More Than Half of Apple Music Listeners Using Spatial Audio, Says Apple Exec

[H2SO4]

At least you can turn it off and hear the music as it was intended.

I always struggle to get my head around that phrase, “hear the music as it was intended”.
First time I heard it was probably 20 years ago when I was heavily into CD players, record decks etc. I went into a shop looking for a graphic equaliser and that was the line the salesman spun me.
Thing is the composer didn’t compose, record or mix whatever track it was in my bedroom, car, living room or anywhere else that I owned.
I was never going to hear it as intended, but only ever as I wanted it.

 

[boss.king]

I've tried spatial audio briefly a few times now for music and it seems really hit or miss. Most of what I listen to will likely never be re-mixed/mastered (or whatever the word is) and so I can't see this being something I'd ever leave on.

 

[Wildkraut]

That is like being shocked that the pizza place knows how many times you've ordered pizza with or without peperoni.

I don't order pizzas ?, nor they would know if I'm buying the pizza for me or for somebody else.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

there are many mixes that say they’re made for it but it’s clearly just some audio algorithm template or something they’ve run it through.

this is false, they actually have to remix the music straight from the multi tracks into Dolby Atmos surround.
If you play any of the Spatial Audio Mixes on an Apple TV hooked up to an actual Atmos surround system, you can tell that it was actually mixed for that format.
This is nothing new, bands, especially legacy bands, have been including new stereo mixes of old mono recordings, 5.1 surround mixes, and now Atmos in there album box sets and such.
An engineer actually has to go back to the original tapes and mix from those into surround, this isn’t some automated process.
Now, given that Atmos is a newer format, a lot of engineers haven’t quite got the hang of it yet in my opinion, just like when stereo audio was introduced.
But there is some stuff that sounds absolutely fantastic, and shows how cool it can actually be

 

[macar00n]

I couldn't turn this off fast enough on my AirPod Pros paired with my Mac. Why does it need to sound like the sound from the video I'm watching is coming from the monitor when I turn my head away for a second? It feels and sounds weird. Another feature most (not all) people never asked for, don't want, or don't care about at the apparent expense of the overall quality of the software.

 

[w5jck]

I have yet to hear even one so-called Spatial Audio song on Apple Music that truly has 3D sound. Maybe if they ever get it to work I will be impressed, but at the current time it is a big meh....

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I always struggle to get my head around that phrase, “hear the music as it was intended”.
First time I heard it was probably 20 years ago when I was heavily into CD players, record decks etc. I went into a shop looking for a graphic equaliser and that was the line the salesman spun me.
Thing is the composer didn’t compose, record or mix whatever track it was in my bedroom, car, living room or anywhere else that I owned.
I was never going to hear it as intended, but only ever as I wanted it.

I’ve always just found it to be such a gatekeepy thing to say.
Might as well say “you’re listening to it wrong, The only correct way to listen to it is the way that I listen to it.”
As long as it’s the actual original performances, then it’s basically the exact way the artist wanted you to hear it.
The only time I think it crosses into “this isn’t what was intended” territory is when they do things like overdub Orchestra‘s and stuff on top of old recordings, that’s the stuff that irritates me. But that’s not what this is

 

[JCCL]

I’ve always just found it to be such a gatekeepy thing to say.
Might as well say “you’re listening to it wrong, The only correct way to listen to it is the way that I listen to it.”
As long as it’s the actual original performances, then it’s basically the exact way the artist wanted you to hear it.
The only time I think it crosses into “this isn’t what was intended” territory is when they do things like overdub Orchestra‘s and stuff on top of old recordings, that’s the stuff that irritates me. But that’s not what this is

For Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio mixes, I think this might be more applicable than in other cases. Usually, many artists are heavily engaged with the producers, mixers and audio engineers in the recording and mixing process, and have a say in the sound, overlooking the whole process.

In this case, I doubt that the original artists are involved at all, and even the production team might not be the same, it is probably just outsourced to a third party that creates the mix for them.

 

[RedDeliciousPinkLady]

...music is made for left and right stereo not virtual sound

 

[jicon]

I continue to not be impressed with it, but maybe its a perspective thing. If I listen to an album even a few times, I think I know where I should expect a note to come from. Maybe that's a different game if I've heard the spatial material first before going back to two speakers... I imagine this whole argument was made from going from mono to stereo sound in the 60s...
Some twenty years ago now I got a SACD player, a Nine Inch Nails SACD AC3 mixed in 5.1, and... felt most of the notes I knew again, faded in the background.

 

[MauiPa]

Hmm spying on customers...

That is a stretch. It couldn't possible be that a company has to monitor it's delivery of lossless and Dolby Atmos tracks. But then again, some people will claim that is spying.

 

[MauiPa]

Come on Apple how about making an HomePod system like Sonos, we don't always want to listen to music and video with headphones.

and yet Sonos makes airplay 2 speakers, yah? I will check on that. Oh, they do

 

[l3it3r]

It sounds great! Not only in AirPods 3/Pro/Max, but on full surround sound setups too. I have a dedicated theater room w/7.2.4 discrete speakers (5050UB on 135", X6500H, 4 in-ceiling, 7 on the floor, 2 subs) and a Sony HT-A9 w/SW5 in my family room and the Spatial audio music is a very regular listening experience in both spaces. It really does sound fantastic.

 

[tennisproha]

I really hate bluetooth. The "profiles" are so stupid and feel like a way to gatekeep. My car has bluetooth but because it's not loaded with the right profiles, I can't stream music. Only works for phone calls... Beyond idiotic.

Really time to move past it, like we did with Flash.

