It’s too bad the Sonos Era 100 doesn’t have spatial audio. I guess spending $50 more or waiting for Black Friday/Amazon discounts on the HomePod 2 ($249?) makes more sense.
I guess I'm in that "10%" as I'm very much enjoying Dolby Atmos content via both my home theater system and via my master bedroom Sonos system (ARC + sub + surrounds).In > 90% of the use cases everyone reading this should be concerned about how the Era 300 work as stereo speakers (not spatial audio), and whether they support lossless playback over Airplay 2.
The other 10% of the use cases will be people using them as surrounds, and for those that passionately care about Dolby Atmos / Spatial Audio.
You'll be surprised to learn that an algorithm alters sound on almost every modern listening device. Usually adjusting for the speakers and environment. Plus, unless you're listening on some seriously expensive speakers, you won't ever be hearing exactly what was mixed in post production.The only way to listen to music is as the artist intended and not using some cooked up algorithm that alters the sound.
Apple Music has 100 million songs, but the entire catalogue of the three major labels is maybe 5 million. Add a few million (maybe 10-20) indie tracks that are worth something, and most of the rest is filler material: covers, karaoke tracks, instrumental covers, "relaxation music", sounds of nature. This race to 100 million tracks has been a massive marketing willy-measuring contest.The key words that makes me wonder why I would even bother upgrading to Spacial audio speakers at this time, ”thousands of songs”. Apple Music has how many millions of songs? Plus how many of those thousands would I like. Might actually hear a Spacial track someday! Until that number gets to two digit millions, or my current speakers NEED replacing before a consideration.
Spatial Audio means any multichannel or object-based format.Hmm. Am I wrong or is there a difference between Dolby Atmos and spatial audio?!
I am pretty shure that my arc plays the music from Apple TV over LG OLED in Dolby Atmos. Since ever… so what’s new here? I don’t get it.
Many artists and/or producers are participating in the Atmos mixing/mastering process now, so having equipment that supports this is hearing it the way the artist intends it—today.The only way to listen to music is as the artist intended and not using some cooked up algorithm that alters the sound.