Dolby Atmos - The Comprehensive Guide

Samsung and Google have announced their plans to bring immersive audio to consumers, and it’s not using Dolby Atmos. We look at the technology and ask if it could unseat Dolby Atmos in the consumer space.

Grammy nominated mixer Nathaniel Reichman shares his guide to calibrating a Dolby Atmos monitoring systems in the time domain using the standard features of Pro Tools.

What pieces of gear did you just know you had to have as soon as you heard about them? We asked our contributors. Find out what gear was non-negotiable in our ‘just take my money’ article!

Korey Pereira, MPSE, is the owner and creative director of Soularity Sound, a post-production company based in Austin, Texas. This article is his story on how he went about installing Dolby Atmos at home in 2020 and updates that with his thoughts from 2024.

Mark your calendars: Dolby’s Music Community Session is back with an event tailored for audio professionals interested in the latest innovations in Dolby Atmos production. This session, scheduled for Thursday, November 21 at 9am PT, will bring together experts to discuss how Immersive Master Pro is reshaping the way studios handle batch processing and analysis of Dolby Atmos files.

Apple announced macOS Sequoia during the WWDC 2024 Keynote address last month with new features and Apple’s answer to AI - Apple Intelligence. In this article, we explore several new features and changes that have come to light since the initial announcement that will be of interest to audio professionals using Apple computers.

Fiedler Audio has announced that Mastering Console for Dolby Atmos is now available, offering comprehensive features for refining your Dolby Atmos mixes.

In the final part of this series on recording classical piano, Micheal Carnes talks through the process for mixing for Dolby Atmos.

Dolby have updated both the Dolby Atmos Renderer and the Dolby Atmos Album Assembler applications. We have the details.

In this article, kindly written for us by Dr. Helmut Wittek, CEO of Schoeps, we explore issues and techniques around recording live performances using microphone arrays designed for capturing in immersive formats like Dolby Atmos.

In this article we collate some recommendations from the team for tracks mixed in Dolby Atmos which we feel represent the potential of Dolby Atmos for music. If you are one of the many out there who are yet to be convinced by the format, check these out. If you are already enjoying music mixed in Atmos, why not share your recommended tracks?

In this article Julian highlights a video in which Bob Clearmountain shared his methods and approach when remixing recordings of The Band from 1968. The simple approach belies the cutting edge technology used to separate the material on the multitrack.

It is just a matter of weeks since Virtuoso first came to Julian’s attention courtesy of Mark Gittins’ excellent review but he appears to have been influenced by Mark’s positivity as he’s been testing Virtuoso for a couple of weeks now and he’s in!

Following up on our recent round-up of primo Dolby Atmos-enabled effects for music and media production, we take a look at some of the less overtly ‘exciting’ software utilities that are essential for getting the immersive job done.

‘ADM’ is an acronym which has entered more and more audio engineers’ vocabularies, but what exactly is an ADM? How is it different from a WAV file and what does ADM even stand for?

With the immersive audio bandwagon showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, enterprising plugin developers are putting Dolby Atmos compatibility at the top of their effects specification lists. Here are a few of our current favourite examples…

This detailed video created by friend of the blog Alex Solano shows his template structure which features a method for creating a workaround using folder tracks and routing to allow a conventional stereo-style bus processing workflow. Alex’s template also offers a straightforward method for incorporating hardware processing and easy monitoring of re-renders and references.

A common criticism of Dolby Atmos is that it is impractical to present immersive audio in the home and the only way most listeners will experience it is over headphones. However in too many cases stereo has exactly the same issue. What is the problem and what does it mean? 

In this article, Roger Guerin breaks down what you need to know if you are moving to Dolby Atmos, from hardware through to adjusting your mixing template, through to deliverables.

At the beginning of the month we asked our audience of professional mixers how often they were asked for immersive mixes and how they charged for them. We have the results and they make for interesting reading.

Broadcast mix engineer Mark Gittins is rather skeptical of headphone based virtualisation systems based on previous experiences, so what did he think of Virtuoso - the binaural translator from Applied Psychoacoustics Laboratory? Let’s find out…

If you’re mixing professionally are you finding requests for immersive mixes common or are you having to promote the format to your clients? Take our poll and share your experience.

