Bob’s Immersive journey: Yes, I am all wet!

[bobfa]

I have spent the last eight months refining my systems, dancing with cables, computers, and software.  With @The Computer Audiophile and @mitchco and many others’ support, this journey is closing in on a destination I had not imagined.  
 
 Rewinding a couple of years to the release of Apple Music Lossless and their expansion into immersive sound with their Spatial Audio services and hardware, I felt something new was on the horizon. Today, we have new releases of music in ATMOS, both new and old, every day!
 
The Apple Music Holidays in Spatial Audio Playlist exemplifies the changes afoot. From Sia to Bing Crosby, there is a lot there!
 
 https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/holidays-in-spatial-audio/pl.36882a6f7d15452fa586a35a4a8f75b1

 

I built a 7.1.4 ATMOS system in my basement in the second half of 2022. Since then, I have iterated over several modifications and have recently finished the configuration by adding a Schiit SYN to enhance the playback of 2-channel music to 5.1!  This system is straightforward: one computer, two DACs, a multi-channel amp, and a subwoofer.  I use Apple Music and jRiver Media Center!  All of my music is now Immersive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This fall, I migrated from 2-channel to ATMOS in my living room, reducing the system’s overall cost and improving accessibility for others in the home.

 

 

This week, I moved from the 2016 Sonos Soundbar on the family room TV to a Sonos Beam 2, which decodes and plays ATMOS, has voice control, and significantly improved vocal reproduction. More reporting on that later. Sitting here watching “The Voice,” I am not sure.

 

I carry an ATMOS playback system in my watch pocket. The Apple AirPods 2! I can listen to Apple Spatial Audio ATMOS anytime and anywhere.

 

Now and then, I get the Immerse360 wall system out for some absolute quiet time.

 

 

But it is not all peaches are cream in my music-listening land.

 

 

I am torn about music ownership. I have purchased a lot of CDs and downloads over the years.  I was always “The Album Guy,” as the artist intended.....  Lately, the playlist is overtaking my old-school 6000 curated albums world.

 

 

The transient nature and speed of expansion in streaming have polluted changed my brain, and I am building playlists. I can now spend more time listening, and it lets me compartmentalize music into feelings, fun, research, whatever.  I know I am missing some music and artistic intent on this path, but I am traveling it nonetheless.

 
So here I am, immersed in my music and Loving It.  Come on, in the water is fine.

RJF

[bobfa]

I have never explored so much music in my life.  I still fall back to my old Windom Hill and Sixties Rock friends.  I follow William Ackerman's new work, that man can play the guitar. You will still hear Helen Jane Long in the background regularly.

 

I wonder if Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" in ATMOS will spin up the nay-sayers or if they will enjoy the music.

 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/white-christmas/1425234668

 

??? How the Heck did that get remastered  ???

 

Please give me more from artists like Jim Croce and Carly Simon in ATMOS too!  I can only imagine Isao Tomita Snowflakes are Dancing in ATMOS

 

 

Sharing experiences at the album level has always been more problematic.   Today, I can create a snippet of my ATMOS musical experience and share it on Apple Music—this does point out all the issues around having so many streaming services.  I cannot live in all the worlds, I have picked one.  

 

 

Man, this is fun.  I may get whiplash looking forward and backward so often.

 

RJF