How to Turn on Spatial Audio: The Complete Guide

I. Introduction

Spatial audio is a technology that simulates sounds in a three-dimensional space, providing an immersive audio experience for the listener. Spatial audio is becoming increasingly popular, especially in entertainment and communication software. It offers a better understanding of the audio location, making it easier for the listener to identify from where a sound is coming. This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to turn on spatial audio on your device, comparisons with non-spatial audio, and application-specific guides, followed by a in-depth exploration of how spatial audio works, ongoing usage tips, and troubleshooting advice.

II. Step-by-step Guide

To turn on spatial audio on your iPhone or iPad with AirPods Pro or AirPods Max follow these steps:

1. First, Connect your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad.
2. Go to the “Settings” app on your device.
3. Tap “Bluetooth” and then “i” button next to your AirPods.
4. Select “Spatial Audio”.
5. Toggle “Spatial Audio” on.

For macOS users, follow these steps:

1. Connect your AirPods to your Mac.
2. Click the Volume icon in the menu bar of your Mac.
3. Click “Spatial Audio” in the dropdown.
4. Toggle “Spatial Audio” on.

If you cannot find Spatial Audio option on your iPhone, iPad, or macOS device, ensure that your device is running the minimum operating systems- iOS 14 or iPadOS 4.0, macOS Big Sur or later, and that your AirPods have been updated to firmware version 3A283.

III. Comparison with non-spatial audio

When comparing standard stereo audio to spatial audio, the latter offers outstanding clarity on the location of sounds. Spatial audio offers directional audio, making it a realistic audio experience. For example, when watching a movie or a TV show, Spatial Audio makes your listening experience more immersive by creating an impression of sounds in a three-dimensional space instead of them appearing to play from the device’s speakers.

IV. Application-specific guide

The following are guides on how to turn on Spatial Audio on specific applications.

Music streaming platforms

Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music HD all support Spatial Audio when used with compatible devices. Here’s how to turn on Spatial Audio:

Apple Music

1. Launch the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Playing music, tap on the “Spatial” Audio icon
3. To disable it, tap the same icon.

Tidal

1. Launch the Tidal app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the “Settings” gear at the top, then select “Stream” Quality.
3. Select “Master” under the “HiFi Audio Quality” section.
4. To disable Spatial Audio, select “High”.

Amazon Music HD

1. Launch the Amazon Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the “HD” icon on the bottom of the screen.
3. Select “Spatial Audio” to turn it on.
4. To disable Spatial Audio, select “3D Off”.

Video conferencing software

Microsoft Teams and Zoom offer Spatial Audio when you’re on a video call, here’s how to turn on Spatial Audio for both apps.

Microsoft Teams

1. Launch the Teams desktop app and join a meeting.
2. Click the three-dot menu and select “Device Settings”.
3. Under “Audio devices”, Check “Turn on new meeting experience” if it has not already.
4. Under “Audio devices,” Click “High Definition Audio” icon.

Zoom

1. Launch the Zoom app on your computer
2. Click “Settings” on the right-hand side.
3. Click “Audio option” in the left sidebar.
4. Toggle on “Use Original Sound”
5. Select “High fidelity music mode” to turn on Spatial Audio.
6. To disable Spatial Audio, switch to “Supress persistent background noise” mode

V. Exploring Spatial Audio in Depth

Spatial audio works by using multiple microphones, sound algorithms, filters, and other factors to reproduce sound the way it occurs naturally. The goal of spatial audio is to create a robust sense of dimensionality to the sound as it occurs in nature. According to sound experts, humans determine where a sound is coming from by the following factors:

• Sound intensity or loudness
• Arrival time of the sound waves to each ear
• Phase differences between the sounds arriving at both ears
• Hearing frequency spectrum

By using a technique called sound localization, spatial audio aims to reproduce all these factors. Developers often use these techniques for creating realistic soundscapes in video games, movies, VR experiences, and music production.

VI. Ongoing Usage

Troubleshooting Issues

Suppose you have turned on Spatial Audio on your device, but it doesn’t seem to be working as expected. In that case, there are several things you can try to resolve the issue:

• Turn off Spatial Audio and turn it back on- this may trigger resetting the settings.
• Ensure that the Spatial Audio toggle icon is green, indicating that Spatial Audio is switched on and working.
• Ensure that your iOS/ iPadOS or macOS is running the latest version
• If you ‘re listening to music, ensure that the track supports Spatial Audio natively.
• Ensure that your AirPods have the latest firmware update installed.

Optimizing Spatial Audio Settings

The following are a few tips for optimizing your Spatial Audio settings to get the best audio experience when using Spatial Audio:

• Experiment with different EQ settings to find the one that sounds best to you.
• Use Spatial Audio with movies, videos and music optimized for spatial audio
• Use spatial audio in a room with minimal acoustics for an immersive experience.

VII. Conclusion

In conclusion, Spatial Audio is an exciting technology that offers immersive and realistic audio experiences. This article has offered you a comprehensive guide on how to turn on Spatial Audio on your device, how to use it with specific applications, and other information related to Spatial Audio. We hope that this provides you with a better understanding of how Spatial Audio works and how it can enhance your audio experiences.