In fact, promise isn’t the identical as ship—and simply as with these soundbars that wish to replicate the results of a encompass sound setup, it’s troublesome within the excessive to create a sensation of spatial audio with out the bodily tools essential.
For residence cinema, the phrases ‘spatial audio’ can confidently be swapped for ‘3D sound’. Not like a 5.1 or 7.1 encompass sound setup, which creates a circle of sound across the listener, a spatial audio system creates a dome, the place sound is delivered from above, in addition to from the entrance, sides and rear.
Think about your 7.1-channel system, and add 4 overhead audio system which have their very own discrete data contained throughout the soundtrack. What you have got now could be a 7.1.4 system, and any content material that’s been blended particularly for a spatial audio system has a unprecedented quantity of scope for the steering of results throughout the dome of sound the system can create.
One of the best ways to attain a spatial audio impact from top channels is by exactly positioning audio system into the ceiling of your property cinema room. I hardly have to let you know that’s is a comparatively sophisticated course of, and by no means what you may be tempted to name “low cost.” That’s the reason quite a few loudspeaker manufacturers have developed upwards-firing modules which might be designed to sit down on high of a few of the speaker cupboards in your encompass sound setup, and mirror hold forth the ceiling in an effort to copy the impact of overhead audio system. It’s an analogous technique to these spatial audio soundbars with drivers that face upwards—however clearly on a bigger scale.
Does Encompass Sound Really Sound Higher?
For probably the most devoted film followers, the reply right here is undoubtedly sure—if you happen to select to spend money on a encompass sound setup, the sound that accompanies the flicks you watch might be utterly reworked. Whether or not it is best for you, your finances and your house is a really totally different query, and it is value weighing up the opposite choices for enhancing your property cinema sound earlier than you make investments.
Encompass Sound vs Stereo Sound
Which is “higher” between encompass sound and stereo sound isn’t actually an absolute right here—it’s a bit like attempting to determine which is healthier between apples or onions. It’s honest to say, although, that in case your main curiosity is in residence cinema reasonably than in music, a encompass sound setup goes to deliver you far nearer to the goals of the filmmaker (and their sound designer) than a stereo various has a hope of doing.
All film soundtracks may have been blended to be delivered by a encompass sound setup, and that’s true whether or not you’re getting your film from a streaming service or by way of legacy media akin to 4K Blu-ray. There might be a stereo downmix out there for these listening by way of a TV or stereo system, after all, however the true intentions of a encompass sound combine will solely develop into obvious if it’s heard by way of a encompass sound system.
Encompass Sound vs Soundbars
{Photograph}: Ryan Waniata
For anybody attempting to determine between encompass sound and a soundbar, what’s greatest will come right down to your finances and/or the house you have got—plus how a lot you actually watch films, and need the full-on residence cinema expertise. Sure, a soundbar is extra handy than a encompass sound setup, and it’s nearly definitely extra inexpensive. However is it a encompass sound answer? You already know the reply to that one.
