AppleTV and Airpods Max

[FilmMan85]

I bought Airpods Max this week and the sound from iTunes purchased shows, music and movies and Apple originals is fantastic but the sound from Netflix and Disney+ is just not as impressive.

Netflix and Disney+ are supposed are supposed to be compatible with spatial audio and Prime Video is not but the final episode of Vikings sounded far superior to content on them.

Anybody else with Airpods Max think Netflix and Disney+ audio is inferior to others?

[PS3_Kiwi]

I bought a pair of Airpods Max yesterday, I agree that my iTunes and Apple TV+ movies and shows sound great. Watched parts of a couple of Netflix original movies, and they sounded great in Spatial Audio. Check that your Airpods Max are actually receiving audio in Atmos from Netflix

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by PS3_Kiwi

I bought a pair of Airpods Max yesterday, I agree that my iTunes and Apple TV+ movies and shows sound great. Watched parts of a couple of Netflix original movies, and they sounded great in Spatial Audio. Check that your Airpods Max are actually receiving audio in Atmos from Netflix

Thanks for the reply. The Airpods Max is something else isn’t it?

How do I check that on Netflix?

Also have you experienced any problems with shows? The Americans is fantastic on Airpods Max and 24 was very could but I watched a season 3 episode of The Blacklist yesterday and the audio was fairly dull at first but about 15 minutes in there was hiss or click and the audio got very lively for a few minutes before going full. Happened about three or four times through the episode.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by PS3_Kiwi

I bought a pair of Airpods Max yesterday, I agree that my iTunes and Apple TV+ movies and shows sound great. Watched parts of a couple of Netflix original movies, and they sounded great in Spatial Audio. Check that your Airpods Max are actually receiving audio in Atmos from Netflix

I contacted Netflix support and was told spatial audio isn’t available on their app for tvOS15 yet but that they are working on it. However they also claimed it isn’t available on iOS either but several website claim it is - I watched the opening scene of Netflix’s Lost in Space on my iPhone and the crash sequence suggests Netflix support is wrong.

I tested Disney+ on my iPhone and they also have spatial audio. Clearly it hasn’t been released for AppleTV either.

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

I contacted Netflix support and was told spatial audio isn’t available on their app for tvOS15 yet but that they are working on it. However they also claimed it isn’t available on iOS either but several website claim it is - I watched the opening scene of Netflix’s Lost in Space on my iPhone and the crash sequence suggests Netflix support is wrong.

I tested Disney+ on my iPhone and they also have spatial audio. Clearly it hasn’t been released for AppleTV either.

Netflix support may be working from older scripts for iOS. Spatial audio was one of the bigger changes in iOS 15 (also iPadOS 15) which is new this month.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by erlinmeyer

Netflix support may be working from older scripts for iOS. Spatial audio was one of the bigger changes in iOS 15 (also iPadOS 15) which is new this month.

I haven’t upgraded to iOS 15 yet.

Netflix and Disney+ sound great with the Airpods - are you saying it is even better in iOS 15 ?

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

I haven’t upgraded to iOS 15 yet.

Netflix and Disney+ sound great with the Airpods - are you saying it is even better in iOS 15 ?

Yes, it has improved with age.
It first came out in iOS 14 last fall.
June of this year with iOS 14.6 it added the Dolby Atmos feature.
In iOS 15, a new audio feature called "Spatialize Stereo" that takes any non-Dolby stereo mix and creates a virtual spatial audio environment out of it was added.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by erlinmeyer

Yes, it has improved with age.
It first came out in iOS 14 last fall.
June of this year with iOS 14.6 it added the Dolby Atmos feature.
In iOS 15, a new audio feature called "Spatialize Stereo" that takes any non-Dolby stereo mix and creates a virtual spatial audio environment out of it was added.

Thank you for the information.

I always wait a few weeks before upgrading the iOS but I think I need to do it now. I prefer watching stuff on a TV but the audio for Netflix and Disney+ is just better on an iPhone.

Hopefully they upgrade the tvOS apps soon.

EDIT: If I mirror my iPhone to my AppleTV the audio will come from the TV, won’t it? Is there a way to that the audio can come from the iPhone?

