Embracing Immersive Audio
Apple Music ’ s recent spatial audio collaboration with Dolby has now positioned immersive audio right in the music mainstream . Genelec is now receiving a huge number of enquiries from music engineers ready to make the move to immersive , so here is some practical advice for those looking to find out more .
What is immersive audio ? Unlike stereo and surround sound formats , immersive audio contains an extra ‘ height ’ layer above the listener , to create a sense of envelopment and realism like never before . While there are several fine immersive formats including Auro 3D , MPEG-H and more , Dolby Atmos currently has the highest profile .
A typical Dolby Atmos ‘ 7.1.4 ’ configuration has 7 studio monitors at ear level , arranged as three monitors at the front ( the ‘ L-C-R ’ positions ) and four monitors covering the side / rear positions . The 4 height monitors are positioned above the listener , and one or more subwoofers generally handle the ‘. 1 ’ element – all combining to create the 7.1.4 system .
The beauty of immersive audio is its ability to be consumed on a wide variety of playback devices including smartphones , tablets and laptops – since an immersive mix can also be experienced in ‘ binaural mode ’ via a pair of standard headphones or loudspeakers . It ’ s this accessibility that is helping to push immersive audio into the mainstream .
Mixes you can trust
The creative possibilities of immersive are hugely exciting , but as the channel count and mix complexity increases , the importance of neutral , uncoloured studio monitoring with precise imaging becomes even more important . The only reliable way to ensure reference-quality immersive monitoring is to position the monitors carefully and then calibrate them all for playback level , frequency response and time-of-flight – so that you ’ ll experience accurate , consistent performance from each monitor in the system . That way , you can produce immersive mixes you can trust to sound good on any device or playback system .
Since so much music recording and mixing is now taking place in smaller spaces , the need for accurate , compact monitors that can be positioned and optimised for any acoustic space has become absolutely essential – and that ’ s where Genelec comes in !
Smart Active Monitoring The Genelec Smart Active Monitoring range starts with the tiny 8320 nearfield monitor and culminates with the mighty 1236 main monitor , creating a range that can handle immersive audio in any size of room . Each monitor contains internal DSP hardware , which integrates tightly with Genelec GLM calibration software .
GLM ’ s reference microphone kit allows your room ’ s acoustics to be accurately analysed , after which each monitor and subwoofer can be automatically calibrated by GLM for level , distance delay , subwoofer crossover phase and frequency response . At that point you have many options for personalisation if required , and GLM also works as a powerful monitor controller . This level of flexibility makes GLM the perfect tool both for fine tuning an already excellent room , or for those working in more challenging spaces not originally designed for creative use .
Using headphones ? There may be situations where the use of headphone monitoring is required , particularly for mobile audio professionals working remotely in ad-hoc environments . While we believe that in-room monitoring is the gold standard for producing immersive mixes , check out our Aural ID technology , which creates a reliable immersive listening experience with a far more natural sense of space and direction than has been previously possible with headphones .
So , dive in and enjoy the exciting new world of immersive audio ! And if you need advice simply contact immersive . helpdesk @ genelec . com www . genelec . com
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