By Andy Madden
published
Sony's moved on from stereo and done a full 360
Stereo and surround sound are fine and dandy, but what's the next big thing in consumer audio? Sony would like you to believe its 360 Reality Audio format is top of the list.
Sony is working with a number of major record labels (including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group), streaming services and other music organisations to refine a next-gen audio format that sits the listener smack bang in the middle of a 360-degree music listening experience.
But what exactly is Sony 360 Reality Audio? How does it work? And which products support it? You'll find all that information, and more, below.
What is Sony 360 Reality Audio?
Sony 360 Reality Audio is an audio format that uses Sony’s object-based spatial audio technology to deliver a full 360-degree audio experience. Its launch was one of Sony's key CES 2019 highlights, but the service has come a long way since then, with more streaming partners and compatible products announced.
Its aim? To make the listener feel like they’re right in the recording studio or at a live concert watching their favourite artist. This is especially timely given that around the world, music venues are currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The format has been built using the open MPEG-H 3D Audio standard, which itself has been optimised for music streaming. It supports up to 64 speaker channels and allows audio coding to be done in different ways.
Engineers can map out and place everything including vocals, individual instruments and a live audience in any position inside a 360 spherical space. Different parameters can be altered for various elements, including distances and angles.
Sony’s teamed up with the Fraunhofer IIS (Institute for Integrated circuits) to open the format up for content creators and artists to take advantage of. At CES 2021, it made two further announcements: it added video streaming capabilities to 360 Reality Audio, and it developed a new content creation software called the 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite.
Sony is also in talks with major music labels and streaming services about launching video streamed content. And there's also 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite plugin software (which is compatible with popular digital audio workstation) that was released at the end of January.
How can you listen to music in Sony 360 Reality Audio?
To experience Sony 360 Reality Audio, you'll need the right kit and compatible software.
To experience 360 Reality Audio on a pair of headphones, you’ll first need to download the iOS/Android app for a compatible streaming service. At the moment, these are Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music HD and nugs.net.
In case you haven’t heard of it, nugs.net is a streaming service for live concerts. It currently has over 10,000 concerts in its catalogue including artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
You’ll also need to be subscribed to the premium tier of said streaming service. If you’re currently enjoying Deezer’s Free tier, for example, you need to upgrade to Deezer HiFi to experience the new format. Other than that, it shouldn't cost you extra.
Deezer actually launched '360 Sessions' to showcase Sony 360 Reality Audio back in June 2021, where the streaming service reformatted a number of live performances for subscribers to enjoy.
Sony claims that 360 Reality Audio can be experienced “using headphones from most manufacturers”. It's not exactly crystal clear what separates one pair of compatible headphones from a non-compatible pair, but Sony has been quick to highlight which of its own headphones will work on its official 360 Reality Audio site (opens in new tab).
With select Sony models you can even use its Headphones Connect app to analyse your ear shape and help optimise the sound field for its new audio format. Open the app and you can scan both ears using your phone’s camera. The results are then applied to the app of your streaming service of choice.
Head to Sony’s site and you’ll be able to see a full list of compatible headphones, which include current What Hi-Fi? favourites (and Award-winning) WH-1000XM4, their predecessors the WH-1000XM3, and both the WF-1000XM4 the WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds, plus the recently announced WF-C500 and WH-XB910N.
Sony even has a neckband speaker, the SRS-NS7 which also happens to be the first such speaker with Dolby Atmos support.
Of course, you can listen to Sony 360 Reality Audio using speakers, too. Sony has two speakers that are compatible with the tech: the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000. They're both wireless models, with Bluetooth and wi-fi onboard, and can link up to create a multi-room system. The RA5000 is compatible with Hi-Res music files too, and they both support Immersive Audio Enhancement, which upscales stereo sound so it has a surround effect.
The tech is also available in Sony's latest premium soundbars, the five-star HT-A7000 and HT-A9 which both launched in July 2021. Sennheiser has also announced that its premium Ambeo Soundbar can now also support the format if you're running the very latest firmware.
