Article: Thoughts On Immersive Audio

[bbosler]

3 hours ago, DigiPete said:

20 hours ago, Marco Klobas said:

Active speakers have pros and cons: one weak point is that when the technology changes (a new format added or an existing format turned obsolete) an all-in-one (embedded) solution means changing basically the whole chain.

That may be the case for some consumer products, but not so in the PRO world.
In fact, your treasured recordings are almost exclusively recorded, mixed and mastered on active monitors.
Wether it's stereo, surround or immersive.

In fact, my own (digital input) Genelec SAM PRO monitors system is ready for multiples of the channels Immersive currently offer. Equally so with analogue input active monitors.

 

+1, no, make that ++++++ for  Genelec

 

if starting over, instead of 20 passive Paradigm speakers with 20 channels of power amplification, 20 XLR audio  cables from the processor to the amps, and 20 sets of speaker cables , I would definitely be starting with active monitors. Genelec makes an extensive line at a wide range of prices. https://www.genelec.com/home-theatres  Some accept analog only and some AES/EBU. They even offer some Dante/AES67 that are powered with an ethernet cable so a single wire does it all. https://www.genelec.com/4430a

 

poke around here. https://www.genelec.com/immersive-hub this is an excellent primer on immersive including a comparison of different formats

 

To DigiPete's concern about obsolescence, The software continues to evolve but the hardware chain is a mature technology in the pro audio world. no concerns about having to replace it

 

 

[bbosler]

Chris, can you point us to information on ripping DTS and Atmos from Blu-Ray? I have it figured out for DVD-A and SACD. 

 

If it is one those multi-step processes that requires several programs  I'm not interested, but if as easy as SACD (once you get it set up) then I would give it a try, otherwise I'll just play the disc.

 

thanks

 

[bbosler]

On 7/3/2022 at 4:49 PM, Jud said:

Thank you for mentioning the Berliner Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall app is available for Apple TV!  Should have realized, but just never thought of it.

 

IMHO it is a horrible experience on Apple TV with video. The camera changes every 2 -6 seconds. While the sound remains fixed in space the video jumps around constantly

 

here's the soloist for 5 seconds

jump to a closeup of a violinist for 2 seconds

jump to a wide angle of the conductor and orchestra for 3 seconds

back to the soloist for 4 seconds

camera slowly swoops in from the back of the orchestra until all you see is the conductor

closeup of the violins for a few seconds

closeup of the percussionist for a second

closeup of the flautist for 3 seconds

 

 

and on and on for an hour or more ???? no way in hell I can sit through that.. It is a HORRIBLE experience

 

 

 

 

[bbosler]

4 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Directors of photography need to figure out how to show this so it works with the audio. 

What works for rock or jazz with a small group simply doesn’t for a symphony orchestra. I just watched Robert Plant at Glastonbury on Qello.
 

Superb… they cut to whoever had the lead.. one of the guitar players, Plant, whoever and it all made sense. For one, they didn’t change cameras every few seconds like a 1980’s MTV video. And there really is no sense of soundstage at a a rock concert, just a huge wall of sound so zooming in on the lead guitar is not distracting 

 

but on this Berlin Philharmonic it was like the director is ADD jumping all over the orchestra changing cameras every few seconds just because he or she can. Would much prefer a fixed location for the camera just like the microphones are fixed in place.. like the experience you have when you go to the symphony 

 

thanks for tolerating my little rant

 

BTW Qello is a lot of fun if you have video capability. Watching Miles Davis and Quincy Jones at Montreux doing Gil Evans arrangements… very tasty