3D Sound - Sony’s MPEG-H

[STC]

This may interest audiophiles who are interest in 3D sound. This is still object based immersive experience but with more options. 

 

Read more below

http://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/sony-360-reality-audio-mpegh/

[guymrob]

Sounds like Sony is going to kill off stereophonic if it really takes off. It will generate enormous income for Sony and the music industries. A new way of listening to music?

[STC]

Just like pencils stereo will exist forever. It is the simplest form of sound reproduction with reasonable realism. Maybe other surround formats will get replaced. 

[asdf1000]

http://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/sony-360-reality-audio-mpegh/

 

“the format will be compliant with MPEG-H 3D Audio, an open audio standard”

 

“For headphones, a dedicated device will not be needed for the user to play back 360 Reality Audio compatible content and experience a sound field with a realistic feel unlike anything conventional headphones have been able to offer.”

 

“For headphones, in particular, it will be possible to enjoy the content simply by using apps offered by the participating music service providers. Planned to be provided via four services: Deezer, nugs, Qobuz, and TIDAL.”

[MetalNuts]

Is it new?  Auro 3D audio has been around for sometime and Marantz AV receiver has it?  What's the difference between these surround or 3D, DTS, DTS-X, Dolby Surround, Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D and the new Sony 3D?

 

I am sure and I do experience these surround or 3D formats produce stunning effects in videos, i.e. movies or concerts but I have reservation as to the impact to stereo music.  We get used to and it is implanted in our brain that the artists are performing before you, not behind you or on your side so I could hardly imagine whether I can get used to the main audio/voice not coming from the front but behind my back without turning my head to see what's behind. 

 

 

[psjug]

I could be drawn in pretty easily since you only need to buy the headphones to try it (if you already have one of the streaming services).  Especially since I've never liked listening to stereo on headphones.  It would be interesting to see info on the headphone design.  Also, I'm wondering about their idea of taking photos of the listener's ears and software making corrections using the photos.  Would that work well or is it more a gimmick?

 

However, to deliver the best possible musical experience, it will be necessary to measure the hearing characteristics of the individual user’s ear and apply signal processing accordingly to the reproduced sound. Sony is developing an app that will enable users to take photos of their own ears with a smartphone to create an optimized musical experience based on an analysis of the hearing characteristics of user’s ears.

[asdf1000]

22 minutes ago, psjug said:

I could be drawn in pretty easily since you only need to buy the headphones to try it

 

I posted a few posts above:

 

“For headphones, a dedicated device will not be needed for the user to play back 360 Reality Audio compatible content and experience a sound field with a realistic feel unlike anything conventional headphones have been able to offer.”

[psjug]

3 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

I posted a few posts above:

 

“For headphones, a dedicated device will not be needed for the user to play back 360 Reality Audio compatible content and experience a sound field with a realistic feel unlike anything conventional headphones have been able to offer.”

I took that to mean that you can play it with just a smart phone, but you need the special headphones.

[STC]

34 minutes ago, psjug said:

Also, I'm wondering about their idea of taking photos of the listener's ears and software making corrections using the photos.  Would that work well or is it more a gimmick?

 

Your pinna is as unique as your finger print. No two persons will the same pinna and therefore the frequency response perceived by you is different from another. The only way you could compensate the difference is by eq’ing to modify the frequencies. Sony”s approach is valid. 

 

 

 

[asdf1000]

7 minutes ago, psjug said:

I took that to mean that you can play it with just a smart phone, but you need the special headphones.

 

Good point, that's a way to interpret it. Will dig around a bit more.

[STC]

8 minutes ago, psjug said:

I took that to mean that you can play it with just a smart phone, but you need the special headphones.

 

You still need a filter to adjust the frequency response of your pinna. You only need to measure once. 

[psjug]

20 minutes ago, STC said:

 

You still need a filter to adjust the frequency response of your pinna. You only need to measure once. 

But the Sony app would do all that, right?  Analyze the photo, construct and apply the correction.  I would think that the correction would be more than just adjusting frequency response; it would also be some kind of balancing of the channels.

[STC]

34 minutes ago, psjug said:

But the Sony app would do all that, right?  Analyze the photo, construct and apply the correction.  I would think that the correction would be more than just adjusting frequency response; it would also be some kind of balancing of the channels.

 

I suppose so. I think the main purpose of MPEG-H is for multichannel streaming. I  am still unsure how they are going to solve the internalization effect with headphones.