Sony is also licensing the key technologies involved in 360 Reality Audio, meaning we should see more compatible devices come to market. In April 2021 it was suggested that Sony and Google could be joining forces to bring 360 Reality Audio to Android and make it compatible with more devices through the Android Open Source Project.
What can you listen to in Sony 360 Reality Audio?
At present, you can stream over 1000 tracks in the format, including tunes from Mark Ronson, Pharrell Williams, Billy Joel and Jeff Beck.
Sony’s promising more tracks will be added via major record labels, plus over 100 songs recorded from live concerts, including the likes of CHARLI XCX and Kodaline.
Sony has also added video streaming to the format's skillset. The aim is to recreate the feel of a live gig – very timely, given that music venues around the world are currently closed. It's in talks with major music labels and service providers to begin streaming video content later this year, so stay tuned.
Which speakers and headphones support Sony 360 Reality Audio?
Besides headphones (and apps of compatible music streaming services), you can also experience Sony 360 Reality Audio on at least one speaker made by a third-party company: the Amazon Echo Studio wireless speaker (pictured above). However, you will need to be a subscriber to Amazon Music HD to take advantage.
The key to experiencing 360 Reality Audio in hardware, is that each product will need to have Sony’s custom decoder built-in. Sony has confirmed that it’s looking to make the new sound format available across a number of Alexa-enabled devices and those that support Chromecast built-in.
It’s also working with chipset manufacturers Media Tek, NXP Semiconductors and Qualcomm, so you can expect to see support for the format increase across more consumer kit moving forward.
Sony 360 Reality Audio vs Dolby Atmos Music vs Apple spatial audio
Now there just so happens to be another object-based audio tech in the offing from Dolby. Dolby Atmos Music is based on the company’s surround sound tech, Dolby Atmos, and allows engineers to either remix tracks and place sounds at specific points in your soundstage, or record live mixes in-studio, as long as they’ve got access to the necessary Dolby Atmos Music mixing kit.
Dolby Atmos Music tracks work on any home audio kit that supports Dolby Atmos, which does give this audio format an immediate advantage with TVs, soundbars, AV receivers, smartphones and tablets already geared up to support the format. Whether Dolby Atmos Music will be able to offer the same sort of 360-degree sound experience as Sony's offering remains to be heard. But it's certainly an exciting time for music listeners, as streaming enters its third dimension.
Apple's proprietary spatial audio, meanwhile, takes 5.1, 7.1 andAtmossignals and applies directional audio filters, adjusting frequencies that each ear hears so that sounds can be moved around in 3D space. The idea is to recreate the audio experience of a cinema so it's more aimed at movies, although you can experience spatial audio via Apple Music, where tracks are powered by Atmos and can be heard through any pair of headphones.
MORE:
Listen up! Dolby Atmos Music: everything you need to know
Apple spatial audio: what is it? How do you get it? And is it like Dolby Atmos?
Find out Tidal vs Spotify – which is better?
These are the best music streaming services: free streams to hi-res audio
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Andy Madden
Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.
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FAQs
Does Sony 360 Audio work with any headphones? ›
It works with any headphones that you usually use with your digital audio workstations(DAWs).
What do you need to listen to 360 audio? ›A. To enjoy 360 Reality Audio, you need the following: A Smartphone. A 360 Reality Audio compatible music streaming app.
How do 360 headphones work? ›To experience 360 Reality Audio for music with your headphones you need to download its mobile app and take a picture of each ear. Those photos will generate a personalized sound profile which can be uploaded to one of the supported streaming services (Deezer, Nugs, Tidal).
What apps are compatible with 360 Reality Audio? ›Listen with Speakers
With Amazon Music Unlimited , deezer, nugs.net, and Tidal smartphone apps and compatible subscription, enjoy 360 Reality Audio with compatible speakers. *Activation of Chromecast built-in is required to listen on Deezer and nugs.net.
To experience 360 Reality Audio, it requires Amazon Fire TV (Fire TV Cube Gen 3) connection. To experience 360 Reality Audio with Neckband Speaker, connect with smartphone to stream contents from Music Streaming Service apps.
