Advanced Audio Technologies (HRTF, Dolby Atmos, etc) *echo*

following your advice..., advice from a long time ago, I finally got a gamer headset today and tested the headset using Dolby Access (a Xbox/PC universal app that plays sound using Dolby Atmos). And I gotta say that...wow, the sound quality, even for some cheap stereo headset like mine is staggering!

Some time ago I paid 17€ to have Dolby Atmos on my PC and it is finally paying off. What surprises me the most about such a cheap headset is the sound quality of the bass sounds, I expected it to be a LOT worse and it really has punch.

 

actually, it depends.... If you watch a lot of movies and they are compatible with Atmos, then of cours yes. Otherwise, on Windows you have Windows Sonic for headphones for free, it's different but it works just fine, and the Dolby Access app has some native demos of Atmos, and that's it.

However, Atmos sound is fuller on Windows, it surrounds you a lot more realistically, it has a soft chorus and reverb feel to it. If you don't have the app, the barber shop video that Shifty shared is the best way to experience the differences by ear, rather than the native Atmos demos.

If you use headphones a lot I'd say it's totally worth it! The difference is so pronounced... even in your regular youtube music video....

 

Dolby Atmos has a demo on Windows, so it's free to try. Listening to this song is great example of how the sound improves using Atmos (compared to no Dolby or Windows Sonic). Love the song and Floor -my dream woman-.

The sound is so compressed and distorted at times....but Atmos makes it somewhat bearable -I am setting the bar low here, the minimum common denominator, but that's the point-

 

when playing stereo sound there aren't positional changes. I mean..., the Dolby Atmos sound has some soft chorus and reverb to it that enhances the sound and the stereo sound of your typical song, it envelopes the sound in a smooth way, and there is a very big difference. Windows Sonic is free, and Dolby Atmos is like 17€..., without content! --except for a few demos, but while native sound is scarce, it enhances any sound on your computer/Xbox.

 

like with many other things there are cases and cases and.., well, I don't totally agree with you and maybe if you find a way to give it a try -the Windows version has a timed demo- you can listen to it yourself. As for the effects, there is no mention of Room Correction and so on.

When you set a device to Dolby Atmos everything else gets defaulted and reset. I mean, if you have your device set at 192.000Hz and 24 bits, it defaults to 48.000Hz and 16 bits. So it kinda does its thing.

If you dare to change any parameter -going from 16 bits to 24 bits or switching to 44.100Hz or whatever-, you can, but then the sound changes overall and Dolby Atmos appears as set to off. You basically disable it.

 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/dolby-access/9n0866fs04w8?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

This is the Dolby Access description in the store webpage:

Download this app to enable your free trial of Dolby Atmos for Headphones, or set up Dolby Atmos for home theater. Hear stunning detail, precision, and realism in your games and films, with sound that flows all around you — including from above and behind.

Play Shadow of the Tomb Raider in Dolby Atmos and feel the game come alive.

Experience the adrenaline of the arena at the Overwatch League Grand Finals. Captured in stunning Dolby Atmos, it's the next best thing to being there.
Games — experience amazing audio in any game, and specific Dolby Atmos audio mixes in:
● Shadow of the Tomb Raider
● Assassin’s Creed®: Origins
● Gears of War® 4
● Rise of the Tomb Raider™
● Super Lucky’s Tale™
● Plus many more to come Pinpoint teammates, enemies, and obstacles for a competitive edge and more intense game experience.

Movies and streaming — get closer to the action with immersive sound for your favorite TV shows and movies:
● Netflix™
● Hundreds of Blu-ray™ titles
● VUDU®
● Maxdome

This app walks you through the setup for two amazing ways to experience Dolby Atmos on your Xbox One, Xbox One X, or Windows 10 PC.

1. Start a free trial of Dolby Atmos for Headphones within the app, or buy it via a single in-app purchase. Dolby Atmos for Headphones works with any pair of stereo headphones.
2. Set up Dolby Atmos for home theater, which can be used for free with any Dolby Atmos compatible home theater system, TV, or sound bar.

Once you’ve set up Dolby Atmos, this app contains trailers that allow you to experience breakthrough sound all around and above you.