Spatial audio. Am I missing something?

[bronksy]

I’m trying to figure the big deal with spacial audio. I have AirPods Pro and yep I have tested the spacial audio.

I see it’s a big selling point on the AirPods Max but am I missing something here.

The sound changes when you move around the source of the audio right? This is what I don’t get. When I watch something I tend to sit and watch it. I don’t wander around the room leaving my iOS device on a table just so I can hear sound coming from different directions.

What am I missing here?

 

[CWallace]

I believe it is more meant to be kind of like "surround sound" when watching a movie. It is not meant to be something that changes the direction of sound as you move around a room.

From Apple:

"Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking brings a theater-like surround-sound experience to the movie or video you're watching, so that it seems as if the sound is coming from all around you. The sound field stays mapped to the actor or action on the screen even as you move your head or your device."

The videos for it show a person sitting stationary in a chair watching a movie on an iPad/iPhone and the audio comes from around them like they were in a movie theater with a surround sound system.

 

[freakomac]

For content that is optimized for spatial audio you will notice sounds coming from different directions unlike stereo sound. There is a setting in the iPhone for spatial audio effects to 'follow iPhone' than your movements.

 

[Pug72]

I use it when I'm rowing watching Netflix shows an on iPad Pro 12.9" and AirPods Pro and the surround sound is fantastic.
Looking forward to trying it with the Maxs.

 

[bronksy]

I believe it is more meant to be kind of like "surround sound" when watching a movie. It is not meant to be something that changes the direction of sound as you move around a room.

From Apple:



The videos for it show a person sitting stationary in a chair watching a movie on an iPad/iPhone and the audio comes from around them like they were in a movie theater with a surround sound system.

Yeah. Perhaps I’ve just not experienced it properly- it’s the idea of it following your head that I just didn’t really see the benefit of much.

 

[CWallace]

I hope they push Spatial Audio support to the Apple TV 4K (current model and new) because it seems a natural fit as many would be watching movies and TV series with multi-channel audio programming.

 

[Ralfi]

Yeah. Perhaps I’ve just not experienced it properly- it’s the idea of it following your head that I just didn’t really see the benefit of much.

I think that’s just a fancy way to keep your focus on the screen. Not the biggest feature.

As mentioned, it’s more about bringing better surround sound (including Atmos) to headphones.

I hope they push Spatial Audio support to the Apple TV 4K (current model and new) because it seems a natural fit as many would be watching movies and TV series with multi-channel audio programming.

Yep, this will be big as it’ll keep the noise down for your neighbours, although you’d still need the subwoofer to ‘feel’ those rumbles. Sorry neighbours 😏

 

[Marshall73]

Spatial audio is great for movies, it enlarges The sound field and is Almost like not having headphones on. I like it a lot.

 

[bronksy]

Spatial audio is great for movies, it enlarges The sound field and is Almost like not having headphones on. I like it a lot.

I get what it does to the sound field but I just don’t see why the head tracking etc is anything more than a gimmick- assuming most people watch a movie looking at a screen in front of them.

 

[MecPro]

It's interesting but I'd rather use a home theatre system.

If I have to use a mobile device then I probably wouldn't care about spacial audio as a key feature.

I tried the demo on my APP and wasn't amazed

 

[perezr10]

It's interesting but I'd rather use a home theatre system.

If I have to use a mobile device then I probably wouldn't care about spacial audio as a key feature.

Well, yeah, but if you’re sitting in passenger seat on a long car trip you’re not going to have your home sound system.

 

[Marshall73]

I get what it does to the sound field but I just don’t see why the head tracking etc is anything more than a gimmick- assuming most people watch a movie looking at a screen in front of them.

I get you, I don’t really notice the effect of that, maybe it’s just the films I have been watching or the effect is really subtle. Who knows.

 

[MecPro]

Well, yeah, but if you’re sitting in passenger seat on a long car trip you’re not going to have your home sound system.

But then am I really going to be bothered with Spacial Audio, being in the back of a car? That was my whole point of the post that you obviously didn't understand.

I think home is the place I'd really appreciate that type of audio technology.

 

[perezr10]

But then am I really going to be bothered with Spacial Audio, being in the back of a car? That was my whole point of the post that you obviously didn't understand.

I think home is the place I'd really appreciate that type of audio technology

No, I understood it. I just disagree with it. What I don’t get is how you don’t hear any difference. It’s like there‘s something in your brain that is missing. Maybe you’ll never appreciate it because it’s like a frequency that you physically can’t hear.

But when I hear spatial audio, it’s like almost magical. I can’t even explain it. It’s like I took my AirPods off and I‘m watching without them. I think if you can’t appreciate spatial audio, you never will. And no one can explain it to you. Because it’s not about “moving around the room”.

And for me, home is the last place I would use spatial audio. Because I would never use AirPods to watch a movie. To me, that just sounds backwards.

 

[zhenya]

I use it when I'm rowing watching Netflix shows an on iPad Pro 12.9" and AirPods Pro and the surround sound is fantastic.
Looking forward to trying it with the Maxs.

Netflix doesn't support spatial audio at this time.

I get what it does to the sound field but I just don’t see why the head tracking etc is anything more than a gimmick- assuming most people watch a movie looking at a screen in front of them.

