Atmos Music

[one4]

I'm not a gamer either and use the X-Box primarily as a 4K blue ray player and media streamer. The Dolby Access app allows you to select the audio format you want to stream in. In addition to Atmos I can also select DTS or Dolby Digital. No other streaming device can do that. If I am watching Netflix and want to stream in DTS I just select it in the Dolby Access software. If I am watching youtube and want to stream in Dolby Digital, Atmos, whatever I just select it. Th fact that the X-Box has a browser built in doesn't limit me to needing an app. Any of the other streaming devices have a finite number of apps available. It is also a DLNA device. If I have music on my phone or a hard drive I can stream it straight to the home theater through the X-Box. If you are going to consider getting one there is a new version coming out after Thanksgiving that will have double the power. DTS will also be dropping a new app that will transcode content into the DTS-X format.

Xbox Finally Gets Long-Awaited Game-Changing Feature

Has the potential to make every game better.

www.forbes.com

Very interesting. In my opinion DTS blows Dolby away; always has; why anyone would opt for Dolby over DTS, including Atmos over DTS-X, is beyond me.

Does the X-box have a hard drive, or can one be connected to it? If it has a hard drive, can it be upgraded?

My Yammy does DLNA and that's how I'm currently playing my ripped CDs; over WiFi, and I get dropouts on occasion, so I want to hardwire connect. I've no interest in streaming from my iPhone.

 

[Peter Beckman]

I listen to Atmos music primarily through the X-Box so can't compare to the experience you had with the firestick. I wonder if the appletv or nvidia shield sound any better?

I have a 5.2.4 speaker setup where my in-ceiling speakers are set up using Dolby’s Atmos recommendation. This is different than Auro-3D recommendation for their height speakers. Do you think the Auro 3-D upmixer will outperform Dolby Atmos upmixer with my speaker layout? I have an Anthem MRX 720 receiver, which doesn’t support Auro, so I’d need to replace it with something like the Marantz SR 7013. However, that would mean losing ARC Genesis room correction and getting Auyssey XT32. I think the majority of folks prefer ARC.

Regarding the new X-Box coming in December, for non-gamers, do you know any updates that are worth waiting for?

 

[Michael Boeker]

I have both speaker layouts in my room, one for auro 3d and one for atmos. I think the auro 3d upmixer is different because it is channel based not object based.

There really is no such thing as an object based upmixer on a consumer receiver or audio processor. The Dolby Surround and DTS Neural:X upmixers know exactly what speakers you have based on your layout and upmix to those specific speakers. Upmixing to objects that map to speakers that don't exist in your room would be pointless.

 

[Michael Boeker]

Do you have any music on a computer? If so you can transcode ANY files into Atmos using this Dolby Access software:

I have that software. It only puts the two channel audio into an Atmos container and it is still decodes on the processor as two channel. You have to use the upmixer on your processor to change it. Note that when you pick your speakers in the control panel in Windows, you can't even pick any overhead speakers. The only time you get actual Dolby Atmos using that software is with the Netflix app and some games. It isn't used when bitstreaming an Atmos track from playback software like JRiver Media Center.

 

[Michael Boeker]

Certain content devices, such as Xbox One X/S and Apple TV 4K, come with a Dolby Atmos MAT (Metadata enhanced Audio Transmission) encoder, which is designed to encode, decode and incorporate Dolby Atmos metadata into lossless pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio, allowing listeners to experience Dolby Atmos even in PCM audio. When the processor receives the bitstream signal from the X-Box it recognizes as Atmos and displays it as Atmos and is output in my 7.1.4 speaker setup. I get the signal on any content I select as long as the software is set to bitstream Dolby Atmos.
Would you like to see a screen shot?

Why are you quoting Nakamichi's website and acting like it is your own statement?

You said, "Do you have any music on a computer? If so you can transcode ANY files into Atmos using this Dolby Access software:" I said the software does not re-encode anything as Atmos and just puts the two channels into the Dolby MAT container. That is true. Now you are switching to what the Xbox and Apple TV does regarding MAT.

Note that the codec isn't Dolby Atmos MAT, but just Dolby MAT. This is because Dolby MAT can be used for PCM, Dolby Digital+, and Atmos content. The codec can have multiple audio formats. You are right that the Xbox and Apple TV will send Dolby MAT with Atmos to a receiver. However, it is originally Atmos in the content and not being re-encoded somehow as Atmos.

