AIRCON Audio Conference – Mastering spatial audio and Dolby Atmos mix

About airwiggles Conference

Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of audio! Airwiggles and A Sound Effect are proud to present AirCon – the online conference you won’t want to miss. With over 50 talks, AMAs, panels, and interviews, there’s something for everyone. Best of all, it’s free for everyone worldwide!

Join us at airwiggles.com/aircon for an unforgettable audio experience. Sign up for your free account today and don’t forget to watch the handy video guide from AirCon hosts Greg Lester and Lewis Thompson. Plus, we’ve listed all the live events you won’t want to miss. We can’t wait to see you at AirCon!

What is VRTonung doing there?

I’m here to unveil how the latest Apple products are pioneering immersive audio, powered by the amazing Dolby Atmos. And guess what? There’s even more to discover!

Here is the recording of the Live stream with interactive chat – that was fun:

The World of Immersive Audio: A Critical Exploration

Martin’s Background and Role in Immersive Audio

Martin, an audio expert from Germany, delivered an in-depth presentation on immersive audio technologies. His talk went beyond technical fundamentals, addressing the challenges and misconceptions surrounding the concept of “immersion.”

While he usually gives presentations via Zoom, this time he experimented with a more interactive and improvised approach.

Over the past years, Martin has worked on more than 50 immersive projects for clients worldwide, positioning himself as a bridge between the sound community and the VR industry.

His focus lies on consulting and developing new applications for 3D audio, particularly for headphones, speakers, and virtual reality experiences. His goal is to close the gap between technology and creativity.

Engineers often develop cutting-edge audio technologies without considering their artistic potential, while artists may not fully grasp what they can achieve with the available tools. Martin sees himself as someone who navigates both worlds—a tech-savvy audio specialist with a creative mindset.

Understanding the Dimensions of Sound

From Mono to 3D Audio

One of the key topics Martin explored was the different dimensions of sound. He broke down the concept of 3D audio, starting from mono (0D), which contains no spatial information, to stereo (1D), where sounds can be placed on the left and right.

Surround sound (2D) adds front, back, and side positioning, while 3D audio takes it a step further by incorporating sound from above and below.

Degrees of Freedom (DOF) in Audio

Another crucial aspect of immersive audio is degrees of freedom (DOF), which determine how audio is perceived in interactive environments. A fixed point of view (0 DOF) is common in cinemas and traditional music playback, where the listener’s position remains static.

Three degrees of freedom (3 DOF) allow for head rotation, commonly found in 360° videos, while six degrees of freedom (6 DOF) enable full movement through a virtual space, changing the listener’s perception of sound dynamically.

The Challenges of Immersive Audio

The Hype vs. Reality of Immersion

Martin critically examined the often-overused term “immersive audio.” Simply placing sound around a listener does not inherently create an immersive experience. Instead, true immersion depends on content rather than just audio format.

Even mono or stereo can be immersive if the content is compelling and engaging.

The Limitations of Dolby Atmos

Martin also highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of Dolby Atmos, a widely used immersive audio format. While Dolby Atmos has raised awareness for high-quality sound, its label does not always guarantee a true 3D experience.

Many consumer devices feature a Dolby Atmos setting that merely increases volume rather than spatializing sound. Additionally, Dolby Atmos is designed primarily for loudspeaker playback, leading to challenges in headphone-based spatial audio.

The Science Behind Spatial Audio

Externalization vs. In-Head Localization

A key challenge in immersive audio is externalization—the perception of sound as coming from outside the listener’s head rather than from inside their headphones. Traditional stereo audio creates in-head localization, where sound appears to originate from within the listener’s skull.

However, spatial audio aims to replicate how we naturally hear in the real world, placing sound sources at precise locations around us.

The Role of Head Tracking

Martin emphasized the importance of head tracking in immersive experiences. Many immersive audio formats currently struggle to maintain natural sound placement when users move their heads.

Apple’s spatial audio technology has addressed this by introducing distinct layers of audio: spatialized objects, ambient sound, and head-locked audio for elements like narrators that should not change position when the listener moves.

The Future of Immersive Audio

Object-Based Audio and Personalization

Looking ahead, object-based audio presents new opportunities, allowing users to customize their listening experience. For example, in sports broadcasts, viewers could choose to mute the commentator while keeping the crowd noise.

Similarly, podcast listeners could adjust content length dynamically based on available time.

The Role of Game Audio in Innovation

Martin pointed out that the gaming industry has been using 3D audio for over a decade, making it a valuable reference for other fields. Unlike traditional formats like stereo music or film soundtracks, game audio is interactive, responding to player movements.

The game industry’s approach to spatial audio could provide insights for improving immersive sound in other applications.

Conclusion

Martin wrapped up his presentation by emphasizing that immersive audio is still in its early stages. While Dolby Atmos has played a role in mainstream adoption, the future of 3D audio lies in flexibility and interactivity.

Rather than focusing on a single format, he encouraged audio professionals to explore a variety of tools, experiment with game engines like Unreal or Unity, and embrace new forms of content creation beyond traditional film and music.

The immersive audio landscape is evolving rapidly, and Martin remains optimistic about its potential. Whether through binaural recording, object-based sound design, or interactive audio experiences, the next generation of spatial audio promises to revolutionize how we perceive sound.

Understanding Dolby Atmos in Music Production

Introduction to Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos has revolutionized immersive audio, offering a three-dimensional listening experience. Unlike traditional stereo mix formats, Dolby Atmos allows sound objects to be placed in a 360-degree space, creating a highly detailed spatial audio environment.

This innovation is widely adopted in music production, with platforms like Apple Music supporting the Dolby Atmos format.

The Dolby Atmos Mixing and Mastering Process

Dolby Atmos Renderer and Tools

A key component in Dolby Atmos mastering is the Dolby Atmos renderer, which enables mix engineers to position audio objects dynamically.

Unlike a standard stereo mix, where elements are panned left and right, Atmos allows precise control over sound objects, offering enhanced immersive sound.

Mixing in Dolby Atmos

When engineers mix in Dolby Atmos, they work with bed channels and audio objects to create depth and movement. Tools like Ableton Live are commonly used to mix sounds and integrate binaural monitoring, allowing producers to simulate the Atmos environment on headphones.

• Bed Channels: Serve as the foundational mix layer.

• Audio Objects: Independently placed sounds for immersive control.

• Monitoring: Essential for translation across speakers and headphones.

Mastering in Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos mastering requires adjusting loudness, ensuring a seamless downmix to stereo and other music formats. The mastering engineer refines the final track, considering translation across different devices and playback systems.

This stage ensures consistency whether listeners use studio speakers, surround systems, or binaural monitoring.

The Role of Atmos in Music Distribution

Apple Music and Dolby Atmos

With Apple Music and other services supporting Dolby Atmos music, artists can deliver songs in an immersive audio format. This evolution impacts how listeners experience genres, as Atmos enables unique elements to shine, creating a new level of engagement.

Creating a Balanced Atmos Mix

To ensure a balanced Dolby Atmos mix, engineers must consider:

• Final Touch: Adjusting the master bus for optimal balance.

• Presets: Using standardized settings for better translation across platforms.

• Monitoring Setup: Testing the mix on different room configurations and speakers.

Conclusion

Dolby Atmos is redefining music production, offering artists and engineers new ways to create immersive songs. With the right studio setup and mastering process, Dolby Atmos music can reach a broader audience, providing an unmatched listening experience across various systems.