Head tracking is only part of it. I'm not sure you've actually experienced it because when you do your first impression is as @perezr10 describes - it feels like the sound is coming not from inside your head as is typical with headphones, but directly from the screen. It's disorienting at first - if you're in a public space you'll think you forgot to put your headphones in.

It's interesting but I'd rather use a home theatre system.

If I have to use a mobile device then I probably wouldn't care about spacial audio as a key feature.

I tried the demo on my APP and wasn't amazed

There are lots of reasons, even at home, why one would want this (at times) over a home theater. People live in apartments where they can't listen to a loud movie. People have kids and other family members who may be sleeping, etc.

When out and about Spatial Audio has raised the bar such that the sound is now one of the best parts of the movie watching experience.

 

[MecPro]

There are lots of reasons, even at home, why one would want this (at times) over a home theater. People live in apartments where they can't listen to a loud movie. People have kids and other family members who may be sleeping, etc.

When out and about Spatial Audio has raised the bar such that the sound is now one of the best parts of the movie watching experience.

I'm not saying there will be no use to anyone ever, but the amounts of times that it will be useful will drastically change between person and person and I don't believe for that fact it is a must have feature. More people will travel, use it for calls, use it for music, etc. which makes those usages a must-have.

I live in an apartment and have a full Bose 5.1 HT setup and thankfully have sound dampening in my apartment, so I am part of your scenario list.

In addition, if AppleTV doesn't have SA are you going to sit at home and watch a movie on your iPad, or TV? I know the ATV will have the SA soon, but it's just something that is so uncommon at the moment, I don't see it as a killer feature, at all.

No, I understood it. I just disagree with it. What I don’t get is how you don’t hear any difference. It’s like there‘s something in your brain that is missing. Maybe you’ll never appreciate it because it’s like a frequency that you physically can’t hear.

But when I hear spatial audio, it’s like almost magical. I can’t even explain it. It’s like I took my AirPods off and I‘m watching without them. I think if you can’t appreciate spatial audio, you never will. And no one can explain it to you. Because it’s not about “moving around the room”.

And for me, home is the last place I would use spatial audio. Because I would never use AirPods to watch a movie. To me, that just sounds backwards.

Can you give me something proper to test it with? I have a MBP, iPhone 12 and APP. Like I said I tried the test in the APP settings menu, but didn't hear anything different

 

[gSOLO]

Can you give me something proper to test it with? I have a MBP, iPhone 12 and APP. Like I said I tried the test in the APP settings menu, but didn't hear anything different

From your iPhone, any of the Apple keynotes in the TV app should have it. If you've got Disney+, a lot of the big movies should have it available as well.

 

[MecPro]

From your iPhone, any of the Apple keynotes in the TV app should have it. If you've got Disney+, a lot of the big movies should have it available as well.

Thanks, let me try Disney+

 

[Pug72]

Netflix doesn't support spatial audio at this time.

Never said it had the head tracking but surround sound works amazingly well.



The head tracking is very clever and pretty cool but a bit of a novelty.

 

[Ralfi]

I live in an apartment and have a full Bose 5.1 HT setup and thankfully have sound dampening in my apartment, so I am part of your scenario list.

Most people won’t have sound dampening so I think being able to listen to movies in surround sound via headphones will make watching movies at home much more appealing/accessible for those who currently can’t do it due to the noise disturbance factor.

Also, with cinemas closing, it gives apartment dwellers that theatre experience in their confined spaces where they may not have the room for 5.1 ect. setups.

 

[zhenya]

Never said it had the head tracking but surround sound works amazingly well.



The head tracking is very clever and pretty cool but a bit of a novelty.

Spatial Audio is not just head tracking. All you are hearing is standard stereo sound from Netflix.

 

[Pug72]

Oh no I'm not.
Do you have them? If so put them in and watch an Episode of Star Trek Discovery and tell me you aren't hearing sound placement.

 

[zhenya]

Oh no I'm not.
Do you have them? If so put them in and watch an Episode of Star Trek Discovery and tell me you aren't hearing sound placement.

It's not something you can wish into being. It has to be technically implemented by Netflix, and they have not done so. So yes, you are simply hearing stereo. (I did humor you and test it to be 110% sure). You can verify this by swiping down for Control Center, then long-pressing on the volume control. The spatial audio option must be both on and animated for it to be functioning.

 

[matrix07]

I’m trying to figure the big deal with spacial audio. I have AirPods Pro and yep I have tested the spacial audio.

I see it’s a big selling point on the AirPods Max but am I missing something here.

The sound changes when you move around the source of the audio right? This is what I don’t get. When I watch something I tend to sit and watch it. I don’t wander around the room leaving my iOS device on a table just so I can hear sound coming from different directions.

What am I missing here?

It’s just surround sound. Don’t overthinking it. It’s better than normal surround sound in that when you turn your head the sound still come from the right direction.

 

[Pug72]

It's not something you can wish into being. It has to be technically implemented by Netflix, and they have not done so. So yes, you are simply hearing stereo. (I did humor you and test it to be 110% sure). You can verify this by swiping down for Control Center, then long-pressing on the volume control. The spatial audio option must be both on and animated for it to be functioning.

Ok, having tried it again I see you are correct. For some reason I was sure I was getting sound from behind but yeah, it's just stereo. What an idiot. 😐