 

[0920730]

I have an Atmos system at home that I listen to most of the spatial audio songs. It sounds immensely different with a full surround setup rather than headphones.
And for those saying this isn't how a music track was 'intended' to be heard...the producers are the ones mixing the audio.
I also agree that some songs sound insanely amazing while the next could be very blah. Like most are saying, it's hit and miss.
My only real complaint is the labeling. There's really no way to tell if a track is Atmos until you play it. A song on one album is Atmos, the same song on another album isn't. Or you'll get an album that is all Atmos, except one track - then the album doesn't have the Atmos label. It's dumb to decipher and track down Atmos songs. They need a search filter!

 

[anthogag]

I can notice lossless. When many instruments play together and it gets louder it is noticeable. Non-lossless quality can sound less defined with less timbre and differentiation between instruments. It is like the difference between a 4K video and 1080p.

I use the lightning to 3.5mm cable to connect my AirPods Max for lossless playback. The DAC in my iPhone 13 Pro Max could be better. Spatial Audio is not available when I use the cord with the AirPods Max.

"Sound Check" turned on (in Settings) makes lossless playback better. Is Sound Check just for realtime loudness adjustment?

 

[sjsharksfan12]

I still don't understand it, or can't use it with the devices I have. For example, I have an android phone, Galaxy Buds live (Which the noise cancellation is kind of not noticeable) and an original homepod. I can't hear the difference between regular or lossless or spatial at all. Maybe I'm just ignorant on what I'm supposed to be hearing.

 

[harync]

I'm guessing most of the people complaining about Spatial Audio are listening on headphones. When these Dolby Atmos or Dolby Audio mixes are mixed by engineers, they are intended to be heard in home systems with at least 5 speakers (5.1) or 7 speakers (5.1.2). Spatial Audio on headphones is a gimmick (at least at this point). While the inventiveness of the mixes is hit or miss, there some great ones out there. If you want to hear a crazy "sound everywhere" mix, try Yello's "Point."

 

[JeffPerrin]

I'm guessing most of the people complaining about Spatial Audio are listening on headphones. When these Dolby Atmos or Dolby Audio mixes are mixed by engineers, they are intended to be heard in home systems with at least 5 speakers (5.1) or 7 speakers (5.1.2).

The issue is that with spatial audio, Apple performs their own "secret sauce" rendering of the original Atmos mix in AirPods, which is distinctly different than what engineers are hearing in the Dolby Renderer's headphone mix when creating Atmos Music. Most mixers are definitely are mixing Atmos for headphones, but they don't have the proper tools yet for monitoring Apple's spatial audio.

 

[harync]

The issue is that with spatial audio, Apple performs their own "secret sauce" rendering of the original Atmos mix in AirPods, which is distinctly different than what engineers are hearing in the Dolby Renderer's headphone mix when creating Atmos Music. Most mixers are definitely are mixing Atmos for headphones, but they don't have the proper tools yet for Spatial Audio. (Worse yet, Apple didn't tell anyone spatial audio would sound different than an Atmos headphones mix!)

I've only ever listened through AppleTV with a home 5.1.4 Atmos system, and that sounds great. Some of the most well-known Atmos mixers (Steve Genewick, Greg Penny, etc) are definitely mixing for speakers (not sure if they are separately mixing for headphones).

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

For Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio mixes, I think this might be more applicable than in other cases. Usually, many artists are heavily engaged with the producers, mixers and audio engineers in the recording and mixing process, and have a say in the sound, overlooking the whole process.

In this case, I doubt that the original artists are involved at all, and even the production team might not be the same, it is probably just outsourced to a third party that creates the mix for them.

I think it’s on an artist by artist bases.
Giles Martin, who has done all of the Beatles Remixing for about the past decade now, also does the Atmos mixing, and does get approval from all of the living members of The Beatles, and The estates of the deceased members.
Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a similar set up for the rest of The artists.
Whoever owns the recordings definitely has a say in what happens to them though

 

[JeffPerrin]

I've only ever listened through AppleTV with a home 5.1.4 Atmos system, and that sounds great. Some of the most well-known Atmos mixers (Steve Genewick, Greg Penny, etc) are definitely mixing for speakers (not sure if they are separately mixing for headphones).

I've been doing a deep-dive into interviews lately, and most engineers mixing music for Atmos are indeed aware that something like >80% of listening will happen on headphones. Speakers sound best (of course!), but a good engineer will make changes to the overall mix if things don't translate well to mix downs or headphone listening.

Of course, I'm also hearing that in the stampede for labels to release material in time for Apple Music probably meant the process did get rushed on quite a few titles...

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The issue is that with spatial audio, Apple performs their own "secret sauce" rendering of the original Atmos mix in AirPods, which is distinctly different than what engineers are hearing in the Dolby Renderer's headphone mix when creating Atmos Music. Most mixers are definitely are mixing Atmos for headphones, but they don't have the proper tools yet for monitoring Apple's spatial audio.

This is false, the spatial audio on AirPods is just Atmos.
You can turn it on for all headphones in the settings and get the same results.
The only thing that’s exclusive to AirPods is the headtracking Feature, which, at least in my opinion, should not be used for music.
Outside of Head tracking, a Dolby Atmos Track played in AirPods is the exact same as a Dolby Atmos Track played in any other dolby compatible headphones, no Secret apple sauce

 

[JeffPerrin]

This is false, the spatial audio on AirPods is just Atmos.

Nope.

Why Your Atmos Mix Will Sound Different On Apple Music | Production Expert

In this article Edgar Rothermich gives a detailed explanation of the differences between Dolby Atmos and Apple’s Spatial Audio and all the steps you have to take to audition a Spatial Audio rendering of your Atmos mix!

www.pro-tools-expert.com

 

[Unregistered 4U]

At least you can turn it off and hear the music as it was intended.

If you’re listening to a track mixed for Spatial Audio with Spatial Audio turned off, then you’re not hearing it as it was intended.