STACK #201 Jul 2021

FEATURE LIFE TECH

Dolby Atmos soundbars While a multi-speaker system will deliver the best results (the more speakers you add, the greater the immersion), a Dolby Atmos compatible soundbar can deliver an equally enveloping experience – without the need for overhead speakers – by using front and upward-firing speakers to reproduce the 360-degree surround sound effect. Some soundbars will upscale 5.1 and 7.1 surround, but to enjoy the full immersive power of true Dolby Atmos, the source content you’re playing must be Atmos-enabled.

DOLBY DATA Dolby Laboratories – the name now synonymous with high fidelity audio – was founded in London in 1965 by American sound engineer Ray Dolby, whose Dolby Noise Reduction technology would revolutionise the recording industry. His audio innovations also widened the sound stage for motion pictures – the first film to feature Dolby sound was A Clockwork Orange in 1971. “Dolby’s work changed the way movies were made,” noted filmmaker Philip Kaufman, “because sound became a powerful artistic element, and you could do things with sound that had never been done before.” Dolby sound would continue to evolve, with the introduction of the Dolby Stereo format for films in 1976 and, ultimately, Dolby Atmos in 2012. Ray Dolby received two Oscars for his contributions to motion picture sound and was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He died in 2013, aged 80.

SAMSUNG Q Series HW- Q900A 7.1.2 Channel True Dolby Atmos Soundbar

Comprising front, corner, side- and up-firing speakers, and a powerful wireless subwoofer, this multi-channel soundbar delivers the full cinematic experience when it comes to immersive audio. Smart technology analyses the environment and optimises sound levels accordingly, while an active voice amplifier ensures the dialogue comes through loud and clear. Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature synchronises motion tracking sound from compatible Samsung QLED TVs with the soundbar, and HDMI eARC connectivity delivers full resolution Dolby Atmos content from the TV to soundbar. There’s fast and easy Bluetooth pairing to stream music from portable devices, as well as Amazon Alexa and Apple Airplay 2 support.

SONY HT-X8500 2.1ch All-in-1 Dolby Atmos Soundbar with built-in Subwoofer

Sleek, compact and affordable, this is a terrific, entry level Dolby Atmos soundbar that delivers impressive cinematic 3D audio. Two front speakers and an integrated dual subwoofer work in tandem with Sony’s proprietary Vertical Surround Engine to accurately reproduce up to 7.1.2ch surround sound without the need for ceiling-mounted or reflection-based satellite speakers. The soundbar will also upscale dual channel and 5.1 audio sources at the tap of a button. The HT-X8500 is designed to handle the latest home cinema formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10, with fast 4K HDR 18Gps passthrough (when using a HDMI 2.1 cable), and there are five sound modes – Cinema, Game, Sports, Music and News (dialogue) – which further enhance the audio according to the content type.

DOLBY ATMOS DEMO DISCS Experience the full power of Dolby Atmos with these four flicks on 4K UHD disc:

LG SP11RA 7.1.4 Channel 770W Dolby Atmos Soundbar

In the premium tier of Dolby Atmos soundbars is LG’s flagship model for

2021, which utilises Meridian advanced digital signal processing (DSP) to create a wide sound stage. The unit incorporates five outward-firing drivers and two upwards, plus a pair of

wireless rear speakers (both forward and upward drivers) and a wireless subwoofer to deliver powerful and thoroughly immersive 7.1.4 channel sound, bringing the cinema experience home. There is also 4K passthrough for Dolby Vision, and LG TV Sound Mode Share – a feature of LG’s 2021 TV models – which uses the TV’s AI Sound Pro technology to automatically adjust the audio and frequency range to fit the source content being played. And for music lovers, High Resolution Audio support (24-bit/96kHz) will up-mix your favourite tunes with studio-quality sound.

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