Atmos Mix FAQ

The Basics

What is Atmos anyway, and who’s behind it?

Atmos is a 3D audio format developed by Dolby Laboratories. Instead of squeezing everything into just two channels (stereo), Atmos lets you place sounds as “objects” in a 3D space—around, above, and behind the listener.

Dolby first launched it in cinemas in 2012, and it quickly became the standard for the big movies. Now it’s moved into music, streaming, cars, soundbars, gaming, AR/VR, and phones. The push for Atmos in music really took off when Apple Music added it in 2021, followed by Amazon Music and TIDAL.

In short: Dolby invented it, Apple made it mainstream, and now it’s becoming part of how people experience sound.
How can I listen to an Atmos mix?

Let's get this out of the way first. When you press play on an Atmos playback system — whether it’s your iPhone with headphones, Apple Music on a soundbar, an Atmos mix-studio, or a 32-speaker cinema - the mix is instantly rendered by the system to suit that playback setup. In the cinema the mix is spread across all 32 speakers, while on any kind of headphones a binaural version is created, preserving the volumes, positions and movements of every element exactly as defined.
Can I hear an Atmos mix now?

Yes! Are you wearing headphones? Dolby made an online player where you can switch between the stereo and (the binaural version of the) Atmos mix of 5 different songs. Works on any kind of headphone.
I have some complaints about some examples, but you'll get a good sense of what the extra space means in a track. Watch how your brain, now getting real spatial information of a sound source, is actually picking up on a lot more details - it generally makes it easyer to listen.
What is binaural and why can it play back Atmos?

Binaural audio is a way of simulating sounds around you using just 2 channels - one for each ear - so it works on any pair of headphones (!). The goal is to mimic how we hear sounds in the real world. (Listen to this great example on headphones and you’ll know what I mean.) This technology has been around for decades and can make your brains believe sounds are moving around you using subtle timing, level, and EQ differences on your left and right ear. (Or you can record binaural audio directly using a dummy head.)

So what is happening? When someone speaks on your right, the sound reaches your right ear a split second earlier than your left. Your head also casts an acoustic ‘shadow’, so your left ear hears a slightly delayed, quieter and filtered version. Your brain interprets those tiny timing and tone differences to locate the source. It is a very important survival mechanism and is extremely sensitive.

So on headphones the Atmos playback system creates a binaural “version” of your Atmos mix, translating the spatial positions of instruments and effects. This tricks your brain into hearing sound around and above you and that’s why you can experience an Atmos mix in 3D without needing a multi-speaker setup. Today’s hardware and software can reproduce this accurately and it all happens in real time.
Nowadays about 85% of music is listened to on headphones, so the vast majority of your audience can experience the full immersive mix.

! TIP - If you have an iPhone, don’t forget to set up your Personal Spatial Audio Profile. This lets your camera scan the shape of your ears and measure the distance between them, so the binaural rendering is made specially for you. The result is a more accurate and immersive 3D experience. Pretty nifty!
Should I start with a stereo mix or an Atmos mix?

There’s no short answer for this. It really depends on the project and how the music was produced and recorded. I treat Atmos and stereo as two related but distinct mixes: they carry the same musical intent, but the way they’re built is different.

In stereo, every sound has to squeeze into just 2 channels, not so much space. So we carefully balance and EQ to create space and make sure everything is heard. In Atmos, you can literally place sounds around the listener, which changes how your brain will hear the different elements and it can change how instruments interact. An electronic texture might suddenly take on a new place/role compared to an acoustic guitar. A string ensemble captured with correctly placed room mics will often shine much more in Atmos, because you can actually reveal the real room acoustics in Atmos.

Sometimes just having stems of a finished stereo mix is enough to open it up on that bigger canvas. But if I get the full multitrack I can be much more precise with placement and probably use less EQ, better preserving the source. In stereo, two guitars panned left and right can feel huge. In Atmos, with so much more space to fill, you might need four or five to create the same emotional impact.