Can you play sound through headset and speakers? ›In case you're wondering, can you also play music through your headphones and speakers at the same time using your Android or iOS device? Yes, but there aren't any built-in settings for Android or iOS that let you do this. The easiest way is to use an audio splitter to send the sound to two or more devices.
Which music service is best for 360 Reality Audio? ›Apple Music
Another strong contender for audiophiles, Apple Music boasts a catalog of more than 90 million songs with support for Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio on almost all plan types. Plus, you can download some of those higher-tier audiophile formats.
- Leave the HDMI cable connected to your TV for video.
- Connect the HDMI audio adapter to the A/V port on the console.
- Connect the white and red connectors on the stereo audio cable to the corresponding ports on the HDMI audio adapter.
Designed using what Sony calls “object-based spatial audio technology,” Sony's new 360 Reality Audio speakers (on sale right now for $178 at Amazon) create a concert-like environment in your own home by “floating” the music around you, rather than pointing it directly at you.
Can you use headphones on 360? ›You can use a wireless or a wired headset to talk to friends on Xbox Live through your Xbox 360 console.
Can you use Bluetooth headphones on 360? ›
Turn on the Bluetooth device that you want to connect to your headset. On your headset, move the mode switch to Bluetooth. When the headset is in Bluetooth mode, the light on the headset is now blue. Press and hold the headset's Pair button for two seconds.
What headphone jack does 360 use? ›Stereo Headsets
The Xbox 360 E includes a 3.5mm Composite A/V Cable (yellow, white, and red plugs), used for connecting the console to standard-definition TVs.
Yes. You can listen to Dolby Atmos music in Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking on AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and Beats Fit Pro with a compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac.
Does Amazon Music work with 360 Reality Audio? ›Amazon Music Unlimited has a growing catalog of Spatial Audio songs mastered in Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio from some of the world's biggest artists. Amazon Music Unlimited customers can listen to Spatial Audio through the iOS, Mac, or Android Amazon Music app with any headphones.
Which is better 360 Reality Audio or Dolby? ›Compared to 360 Reality Audio, Dolby Atmos Music has the advantage that attention is paid to loudness normalisation and thus no strong loudness jumps occur. A different HRTF (head-related transfer function) is also used for binauralisation.
How do I use 360 Reality Audio on my Sony headphones? ›On your mobile device, open the Sony | Headphones Connect app and connect to your Bluetooth® headphones. In the 360 Reality Audio Setup section, next to Optimize apps, tap OPTIMIZE. When the message 360 Reality Audio is only available from these music server apps appears, select your preferred streaming app.
Does 360 Reality Audio work with Iphone? ›Download and use a music streaming service (charged) app that supports 360 Reality Audio on your smartphone or tablet equipped with iOS or Android.
Is Sony 360 Reality worth it? ›In any event, Sony's 360 Reality Audio adds a new dimension to streaming audio on headphones; in fact, it's worth getting a subscription to Tidal, Deezer, or Nugs just to hear it. I strongly recommend giving it a long listen.
How do you switch between speakers and headphones easily? ›Left Click on the sound icon in the taskbar. Above the volume bar, there should be an audio device listed. Clicking on the drop-down list should show all the available audio devices that can be selected. Select the preferred device by left-clicking on it.
How can I listen to my headphones and TV speakers at the same time? ›To output sound from both the TV speakers and headphones
The TV cannot output sound both from TV speakers and headphones at the same time. However, it is possible by connecting the device, such as a transmitter, to the DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUT terminal of the TV and outputting the sound via the device.
How do I play audio simultaneously in both speakers and headphones at the same time in an Android phone? ›
- On your Android device, tap Settings. Connected devices.
- Next to your device, tap Settings .
- Tap Multipoint. Use Multipoint.
- Connect your headphones with the 2 desired audio source devices. To make sure your headphones are connected, go to Bluetooth settings on the audio source device.
- Good Time (360 Reality Audio) The Soul RebelsBig FreediaDenisia. ...
- Head & Heart (feat. MNEK) [360 Reality Audio] ...
- HOLIDAY. Lil Nas X. ...
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Ultimate Mix) John LennonYoko Ono. ...
- Blow Your Mind (Mwah) [360 Reality Audio] ...