At NAMM 2024 Neumann are presenting a feature upgrade for the MT 48 audio interface. The Monitor Mission transforms the MT 48 into a freely configurable monitoring controller which can handle greater than stereo formats such as 5.1 as well as immersive audio formats such as Dolby Atmos 7.1.4.

Surround sound has a long history, and the formats we enjoy today owe a lot to the technological developments and innovations of the past. In this article, Paul Maunder takes a look at some of the most notable formats of days gone by and considers how they helped to influence the surround sound formats we work with and listen to today.

German developers Fiedler Audio have announced the immediate availability of Dolby Atmos Composer Essential to all DAW users for free.

As one of his fantasy Christmas presents Julian explains why, if he could disregard dull practicalities like cost, a quality Atmos monitoring system would be at the top of his list…

Atmos monitoring, or indeed any Atmos loudspeaker monitoring at all, is a barrier to entry to many wanting to move into creating Atmos content . Is something analogous to traditional mastering the answer for those who want to create Atmos content and are starting on headphones?

Samsung and Google have announced their plans to bring immersive audio to consumers, and it’s not using Dolby Atmos. We look at the technology and ask if it could unseat Dolby Atmos in the consumer space.

In this article, Grammy-nominated producer and mixer Nathaniel Reichman tests the new Binaural Renderer For Apple Music from Audiomovers which is designed to make it easy to hear what your mix will sound like when it’s on Apple Music or playing on an Apple TV. Discover the workaround Nathaniel had been using (and why) and what he thinks of Audiomovers’ new solution…

We’ve discussed many aspects of Dolby Atmos on this site, from the theory behind the format, to the equipment requirements, to the workflow. In short we talked about what Atmos is and how to do it but something we’ve talked about less is whether we should mix in Atmos.

If you get the opportunity to test your assumptions, it’s always a good idea. Even when they are confirmed when tested, it’s still time well spent. Directly comparing consumer Atmos playback options against a Certified Atmos Install is one such opportunity for Julian. Find out what he heard and what if any surprises it held.

In this exclusive everything-you-need-to-know guide to mixing music in Dolby Atmos we look at what it takes to make your studio suitable, as well as our exclusive 6 part tutorial series on setting up and using Pro Tools Ultimate and Dolby Atmos Production Suite to work together in Dolby Atmos.

In this article, community member Chris Testa is going to share his recent transition from using Pro Tools natively with the Dolby Audio Bridge, to a Dolby Atmos HDX Hybrid Engine system. This new system allows him to utilise the power of the HDX DSP with the Hybrid Engine along with the computer’s native power while mixing in Atmos all on the same computer with the most recent version of ProTools Ultimate. Over to you Chris…

PerfectSurround has released another update of their Penteo 16 Pro upmixing and downmixing all-in-one plugin, to make it is the only upmixer that supports all Dolby formats natively from Atmos 2.1.2 to Atmos 9.1.6 so that now it supports 930 channel up/downmix combinations.

PerfectSurround has released an update of their Penteo 16 Pro upmixing and downmixing all-in-one plugin, adding Ambisonics decoding and downmixing to any supported format, a Tilt mode allows more forward control for the overhead channels and an LFE full bypass option.

Want to learn how to mix music in Dolby Atmos? In this free expert tutorial, Matt Lange walks you through, in detail, how he mixes a track in Dolby Atmos. He has made the Pro Tools Session available for you to download for free. Don’t worry if you don’t have Pro Tools Ultimate or the Dolby Atmos Production Suite because there is a free 30-day trial bundle available as well.

2020 was the year Roger Guerin moved up to Dolby Atmos. Here are some key products which helped in this transition. See what made the list.

Dolby has announced the release of a new version of the Dolby Atmos Production Suite. We have the details…

What is the point in creating content in Dolby Atmos if consumers do not have the equipment to take advantage of the immersive object-based format? In this article, we will investigate the take-up and benefits of delivering content to the consumer in Dolby Atmos.

