Smells like Atmos to me: https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/15/20915250/sony-360-reality-audio-release-date-amazon-partners
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Sony 360 Reality Audio
- Thread starter esm
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OP
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- #3
Yeah, for the targeted market, I just don't get it; assuming it's similar to Atmos, we're talking about interleaved object-separated PCM streams meant to be reassembled by an audio processor based on number of output channels and positions. None of this matters for the typically-mono digital assitant all-in-one device market, or the IEM-wearing streaming music listener.
And I'll eat my hat if Sony thinks they can make the mass consumer market care about multichannel. I mean, as someone who's put a fair bit of money into a home multichannel setup, I'd love more atmos-like content to play, but the only thing I think you're going to see in this format is going to be stereo source material that's been frequency-converted to this, plus four or five sample tracks that Sony will pay for the production of to show off the format.
On top of that, they're going head to head with Dolby, who has a multi-year head start on them, and contractual leverage because of Dolby Vision (want Vision? great, you can't use 360 Reality Audio).
This whole thing is super weird to me, like DAT and minidisc all over again.
And I'll eat my hat if Sony thinks they can make the mass consumer market care about multichannel. I mean, as someone who's put a fair bit of money into a home multichannel setup, I'd love more atmos-like content to play, but the only thing I think you're going to see in this format is going to be stereo source material that's been frequency-converted to this, plus four or five sample tracks that Sony will pay for the production of to show off the format.
On top of that, they're going head to head with Dolby, who has a multi-year head start on them, and contractual leverage because of Dolby Vision (want Vision? great, you can't use 360 Reality Audio).
This whole thing is super weird to me, like DAT and minidisc all over again.
It's MPEG-H, so not much new (up to 24 sound objects). The interesting bit is the individualised HRTF measurement, which appears to be done with a system quite similar to Angelo Farina's, which is described here: http://www.angelofarina.it/.../Papers/292-AES-AVAR-2018.pdf where the HRTF is generated by images of your pinna. So it's aimed at headphones.
There is competition in the format for gaming and personal surround sound, I guess the big companies think there is value in owning the format - it's worked for years for Dolby...
There is competition in the format for gaming and personal surround sound, I guess the big companies think there is value in owning the format - it's worked for years for Dolby...
OP
- Thread Starter
- #6
Turns out I'd missed that we'd already had a conversation about this back in January: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/360-reality-audio-new-format-by-sony.6098/
My google-fu appears to be very weak around this subject, though; I'm finding very few actual technical documents on the format.
The inclusion of HRTF measurements makes this significantly more interesting.
My google-fu appears to be very weak around this subject, though; I'm finding very few actual technical documents on the format.
The inclusion of HRTF measurements makes this significantly more interesting.
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I'm really pulling for these multichannel efforts. There's a small but strong scene of composers creating immersive music, although they are limited to DIY setups or very advanced venues like that of EMPAC.
Main issue here is the proliferation and competition of formats. It doesn't make sense to limit content to a single system controlled by a specific company dictating gear and setup.
Main issue here is the proliferation and competition of formats. It doesn't make sense to limit content to a single system controlled by a specific company dictating gear and setup.
There are actually a lot of composers who do multichannel works, but as you noted there is no standard format for the delivery and playback. Stereo is now pervasive, and 5.1 is probably not far behind, but many composers have made works for speaker arrays such as 8 in a circle, 4 in a square, 8 in a cube, and so on, including the various "speaker orchestra" systems around (BEAST for example).
Maybe something like one of these competing systems like the Sony one will help (belatedly) get these pieces played...
Maybe something like one of these competing systems like the Sony one will help (belatedly) get these pieces played...
doctorjuggles
Active Member
Has anybody managed to figure out how to search Tidal for this content? I know there's a 360 Reality Audio playlist of 15 tracks (and if you click on each, it will take you to the whole album which is fully 360) but searching for content is near impossible. Most of the albums in the playlist are of zero interest to me (so it makes having an opinion on if the tech is decent fairly difficult) so I'd like to search for a few tracks/albums I actually like before I can say one way or the other whether this is worth the hassle.
Sony haven't half made it tough to even just find samples to play. Then they wonder why their ideas crash and burn.
Sony haven't half made it tough to even just find samples to play. Then they wonder why their ideas crash and burn.
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