- Space (360 Reality Audio) ...
- It's Gonna Be Me. ...
- Space Oddity.
- Spotify. Best music streaming service overall. See at Spotify.
- Apple Music. Best alternative to Spotify. See at Apple.
- Qobuz. Best for audiophiles. See at Qobuz.
- Tidal. Best for compensating artists. See at Tidal.
- Amazon Music Unlimited. Best for Prime members. See at Amazon.
- Turn off the A/V receiver.
- Connect the speaker wires to the speaker terminals on the rear of the A/V stereo receiver. IMPORTANT: ...
- Connect the other end of the speaker wires to the corresponding speakers.
Check if the external speaker is set to the default output. Ensure the external speaker has power and the cables are connected properly. Connect external speaker/headphone to another device and check for sound. Test your computer's hardware.
How many 360 Reality Audio tracks are there? ›Check Applicable Products and Categories for details. More than 1,000 tracks from various artists and categories are currently available in the 360 Reality Audio format, and many more are on the way. The 360 Reality Audio content requires a subscription to a compatible online music service.
Are Sony sound systems good? ›Sony produces sturdy, well-built soundbars. They tend to excel in dialogue reproduction, but their lack of sound enhancement features can be a drawback if you want a touch more bass or treble in your mix. As Sony produces soundbars at several price points, they can range in features.
Does 360 have headphone jack? ›The xbox 360 controller has a 2.5mm jack but it is used for voice communications only, no game audio. Headsets that carry both game and voice audio require you to plug directly into the TV or the xbox to get the game audio. Save this answer.
Can you use any headphones for recording? ›Normal headphones can also be used for recording, in certain circumstances. As long as the sound from your headphones doesn't end up going into the microphone you are recording (so-called bleed), you should be fine.
Can you watch TV with headset? ›The answer is an absolutely yes. If your TV has built-in Bluetooth capability, connecting wireless headphones is a matter of on-screen configuration. But if it doesn't have Bluetooth, you are still able to use wireless headphones with the TV, using the help of third-party devices such as Bluetooth audio transmitter.
Do Bluetooth headphones work on all devices? ›
Generally speaking, you should be able to connect any Bluetooth device to a Bluetooth headset. A basic Bluetooth headset is going to work with the most recent editions of Bluetooth, and they're generally built to be backwards-compatible with older phones that use an earlier generation of Bluetooth.
Are all Bluetooth headsets compatible? ›Yes! As we've previously discussed, all Bluetooth versions are backwards compatible. This means any Bluetooth headset will work with any phone, regardless of their versions.
Which headphone jack should I use? ›Common size configurations for jacks and plugs are 3.5mm, 2.5mm, and 6.35mm. The 3.5mm jack, in particular, is practically universal when it comes to headphones and audio gear and thus is considered the standard headphone jack size.
Which audio jack to use for headset? ›Take a look at the audio ports available for your PC to know if it matches your headphones' plug: A 3.5mm jack will be a round port. If your PC has more than one 3.5mm jack for separate mic and audio functions, they will either have a small image to indicate their function or be color-coded to differentiate them.
What is the difference between headset jack and audio jack? ›Audio carries the signal and will let the receiving end control amplifying the volume, vs. headphone jack will adjust it as it is going out. You will get a better sound quality out of the audio out.
How do I listen to 360 Reality Audio on Spotify? ›The Wireless Audio 360 supports 'Spotify Connect'. If you have a premium account on Spotify, you can see the Connect icon on your Spotify app. Tap the icon and select the audio device you want to play on. Please refer to www.spotify.com for more details.
Can I connect my AirPods to my VR? ›Put the AirPods in their case and leave the lid open. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white. In the pairing settings of the Oculus Quest 2, click Pair New Device. Your AirPods should show up in the list of discoverable devices.
What devices support spatial audio? ›- AirPods Pro (1st or 2nd generation), AirPods Max, AirPods (3rd generation), or Beats Fit Pro.
- The built-in speakers on an iPhone 7 or later, or on one of these iPad models: ...
- iOS or iPadOS 15.1 or later.