Following our article Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment - Everything You Need To Know we were asked about the business model behind upgrading to Dolby Atmos. In this article we outline the business case for Dolby Atmos by asking industry experts, mixing in Dolby Atmos to share their business reasoning for investing in Dolby Atmos.

One of the costly elements of setting up a Dolby Atmos studio is the need for a 7.1.4 monitor controller.What if you could use the DSP in an audio interface to create a Eucon enabled monitor controller which was much cheaper than the alternatives? Nathaniel Reichman and Mike Crehore worked out how to achieve this using Metric Halo interfaces. Here’s how they did it.

Have you ever wanted to try mixing a Dolby Atmos production but don’t have access to any content? If so, Netflix has made an Anime production - Sol Levante to help the industry better understand 4K HDR and immersive audio in anime. In addition, they have released the raw materials used in Sol Levante for download and experimentation and you can download the video and Pro Tools session assets, learn from the professionals and then try mixing it for yourself. We have all the details…

Are you used to mixing in stereo, or maybe you are mixing in 5.1 for broadcast or OTT channels like Netflix and now you want to migrate to mixing in Dolby Atmos for home entertainment content? In this article, we look at what it takes to make your studio suitable to mix in Dolby Atmos, whether you need certification, what hardware and software you will need, how to build or convert your studio to Dolby Atmos, as well as our exclusive 6 part tutorial series on setting up and using Pro Tools Ultimate and Dolby Atmos Production Suite to work together in this excli=usive everything-you-need-to-know guide to working in Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment.

In this series of free video tutorials, brought to you with the support of Avid, Post-Production Specialist and Immersive Audio expert, Alan Sallabank shares tips and tricks to help you get to grips with the audio post-production workflows for content to be delivered in Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment, which will be especially useful if you are delivering to the likes of Netflix and Amazon. In part 6, we progress to the end game - Mastering.

In this free video tutorial, brought to you with the support of Avid, looking at Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment workflows, Rerecording Mixer and Post-Production Expert Alan Sallabank, looks at best practice when using immersive upmixing and reverb plug-ins, with a firm focus on ensuring downmix compatibility.

In this series of free video tutorials, brought to you with the support of Avid, Post-Production Specialist and Immersive Audio expert, Alan Sallabank shares tips and tricks to help you get to grips with the audio post-production workflows for content to be delivered in Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment, which will be especially useful if you are delivering to the likes of Netflix and Amazon. In part 4, we are taking a look at managing loudness in your Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment mixes to ensure that your mixes sound right whatever they’re played on.

In this series of free video tutorials, brought to you with the support of Avid, Post-Production Specialist and Immersive Audio expert, Alan Sallabank shares tips and tricks to help you get to grips with the audio post-production workflows for content to be delivered in Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment, which will be especially useful if you are delivering to the likes of Netflix and Amazon. In part 3, we look at an alternative (and some may say “off-piste”) and definitely “not qualified by Avid” way of getting the best out of the Dolby Atmos Production Suite and Pro Tools Ultimate, including being able to bring the re-render outputs back into the same Pro Tools session all on one machine.

In this free video tutorial, the second in a series of 6 brought to you with the support of Avid, looking at Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment workflows, we cover the workflows recommended by Avid and Dolby, relating to using the Dolby Audio Bridge and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite.

In this series of 6 articles, Post-Production Specialist and Immersive Audio expert Alan Sallabank will be sharing tips and tricks to help you get to grips with the audio post-production workflows for content to be delivered in Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment, In part 1, brought to you with the support of Avid, we start with how to set up your Pro Tools session and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite as well as a look at some terminology.

Whilst people are working from home, self-isolating, or putting newly found free time towards personal development, our friends at HHB, a UK based pro-audio dealer and installer, have put together a free starter guide and Pro Tools template to help users get to grips with mixing music in Dolby Atmos.

PerfectSurround has released a new update of their amazing Penteo 16 Pro combined upmixing and downmixing plugin which brings immersive downmixing options to this already very powerful tool and takes the number of different upmix and downmix options to over 40.

