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Apple Announces Spatial Audio Support for Five Mercedes-Benz Vehicles

entropys said:
I don’t think I would want the driver to be playing around with spatial audio while driving.

Then realises this feature is for the people in the back driven by the chauffeur.
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A lot of people seem to be discussing spatial audio as if it's only head tracking.

I think in this context it is that spatial audio = dolby atmos = surround sound audio.

The feature here is that you will get the proper dolby atmos 7.1 channels (or whatever it is) from your upgraded sound system using Apple Music. Not that it will track the drivers head position in the car...
 
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appleguy123 said:
Did you see this advancement this week? The article makes it seem like it’s a big deal but this isn’t my field. https://news.ohsu.edu/2022/10/12/ohsu-scientists-discover-mechanism-of-hearing
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Wow, no – that particular discovery I didn't know about. Thanks for sharing! :) Yes, that definitely is a big deal. There is a lot of research going and hopefully it won't take too long until we have a cure. Hopefully for tinnitus too.

Until then I and many others will be in the twilight zone I'm afraid. :(
 
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I think stereo audio is probably distracting enough for people who are supposed to be driving!
 
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ChrisFromNEPA said:
A lot of people seem to be discussing spatial audio as if it's only head tracking.

I think in this context it is that spatial audio = dolby atmos = surround sound audio.

The feature here is that you will get the proper dolby atmos 7.1 channels (or whatever it is) from your upgraded sound system using Apple Music. Not that it will track the drivers head position in the car...
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probably. I know that's what I thought.

But I still think the list of people who care about this "story" is contender for shortest list of the year. Maybe decade.
 
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In headphone (Airpod, etc.), stereo or 2.1 implementation, Spatial Audio is basically licensed Dolby Atmos and thus just a 'virtual' surround sound using audio processing algorithm(s). Mercedes may be implementing true 7.1 so it wouldn't be 'virtual'.

However, manipulating an audio bitstream using timecode alignment or a binaural renderer does not necessarily make music sound better or represent the artists' intentions. It will sound different, and may sound more pleasing to some. To many, surround sound sounds less pleasing, or worse.

But Apple marketing try to make Spatial Audio out to be some new revelation in music reproduction that renders other recordings obsolete. Which is just complete nonsense
 
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Am I the only one too dumb to hear the difference in music quality? I even tried 360 Reality Audio or Dolby Atmos with my optimized Sony WF-1000XM4 on Tidal and it all just sounds like the usual 320 kbs audio tracks to me 🤷🏼‍♂️ people on YouTube are always raving about it and how it makes them feel like they are standing at a concert venue listening to their music that way and I am like WHERE?! What am I missing?
 
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lostfezil said:
With drivers killing greater and greater numbers of people every year, I'd prefer it if Spatial Audio was used with microphones outside the car to give the driver a greater awareness of what's around them.
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So are you also saying manufacturers shouldn’t try to make car cabins quiet anymore? Seems like outside mics would negate any sound proofing, and so would only make both features a waste of money, compared to just not making the cabin sound proof in the first place.
 
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chewbaka said:
I think stereo audio is probably distracting enough for people who are supposed to be driving!
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Mono audio is worse as it's directed to the center and our ears are on the side. In fact, all audio is dangerous and should be banned in cars, including talking.
 
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red elma said:
"Together with Mercedes-Benz, we now have even more opportunities to bring wholly immersive music to our subscribers all over the world."

Rather...Bring it to only the elite rich subscribers all over the world....
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burgman said:
Never been called an elite rich subscriber before, gives me me a warm tingly feeling for all the hard work I put in.
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BobSc said:
I'm curious as to why you have such animosity to MB owners and people who have a good job and some money. This kind of comment is so absurd and very telling.
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It is a pun intended for the statement Apple makes... as you can not "bring wholly immersive music to our subscribers all over the world" with vehicles that costs well over $100K with all the audio system modifications to support "spatial audio"...
So at this point only the privileged few will benefit from it...
 
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contacos said:
Am I the only one too dumb to hear the difference in music quality? I even tried 360 Reality Audio or Dolby Atmos with my optimized Sony WF-1000XM4 on Tidal and it all just sounds like the usual 320 kbs audio tracks to me 🤷🏼‍♂️ people on YouTube are always raving about it and how it makes them feel like they are standing at a concert venue listening to their music that way and I am like WHERE?! What am I missing?
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I’ve disabled Spatial Audio.
I can hear the difference but i don’t like it, I prefer classic stereo, except if it’s a well made movie running over my Klipsch 7.2 Sound System.
 
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red elma said:
It is a pun intended for the statement Apple makes... as you can not "bring wholly immersive music to our subscribers all over the world" with vehicles that costs well over $100K with all the audio system modifications to support "spatial audio"...
So at this point only the privileged few will benefit from it...
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Honestly I don't know why Apple didn't just make a Music System that's easy to put in a vehicle. Makes more sense and sells more compared to putting it on a car that 99.99999% of people will never purchase or afford.
 
azpekt said:
No, it is not. It's just a stupid stereo base enhancer, wrapped in shiny iPaper and sold as something on par with mono vs stereo.
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yes, if you hear it in 2.0 system, but it's 7.1

Spatial audio recordings sounds in 2.0 system better than most stereo recordings (which often sound like two-channel mono).

/*I didn't mention that I don't listen to music with conventional electronic store equipment. I are using UMC1820 + S-DJ60X*/
 
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I have never seen larger monitorings than 5.1
Logic provide 7.1.4 montoring, but I haven't seen anyone using it.
Most work with two channels. a few use 5.1

Spatial audio is only for headphones that have a position sensor. if with normal headphones, the sound panorama turns with you when you turn your head. Then with headphones with spatial audio, the sound panorama stays in place. you yourself will turn your head inside the sound panorama.
 
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This sounds like it could be dangerous in the car. I really don’t want to be near someone that’s hearing things coming from multiple directions on the highway.
 
burgman said:
Never been called an elite rich subscriber before, gives me me a warm tingly feeling for all the hard work I put in.
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Agree. Can't understand the vitriol here. True Atmos sound requires a good audio system, which most average consumer cars don't have. My S580 has 31 speakers and puts out 1750 watts in a sound-proofed cabin. I don't understand why anybody would want this with an average car speaker system. It's not going to improve the sound.

You can't equate this to what Apple has rolled out in their other consumer products. The "spatial audio" in AirPods Pro and Max is nonsense when compared to a dedicated surround speaker system. I've disabled it in all of my AirPod products.
 
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Meanwhile Elon thinks a higher bluetooth bitrate will fix all the integration issue Tesla has and still didn't hear about Apple Music Invention..
 
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