Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New AirPods Pro Firmware Introduces Spatial Audio Support and Automatic Switching

romaguyntx said:
I don't understand this either - have been googling all morning - why emulate sound coming from the screen?!?!?! Isn't that why I'm using headphones? This function description sounds different than the original description about spatial audio being more like surround.
Click to expand...
Because that’s how watching a movie in a theater works. When you turn your head, the speakers don’t move.

So if there’s a person on the left of the screen, and you are staring straight ahead, the sound comes in your left ear. But if you turn your head to look at the person on the left, with this feature now the sound comes into both your ears.

The way your brain works, this makes it feel much more immersive than normal headphone audio.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ersan191, oneteam, rumormiller and 4 others
fullfast said:
Tried both iPhone and iPad but nothing updates them, even tried removing from account, will leave over night and see
Click to expand...

One thing I tried seemed to help. Open case, go to control center on device, press AirPlay symbol and select the AirPods Pro as the output. Then close the case and wait a few minutes.

That way, it's not just that they know about each other, it's that they are actually (or were recently) connected.

Not saying it works for sure or not, but the update happened shortly after I did that.
 
Spatial sound doesn’t work on Apple TV what’s Apple thinking expect us to watch movies on tiny screen?
 
  • Like
Reactions: oneteam
Chrysaor said:
Spatial audio doesn't work in iPad Pro 10.5, or does it not work on iPads at all?
Click to expand...

According to Apple.com

Works with AirPods Pro. Requires iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, or iPhone SE (2nd generation).

Works with AirPods Pro. Requires iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation) and later, iPad Pro 11‑inch, iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (6th generation) and later, or iPad mini (5th generation).
 
Chrysaor said:
Spatial audio doesn't work in iPad Pro 10.5, or does it not work on iPads at all?
Click to expand...
it works on iPads. the way i understand it, it’s an Airpods feature so it should work on any device that can run iOS/iPadOS 14 including the Pro 10.5

EDIT: nevermind. go by the post above
 
Last edited:
Trying this today, it's a bit hit and miss, it's not some revelation to fantastic new audio, it's just a different presentation or effect, using same audio hardware (with same airpod pro harware limitations), so up to users to decide personal preference,

Testing on parts of different movies, some parts sound better and other's worse, the effect adds bass and revert (not an expert, just feeling), as well as positional audio, with most standout effect on spoken word. For film music, if that's an interest, which is for me, it is worse.

It's a cool effect for iPhone to play around with, I think I will leave off for Apple TV, but will try more, maybe it just something to get used to.

Just know (IMHO), Apple could have provided better audio option years before, for any headphones, but did not. Just try nPlayer, watch a movie in proper 5.1 dolby audio output (and make sure to turn off the awful 'Dolby Audio Processing' slider), just using that proper 5.1 track sounds so much better and open air feeling, compared to itunes movies (stressing, you need to run off the 'Dolby Audio Processing' slider).

All above just personal opinion, and I'm not an audio expert,
 
cmaier said:
Because that’s how watching a movie in a theater works. When you turn your head, the speakers don’t move.

So if there’s a person on the left of the screen, and you are staring straight ahead, the sound comes in your left ear. But if you turn your head to look at the person on the left, with this feature now the sound comes into both your ears.

The way your brain works, this makes it feel much more immersive than normal headphone audio.
Click to expand...
Hell, that's not just how audio works in a movie theater, that's how audio works in the real world.

I know some MR commenters are pretty detached from that.

Theoretical scenario: romaguyntx's mom walks up to him and starts yelling to get a job and move out of her basement. He turns his back on her and the audio signal should be coming from behind. If he climbs up the basement stairs to go to the kitchen to get another Diet Pepsi, the audio should appear to be behind him and below.

Clearly people like romaguyntx have not spent much time in the real world.
 
minik said:
Requires iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation) and later, iPad Pro 11‑inch, iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (6th generation) and later, or iPad mini (5th generation).
Click to expand...

Why would it work on iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (6th generation) and later, or iPad mini (5th generation), but not iPad Pro (2nd gen)? Is there any hardware missing or just Apple withholding features so people would buy latest devices?
 
I thought that you need 2 acoustic sources with different radiation directions per ear (different hardware set-up). Now Apple has realized it differently. I am very impressed. This is a sensation!
Independent of that, I am now waiting for 4 HomePods to produce an even better surround sound. That would be great for the home cinema.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back