So yes, both approaches work:

• Stereo first – This is still the most common situation. You create a solid stereo mix as the foundation, then expand it into Atmos by spreading elements into 3D while keeping the core balance intact. This is a good option if stereo is the main release format or if you want the Atmos to closely match it.

• Atmos first – Starting in Atmos can be exciting, because you’re thinking in 3D from the start. You can then create a stereo version either by folding it down or by mixing a dedicated stereo that carries the same immersive feeling. This makes sense if Atmos is the main focus and you want to maximize the immersive potential.
Is an Atmos mix expensive?

No, I think we should get rid of the notion that Atmos is expensive. All new technology is expensive at first, so when this whole Atmos thing was picking up after Apple launched it in 2021, scarcity was a thing which drove prices up. But today the tools are widely available, affordable, and work with most common DAWs.

Think of it less as an extra cost and more as future-proofing your music; no Atmos mix = no 3D playback. Having an Atmos mix means your music will show up on Atmos-enabled systems like cars, headphones, soundbars, or AR/VR platforms. Having an Atmos mix ensures you’re included wherever your listeners experience music.

Starting with a stereo mix I made myself, or if you can provide clean stems mixed elsewhere, I can make an Atmos mix for you starting at €250. Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to know more.

More Technical Stuff

What exactly is a Dolby Atmos mix compared to a normal stereo mix?

A stereo mix uses two channels (L & R) combining all audio elements into a fixed, two-dimensional sound field. A Dolby Atmos mix is an object-based 3D format. It supports up to 128 individual tracks, each with animation/position information to define position and movement in a three-dimensional space. This is why an Atmos mix file can be up to 2 GB in size because it contains not 2 but maybe up to 128 tracks.
How does a Dolby Atmos file differ from a stereo master file?

A stereo master is typically a WAV or AIFF file containing two channels. A Dolby Atmos mix is delivered as an ADM BWF (Audio Definition Model Broadcast Wave Format) WAV file and contains multiple channels plus "object metadata" (position and movement) information. The standard and most common sample rate for Atmos is 48 kHz, 24-bit.
Why does my Atmos master sound softer than the stereo version?

Atmos masters often sound quieter than stereo for a few reasons:

• Loudness standards – Dolby Atmos mixes must follow strict delivery specs: –18 LUFS and –1 dBTP. Stereo masters are usually targeted at around –14 LUFS for streaming, and many modern productions are pushed even louder. That’s why a stereo master can feel much more upfront compared to an Atmos mix. I think loudness standards are a good thing because the preservation of dynamics makes listening to music more pleasant in general.

• No “brickwall” mastering – In Atmos, there isn’t a single stereo bus to heavily limit and maximize loudness. Each object or bed has its own dynamic range, so the mix breathes more naturally.

• Perceived space – Because elements are spread out in 3D space, they don’t “stack” the same way as stereo. The mix can feel more open, but less dense and punchy when A/B-ing.

The important thing is: Atmos is about clarity, dynamics and space rather than just loudness. On streaming platforms both versions will be level matched so the listener won’t need to touch the volume when switching.

When comparing Atmos to stereo it’s important to level-match them. I can provide a quieter version of the stereo master that matches the Atmos level. This way you’ll be judging the differences in space, detail, and depth — not just volume.
What is Head Tracking and what is it for?

Head Tracking is a feature that makes spatial audio feel more realistic when you’re listening on headphones. In real life, when you turn your head, the sounds that are placed around you will stay in their natural place. Head tracking applies this principle to a binaural Atmos mix, locking all sounds in their intended place as you move. With Head Tracking switched on, the sound field stays fixed in front of you even when you turn your head left or right. So if a sound is placed to your left, it will stay in that position instead of moving with your head(phones). The playback system can do that in realtime with binaural mapping.
Please note that this option is only available when Head Tracking–capable headphones or earbuds are used.

The same technology is used by FaceTime for example. And it is sorta fun when you are in a FaceTime-video call, and you turn your head; the voice is still where the phone is placed, not moving with your head(phones).

I think Head Tracking adds nothing and is distracting when listening to music, it makes more sense for video or interactive content.

Gijs van Klooster