Tidal has become the first music streaming service to enable Dolby Atmos-enhanced tunes to be played via compatible TVs, set-top boxes, soundbars and home theatre systems.
After revealing support for the platform on Android mobile devices last year, Tidal is extending support via its app for devices like the Apple TV 4K, Fire Stick 4K, Nvidia Shield or certain Sony and Philips Android TV models.
From there, you’ll need a compatible soundbar, receiver and speaker system in the home in order to access the immersive 360-degree audio format. So, for example, a Dolby Atmos-enabled device like the newly-unveiled Sonos Arc soundbar, combined with an Apple TV 4K will do the trick.
If your device is capable of playing music via the format, you’ll see a module on the Home screen called Available in Dolby Atmos. Then you’re good to go.
Related: Dolby Atmos music explained
Of course, this privilege is reserved for members of Tidal’s £19.99 Hi-Fi subscription, which offers access to lossless, CD-quality music and often even master recordings.
In an updated page on the Tidal website, the artist-owned streaming service said the addition will help subscribers add “dimensionality to create a full audio atmosphere.”
The company continues: “Dolby Atmos Music allows people to connect with their favorite music in a whole new way, pulling them into a song and revealing what was lost with stereo recordings. Listeners can discover hidden details and subtleties with unparalleled clarity. Whether it’s a complex harmony of instruments placed around a listener, a legendary guitar solo that fills a room, a massive bass drop that washes over the audience, or the subtle breath a singer takes, Dolby Atmos gives music more space and the freedom to unleash every detail and emotion as the artist intended.”
Dolby Atmos is a technology that’s largely been utilised to enhance movies and TV shows, but there’s a growing awareness of the potential of 360-degree music, with Sony among the companies at the forefront of pushing this tech.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
