A studio is a place where a professional creates music masterpieces. Though they are in trend for decades and going to be the same for years to come, Dolby Atmos requires very different studio requirements to develop the Dolby ATMOS standard music. It may cost you a high amount but the results will be worth it.
If you’re looking for ways to develop a new studio or transform your present studio into a Dolby Atmos studio, this article will tell you about each requirement in detail.
What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is the new standard of music that considers all sound elements as individual objects. The sound system creates 3-D sounds that create the feelings of height, depth, rear, and front sounds. It also creates intensity differences among sound elements according to their need. The vocals, instruments, and background voices keep the realistic touch, Dolby Atmos considers all.
The Dolby Atmos is famous for being realistic. It lets you drive through the audio track as a part of it but as an audience. The 3-D audio will let you feel the environment as if it’s real.
Requirements to Set up A Dolby Atmos Studio:
Setting up a Dolby Atmos studio can be challenging for you as it requires a completely different setup with additional space and speakers in it. You may have to use more isolation for making your studio room fully soundproof. Alongside the sound system, you also need to take care of proper instruments and space to complement the potential of Dolby Atmos Technology. Below we have discussed the complete setup in detail.
Acoustic Designing of the Studio Space Room:
The first and most important requirement is the right space for the Dolby Atmos technology. Your previous studio may or may not be suitable for the Dolby. You should be ready for this as well. Now as you know the need to change the room, you should be looking at some special feature-rich space for your studio. It includes different sizes, shapes, and materials.
- The standard room size is 18×21 with 10 FT height.
- The minimum requirement is 10×11.5 with 8 FT height.
As Dolby Atmos requires more speakers, the room must be able to accommodate all necessary items. The design of the room should reflect the acoustic reflection & standing waves.
1. Sound Isolation System for the Space:
Sound isolation is a crucial aspect of the Dolby Atmos studio setup. Though industry insiders already use this technique to keep their sound clean, you need to be more conscious about the sound isolation in Dolby Atmos.
Use the appropriate soundproofing system for the studio. This includes soundproofing materials for walls, floors, and ceilings. Also, look out for any potential gaps & leaks. You can use double walls for your room, a big curtain for sound absorption, and spongy decorations while keeping the whole environment well-arranged.
2. Diffusion & Absorption System:
After the isolation, you must also focus on the diffusion & absorption system of a studio. You should place the system strategically so that the sound waves must have controlled reflections. You should place such diffusion & absorption material throughout the studio space. It will then stop the scattering, echo, and uncontrolled reflections of the sound waves, making your room better for a clear sound.
3. Speaker Configuration:
Dolby Atmos is unlike everything before in the music industry. It has immersive sound technology that lets you dive into the environment itself. The audio experience enhances as the specific configuration covers all the directions for a user to listen. Standard Dolby Atmos configuration is as follows.
a. Overhead Speakers:
To define height information in the audio track, the speakers are set on the ceiling. Generally, two speakers are enough for the overhead system, however, you can place more to give a more submerged feet of height. For the best experience, use an array of speakers.
b. Surround & Floor Speaker:
Surround speakers must be placed around the listener, covering him/her completely. Make sure that the surround speakers are at different angles and at different heights. These speakers will catch different sounds & use them according to the requirement. Dolby Atmos treats each sound as an object.
Meanwhile, the floor speakers are for low-frequency effects. Its role is to support the whole audio track and keep it as grounded as possible. The number of speakers is flexible according to the size of the studio space.
c. Speaker Calibration:
Dolby Atmos has its personal speaker calibration system. That makes the speakers optimised for the best experience with audio engineering. It helps create precise audio objects through speakers.
4. Digital Audio Workstation:
DAW is extremely useful when you’re working with Dolby Atmos. As the technology has multiple layers of audio elements, the DAW you’re using must be able to handle multichannel audio. Check out our DAW systems to install to your Dolby Atmos studio. Click the Link. [Add the Link]
5. Audio Interface:
An audio interface with multiple channels for inputs & outputs is essential for managing the multiple audio signals. Check whether the interface has low latency to have accurate monitoring. Also, the interface must work well with several audio formats as well.
6. Monitoring System:
Your studio needs a monitoring system to check the accuracy of the sound produced by the speaker and the final result of the audio track. Transparent sound production is essential for precise audio object placement.
The complete setup of this monitoring system includes Monitors, Subwoofers, and an Immersive Audio Renderer (IAR).
7. Storage & Processing System:
Last, but not the least, your Dolby Atmos studio requires a storage system. Dolby Atmos audio files are greater in size and require big space to store. Sufficient storage power & processing power is necessary to build the complex audio tracks, render the track, and finally encode the process successfully. After that, the final track should be in the storage system to further produce the final products for the market.
Conclusion:
Establishing a Dolby Atmos studio requires special attention to what it requires. The above article has exposed you to the requirements such as DAW, storage, speaker placements, sound isolation & others.
Dolby Atmos is the future of the audio industry. Several companies have already started working on it. The rest of the world will follow soon. Looking at this data, you should start looking into this transformation. The transformation will start by settling up a new studio for your Dolby Atmos production.
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