Do you wonder which Dolby is best, and which one to choose when you have a choice, like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus?
It’s not just you, there’s so much confusion and most don’t know how these technologies differ, and in this guide, I will explain in detail and compare Dolby Atmos with Dolby Digital as well.
Ray Dolby founded Dolby Laboratories in 1965 and it was his vision that made the company what it is today. His inventions revolutionized the way audio is produced, providing an unprecedented level of clarity and accuracy.
He developed technologies like noise reduction, surround sound, and digital recording which is still used all over the world today. After Ray’s death in 2013, a new generation of engineers has taken up the mantle at Dolby Labs to create even more revolutionary technology for enhancing audio quality.
What Is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is one of the latest and most advanced technologies developed by Dolby, a world leader in audio technology.
Dolby Atmos is a cinema sound format that takes the traditional channel-based audio approach and adds the ability to place and move audio objects in a 3D space.
This allows for a more immersive and dynamic sound experience. In addition to the usual channels (left, center, right, left surround, right surround, and low-frequency effects), Dolby Atmos uses a bed of 7.1.2 channels and adds 118 audio objects that can be placed and moved anywhere in the room.
It’s like having tiny invisible speakers that can go anywhere and make all sorts of crazy sounds! So if you ever want to feel like you’re inside a giant pinball machine or being chased by a giant monster, Dolby Atmos is the way to go.
Just make sure you have a compatible audio system and some extra speakers for the full experience.
Now let’s go back to the days when Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus we’re the only formats available.
What Is Dolby Digital And Dolby Digital Plus?
Dolby Digital is a digital audio compression technology that was developed in the 1990s for use on DVDs and in theatres. It allows for the encoding of up to 5.1 channels of sound (left, center, right, left surround, right surround, and a low-frequency effects channel) using pulse-code modulation and per-channel audio quantization. This allows for high-quality sound that takes up less space on the DVD or in the theatre’s audio system.
Dolby Digital Plus, also known as Enhanced AC-3, is an improved version of Dolby Digital that was introduced in the 2000s.
It has a higher bit rate and can support up to 7.1 channels of sound, as well as additional audio features such as support for multiple languages and audio descriptions for the visually impaired.
It is used on streaming platforms and in some broadcast applications. It’s like the big brother of Dolby Digital, with even more audio goodness packed into it!
So if you want to take your audio to the next level, Dolby Digital Plus is the way to go. Just make sure you have a compatible system and some extra speakers for all those extra channels.
Here is a comparison of Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus:
| Feature | Dolby Digital | Dolby Digital Plus |
| Purpose | Digital audio compression for DVDs and theatres | Improved version of Dolby Digital with higher bit rate and additional audio features |
| Number of channels | Up to 5.1 | Up to 7.1 |
| Spatial positioning | 2D | 2D |
| Compatibility | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 |
| Quality | Lossy | Lossy |
| Bit rate | Lower | Higher (but can be reduced for streaming) |
| Use cases | DVD, streaming, broadcast | Streaming, broadcast |
Dolby Atmos Vs Dolby Digital Plus Sound Placement And Experience?
Dolby Atmos is an advanced audio format that adds an extra layer of information to a Dolby TrueHD audio track, allowing for the positioning of audio in 3D space within a room or environment.
This is achieved by adding small audio tracks with position data to the base Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio track, which consists of seven standard channels and one subwoofer channel placed in a 2D circle around the listener.
To fully experience Dolby Atmos, a receiver with Atmos capabilities and additional speakers positioned above the listener are required.
These height speakers allow the Atmos receiver to generate sound for the regular speakers and use the additional information to determine which height speaker should be used for a particular sound effect or piece of information, creating a 3D soundscape experience.
If height speakers are not available, a Dolby Atmos receiver can still enhance the basic TrueHD 7.1 audio track and provide a simulated 3D effect.
In short, Dolby Atmos offers a more immersive sound experience than Dolby Digital Plus, as it allows for the positioning of audio in three dimensions, including above the listener.
