One surround sound technology that can be heard in theatres, on home entertainment systems and even mobile devices is the technology originally created by Dolby Laboratories. But what is Dolby Atmos surround sound technology and is it worth it? This guide will provide a little more insight into the history, features and availability of Dolby Atmos providing an overview of the technology and its immersive audio experience.
Dolby Atmos is a sound technology that surpasses traditional channel-based systems. Unlike its predecessors, Atmos offers an object-oriented approach. This means it treats each sound element as an individual object rather than assigning it to a specific channel.
If you are looking to enhance your audio experience, Dolby Atmos can significantly contribute to that goal. It’s a preferred choice for home theatres, professional cinemas, and even some high-end headphones.
How does Dolby Atmos work?
1: Object-based sound
The heart of Dolby Atmos is its unique method of processing audio. Traditional surround sound systems distribute audio through channels, such as left, right, and center. On the other hand, Atmos assigns audio to a specific place in three-dimensional space.
2: Dynamic rendering
Dynamic rendering is another significant feature. Simply put, it ensures that sound comes from the most suitable speaker based on the speaker setup. Whether it’s a home theatre with a full set of Atmos-enabled speakers or a pair of headphones, dynamic rendering guarantees the best possible sound.
3: Scalability
Dolby Atmos is designed to scale to fit different environments and setups. It works just as well in a 32-speaker cinema as it does on a smartphone. This scalability ensures a high-quality sound experience across a wide range of devices.
Dolby has also made a demonstration available on its website allowing you to experience the surround sound audio for yourself.
Key features of Dolby Atmos
There are several reasons why Dolby Atmos stands out:
- Immersive sound: With Atmos, the audio moves around you in three-dimensional space. It’s not just about surround sound, but sound from above as well. This gives a much more realistic and immersive sound experience.
- Versatility: Dolby Atmos works on a wide range of devices, including home theatre systems, sound bars, TVs, smartphones, and even laptops.
- Enhanced details: Because Atmos treats each sound as a separate object, it can bring out more details and clarity, especially in complex soundtracks.
A brief history
Dolby Atmos was born out of Dolby Laboratories, a company with a rich history in enhancing audio experiences across various platforms. To fully understand the context of its development, let’s take a quick journey back in time.
The Origins of Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories was founded by Ray Dolby in London in 1965. It initially focused on developing noise reduction systems for audio recordings. Their first big innovation, Dolby A-type noise reduction, was quickly adopted by the music recording industry.
The Evolution of Dolby’s Sound Technology
Over the years, Dolby continued to evolve its sound technology. In the 70s and 80s, they introduced Dolby Stereo and Dolby Surround, systems that gave birth to multichannel audio in cinemas. Dolby Digital, launched in the 90s, brought about high-quality digital surround sound to theaters and eventually homes.
The Birth of Dolby Atmos
After decades of shaping the landscape of sound, Dolby announced Dolby Atmos in April 2012. Dolby Atmos was first installed in the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, for the premiere of the animated movie “Brave.” By the end of the year, more than 20 Atmos-equipped theaters were in operation worldwide.
Unlike previous channel-based sound systems, Dolby Atmos introduced the concept of object-based audio. In this setup, sound could be positioned and moved in three-dimensional space, offering a more immersive and realistic sound experience.
Dolby Atmos Today
Fast forward to today, Dolby Atmos has become the standard for immersive sound, used in everything from blockbuster movies to video games to music albums. Dolby Atmos has also found its way into home theaters, soundbars, smartphones, and headphones, enhancing the audio experience for consumers everywhere.
It’s fascinating to see how Dolby Atmos, stemming from a long lineage of audio innovations, has revolutionized the world of sound. The groundbreaking technology of Dolby Atmos has truly taken sound to new heights, and it continues to evolve and shape the future of audio.
For more information on the surround sound technology jump over to the official website where full specifications are available.
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