Can someone explain how to know if spatial audio on AirPods and Apple Music is working?

[modernmoments]

When I listen to spatial audio playlists in Apple Music on my AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, I have all the proper settings enabled, but when I look in Control Center, the animation that usually shows that spatial audio is working does nothing. The setting is just enabled. Is it supposed to be animating like it does when I watch Disney plus movies? Anyone else seeing this too? I can’t get a clear answer on this if it‘s a problem or not. Some say because dynamic head tracking isn’t enabled yet, some people think it’s an issue.

Anyone know?

 

[jabudhii]

If the song or album has 'Dolby Atmos' included in it (you can see it below the album art when the song is raised to the display) it is supported. Then you just check and make sure Spatial Audio is enabled in the volume control in control center. If its not directly supported, idk if its in the latest version of 14 but the 15 beta has Spatialize Audio, which mimics it to an extent.

I do see the animation when using it.
Not to sound like a tech support person, but have you tried restarting just in case?

 

[modernmoments]

If the song or album has 'Dolby Atmos' included in it (you can see it below the album art when the song is raised to the display) it is supported. Then you just check and make sure Spatial Audio is enabled in the volume control in control center. If its not directly supported, idk if its in the latest version of 14 but the 15 beta has Spatialize Audio, which mimics it to an extent.

I do see the animation when using it.
Not to sound like a tech support person, but have you tried restarting just in case?

I have. And it does this on my iPad and iPhone. So, you’re saying when you listen to Spatial Audio music on Apple Music on your AirPod Pros or AirPods Max, you see the animation of the waveforms on the Spatial Audio toggle in Control Center? I cannot see it. I only see the animation on Atmos videos.

 

[chabig]

I don't look for animated icons at all. The player says "Dolby Atmos" when it's playing an Atmos track.

 

[modernmoments]

I don't look for animated icons at all. The player says "Dolby Atmos" when it's playing an Atmos track.

I get that, but when spatial audio is active, if you pull down Control Center and hard press on the volume slider, you’d see animated waves on the Spatial Audio toggle when it’s active. Even though I’m listening to an Atmos track, I don’t see the animation. However, I do see that happen when I watch Atmos videos.

 

[chabig]

I think the terminology is confusing. Dolby Atmos opens up the sound space and we therefore say that it’s spatial. But the Spatial icon and its animation means that dynamic head tracking tracking is taking place. That works with video sources right now but won’t work with music until this fall.

Apple Music Spatial Audio to Get Dynamic Head Tracking in the Fall

Apple is currently rolling out spatial audio and lossless audio for Apple Music, offering subscribers a more immersive and higher-quality audio...

www.macrumors.com