[FilmMan85]

I’m having a problem with my Airpods Max.

Yesterday and today I was testing them with the scenes option in iTunes Extras on Alita and The Bourne Identity. A little bit into each scene there would would be a sound like “fzzzt” and the audio would get quieter. I tested by playing those scenes in the movies themselves and all was fine.

Now I’m watching Alicia Vikander Tomb Raider and everyone and again I hear that “fzzzt” and the audio loses it’s vibrancy and gets quieter. For example in the cave on the beach you hear the waves crashing outside like you are there - then the “fzzzt” and the waves get much quieter - I replayed that few minutes to be sure it wasn’t just the movie and the second time you can clearly hear the waves throughout.

Anyone having this issue?

EDIT: I’m describing it wrong. It isn’t always a “fzzzt” - most times it is just like the sound cuts out for split second. And the audio doesn’t always get quieter. It is as irritating as hell though - I can’t see anything that could be interfering with the Bluetooth.

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

Thank you for the information.

I always wait a few weeks before upgrading the iOS but I think I need to do it now. I prefer watching stuff on a TV but the audio for Netflix and Disney+ is just better on an iPhone.

Hopefully they upgrade the tvOS apps soon.

EDIT: If I mirror my iPhone to my AppleTV the audio will come from the TV, won’t it? Is there a way to that the audio can come from the iPhone?

Indirectly the audio is coming from the iPhone.
Don't have an AppleTV, but it should be the same as most TVs that have Airplay. When my phone connects using Airplay, it sends all the audio and video to the TV and the TV and sound system takes that and plays the movie with whatever sound the source had. The sound and picture end on my iPhone or iPad. Your Apple TV should be able to play the information, from your iPhone/iPad, through your AirPods.

Spatial audio uses the built-in accelerometer and gyroscope in your AirPods Pro to dynamically track the movement of your head relative to your device. Spatial audio also tracks the movements of the device to keep the sound field consistent. My TV doesn't move and the iPhone or iPad sending the information has no idea where the TV is or how it is oriented, so it would have no reference to adjust to the audio in my AirPods. Apple TVs should be different because you can connect your AirPods directly from Apple TV settings and the AirPods know where the Apple TV is. Not sure how it figures out the orientation.

[PS3_Kiwi]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

I haven’t upgraded to iOS 15 yet.

Netflix and Disney+ sound great with the Airpods - are you saying it is even better in iOS 15 ?

Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos) is only available through Airpods Max in tvOS 15.

I don't have Disney+, but I just played a few minutes of EXTRACTION, a Netflix Original Movie, and it is playing back in Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos). iTunes movies, Apple TV+ also playing back in Spatial. I am in New Zealand, but there shouldn't be any difference between countries.

To bring up the Airpods Max settings on your Apple TV 4K. Start playing some content, then hold down the button on the top right side of the remote with the TV on it. There should be an Airpods option at the bottom of the popup screen. Click on that to check and alter settings. Sounds great.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by PS3_Kiwi

Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos) is only available through Airpods Max in tvOS 15.

I have tvOS 15

In the post you quoted I was saying I don’t have iOS 15

Spatial Audio is available on iPhone and iPad for Netflix and Disney+.

Originally Posted by PS3_Kiwi

I don't have Disney+, but I just played a few minutes of EXTRACTION, a Netflix Original Movie, and it is playing back in Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos). iTunes movies, Apple TV+ also playing back in Spatial. I am in New Zealand, but there shouldn't be any difference between countries.

To bring up the Airpods Max settings on your Apple TV 4K. Start playing some content, then hold down the button on the top right side of the remote with the TV on it. There should be an Airpods option at the bottom of the popup screen. Click on that to check and alter settings. Sounds great.

Now I am very confused.

I put on Extraction and long pressed the Home button as you said. The headphones settings showed Spatial Audio Netflix Dolby Atmos Available OFF - I press on it and sure enough there is spatial audio on Netflix - I tried the opening scene of Lost in Space and it is fantastic.

I go to Disney+ and try Bad Batch. It shows that spatial audio is on with multichannel and the sound is great and much better than earlier. How is this possible if I never turned it on?

