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

[DEMinSoCAL]

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.

Doesn't the new Apple TV 4K say it does Dolby Atmos? Wouldn't that work with compatible Apple wireless headphones?

 

[Spaceboy88]

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

Spatial Audio works by by comparing the data from your iOS device's gyroscope and accelerometer against the data from your ‌AirPods‌ Pro or ‌AirPods Max‌, ensuring that the sound field stays anchored to the device, even if you move your head. So this will be an Apple Exclusive, however the Dolby Atmos should work with non-Apple headphones.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

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.

So any (good) wired headphones connected to a Mac Mini, for example, would work the same as buying AirPods Max?

 

[MauiPa]

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

I guess that depends if the Sony headphones use the correct codecs for the transmission. It is doubtful that Sony will update (I'm not sure that they can), so if the transmission is in a new format - nah

 

[vladi]

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

If you wire it to a dongle it should unless Apple has disabled this ability on purpose, after all this is Apple we are talking about. If you want to use it wirelessly then the answer is let's wait and see. 1000X doesn't have a decoding option for Dolby Atmos but iOS could bounce audio signal after it goes through Dolby Atmos for some surround experience. Like I said this is Apple so let's wait and see.

 

[MauiPa]

Bluetooth doesn’t support ALAC.

But it could apparently so depends on the codecs:

Does Bluetooth 5.0 support FLAC?
In fact, with 2 Mbits per second, Bluetooth 5 can theoretically transmit CD-quality PCM stream in stereo, which requires 1.5 Mbps for uncompressed formats or 0.8 to 0.9 Mbps with lossless compression (FLAC or ALAC files, for example).Jan 4, 2017

 

[kenni417]

i think i’m missing something here. does this mean the 2nd gen airpods with h1 is also getting spatial audio?

 

[vladi]

So any (good) wired headphones connected to a Mac Mini, for example, would work the same as buying AirPods Max?

It should, any Dolby Atmos enabled gadget I've tried so far works flawlessly with wired headphones. The question is what will Apple do, they could easily disable it in order to sell you their headphones.

 

[Vangeli]

They need to clarify the differences better. Any stereo hardware can play simulated Atmos in a fixed field (like Macs, iPhone speakers, etc.) while some specific hardware like the AirPods Pro can create an actual 3D sphere where your movement is tracked and you can face specific sounds in the space. Both can be “Atmos” but one will be more immersive.

 

[jtinch]

Hoping my brand new Sonos Arc soundbar will support lossless and Atmos from my iPhone 12

 

[vladi]

They need to clarify the differences better. Any stereo hardware can play simulated Atmos in a fixed field (like Macs, iPhone speakers, etc.) while some specific hardware like the AirPods Pro can create an actual 3D sphere where your movement is tracked and you can face specific sounds in the space. Both can be “Atmos” but one will be more immersive.

I'm not sure that would work for music unless they want an arena live act effect. Because if you turn your head to the right everything that was on a side now is projected behind and in front of your head. That would be just weird.

 

[ppj845]

Time to bring back earphone jack for lossless

 

[Vangeli]

I'm not sure that would work for music unless they want an arena live act effect. Because if you turn your head to the right everything that was on a side now is projected behind and in front of your head. That would be just weird.

It all depends on how artists/engineers want to mix their music.

That said, concerts with Atmos? I want that to happen. Being able to face the crowd and have such a more immersive atmosphere would be amazing.

 

[MauiPa]

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.

I didn't lose my library. there is (was) iTunes Match or something like that where you could upgrade your own library to a better format, then redownload. Honestly, I never heard anyone bitch about losing their library, but if you are worried just back it up first. You can change Apple Music to point to the media folder that you select. you can also import your old library into the new one. Just saying, your concern is not a thing

 

[MauiPa]

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.

it is already on AppleTV, I use it with my HomePods (they are so fantastic, sorry to hear they were discontinued). Of course not all the streaming services support it yet (lame, hire some programmers!), and this is for the Apple Music support:

All 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,8 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,9 or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.

See AppleTV specifically mentioned, there are lots of other references for Atmos for movies.

 

[Poontaco]

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)

Nope. Lossless just means CD quality sound.
Atmos means surround sound music.

 

[Ultimateomega]

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

Always funny seeing people finding ways to be negative about a feature that is no additional cost to the consumer….

I have a Sonos surround sound system. Sonos Arc Sound bar which has 2 atmos height speakers built in, 2x Sonos One’s for rear surrounds and the Sonos sub. All with eARC for uncompressed hi-res Dolby Atmos. And it actually does well in representing the ‘height’ for me in my flat with a small living room. YMMV depending on your space of course.

Obviously it wont match physical speakers built in to the roof but dismissing it as a joke obviously means you’ve not actually heard some of the newer sound bars that have released.

At least you get the choice to just not use the feature. Everyone else that would like to can try it and enjoy it!

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

So Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos are referring to the same thing?

 

[tennisproha]

I thought Airpods 2 didn’t support Spatial Audio because of a hardware limitation?

 

[tennisproha]

So Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos are referring to the same thing?

From what I understand Spatial Audio is Apple’s term for what Dolby Atmos does organically.

 

[Azzin]

Time to bring back earphone jack for lossless

What’s the difference in plugging wired headphones directly into the phone and plugging them into the supplied Lightning to 3.5mm jack?

 

[Syk]

I just want my AppleTV to support Dolby Atmos on my airpod pros while watching movies...
Maybe I've missed a setting...Wouldn't be the first time haha

 

[l3it3r]

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."

This makes me very happy! I've downloaded a few Atmos mixed tracks from independent artists and also have the Hans Zimmer Prague concert Blu-ray which I love listening to in my 7.2.4 Atmos theater room, and I am very excited to see how this holds up.

 

[Puiz]

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

Not entirely a joke. News flash: we have only two ears, and they cannot actually differentiate between sound coming from the front or the back, above or below: all they know is left or right. The way humans perceive the direction of sound is by the brain interpreting various subtle changes that come from things like sound bouncing off our shoulders (thus coming from behind), and a lot of these can be simulated via technology today. Just go to the Dolby Atmos site and listen to their demo on a normal stereo system: you will be quite amazed.

 

[Puiz]

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 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

When Apple says “HomePod,” do they mean the device that they just discontinued shortly after adding Atmos support, or the brand-new HomePod mini that has not yet been known to have any support for Atmos? Geez, Apple.