I’m bummed that I don’t currently have a subscription with this. 24 nights is a little uneven, especially disc 1. But Pretending, Old Love, and Edge of Darkness are badass and should sound great with more spatialization.
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Favorite Dolby Atmos (or spatial audio) albums
- Thread starter Beershaun
- Start date
bevok
Active Member
Thanks for the reminder about 24 Nights, a 'preview single' popped up a couple of months ago on the excellent "Wax Eclectic" playlist. The challenge is always that not all Spatial albums are highlighted, and I think what is featured varies in different parts of the world. Luckily if you 'add to library' and like things the "Listen Now" page is increasingly good at surfacing interesting stuff, especially re-issues which are often not highlighted on Apple Music unless they're something huge like Thriller.
bevok
Active Member
A nice new Atmos mix of Wings’ Live and Let Die came out a few weeks ago to celebrate its 50th anniversary
Link?
Atmos on headphones sucks. Pointless. The overhead speakers is where it is at. Makes a huge difference.Agreed and I’m not giving up on this 2 channel crowd. All they need is headphones and the effect works. This is a tough crowd!
- Thread Starter
- #47
I think I agree it's pointless for two channel. Especially since we make a big deal about lossless audio and almost all Atmos streaming is lossy. So you don't get any real spatial benefits in stereo and you are losing audio information. I think for any surround setup though it is definitely superior. Being able to mix one file to support anything from 5.1 up to 30+ channels means producers only have to invest the time once and artists and engineers can really play and have fun with the format.
By headphones do you also include those that use the iPhone's spatial processing (with crude sensor-based HRTF) algorithms? If so, I disagree. I can't say how it stacks up against Atmos on a multispeaker setup, but it generally provides far greater soundstage and imaging on Airpods Pro than the 2-ch tracks.
As I've noted above in this thread, this is not necessarily a good thing, as it places a lot of responsibility on the mixing engineer to put things in the right place, resulting in an uncanny feeling when done improperly in a naturalistic recording. Maybe this feeling is not as strong on multichannel, but
I'm still hoping someone will take me up on listening to "The Girl from Ipanema" on "Getz/Gilberto" on a multichannel setup, and tell me if it sounds good.
For me, it's a disaster. First, Joao's vocals move from left the center-left. I assume this was done because Astrud's vocals are also left, so as to create some separation (even though they do not sing at the same time). But the problem is that Joao's guitar stays in the same place! So now he's no longer playing the guitar, or his head has left his body! Adding to that, the vocals on the original mix are pretty dry. On the Atmos mix, they are drenched in echo. It literally sounds like it's coming from a bathroom. Similarly, the effect does not extend to the guitar, which enhances the sense that Joao is not playing the guitar.
bevok
Active Member
My two cents for what its worth - I'm sure some will have far better ears than me. I had fun comparing all the masterings of "The Girl from Ipanema' which I hadn't listened to for years. In the end I came to a similar conclusion to when I do blind testing of lossy vs lossless codecs - after a while switching back and forth the distinctions I perceive turn out to be fictitious! I compared surround systems and different headphones, stereo and Atmos mixes. For me the Atmos and stereo imaging seemed pretty similar in the end although it seemed there were differences at times. In fact the big difference was between the stereo versions, with one of the Tidal versions presumably based on the original master having Astrud's vocals hard right instead of hard left. Apparently this 'mistake' persisted until around 1997 - some interesting background here https://blog.vinylgourmet.com/2013/...s-vinyl-review-george-marino-master-tape.html. Shows how arbitrary this all is!
Agree that although the Atmos experience is much more vivid on a surround speaker system there is still a difference on headphones. For one thing often the track has been remixed, in which case the differences are vivid for good or bad, but even if not the dynamics and spaciousness seem greater than the stereo mix. Money for Nothing by Dire Straits is a great example for me where the new mix has drawn out some percussive elements more vividly and provides a subtlety different experience even on headphones.
I listened to my CD rip and it has Astrud far right instead of left as it is on the Amazon stereo mix. But for both stereo versions I have access to, the vocals are dry. On the Atmos mix, Astrud has some echo and Joao is suffocated in it.
