Apple Music Dolby Atmos Compatible With All AirPods Models and Other Headphones

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that starting in June, Apple Music subscribers will have access to higher quality Lossless audio streaming, as well as Dolby Atmos, which replicates an immersive audio experience.

Despite Spatial Audio for movies and TV shows being only available on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, Dolby Atmos for Apple Music, which Apple describes as creating an "immersive audio format that enables musicians to mix music so it sounds like the instruments are all around you in space" will be compatible with all AirPods models as well as other headphones.

Apple says that Dolby Atmos will automatically be enabled for songs that support it with all AirPods and BeatsX, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Beats Studio3, Powerbeats3 Wireless, Beats Flex, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro headphones. Users using other branded headphones will need to enable it manually.

Apple Music subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV7 can listen to thousands of Dolby Atmos music tracks using any headphones. When you listen with compatible Apple or Beats headphones, Dolby Atmos music plays back automatically when available for a song. For other headphones, go to Settings > Music > Audio and set Dolby Atmos to Always On. You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.

Apple says that thousands of songs will support both lossless and Dolby Atmos audio at launch, with new songs being added "regularly."

Article Link: Apple Music Dolby Atmos Compatible With All AirPods Models and Other Headphones

 

[DSquiz]

Is this only for headphones or will it work if you have a Dolby Atmos surround sound system?

Edit: Looks like I missed the article answering my question (and now I'm even more excited):
"You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver."

 

[Braderunner]

Can't wait to listen on the Apple TV!

 

[tomtad]

New AirPods with support for 3D spacial audio incoming!

 

[Luke2kk]

Could someone explain this to me?

Will I get an "Dolby Atmos-like" experience even when I only have a 2.0 stereo setup (using with my apple tv4k) ?

 

[podycust]

that's strange my beats Powerbeats the ones with H1 chip aren't listed - I guess just a typo

 

[aberamati]

Lossless Audio won’t work with AirPods, though.

 

[DSquiz]

Could someone explain this to me?

Will I get an "Dolby Atmos-like" experience even when I only have a 2.0 stereo setup (using with my apple tv4k) ?

Atmos is an enhanced form of surround sound where you don't just have back channels but "height" also. This is created with speakers above you or upfiring speakers (speakers that point upwards and bounce sound off the ceiling). For AppleTV you need a specific receiver with a 7 or 9 speaker setup.

Atmos can also be created using headphones designed for it (AirPods Pro and Max etc).

 

[vladi]

Could someone explain this to me?

Will I get an "Dolby Atmos-like" experience even when I only have a 2.0 stereo setup (using with my apple tv4k) ?

Yes, it's a software EQ that makes virtual surround and outputs it as stereo to put it in the simplest way possible. Dolby Atmos has been available on some Android phones and portable music players for a while now. Nothing impressive if you ask me but ok at least it gives you a choice.

EDIT: Oh you said speakers, I read headphones. There are some Dolby Atmos/DTS phantom soundbars that will work about 50% as the true 7.1 setups. Regarding the headphones, you don't need any special headphones as the previous poster has said, any wired will work. When it comes to the wireless situation is a bit different, wireless needs to have the decoder inside the firmware.

 

[photogpab]

would the spatial audio work with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones?

 

[RedTheReader]

Apple says that Dolby Atmos will automatically be enabled for songs that support it with all AirPods and… Users using other branded headphones will need to enable it manually.

That’s fine, as long as it can be enabled. It would be a real shame if the higher quality audio formats couldn’t be played on gear that could actually pick up on the extra detail.

 

[yegon]

Can't wait to listen on the Apple TV!

Do you mean Apple TV 4K via headphones/AirPods? Unfortunately it won’t be via headphones (eg AirPods Max) judging by this, just via speakers, like existing Dolby Atmos support for tv & movies. I really want spatial audio support via ATV4K (old or new) with AirPods Max, I use them a lot in the wee hours when the world (and my neighbours chiefly!) sleep.


“You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.”

 

[luigi408]

Does Dolby Atmos = Lossless (ALAC) though? Or is that two different things? A bit confusing.

I wonder about support for other wireless Bluetooth headphones. Which ones will support ALAC through Bluetooth (such as Sony xm4)

 

[easy4lif]

Supporting all AirPod models means firmware update possible.

 

[chickenninja]

Is there still a risk of loosing your iTunes library when you sign up for Apple Music? I feel that never got cleared up. Would be nice to see where things are at with that.

 

[alexjholland]

Do you mean Apple TV 4K via headphones/AirPods? Unfortunately it won’t be via headphones (eg AirPods Max) judging by this, just via speakers, like existing Dolby Atmos support for tv & movies. I really want spatial audio support via ATV4K (old or new) with AirPods Max, I use them a lot in the wee hours when the world (and my neighbours chiefly!) sleep.


“You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.”

I have zero interest in spatial audio for films via headphones until it's available on Apple TV.

Watching films on a phone or tablet is nothing like a big screen.

 

[aberamati]

Does Dolby Atmos = Lossless (ALAC) though? Or is that two different things? A bit confusing.

I wonder about support for other wireless Bluetooth headphones. Which ones will support ALAC through Bluetooth (such as Sony xm4)

Bluetooth doesn’t support ALAC.

 

[Scipster]

Where's the HomePod Mini love 😢

 

[ksgant]

Will that atmos thing work while listening to your Airpods Pro with your AppleTV? Right now, you don't get the "surround" effect with it, only on tiny screen iPhones and iPads. I want to use it on my big screen in the living room.

 

[Chiromac81]

This is such a joke-
First of all Dolby atmos is meant for surround sound systems with multiple speakers above and around NOT for soundbars and headphones-yes, they are on it-only because there is licensing and sales money to be made. But otherwise this is a poor mans atmos and is just marketing

secondly-the area spatial audio would matter most is for the Apple TV-NOT Apple music

Bring to the Apple TV and stop with this other filler

 

[Braderunner]

Do you mean Apple TV 4K via headphones/AirPods? Unfortunately it won’t be via headphones (eg AirPods Max) judging by this, just via speakers, like existing Dolby Atmos support for tv & movies. I really want spatial audio support via ATV4K (old or new) with AirPods Max, I use them a lot in the wee hours when the world (and my neighbours chiefly!) sleep.


“You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.”

Connected to an avr with Atmos.

 

[apparatchik]

Bluetooth doesn’t support ALAC.

I think it does, bt 5?

 

[BadMelonFarmer]

would the spatial audio work with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones?

Interested in this too. AirPods Max are not for me.

Although, thinking about it…. I doubt it as the XM4’s use Sony’s “360 Reality Audio” and not Dolby Atmos.

 

[Razorpit]

This is such a joke-
First of all Dolby atmos is meant for surround sound systems with multiple speakers above and around NOT for soundbars and headphones-yes, they are on it-only because there is licensing and sales money to be made. But otherwise this is a poor mans atmos and is just marketing

secondly-the area spatial audio would matter most is for the Apple TV-NOT Apple music

Bring to the Apple TV and stop with this other filler

Thank you. I haven’t been keeping up with this all like I use to, i.e. before kids, and none of this current discussion is making sense. I thought I was missing something.

 

[Superhai]

Does Dolby Atmos = Lossless (ALAC) though? Or is that two different things? A bit confusing.

I wonder about support for other wireless Bluetooth headphones. Which ones will support ALAC through Bluetooth (such as Sony xm4)

Dolby Atmos is a surround sound format. It can be lossless or lossy.

ALAC or any other lossless format means just that the sound is stored in format where information is same as before encoding. It supports from mono up to 8 channels.

So yes they are completely different things.