- The built-in speakers on a Mac computer with Apple silicon.
- Find a song with the Atmos/360 badge. ...
- Select to play a song with the Atmos/360 badge.
- Tap on the Cast icon.
- Select your smart speaker.
- In the "Now Playing" screen, the Atmos/360 badge displays to confirm that the device is playing in Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio.
DTS is encoded at a higher bit rate and therefore is considered by some experts to be better quality. Others argue that Dolby Digital's technology is more advanced and produces better sound quality at a lower bit rate.
Which is the best audio system in the world? ›
- Rockville. HTS56.
- SAMSUNG. Soundbar A450.
- Sony. HT-S350.
- JBL. Bar 5.1.
- VIZIO. P514a-H6.
- Nyne. NHT5.1RGB.
- PRORECK. Party 12.
- Logitech. Z906.
Dolby TrueHD
True to the artist's vision, Dolby True HD delivers the best sound possible for movies, music, and TV shows with lossless audio.
They will work with any audio device that is equiped with a headphone jack. You just wont be able to use the control features as you would for a cellphone.
How do I get 360 sound on my Sony headphones? ›Download and use a music streaming service (charged) app that supports 360 Reality Audio on your smartphone or tablet equipped with iOS or Android. By optimizing the sound field and the acoustic feature of headset with the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app, you can enjoy a more realistic sense of reality.
What can Sony headphones connect to? ›Pair your headphones with a device
Android™ device (smartphone, tablet) iOS™ device (iPhone®, iPad®, Apple Watch®) Microsoft® Windows® 11, 10, 8.1. Windows® 7.
An optional pair of speakers is required that plug into the Sony Walkman's 3.5mm stereo headphone output jack. Any pair of powered or passive portable audio computer or MP3 speakers with a 3.5mm (1/8”) line input jack will be adequate for this music sharing scenario.
How do I connect my Sony Walkman to speakers? ›- Set the Walkman player and Bluetooth device to pairing mode. For an Android Walkman player, set the Bluetooth function to ON. ...
- Select the name of the Bluetooth device when it appears on the screen of the Walkman player. A message will appear showing that the connection is complete.
Previously, 3D audio was only available to headphone users, but you can now experience Sony's spatial audio tech through your television's built-in speakers.
What is the difference between 3D headphones and headphones? ›With surround sound, it's only possible to have sounds coming from four or so directions. In comparison, 3D sound enables the listener to perceive sound from every direction - including above and below them. Further, the best 3D sound technology enables listeners to pinpoint the directional sound.
What types of headsets can I use to enjoy 3D audio? ›Take note though, 3D Audio can only be heard if you connect your wired headphones through the DualSense controller's 3.5mm headphone jack. This also means you need headphones with a 3.5mm plug, meaning a USB headset is not compatible. If you connect your headphones through a TV or a monitor, 3D Audio will not work.
Which service is best for 360 Reality Audio? ›
Tidal. Tidal has done a lot since its founding in 2014 to distinguish itself, including becoming one of the best music streaming services for audiophiles. With a $19.99 per month HiFi Plus subscription, you can take advantage of both Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio as you stream at up to 9216 kbps.
Does Sony 360 audio cost money? ›In all cases, you'll need a paid-for subscription to hear the right tracks. Amazon Music HD also has Sony 360 Reality Audio tracks, though at first, these will only be for playback through its speakers, not other hardware – of which more later.
Why does 360 Reality Audio sound bad? ›The 360 Reality Audio mixes often sound rather dull and thin with unfamiliar resonating high mids. The immersion and spatiality also fall short of the possibilities of 3D audio. However, 3D effects (positioning of sound sources in three-dimensional space, use of reverb/delay in 3D space) are now increasingly used.
How do I connect my Bluetooth headphones to my 360? ›Set up your wireless headset in Bluetooth mode
Press the power button on your headset for two seconds. Turn on the Bluetooth device that you want to connect to your headset. On your headset, move the mode switch to Bluetooth. When the headset is in Bluetooth mode, the light on the headset is now blue.
Amazon Music Unlimited has a growing catalog of Spatial Audio songs mastered in Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio from some of the world's biggest artists.