Hi NYA’s - I wanted to fill you in on the latest news from the hi res ATMOS front. As many people may know, the latest offerings we have done in Binaural (BIN) are labeled 96K from Dolby, but in fact are 48K. It was some sharp NYAers that double checked - and alerted us to a technical ruse. In fact Dolby downsamples to create the BIN file, then upsamples to playback.

An explanation from Dolby? - None…They always knew about it - No one at Dolby ever thought artists would work in BIN as a medium. To them, the BIN render was a secondary delivery, to be done at a device or home system, when there was a headphone or stereo limitation. Since the current bandwidth of delivery caps ATMOS (ADM) files at 48K, they saw no reason to process anything higher.

We render everything we deliver to see what listeners get. And as we worked from 96K 9.1.4 to BIN and back, we started to really love the BIN experience. So much so that the last few albums we chose it over the stereo, and I never questioned the Dolby label of 96K that was attached to the files.

I spend our time mixing, not tech-ing, so I believed the Dolby manual that says all renders from 96 are 96. Embarrassing but true - I did not think to question the manual. And I did not feel sound degradation because we are almost always in the full 96k 9.1.4.

THE GOOD NEWS - Warner Records paid attention, and as of last week wrote a specific engineering request to Dolby for a true 96K Binaural render. More artists are realizing the creative potential of the format, and it is great!

When it becomes real we will have the 96K ADM’s redone in BIN and up for you… just as soon as the digits can fly!

Thank you for always listening, creatively researching , and sharing with us.

I as a mixer truly appreciate it, it helps me learn and be better. Without you and your listening it’s a lonely gig!!

-My best to you-
Niko