Netflix rolls out spatial audio support for select original shows and movies

After rolling out Spatial Audio support for the iPhone and iPad in August last year, Netflix is now making the feature available to more users. The streaming giant has partnered with Sennheiser to convert surround sound mixes into a spatial audio representation, which can now be played through any stereo speaker or headphone.

According to Netflix, the new spatial audio capabilities don’t require any specialized equipment. However, it’s only available for select Netflix original TV shows and movies at the moment. If you’re a Netflix subscriber, you can now search for “spatial audio” on the platform to find all the supported titles. Currently supported titles include the fourth season of the popular sci-fi drama Stranger Things, Red Notice, and The Witcher.

In its announcement, Netflix mentioned that the new spatial audio feature “helps to translate the cinematic experience of immersive audio to any stereo, so the work creators do to bring you into the story happens no matter what device you use to watch Netflix.” The feature is available on all Netflix subscription plans across all regions.

Netflix’s new spatial audio feature utilizes Sennheiser’s AMBEO 2-Channel Spatial Audio technology. Sennheiser notes that AMBEO 2-Channel Spatial audio “is not another mix. Instead, it is created from open, industry-standard deliverables, like ADM or IAB files. The renderer easily fits into standard encoding pipelines. It outputs a standard two-channel audio file that can be delivered as a drop-in replacement for stereo.”

Note that Netflix’s spatial audio feature does not offer the head-tracking capabilities that you get with spatial audio on the Apple AirPods Pro. In addition, those who use a multi-channel surround sound setup while watching Netflix might not notice any significant improvements with the new feature.

Have you tried Netflix’s new spatial audio feature? Did you notice any significant improvements? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Source: Netflix, Sennheiser

The post Netflix rolls out spatial audio support for select original shows and movies appeared first on XDA.

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