situation that has leave us to question whether the Dolby Atmos label on a product has a direct relationship to a specific sound experience , orwhether it ’s but a stain at this distributor point .
As an instance , in the photos above are two Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbars . Both exact to reproduce 7.1.4 - communication channel sound , but theAmbeo Soundbar Plushas nine driver to work with , while theAmbeo Soundbar Minionly has six . As you might expect , the Ambeo Soundbar Plus birth a much more immersive operation ( it also be well more ) .
As counselling , we suggest you do two thing before purchase . First , as always : take the review article . expert who have had a chance to get word many dissimilar system in natural action will be able to tell you how a devote model liken to its peers . Second : It ’s not a rule , but generally speaking the greater the turn of case-by-case number one wood in a soundbar , the better the virtualization upshot will be . It ’s simple physics — two forward - facing driver ca n’t make as complex a sound field as five or more driver , each separated by a few in of distance , and position at different angle to the listening area .
Part 3: Are you actually getting Dolby Atmos sound?
You ’ve done all your preparation . You ’ve get a source of Atmos content that ’s being played by an Atmos - capable gadget and it ’s all being routed through a Dolby Atmos sound system . So why does n’t it sound like you ’re actually getting Dolby Atmos ?
To get to the bottom of this vexing job , there are a few more concepts we need to traverse .
Dolby Atmos: lossy and lossless audio
Dolby Atmos metadata piggybacks on a traditional surroundings sound signal . This is why Atmos is backward compatible with non - Atmos sound systems — the non - Atmos system does n’t screw what to do with the metadata , so it ignores it and just plays the traditional surround portion that it recognizes .
There are two flavors of Dolby surround phone that can lease Atmos metadata tail along for the drive :
Dolby TrueHD is a lossless , high - resoluteness , multichannel surround sound formatting . In terms of home theater sound , it ’s the gold criterion . However , TrueHD ’s massive bandwidth requisite make it an windy selection for cyclosis services , so , at the moment , it ’s pretty much restricted to Blu - ray and Ultra HD 4 K Blu - ray .
Dolby Digital Plus can bear the same content as TrueHD , but it expend a lossy , lower - bandwidth format seduce it the de facto standard for Dolby Atmos on all streaming services . The size divergence between the two formats in terminal figure of bitrate is huge . A Dolby Digital Plus soundtrack with Dolby Atmos metadata typically uses between 384 and 768 kbps of bandwidth . The same content in TrueHD utilise an average of 6,000 kbps , but can soar up as in high spirits as 18,000 kbps because there ’s no upper limit on TrueHD ’s bitrate .
gratuitous to say , Dolby Atmos over Dolby Digital Plus will be the way most people live Atmos . For the Atmos Music fan out there , it ’s the same story — Atmos Music on Blu - beam of light will most belike utilize TrueHD , while cyclosis inspection and repair will use Dolby Digital Plus . The one exception ( if you could find them ) is hi - resmusic download web site .
Dolby Atmos: HDMI-only
In most font , HDMI is a necessary for sending Dolby Atmos from a TV to an outside sound system . The only exception to this when using blue-ribbon Samsung or LG TV / soundbar combos ( these are capable of wireless Dolby Atmos ) .
HDMI is needed because Both Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus versions of Atmos contain more information than a digital ocular connection can handle .
However , there are three potential HDMI paths that Dolby Atmos can take to get to your sound system , each with a slightly different set of condition :
lineal HDMI from your root machine to your well-grounded system
If you utilise a Dolby Atmos AV receiver , you will most likely tie your beginning gimmick ( Blu - re player , streaming medium musician , etc . ) directly to the Ab receiver and then permit the liquidator send the picture component part of the signal to your television . If your Dolby Atmos soundbar has an HDMI video input ( many do n’t ) , you’re able to habituate your soundbar the same way . These connectedness not only undertake the effective audio quality , but they ’re the only path to get Dolby Atmos audio if your telly is n’t Dolby Atmos compatible . These connections work with both Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus .
Direct HDMI from your TV to your sound system
If your overbold television is Dolby Atmos compatible , you do n’t have to use any other third - party beginning devices , as long as your smart boob tube ’s apps are also Dolby Atmos - capable . In this instance , you ’ll use your TV ’s HDMI ARC / eARC port to link to your Ab receiving system or soundbar ’s HDMI ARC / eARC larboard via an HDMI cable length . Since virtually all of your Dolby Atmos depicted object will be streamed and thus in Dolby Digital Plus , it wo n’t matter if your TV only has HDMI ARC or the newer HDMI eARC — Dolby Atmos with Dolby Digital Plus will work with both . However …
Indirect HDMI from your root gimmick via your TV to your effectual system
If you require to use a source machine but you do n’t own an Ab pass receiver or your soundbar does n’t have any HDMI video inputs , you ’ll ask to use your TV as a passthrough that can transmit Dolby Atmos from the reference machine to your soundbar — and this where your boob tube ’s HDMI port version matters .
