Dolby Atmos / Apple Spatial

Dolby atmos is an immersive sound format that allows music and video to surround the listener in 360°. it offers greater depth, space and emotional impact than a standard stereo mix, giving artists the chance to connect in a more powerful way. unlike older formats, atmos adapts to the playback system — from a full speaker setup to a pair of headphones.

You’ll receive a binaural version of your mix, which you can check on any pair of headphones for reference and feedback.

Streaming platforms such as tidal and amazon music support dolby atmos. atmos is supported on billions of devices and can be enjoyed on phones, tablets or computers (device and app dependent).

Apple music uses its own variation of dolby atmos called apple spatial. while it uses the same delivery file provided to distributors, the binaural rendering for listeners is different — it can sound more reverberant and some elements may appear slightly louder or quieter. during atmos mixing i compare both regular atmos and apple spatial renders to ensure your mix translates on all platforms.

Yes. an atmos version can be created from stems of the stereo mix or directly from the multitrack session if available. contact me to discuss what files you have and the best approach.

My studio features a calibrated 7.1.4 atmos speaker system built to dolby’s specifications. i also check binaural renders on studio headphones and AirPods.

Many weaker atmos releases weren’t mixed from the original multitracks. instead, a stereo bounce was “upmixed” by algorithm into surround, assigning elements around the space. it’s quick, but results are often poor. i only mix from multitrack or proper stem files so each element can be placed intentionally in the space.

Yes — this is something I’m actively working on and interested in offering to clients.