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MBA M1 Spatial Audio Issues

J

JDom1nator

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 23, 2021
7
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Just purchased a M1 Macbook Air to hopefully replace my aging iPad and Intel Macbook. One of the main reasons I wanted it is so I can get Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos running like on my iPad with my Airpods Max. So far getting limited success (Spatialize Stereo only) on most streaming services and wanted to see if this is normal behavior:
  • Apple TV App - works fine and able to receive Dolby Atmos/Spatial Audio
  • Safari - no matter what streaming service I try nothing is switching to Dolby Atmos it only does Spatialize Stereo. Tested Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max all with videos that do Atmos on my ipad .
  • HBO Max app - this app does work and enable Dolby Atmos but due to being an iPad app only shows 4:3 and doesn't take advantage of the bigger screen of my MBA
  • Apple Music - heard there is a bug where you need to download tracks, have not tested yet
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated or if I should just stick my iPad for now when streaming Spatial Audio enabled content.
 
Your issue is only with Safari it seems - and spatial audio only works in Safari for some websites.
 
Shame my thought was that Safari with Netflix would work. For example I can watch a movie via the Netflix app on my iPad in Spatial Audio. But no way to reproduce the Spatial audio experience on MBA for the same movie. Shame thought there would be more parity between M1 Mac and iPads.
 
It’s on the developers not apple. There’s probably a super low number of Netflix users who are watching on Safari that want this feature so they’re not prioritizing it.
 
Will agree with you on the devs side but here is another example. Supposedly Prime Video on MacOS support Spatial Audio but when testing the same movie Blade Runner 2049 on the ATV vs Prime Video app. I get Atmos on Apple TV app but the Prime Video only does spatialize stereo. Nothing besides HBO Max & Apple TV app currently switch to dolby atmos.
 
JDom1nator said:
Will agree with you on the devs side but here is another example. Supposedly Prime Video on MacOS support Spatial Audio but when testing the same movie Blade Runner 2049 on the ATV vs Prime Video app. I get Atmos on Apple TV app but the Prime Video only does spatialize stereo. Nothing besides HBO Max & Apple TV app currently switch to dolby atmos.
Click to expand...
When you say spatialized stereo - you mean you hear a 2.1 stereo imaging as opppsed to 5.1 or 7.1?

The material needs to have a 5.1 or 7.1 mix for this effect to work, and the app or website you use need to also support this, and you also need to make sure it’s correctly setup in the app or website’s settings. Then the developer needs to support it on whatever medium you are using (app vs web browser)

So just because it works in one doesn’t mean it’ll work on the other. There’s tons of variables.

This is one reason why apple has Apple Music, Apple TV, and TV+ because customers know that these platforms at least are supported. Everything else is on developers/content producers.
 
Jorbanead said:
When you say spatialized stereo - you mean you hear a 2.1 stereo imaging as opppsed to 5.1 or 7.1?

The material needs to have a 5.1 or 7.1 mix for this effect to work, and the app or website you use need to also support this, and you also need to make sure it’s correctly setup in the app or website’s settings. Then the developer needs to support it on whatever medium you are using (app vs web browser)

So just because it works in one doesn’t mean it’ll work on the other. There’s tons of variables.

This is one reason why apple has Apple Music, Apple TV, and TV+ because customers know that these platforms at least are supported. Everything else is on developers/content producers.
Click to expand...
All I am trying to see is if anyone on this forum is able to get Spatial Audio working on anything besides Apple TV App on their M1 Mac? So I can validate if its an issue on my end or just the software. I appreciate you explaining to me how it works, but I get that part.

The Prime Video app says it supports Spatial Audio on MacOS yet I can not get it to work on any content that is verified working on an iPad. Ditto for Safari.

If anyone has successfully seen Atmos/Spatial Audio enabled on Safari or Prime Video, I like to hear about it.
 
JDom1nator said:
Shame my thought was that Safari with Netflix would work. For example I can watch a movie via the Netflix app on my iPad in Spatial Audio. But no way to reproduce the Spatial audio experience on MBA for the same movie. Shame thought there would be more parity between M1 Mac and iPads.
Click to expand...
I just watched the entire Netflix Witcher season 2 with spatial stereo and AP Pro. Worked just fine in safari.
 
kgeier82 said:
I just watched the entire Netflix Witcher season 2 with spatial stereo and AP Pro. Worked just fine in safari.
Click to expand...
Have you tried watching it via an iPad or iPhone with your AP Pro? Wonder if you get Atmos/Spatial Audio on the iOS and get spatial "stereo" on your Mac.
 
I experienced "spatial audio" on my M1 Air with AirPods Pro in safari with Youtube.

I do not utilize/use spatial audio and immediately turned it off.

it did/does work for me.

I don't use dolby atmos either so no experience/use for me FWIW
 
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BreakYurAnkles said:
I experienced "spatial audio" on my M1 Air with AirPods Pro in safari with Youtube.

I do not utilize/use spatial audio and immediately turned it off.

it did/does work for me.

I don't use dolby atmos either so no experience/use for me FWIW
Click to expand...
Mind sharing what specific video you used? I just tried some youtube videos that claim Atmos and only get Stereo. See screenshot.
1640491386612.png
 
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