Part of the confusion is how the processor states the audio format of the Dolby MAT codec being used:
Denon/Marantz will say Dolby Atmos or Dolby Digital
Yamaha will say Dolby Atmos or PCM
Trinnov Altitude will say Dolby TrueHD
StormAudio will say Dolby MAT with either Sample Rate and Channels (i.e. 48 kHz 7.1) or Atmos
Monoprice HTP-1 will say Dolby Atmos MAT

 

[Michael Boeker]

I have a 16 channel Atmos theater setup on my StormAudio ISP Mk2. Here are my screen shots that a stereo source is not "encoded" as Atmos. The headphone "Atmos" output capability doesn't really count since it is still just two channels.

 

[Michael Boeker]

Yes, I'm using HDMI. Otherwise I could get Dolby MAT to the processor.

Like I said, the Marantz will indicate Dolby Atmos for any Dolby MAT encoded content. The Xbox will also send blank channels to the processor with an Atmos encode. Your picture of the Marantz 7705 doesn't show whether you have upmixing on or not.

From Dolby regarding the XBox:

Thank you for reaching out to Dolby Atmos support!

We are truly sorry for any confusion our product description has incurred. While audio may be slightly upscaled, this does not convert non-Atmos audio to Atmos, nor does it transfer any incompatible audio to a higher quality.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Access application is only designed to be used with Dolby Atmos supported content at this time.

I thought you started this thread to discuss Dolby Atmos music - music that was recorded and mastered as Dolby Atmos. Upmixing is completely different and has been available for a while.

Regarding music mastered in Dolby Atmos, I recommend the Imagine Dragons Smoke and Mirrors Live Blu-ray and the 2L LUX Audio Blu-ray (7.1.4 Atmos and 11.1 Auro-3D).

 

[Peter Beckman]

The entire point of content encoded in Atmos is that it is OBJECT based. Upmixers are still channel based and it is like comparing mono vs stereo. Now if you don't like atmos movies chances are you won't like atmos music. However if you have already spent $$$ on an immersive home theater and do NOT have access to the atmos music streaming on amazon it seems like buying a car and not taking it out of the garage. Even if you don't like the music on tap TODAY they are dropping new albums all the time. If you already own a firestick 4K you should just try streaming some atmos content.

Dolby Atmos Music arrives on Amazon Music HD

If not:

Amazon.com: Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device with Alexa built in, Dolby Vision, includes Alexa Voice Remote, latest release: Amazon Devices

Amazon.com: Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device with Alexa built in, Dolby Vision, includes Alexa Voice Remote, latest release: Amazon Devices

www.amazon.com

So, I could plug the Fire TV 4K stick directly into my Anthem MRX720 receiver Andre stream Amazon Music HD including their 3D music? Any reason to bump up to the Fire TV 4 K Cube?

Edit, nevermind, I saw your answer that you haven’t really used the Fire stick to stream music. I’m thinking I‘ll wait for the next XBox at the end of the year. I wonder if Apple TV 4K would stream Amazon Music HD 3D? I also wonder if the Dolby Access app are available on any of these pieces.

 

[Peter Beckman]

I did use the firestick to stream music, it works but it lacks the "presence" that the X-Box has. It does stream Atmos music from Tidal and Amazon but is a little bit dry sounding on my system. Yes, the Apple 4K is listed as one of the compatible devices for atmos music, if you have one fire it up.

I had a Roku 4K that recently died on me. I’m trying to decide what

I did use the firestick to stream music, it works but it lacks the "presence" that the X-Box has. It does stream Atmos music from Tidal and Amazon but is a little bit dry sounding on my system. Yes, the Apple 4K is listed as one of the compatible devices for atmos music, if you have one fire it up.

My Roku Ultra died, so, I’m thinking of getting an Apple TV 4K. Other than the Apple TV + app, is there anything you can’t stream on your X Box One S compared to a Apple TV 4K? If not, maybe I should pull the trigger on one now. I was planning on looking at one in December when the new X Box launches.

 

[Sal1950]

I've only got a couple sources I trust for full immersive music and also suffer from a speaker arrangement done to Atmos spec which hurts Auro playback.
That said, I find my Kraftwerk 3-D Atmos Blu-Ray an exciting mix to listen to.
For Auro I have 2 Bernie Dresel BBB Blu-Rays coded in Auro and even having the incorrect overhead speaker layout the immersive experience is tremendous.
If you enjoy big band jazz, be sure to pick up Bernie's discs, he's been the drummer on Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band for the last 20 years. Great music and fantastic multich mixing.

https://www.berniedresel.com/

I don't trust the streaming sources to be delivering correctly coded Atmos or Auro but do wish I had more discs on the music shelf to enjoy either of the formats with. I'm hoping we have much more available in the near future. I find both formats awesome when correctly mixed..

 

[anjunadeep]

So I tried Atmos via Tidal on an nVidia Shield, and I'm underwhelmed. For one thing, I have to turn the volume up to like +5 for reasonable volume. I thought it was just me but I searched Google and a lot of other people are reporting the same problem.