In this Tonebenders Podcast, hosts René Coronado & Tim Muirhead are joined by 3 guests, Korey Pereira, Glenn Eanes and Nicole Auringer all of whom are all just getting started with working in Dolby Atmos. Having had to figure out Dolby Atmos on their own, without the benefit of a comprehensive tech staff that comes with bigger facilities, they discuss the mistakes they have made, the lessons they have learnt and share some of the tricks they have discovered.

Dolby has released the latest version of their Dolby Atmos software renderer for the Dolby Atmos Production Suite and Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite, with new features that include being able to measure loudness, new loudness and 7.1.4 re-render options built-in limiting on outputs and re-renders.

In this video from NAMM 2020, Avid’s application specialist, Jeff Komar takes an in-depth look at working on music projects with Dolby Atmos natively, in Pro Tools, with the power of HDX, Avid S4, and MTRX. Watch to see Jeff give some insights into techniques for mixing music for Dolby Atmos.

Universal Music and Dolby remix some of the world’s most popular music in Dolby Atmos using Avid S6 and Pro Tools | HDX. In this video, Avid brought together a panel of practitioners already mixing music in Dolby Atmos hosted by Avid Product Specialist Jeff Komar.

PerfectSurround has released a new update of their amazing Penteo 16 Pro combined upmixing and downmixing plugin which brings immersive downmixing options to this already very powerful tool and takes the number of different upmix and downmix options to over 40.

Did you know that you will not be able to use AAX DSP Plugins with the new Dolby Audio Bridge Workflow via Core Audio when using the new in-the-box workflow with Pro Tools 2019.10 and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite? This is one of the very useful things that is in a new Dolby Atmos Production Suite and Pro Tools 2019.10 Workflow Guide produced by Dolby. We have all the details.

Netflix has updated their guidance on Dolby Atmos workflows including publishing their own step-by-step guide on setting up and using the new Dolby Audio Bridge feature added by Avid in Pro Tools 2019.10. In addition, Netflix has stated that it is not necessary to have Dolby Atmos certification to work on Netflix titles.

Avid has just managed to release Pro Tools 2019.10 in October, releasing it late on the last day of the month. It brings the features that were announced at AES earlier this month including support for higher frames rates and up to 4K video resolution, Dolby Audio Bridge Support For 130 Outputs, Multi-Stem Bounce in a Single File and Steep Breakpoint Smoothing Time Preference as well as a number of smaller improvements, all of which make 2019.10 a post-production focused update.

On the first day of AES in New York Avid has announced the latest release of Pro Tools 2019, primarily focused towards post-production users, which will support higher video resolutions and frame rates, including support for 4K video and new Dolby Atmos Workflows.

During the Avid Connect Live event at Summer NAMM in Nashville, Avid ran a number of panels and training sessions, some of which were streamed and recorded. In this article we have the video with a panel of specialists looking at mixing music in Dolby Atmos followed by a training video in which Mix Engineer Colin Heldt shows how to mix music in Dolby Atmos.

I often get to the point in a mix where having just eight faders & controls, on a small surface or touchscreen, starts to seriously impinge on my speed and efficiency. There are always compromises with small control surfaces. Has iCon managed to make these compromises in the right places?

Should you buy a PreSonus Faderport 8 control surface to use with Pro Tools? Russ takes it for a spin and is surprised by the results.

In this review, Paul Drew takes a look at the Softube Console 1 British Class A Channel Strip using Presonus Studio One.

You can add body and character to your tracks with this Softube Console 1 strip inspired by classic British units from the 60s and early 70s. Paired with the workflow and hands-on control of Console 1, British Class A has been designed to give you the perfect mix solution for the DAW-based studio.

PreSonus make some very cool stuff these days with everything from their hugely popular digital mixers to audio interfaces and monitor controllers, live sound equipment as well as their DAW Studio One.

As I’ve already said, I’ve never been a fan of control surfaces, I always find myself looking at the screen and that then defeats the object of using them in the first place, however this was not the case with the Console 1, in fact I had been mixing for some time and the screen on my Mac went to sleep.  I was mixing with my ears!