2. amps-preamps
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Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio

Yes, two channel audio is here, and is not going away. However, object based audio is delightful, widely available on Tidal and Apple Music, and should be in the listening room of every music lover on the planet, not just "audiophiles. If you plan to be a music fan a year from now start building your object based audio system today. You will need:

1) A receiver/processor capable of Dolby Atmos.

2) A subscription to Tidal or Apple music.

3) A Firestick, ATV, or Nvidia Shield.

4) A minimum of 7 timber matched speakers and a subwoofer.

Once you experienced stereo would you ever go back to only mono? No, you would build a system capable of either mono or stereo. Now that object based audio has arrived do the same thing. Build a system capable of mono, stereo, AND object based audio. When Elton John heard Rocket Man in an object based format for the first time why did he demand to convert his entire catalog to Atmos? If you don’t know, then you need to go listen to Rocket Man in a good Atmos setup ASAP.

So, take your budget, DIVERSIFY, and get a good Atmos capable receiver or processor. Object based audio is NOT last decades surround sound or home theater. It is for MUSIC first, if you need a recommendation on how to allocate your budget feel free to post a question. Most importantly, you don’t NEED two systems, one for music and one for movies. A good object based audio system can play two channel music just fine. A two channel system on the other hand can’t play object based audio without a proper processor or receiver.

Greg Penny talks mixing Rocket Man in Atmos.

https://youtu.be/ggzfcUKDqdo?feature=shared

 

kota1
unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
984 posts
 

For an alternative view:

https://youtu.be/8fwMneAnfyc?si=jvuAllK-GleUQZPT

This guy argues, well he makes several points but a main one being that Atmos is about gatekeeping. I agree with him that much of this is about the Benjamins: what new gimmick can we come up with to extract more profit from the public.

As for the “immersive” experience, I’m already getting it from two channels and a strategically placed sub. I’ve had visitors who have come to my place, listen to my audio system for the first time, and walk out with tears in their eyes, saying that my system sounds better than being at a live concert, it is the most acoustically dimensional audio system that they have ever heard.

Sorry but with what I’ve got, and at my age, if I’m making another audio move, if anything I’m downsizing from here. But for now, I’m more than happy with what I’ve got. 
 

https://www.theaudioatticvinylsundays.com/

kota1 OP
2,706 posts
 

I saw the video when the engineer said he didn’t get the economics. I can’t say I have any data but I do understand the business model. Spotify has the largest market share. AAPL wants to take market share by offering something different, that is backward compatible with all of its products, that works with bluetooth or wireless, and that its customers can notice an improvement. Lossless doesn’t work on some bluetooth or wireless connections, spatial audio does. Users don’t get charged for the new format, aapl eats it in the hope of luring customers from competitors. Remember, aapl isn’t just apple music, its an ecosystem and they wanna crossell you phones, headphones, the works.
The musicians and labels get paid evertime you stream a song and if a new format gets more plays its a win.

The engineer gets new business from updating old recordings and recording new music in atmos.

Dolby collects licesning fees to profit from the R&D they did to develop it.

I can’t believe this engineer can’t connect the dots.

See:

https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/01/29/why-spatial-audio-is-the-future-of-the-music-industry-even-if-you-hate-it

As far as the audio engineer community and atmos that ship has sailed, see:

https://aes2.org/events-calendar/2023-aes-international-conference-on-spatial-and-immersive-audio/

 

invalid
1,209 posts
 

Sounds like a gimmick to me. When you listen to live music the musicians are in front of you not all around you. Sounds like a gatekeeping money grab to me.

jeffrey125
282 posts
 

@invalid like Quadraphonic sound LOL. 

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,163 posts
 

Why do you guys feed the troll?

 

 

 

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