What is Dolby Atmos? Everything You Need To Know

You see the Dolby Atmos logo everywhere now. It's at the theater, on TVs, inside headphones ... even Apple is getting into Dolby Atmos. But what is Dolby Atmos, how does it work, and how do you get it? In this video, we explain Dolby Atmos, top to bottom, so you can fully understand the latest and greatest in surround sound and 3D audio.

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00:00 - Intro
01:10 - Dobly Atmos' Debut
01:56 - Dolby 5.1 Surround Explained
02:34 - Dolby 7.1 Surround Explained
03:02 - Audio Channel Breakdown
04:12 - Dolby Atmos Explained
05:21 - Object Based Surround Sound Explained
07:02 - Summary of Dolby Atmos
07:28 - Dolby Atmos' Other Applications
08:55 - Final Thoughts

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[Caleb_Denison]

Thanks for the awesome comments, everyone! This was a fun video to make, and I love strolling down memory lane with you all about first surround sound experiences. Many of them sound like my own! Now, what should we explain next?

[kyleeisenhauer]

My dad bought a Bose 5.1 surround setup and the first movie we watched was Jurassic Park. Watching that movie with that setup was a life changing moment that has always stuck with me.

[darealestwon]

About 15 years ago at a sharper image Store. A 5.1 playing the incredibles. I knew I had to have it.a couple Years later I got my first 7.1 system, and have made consistent upgrades to my current 7.3.2 Dolby atmos system. I’ll never go back

[jeffclark]

I’ve upgraded from 5.1 to 5.1.2 and just recently to 5.1.4. Adding the atmos speakers made a huge difference in how realistic the sound moves around the room. It’s a living room, unfortunately don’t have room for a dedicated home theater but I couldn’t be happier with my setup. Shut the lights off and it sounds just like you’re there.

[AMCKEEL]

The first movie I saw that the surround sound changed the whole experience and my life forever was Saving Private Ryan. I mean. Incredible. Bullets buzzing around just incredible.

[pf]

Let’s just say the very first time I heard a DA demo I immediately upgraded my theater processor and added an additional amplifier with four Atmos speakers to my system. That’s how amazing I found it to be. IMO it’s the best thing to happen to movie sound within the last two decades.

[onlyzach]

My first surround sound experience was at a Santa Monica stadium seating theater seeing The Fifth Element. I was completely blown away and that got me into this "hobby". Just added 2 in ceiling Atmos speakers to bring my system to 5.1.2 and watched the 4K blu-ray recently. Just an awesome experience also and brought it full circle for me. Great video!

[davethestalker]

The first time I heard discreet 5.1 surround sound was in the mid 90’s when I worked for Best Buy. Those of us in the video department went to a training conference. They played the DVD of “Heat” and used the downtown gun fight scene. It was and still is pretty epic!

[toddv]

I've had my Atmos setup for around 5 years now and it really enhances the at home movie experience. I'm running a 7.1.2 setup, utilizing floor speakers for the front LCR, and in wall and incielings for surrounds, surround backs, and top middle speakers.

The overhead atmos speakers definitely are worth it.

[oweny]

Dolby atmos really does make a massive difference for me when watching movies.

[subzerohf]

I have seen several Dolby Atmos videos and articles. Yours is the best. By demonstrating how the old surround sound works in a cinema, then how the fly is buzzing all around the auditorium with Atmos, there is not a single shred of doubt that Atmos is far superior. Thank you.

[williamsa]

I tell people that the single biggest improvement of Atomos over channel based surround, is scalability. You should get the same effect in your 7.1.4 home setup, as you would in a theatre. Maybe quieter, but the spacing should feel the same relative to the audience.

[Jolanda]

My parents were obsessed with cinema and so I grew up in a home that always had a movie teather in the living room, i have watched so many movies on that and it always blew me away, now i have the old 5.1 surround that they gave me after buying an atmos system, so many memories 😊

[Bluboy]

The first true surround sound I've experience was way back in summer of 1993 when I saw Jurassic Park at a theater that has DTS surround sound. My first experience with Dolby Atmos was when I saw Gravity back in 2013 and fell in love with this new 3D surround sound. In 2014, I bought my first Atmos receiver and installed two height speakers to my home theater. Now I have a full 7.2.4 set up at my current home theater set up.

[Marshmellow]

One of the most impactive upgrades I made to my theatre room was installing 2 overheard in ceiling Atmos speakers. 7.1.2 is just amazing.

[thomasleo]

First amazing home surround sound experience was Rustler's Rhapsody (1985). More generally, as to all your videos: I love the channel! Your explanations are deep enough to tell me what I want to know without losing me - the perfect levels of detail, geekiness and precision - and always so interesting and on-topic! This is one of my favorite channels on YouTube. Bravo!

[anandpeacock]

Fantastic, thanks Caleb, well researched, lucid interpretations and a great journey you take the listener on. Thats good teaching skills

[sersky]

Finally the video I was looking forward to. I absolutely love Dolby Atmos and now I even know how it works, thank you so much

[HariKrishnan-gffi]

This is some next level explanation. I've never heard someone talk about it or have seen a video about it. Thanks Mr Caleb

[wilkeymusic]

So well explained! Rare to have sophisticated technology demonstrated and unpacked so accessibly. Well done and thank you for adding to the short list of good YouTube explanation videos✊🏽