Spatial Audio: The Future Of Audio
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in “Top Gun: Maverick.” (Paramount Pictures)
Recently, I had the pleasure of experiencing Top Gun in the Dolby Cinema at the iconic Battersea Power Station in London. While the movie itself was impressive, it was the sound that truly took my breath away (sorry). The Dolby Atmos technology coupled with the skill of the film’s sound designers, editors and composers - put me right in the scene, feel the G-force and the exhilaration of Super Hornets flying around me. The sound for the film won an Oscar.
But it’s not just in Hollywood blockbusters or on Apple TV or Abbey Road Studios where you can have this experience. Put on a pair of headphones, stick on Stranger Things and get the same surround sound on your iPhone SE!
Spatial audio is a revolutionary technology that is transforming the way we experience all audio content. For those who are sceptical or side-eyeing at spatial audio with interest, we want to share an introduction to this captivating realm and why we at Granny Eats Wolf use it in all our productions.
So what is spatial audio?
We hear the world in 3D. Spatial audio allows us to replicate this sensation.
Sound is not confined to a straight line between your left and right ear (like when you experience stereo). Instead it surrounds your head like a sphere.
Spatial audio creates a three-dimensional soundstage, allowing you to hear sound coming from in-front, behind, to the sides, above, and below you.
This technology, exemplified by Dolby Atmos, brings the cinematic surround sound experience right to your headphones. Whether that’s movies, a TV show, music, games or at a Hells Angels silent disco.
By placing sound in specific locations around the listener, Dolby Atmos creates a sense of depth, realism, and engagement. Like a plane flying overhead or a creaking floorboard so real it makes you turn, elevating audio storytelling to new heights.
What about the tech?
Spatial audio is made possible by a combination of innovative technologies:
Binaural Audio which has been around since 1839, utilising two microphones to capture sound from different directions, binaural audio replicates the way we hear in the real world.
Head tracking technology tracks the movement of the listener's head and adjusts the audio accordingly. This enables a dynamic and personalized spatial audio experience, as the sound adapts to the listener's perspective. Apple’s Airpod Pros use spatialized audio to emulate the spatial effect.
Object-Based Audio like Dolby Atmos - Sound engineers can position and move sound within a three-dimensional space. This technology allows for precise control over the placement and movement of sound objects, enabling a realistic and immersive auditory environment.
Who’s leading the way in spatial adoption?
We use Dolby Atmos in all our productions. It’s an object-based audio tool to produce 3d audio. There are many other tools you can use like L-Acoustics LISA or dearVR Pro etc.
Although still in its early stages, spatial audio has already captured the attention of industry giants:
Audible enabled Dolby Atmos on its platform on over 40 titles including the Sandman series, Oliver Twist and The Woman In Black (produced by Granny Eats Wolf)..
Wondery were the first podcast publishers to introduce spatial audio into their catalogue
Apple Music and Amazon Music (Amazon Music Unlimited) offers spatial audio across their music catalogues
Disney+ and Apple TV uses spatial audio for premium original content, such as The Mandalorian
Gaming: Most AAA new releases are spatial audio ready. The PlayStation 5 supports Spatial audio for games.
VR: Did you see the Apple Vision Pro launch? Spatial audio was mentioned everywhere. Spatial is fundamental for great experiences in the Metaverse.
Ok, so that’s the ‘WHAT’. Let’s look at the ‘WHY’.
You’re a publisher or production company, why use spatial audio in your production?
Younger appeal: Gen Z are hungry for new forms of entertainment and dopamine drops. They focus on high-quality production values. Spatial audio opens up exciting audience opportunities.
Greater Clarity: We build 3d audio worlds that give voices space to breathe. This deeper immersion helps listeners lose themselves in the story. And it’s proven to enhance story recall.
Increased Engagement: Spatial audio makes you feel like you’re at the very centre of the story. This fundamentally elevates our approach to scripting, directing, music and sound design.
Audiobooks are the perfect medium for spatial audio. Spatial audio allows listeners to experience the story as if they are right there, next to the characters, with the action taking place around them. It creates a deeper emotional connection and empathy with the story and characters.
By placing sound in a three-dimensional space, it mimics the way we perceive sound in the real world, reducing listening fatigue and enhancing long listening sessions.
Spatial audio can be experienced at home using headphones like Airpods Pro or Airpod Max, VR headsets, home theatre systems, or mobile devices. Headphones and mobile devices use advanced algorithms to simulate spatial audio, while VR headsets and home theatre systems like the Sonos ERA 300 speaker use multiple speakers to create a more immersive experience.
Why now?
Digital audio is coming of age. The audio market is saturated. Yet young people are still flooding into this new found thing called podcasts and audiobooks. They search out high quality, highly engaging, highly specific content that speaks directly to their ethics, values and purpose.
When you combine other factors such as 80% of digital audio is consumed on headphones, high internet speeds, unlimited data mobile packages and large phone storage - the consumption barriers have been made effortless.
So what’s next?
Spatial audio will only get better. For a long time customers have not seen the benefits of moving on from stereo. As more people purchase headphones with head tracking or consume lossless audio with Apple music without even thinking about it, everyone will be after immersive sound. Now we can build these hyper realistic sonic worlds, the algorithms that play them out will become more sophisticated and accurate.
Widening Adoption: From blockbuster films to indie podcasts, 3D sound is poised to redefine how we consume and interact with all audio content.
Enhanced Immersion: Whether it's exploring virtual worlds, attending live concerts remotely, or engaging in interactive storytelling, spatial audio will create experiences that blur the boundaries between reality and imagination.
Personalized Spatial Audio Experiences: Advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques can analyse listeners' preferences and optimise spatial audio elements accordingly.
Collaborative and Interactive Audio: Imagine a podcast or a live music performance where listeners can virtually position themselves within the soundstage, choosing which elements to focus on or interact with. This interactivity can foster a deeper sense of involvement and agency, transforming passive listeners into active participants.
Innovative Content Formats: From interactive audio dramas to immersive educational experiences, the possibilities are vast. Spatial audio can be a catalyst for innovation, encouraging content creators to experiment with novel storytelling techniques, spatial sound design concepts, and interactive elements.
It’s amazing for someone like me, and the whole Granny Eats Wolf team, who have dedicated their careers to audio to believe today is the most exciting time for the medium. And for storytelling. While A.I. advances are scaring many, this technology does nothing except advance the craft. The value is clear.
The revolution will be spatialized.
Audible’s The Woman In Black at the Dolby Cinema in Battersea Power Station, London
Granny Eats Wolf is at the forefront of the spatial audio storytelling revolution, empowering creators to craft immersive and engaging experiences.
Our journey in crafting immersive audio storytelling is driven by over 20 years of experience in producing and promoting content for the world's best audio storytellers. We take pride in our ability to help publishers and businesses envision their creative future and inspire innovation.
Our production for Audible Studios, "The Woman In Black" by Susan Hill, was nominated for Best Audiobook & Creative Innovation at the Radio Academy’s ARIAS 2023. Sam Mendes called ‘The Signalman’ cinema for the ears. We can’t wait for you to hear what we have coming next.
Put on a pair of headphones and surround yourself in sound.