Almost all new TVs from 2020 and onward have HDMI eARC . If your TV has eARC , it will pass through any edition of Dolby Atmos to your soundbar .
Dolby Atmos capable TVs that only have HDMI ARCshould be ableto snuff it through Dolby Digital Plus to your soundbar , but they wo n’t be able to legislate through Dolby TrueHD . Much like an optical connexion ca n’t palm the bandwidth of Dolby Digital Plus , HDMI ARC ca n’t handle TrueHD . If your source stuff is only usable in Dolby TrueHD , you may not get any sound at all . This can also affect Dolby Atmos from the Apple TV 4 green , even though it does n’t use Dolby TrueHD .
However , some Dolby Atmos TVs with HDMI ARC are able to downconvert Dolby TrueHD to Dolby Digital Plus , while continue Dolby Atmos metadata . If your television can do this , you ’ll still get Dolby Atmos to your soundbar , even if your reservoir message was in TrueHD .
If you ’re using an optic cable to connect your telly to your soundbar or your AV receiver , these signals will be converted into a simpler environment data format , like Dolby Digital 5.1 , before they get air . The sound you get a line will still be really safe , but it wo n’t be Atmos .
Files, apps, and hardware
We ’ve said it before , but it ’s worth repeat : for Dolby Atmos to work , every ingredient in your home theater setup has to support Atmos . In other Logos :
To make life more complicated , just because your app of selection supports Dolby Atmos on some devices , that does n’t mean it needfully corroborate it onalldevices . For instance : Plex run on an Nvidia Shield TV can pass through Atmos over Dolby TrueHD , and over Dolby Digital Plus , but Plex on an Apple TV 4 K will only handle Atmos over Dolby Digital Plus , and Plex on a fourth - generation Apple TV ca n’t reach through Dolby Atmos at all .
If you ’re wreak an Atmos - encode Ultra HD Blu - ray on an Ultra HD Blu - ray role player that ’s link to an Atmos - up to TV , soundbar , or AV receiver via HDMI , we can moderately much guarantee you ’re beget the full Dolby Atmos experience . We ca n’t say the same about some other gimmick combinations .
Here are a few examples where you willnotget Dolby Atmos phone :
How do I know if I’m getting Dolby Atmos?
Because Dolby Atmos scheme can upmix any surround sound signals they get , it can be tricksy to know if you ’re make honest Dolby Atmos or upmixed two - channel , 5.1 or 7.1 environs audio . From an audible point of view , if you ’re getting Atmos , you should be able-bodied to detect sounds as they appear to move from one area of the room to another . Rainfall , bullet ricochet , and whizzing car are all dependable prospect for this .
They wo n’t just move from front to back or side to side ; they should also occasionally vocalise as though they ’re come from overhead , or somewhere above the covert .
Still not certain ? The one surefire path to confirm Dolby Atmos is working is to check the information panel on the front of your AV receiver or your soundbar ( if it has one , or perhaps an LED index , or an on - filmdom exhibit ) . It should exhibit the sort of audio signaling it ’s presently sour with . If the exhibit does n’t specifically say “ Atmos ” or “ Dolby Atmos , ” then the odds are that you ’re not getting Atmos . ascertain the display is likely easy than line up up the good soundtrack for a rainfall or bounce sound check .
Some Atmos soundbars , like theSonos Arc , Bose Smart Soundbar 900 , andLG S95QR , will show you the audio signal within their various mobile apps for iOS and Android .
One more thing
We have one last troubleshooting trick up our sleeves for those of you who still ca n’t get Atmos to appear despite exhausting all the protocols mentioned above . television and streaming devices have unlike configurations for their digital audio recording outputs . Most of the metre , they ’re go down to “ auto ” by default , which is what you want .
But sometimes , they end up in PCM ( Pulse Code Modulation ) modality , which strips out Dolby Atmos metadata . Perhaps you have troubleshot your twist every way you know how and still ca n’t pick up Dolby Atmos . In that grammatical case , we recommend you navigate its mount to see if it ’s in PCM way . If it ’s set to PCM , change it to Auto or Bitstream .
There may also be more than one options computer menu . On the PlayStation 4 , if you want to play Blu - ray disk with Dolby Atmos , you demand to confirm thatboth the chief system audio preferences and the audio preferences for your Blu - ray discitself are set up to Bitstream . Not all setup are compatible with Dolby Atmos , so if this does n’t work either , you might have an incompatible system .
Achieving right Dolby Atmos requires a fleck of program and expert know - how on your part , but it ’s totally worth it . The result is a clearer , richer audio that outmatch 5.1 or 7.1 surround . We have created the diagram above to put up you with the proper guidelines to control that your Atmos setup go off without a hitch . Once you dial in your file , hardware , apps , and options , you should be able-bodied to achieve an impressive Dolby Atmos sound that ’s deserving all the endeavour .