Here is a comparison of Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos:
| Feature | Dolby Digital Plus | Dolby Atmos |
| Purpose | Improved version of Dolby Digital with higher bit rate and additional audio features | Cinema sound format with channel-based and object-based audio |
| Number of channels | Up to 7.1 | Up to 7.1.2 plus 118 audio objects |
| Spatial positioning | 2D | 2D and 3D |
| Compatibility | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 |
| Quality | Lossy | Lossless (when used with Dolby TrueHD) |
| Bit rate | Higher (but can be reduced for streaming) | Higher (but can be reduced with Dolby Digital Plus) |
| Use cases | Streaming, broadcast | Cinema, home theatre, gaming, music |
All Dolby Technologies Since Its Origin?
Here is a table that compares Dolby 301, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos:
| Feature | Dolby 301 | Dolby Stereo | Dolby Digital | Dolby Digital Plus | Dolby Atmos |
| Purpose | Noise reduction for tape decks | Film sound system with matrix encoding for 3 channels | Digital audio compression for DVDs and theatres | Improved version of Dolby Digital with higher bit rate and additional audio features | Cinema sound format with channel-based and object-based audio |
| Number of channels | N/A | 3 (left, center, right) | Up to 5.1 | Up to 7.1 | Up to 7.1.2 plus 118 audio objects |
| Spatial positioning | N/A | 2D | 2D | 2D | 2D and 3D |
| Compatibility | N/A | N/A | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 | Non-Atmos systems can play in mono, stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 |
| Quality | N/A | N/A | Lossy | Lossy | Lossless (when used with Dolby TrueHD) |
| Bit rate | N/A | N/A | Lower | Higher (but can be reduced with Dolby Digital Plus) | Higher (but can be reduced with Dolby Digital Plus) |
| Use cases | Tape decks | Film | DVD, streaming, broadcast | Streaming, broadcast | Cinema, home theatre, gaming, music |
Do You Need Height Speakers For Dolby Atmos?
To fully experience the 3D sound of Dolby Atmos, it is recommended to have height speakers installed in your audio setup.
Without these speakers, you can still enjoy the enhanced audio of Dolby Atmos, but the 3D sound effects will not be as pronounced.
So if you want to get the most out of your Dolby Atmos content, it’s worth considering height speakers and a compatible Atmos receiver. Happy listening!
What is Dolby Audio And Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Audio is a general term used to describe audio technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories.
These technologies can be applied to various media formats and devices, such as TVs, smartphones, and streaming services, to improve sound quality and clarity.
On the other hand, Dolby Atmos is a specific audio format that adds an extra layer of information to a Dolby TrueHD audio track, allowing for the positioning of audio in 3D space within a room or environment.
Which is better: Dolby 7.1 or Atmos?
Dolby audio is certified for enhanced sound reproduction while Dolby Atmos is basically 3D immersive sound. That’s the only difference between those two.
Dolby Audio is a 2D sound enhancement that improves the quality of the audio. Helps highs and lows not be too extreme for example.
Dolby Atmos is a 3D audio experience where it fools the brain into thinking there is audio coming from all around and multiple speakers even though it’s just one speaker or stereo headphones.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dolby is a company that specializes in sound engineering and has a history of developing advanced technologies for the entertainment industry.
Their latest innovation is Dolby Atmos, which adds additional channels on top of the listener to create a more immersive sound experience.
Prior to this, Dolby released successful versions of surround sound such as Dolby Surround, Dolby Pro Logic 1 & 2, and Dolby Digital, which all used channels in the left, right, front, and rear.
Dolby Atmos represents a significant step forward in surround sound technology and is currently being implemented in movie theatres and home cinemas. With its advanced capabilities, it is sure to provide an unparalleled and much better listening experience for audiences compared to Dolby Digital (5.1) and Dolby Digital Plus (7.1).
To wrap up for you, here are the key points:
- Dolby Digital is a software tool that improves the quality of sound from existing speakers
- Dolby Atmos adds additional metadata to a Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD audio track, allowing for the placement of audio objects in 3D space
- Dolby Atmos requires a receiver with Atmos capabilities and additional speakers to fully experience the 3D soundscape
- Dolby 7.1 is an improvement over the 5.1 standards with the addition of two horizontal speakers, while Dolby Atmos allows for the placement of sounds in 3D space and is rendered to the specific speaker setup of the listener.