Note: This feature was first published on 25 July 2023.
A brief history lesson in sound
The last major revolution in sound came in the early Thirties when Alan Blumlein pioneered stereophonic sound. The technology became mainstream in the late Fifties and has since become the default way in which music is recorded, produced, and played. Today, we don’t even think about it. Nearly all sound we hear around us is in stereo.
While there’s no question that stereo sound is a major improvement over its predecessor mono sound, it’s still a compromise. That’s because we don’t perceive sound from just two sources. Sound, in the real world, comes from all around us. And for the past few decades, companies like Dolby, Sony, and DTS have been trying to fix that with surround sound technologies, and with varying degrees of success.
Enter spatial audio
With spatial audio, your headphones can make it seem as if the sound is coming from all around you. (Image source: Apple)
Change, however, could be on the way because Apple announced in June 2021 that it would be supporting spatial audio on its Apple Music streaming service.
Before we go on any further, it’s necessary to clear up some confusion surrounding the nomenclature of it all. The underlying technology enabling spatial audio on Apple Music and through Apple devices like the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max is Dolby Atmos. Now, this technology has been with us for a while but it was almost exclusively used in the movie industry – in movies, cinemas, and home theatres. It differs from older surround technologies in that it adds a height element to the mix, thereby allowing sounds to be presented as three-dimensional objects in space. It sounds more immersive, but it was also expensive to implement. Cinemas needed to be fitted with extra speakers (mostly in the ceiling) and home theatres required expensive multi-speaker setups.
Apple introduced spatial audio to Apple Music in June 2021. (Image source: Apple)
Spatial audio, more accurately, refers to Apple’s support of Dolby Atmos through its devices. And what’s particularly interesting is how it’s doing it, because most of its devices only have two speakers. How it achieves believable surround sound with just two speakers is down to these four magic letters: HRTF or head-related transfer function. It refers to how you perceive sound as it strikes your body. Perhaps unbeknownst to most people, the shape of your head, ears, and ear canals all have an impact on how you perceive sound. This is why Apple takes a scan of your head and ears when you set up spatial audio for the first time. It uses this data to adjust the AirPods’ sound so that it sounds more like it’s coming from around you instead of two tiny drivers near your ears.
Spatial vs stereo
I recently visited Karma Studios in Pattaya to learn more about spatial audio.
While artists, producers, and sound engineers have always strived to provide an immersive listening experience with stereo recording and various mixing techniques and technologies, the technology ultimately remains a limiting factor. But with Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, a particular track can be three-dimensionally placed within a mix using an app like Logic Pro.
This was something I learned recently while visiting Karma Studios, a world-class residential recording studio nestled deep within Pattaya, Thailand’s Jomtien Beach. The studio was designed to be a place where artists could concentrate fully on their craft, far away from whatever that might distract them. It was there that I met up with a trio of producers who explained to me why spatial audio could herald the next revolution in music.
From left to right: Zeke Keran aka Flightsch, Earth Patravee, and Evan Low aka Evanturetime. (Image source: Apple)
Music producer Evan Low, the man behind the 2021 hit NDP theme song “The Road Ahead,” explains that instead of having to manipulate and place sounds in specific speakers, they can now position them in a space with aspects like amplitude, frequency, synchronisations, delays, and reverbs, taken care of by the Dolby Atmos renderer, which is built into Logic Pro. This makes the production workflow simpler, particularly for less experienced musicians and producers. Zeke Keran, a hip-hop producer and A&R based in Singapore, agrees and says that Apple’s integration of spatial audio directly into Logic Pro makes the technical process a “seamless experience.”
And having experienced the mixing process using Logic Pro during my visit to Karma Studios, I have to concur. The ease with which you can manipulate sound to make it seem like it's coming from different directions is almost game-like. You simply drag and place the track within a 3D representation of a room and that’s about it. Earth Patravee, a singer-songwriter and producer from Thailand, concurs with the naturalness of the interface and said that the ease with which you can create spatial audio tracks and the ability to more accurately manipulate sound “creates a lot more possibilities” during the creative process and that it can create more immersive listening experiences for music lovers. Perhaps what’s most intriguing, however, according to Zeke, is that we are still in the infancy stages and there’s no telling where the technology may take us.
