In any corner of the tech industry, you’ll find terms that have transcended their original value to become buzzwords, slapped onto anything and everything to hook shoppers (and frequently, investors). The most obvious example of this is generative AI. The term is so buzzy that it’s usually reduced to “AI” — despite non-generative AI being around for decades — and exploited to sell everything from notetaking apps to toothbrushes. No, I’m not kidding about that second one.
Dolby Atmos is tossed around just as liberally on speakers, TVs, headphones, and smartphones. But the truth is that in many cases, you’re getting a simulation of Atmos, if it’s possible at all.
- Connectivity
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HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2
- Audio Channels
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9.1.4
Wait, how can Dolby Atmos be fake?
The catches to the big promise
The obvious way to start is by explaining Atmos as it was intended. Conventional surround formats like Dolby Digital 5.1 rely on comparatively simple mixing, i.e. this effect goes to the front-left channel, this one to rear-right, and so on. Atmos elevates this by calculating each effect as an object in 3D space, which is not only more precise, but allows for vertical panning. A TIE Fighter in Andor can sound like it’s flying overhead, not just around you. This approach is typically labeled spatial audio.
Atmos data is spread across as many channels as possible. The more you have, the more precise things are, at least on paper. You don’t necessarily need the number of speakers you’d find in a multiplex theater though, as a standard 5.1- or 7.1-channel layout will do. Ceiling channels are purely optional. Often, you don’t even need separate speakers for each channel. A soundbar like the Sonos Arc Ultra uses special drivers to bounce effects off your walls and ceiling.
“Fake” Atmos enters the picture with your headphones. Even some of the most expensive models are limited to two hardware channels, left and right. By definition, that’s stereo, and there’s clearly no way to position additional channels outside each earpiece.
When headphones are marketed as Atmos-capable, what you’re really getting is a modified technology called Atmos for Headphones. This folds Atmos down to stereo, but uses algorithms to mimic the cues your brain interprets as range, height, and direction. This can be surprisingly convincing. Nevertheless, what you’re getting is stereo — not a full Atmos mix.
In fact, attempting to play Atmos over any Bluetooth connection limits you to either Atmos for Headphones or basic stereo, no matter if the paired system has enough discrete drivers. The problem here is bandwidth. Despite increasingly advanced codecs, there isn’t enough room to handle a true Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, let alone Atmos. When pairing speakers or headphones to a TV, there might also be noticeable lag versus onscreen action if compensation isn’t applied. Any decent wireless home theater setup is based on Wi-Fi.
Are you really missing anything?
Technically correct isn’t always the best kind of correct
Atmos isn’t automatically better in its intended form. That might sound contradictory, but under those circumstances, its impact is dependent on numerous drivers working together in tandem. If some are producing weak output, or hampered by bad positioning, a pair of high-quality headphones may actually sound more immersive.
There are advantages to going the headphone route. Apart from portability and cost efficiency, you’re bringing sound as close to your ear as possible, maybe even inside the canal. That can make it easier to hear tiny nuances, at least with decent noise cancellation. With active noise cancellation (ANC), you can block most or all of the ambient sounds that would otherwise interfere, such as road traffic, or your partner’s PC game in the other room. It’s also more polite to jump straight to headphones if your audio would disturb other people — authenticity be damned.