I then go to the TV app and Tomb Raider, Phantom Menace and Alita are showing stereo in the control panel.

And Netflix is showing stereo for some shows but then showing Atmos.

Does spatial audio require a certain minimum internet soled like HD and 4K do?

[PS3_Kiwi]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

I have tvOS 15
And Netflix is showing stereo for some shows but then showing Atmos.

Does spatial audio require a certain minimum internet soled like HD and 4K do?

Not all Netflix content is in Dolby Atmos.

Don't think that internet speed makes a difference to Atmos

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

I have tvOS 15

In the post you quoted I was saying I don’t have iOS 15

Spatial Audio is available on iPhone and iPad for Netflix and Disney+.



Now I am very confused.

I put on Extraction and long pressed the Home button as you said. The headphones settings showed Spatial Audio Netflix Dolby Atmos Available OFF - I press on it and sure enough there is spatial audio on Netflix - I tried the opening scene of Lost in Space and it is fantastic.

I go to Disney+ and try Bad Batch. It shows that spatial audio is on with multichannel and the sound is great and much better than earlier. How is this possible if I never turned it on?

I then go to the TV app and Tomb Raider, Phantom Menace and Alita are showing stereo in the control panel.

And Netflix is showing stereo for some shows but then showing Atmos.

Does spatial audio require a certain minimum internet soled like HD and 4K do?

Sounds like you have it on Automatic.
On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Apps.
Select Music.
Select Dolby Atmos to change it to Automatic or Off.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by PS3_Kiwi

Not all Netflix content is in Dolby Atmos.

Don't think that internet speed makes a difference to Atmos

Yes I know not all content is Atmos but Extraction and Lost in Space are both Atmos and it keeps shifting between both.

I checked for some TV shows on my US account that have 5.1 - they all play stereo unless I pause and resume or skip forward a few minutes.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by erlinmeyer

Sounds like you have it on Automatic.
On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Apps.
Select Music.
Select Dolby Atmos to change it to Automatic or Off.

Why turn off Atmos?

I have iTunes albums but not an Apple Music subscription so I don’t get Atmos music - music just sounds great in stereo with Max.

[FilmMan85]

I was just on with Apple support and encountered that rare thing in Apple customer support - an agent more interested in helping than in the small talk and time wasting who actually knows what he is talking about and when he doesn’t know it he says so and actually uses Apple products.

We talked about the internet speed. He says my internet speed in this rural area is not consistent so when the spatial audio drops out and returns it is because my speed is going up and down. He could find any information on what internet speed is needed for Atmos but he has a constant very high speed at his home and it doesn’t drop.

I could buy a booster for my router from my provider but there is no guarantee it will help.

I plan on getting a Mac Mini or a MacBook soon and asked the agent if I download an iTunes bought movie or Apple Original will the download have spatial audio/Atmos. He said he doesn’t know but research it for me (ir test it himself at home if he can’t find out in work) and contact me later.

Can anyone here tell me if iTunes video or Apple Original content downloaded to a Mac or MacBook contains spatial/Atmos or is it only available as when stream?

[PS3_Kiwi]

I didn't realise that Broadband speed made a difference, but there you go, sorted.

I have an Ultra fast fibre connection, so probably the reason I'm not having any trouble.

At least you know now.

[Joeker]

Anyone have both the Airpods Pro and AirMax? Just wondering how big is the difference for spatial audio and AppleTV watching.

I have the Pros which sound great with spatial. When there is no Spatial Im using the Sony XM4 which are dope.

Anyway thinking about getting the Max but not sure if its worth the $ since I have Pros.

[turns2stone]

Originally Posted by Joeker

Anyone have both the Airpods Pro and AirMax? Just wondering how big is the difference for spatial audio and AppleTV watching.

I have the Pros which sound great with spatial. When there is no Spatial Im using the Sony XM4 which are dope.

Anyway thinking about getting the Max but not sure if its worth the $ since I have Pros.

I have both, and used them both for movies with Spatial Audio (like for Dune).

They’re both impressive. There’s more/better bass with the Max. Overall the Max have the better overall experience, but the Pro are lighter, less obtrusive, and you’d an essentially lay down with them on.