What would it take to succeed?
I got to experience Logic Pro whilst at the studio and how the Dolby Atmos renderer works.
As exciting as spatial audio may be, and even though the number of songs available in spatial audio and the number of people listening to music in spatial audio is growing, mainstream adoption is still a challenge.
Ultimately, as Zeke puts it, mainstream adoption is going to require commitment and cultivation from all stakeholders, including music streaming platforms, artists, producers, and the proliferation of spatial audio-enabled hardware like headphones and speakers. Likewise, Earth recognises that there will likely be friction from producers, but said that while it can be intimidating at first, taking that first step is key. Having one or two hit songs recorded and produced in spatial audio won’t hurt too, Evan opines. Just look at what Doom did for 3D gaming.
Spatial audio is finding its way into automobiles too. Mercedes' newest EQS are amongst the first cars to support spatial audio.
Getting audiophiles to be excited is likely going to be an obstacle too. The community is notoriously stubborn and steadfast in their beliefs, and so far, the reaction has been lukewarm. Producers like Zeke and Ethan understand where they are coming from. “Old is gold, but there’s nothing truly like the present,” says Zeke. And while Ethan appreciates audio fidelity, he urges the community to try the technology before forming opinions.
Still, there are reasons to be optimistic. To start, spatial audio is already supported by Apple Music and it’s a no-cost option for all subscribers, which, according to market research firms, currently stands at around 80 million. And on top of that, at least half the songs in the Apple Music Daily Top 100 playlist are available in spatial audio. Furthermore, Apple Music is fast becoming the music streaming platform of choice for audiophiles because it offers lossless audio streaming at no additional cost. Spatial audio is also already supported by the latest versions of Logic Pro, which means it’s easily accessible to a large number of producers and sound engineers. And finally, there’s a wide range of devices that can play spatial audio (though admittedly to varying degrees of effectiveness) ranging from AirPods to iPads, and MacBooks.
Final thoughts
Multi-channel surround sound has long been touted as the next step for personal audio and Dolby Atmos and spatial audio are arguably the best execution of that promise yet. While I’m not 100% convinced that it always sounds better than traditional stereo mixes, several standout tracks make me believe that it could be the standard of the future. Charlie Puth and Jung Kook’s Left and Right is a prime example that not only showcases how spatial audio can be used to produce tracks in creative ways but also highlights its effectiveness compared to stereo mixes. Masego’s Mystery Lady is another noteworthy example and the way vocals in the track seem to come from all directions make for a unique listening experience and is just pure fun. And what is music if not an outlet for creativity and fun?
But perhaps more importantly, not only is the technology accessible to both creators and listeners, but we also have, in Apple Music, a powerful global platform for distribution. We could be the cusp of a fundamental change in the way we perceive not just music, but also audio in general.
Further reading and listening
To get you started on your spatial audio journey, here’s a list of tracks recommended by Zeke and Evan:
- Mystery Lady - Masego
- BOOM - Tiësto, Sevenn
- Left and Right - Charlie Puth & Jung Kook
- Infinity - Nathan Hartono
- Thank You - Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
Apple Music starts at S$10.98 for individuals and just S$5.98 for students. Lossless audio and spatial audio with Dolby Atmos are available at no extra cost. Head over here to sign up and subscribe.
Also, check out our reviews of Apple devices that support spatial audio:
- AirPods Pro 2nd generation
- Apple AirPods 3rd generation
- Apple AirPods Max
- Apple AirPods Pro 1st generation
- Apple HomePod
Apart from Apple Music, spatial audio is also supported by Tidal HiFi Plus and Amazon Music Unlimited.
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.