I’ve said it before, but the Atmos Eat a Peach is just marvelous on Airpods. And interestingly just as good on the comparatively lo-fi live Mountain Jam as on the studio cuts. I’m not a big fan of jam band drum solos to begin with, and I’ve always put the Allman’s duo in the “good but not revelatory” category. But the twin drum solo is reproduced so exquisitely that I get lost in it.
bevok
Active Member
Awesome, their music has always been really well produced and Hannah Reid’s voice is ethereal.Just released remix in ATMOS. Sounds great, enjoy! Dance Party Saturday
This album is in Dolby Atmos as well. Another great album.
bevok
Active Member
The Rolling Stones excellent compilation 40 Licks is out in Atmos. I’ll be intrigued to see what they’ve done with the mono tracks (e.g. 19th Nervous Breakdown).
www.udiscovermusic.com
Rolling Stones’ ‘Forty Licks’ For Digital, Dolby Atmos, Vinyl Editions
The Rolling Stones' 'Forty Licks' will be released digitally for the first time on July 26, then in Dolby Atmos and on 180 gram vinyl.
www.udiscovermusic.com
- Thread Starter
- #55
I couldn't find this track on Tidal in Atmos so unfortunately can't provide my critique.
On AirPods, the mono sourced tracks sound fantastic in Atmos!
Unfortunately, the mixes as a whole are uneven. Wild Horses is anemic and lacking cohesion. The horn hits a minute into Tumbling Dice sound like a mouth harp or a kazoo. The faded/panned guitar effects in Undercover are disorienting.
Just discovered that all the Talking Heads studio albums are streaming in Atmos. I read on Reddit that they are old 5.1 mixes with back channels duped. Regardless, Remain In Light (the only one I’ve listened to so far) is ravishing and AirPods Compatible™.
My previous theory was that, at least on AirPods, multichannel mixes only sound good with naturalistic recordings because heavy effects and pans are too jarring when there is so much separation. But RiL has a heavily produced sound, and it’s still amazing. I guess in part because the heavy distortion is mostly on guitars for which I’ve been acculturated to expect distortion, and most of the heavy production effect is simply layer upon layer of reasonably clean instruments and voices.
My previous theory was that, at least on AirPods, multichannel mixes only sound good with naturalistic recordings because heavy effects and pans are too jarring when there is so much separation. But RiL has a heavily produced sound, and it’s still amazing. I guess in part because the heavy distortion is mostly on guitars for which I’ve been acculturated to expect distortion, and most of the heavy production effect is simply layer upon layer of reasonably clean instruments and voices.
New release and story. The channel separation mixing is really well done. This is a good example of what can be achieved with multi channel integration into the creation process. Enjoying this Album in ATMOS is groovy dude!
immersiveaudioalbum.com
Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex – 5.1 Surround Sound & Dolby Atmos | IAA
The prolific British singer/songwriter, producer, and engineer’s quest to transcend genre itself is complete with this eclectic and truly unique seventh studio album.
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If I do that then I'll have to stop listening to Gaucho on repeat. Oh, well. I suppose it's time.New release and story. The channel separation mixing is really well done. This is a good example of what can be achieved with multi channel integration into the creation process. Enjoying this Album in ATMOS is groovy dude!
Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex – 5.1 Surround Sound & Dolby Atmos | IAA
The prolific British singer/songwriter, producer, and engineer’s quest to transcend genre itself is complete with this eclectic and truly unique seventh studio album.
Edit: It sounds very good! I'm not yet connecting to the lyrics, but that's not unusual for a first listen to a new (to me) artist. The production and musicianship is delightful. Definitely a Pink Floyd vibe with the layered soundscapes and spacey, bluesy guitar solos.
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bevok
Active Member
It’s had a fair bit of publicity but the new Atmos mixes on the Beatles compilation 1962-1966 (out today) sound incredible. I think the early tracks retain their punch but there are so many elements that stand out to me, and I like the centred vocals. The lead guitars sound beautiful, amazing how that sound on A Hard Day’s Night influenced (or at least prefaced) the Byrds sound.
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