Spatial Audio on Podcasts

[ctbritt]

It bugs the crap out of me. It already sounds too “boomy“ when I’m listening to my podcasts, but if I‘m out walking, which is when I usually listen, and I turn my head to look to cross the street, the shift in the direction of the sound is disconcerting. Anyone else finding this an issue?

 

[CopyChief]

Yeah, at first I thought something was wrong with my headphones, like they were out of phase or something. I turned "Spatialize Stereo" off and it turns out, at least to me, everything sounds better.

 

[macOS Lynx]

Why not just disable it?

I didn't even know there were spatial audio podcasts, unless you mean the spatialize stereo option, which I always have disabled.

 

[ctbritt]

Ah! That was it! I didn't even know "spatialize audio" was a feature. And I can turn it off on a per-app basis. Problem solved! Thanks!

 

[CoronaOnTap]

Ah! That was it! I didn't even know "spatialize audio" was a feature. And I can turn it off on a per-app basis. Problem solved! Thanks!

If you just need the head tracking feature gone for audio, try going into Accessibility settings for the AirPods and enable Spatial audio for just the video content.

 

[Dormammu]

I like it actually. I guess I'm in the minority there.
Toggle it off if you do not enjoy it.

 

[macOS Lynx]

I like it actually. I guess I'm in the minority there.
Toggle it off if you do not enjoy it.

I think spatial audio is really fun, but there are definitely times where the head tracking is obnoxious. I’m not a fan of the spatial use stereo myself though.

Thankfully, iOS 15.1 lets you pick if you want no atmos/spatial, atmos/spatial without head tracking, and atmos/spatial with!

 

[Helmsley]

Spacial audio on spoken word is horrendous.