Improve your audio experience with Windows Sonic For Headphones
Want to upgrade your audio experience? Want to turn those boring headphones into high fidelity, surround sound delight? Well here are four steps you can take, plus one extra step, to make that happen! But before we get started, I’d like to give you a little background on the Windows Sonic For Headphones Spatial Sound format, why it’s so special and how you can use it to enhance your favorite tunes! Don’t worry if you don’t know much about this new Microsoft format just yet, we will fill in all the details as we proceed through these five easy steps!
Press play
There are a lot of people who aren’t too happy about Windows Sonic. They’re claiming that this is just Microsoft’s latest attempt to make us switch over to using their products exclusively. That said, I think it’s worth at least giving it a shot! You might find that you like the sound quality and even if you don’t, at least you’ll be able to tell.
If you want to give this new format a try but don’t have any headphones that support it, then all you need is some software! There are plenty of different programs out there, but my favorite so far has been Audio Hijack Pro.
What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos was first introduced in 2014 and it is the latest speaker system technology from Dolby. It allows for a 5.1.4 home theater setup, which means that there are five speakers placed around the room and four ceiling speakers that provide an immersive soundscape. This creates an effect where it feels like sounds are coming at you from all angles, giving you a true feeling of being in a movie theater or concert hall.
What is DTS:X?
Developed as a joint venture by Microsoft and DTS, DTS:X is an immersive sound format that transports listeners to amazing new worlds of sound. Listeners can enjoy their favorite movies, games, concerts and music with incredible detail and clarity. DTS:X defines sound so precisely it can be mapped in the digital domain to create incredibly realistic effects in the physical world. Designed for both home theater systems as well as headphones and earbuds, DTS:X utilizes precise sound placement for a true 3D audio effect that draws you into the entertainment.
Improved controls in Windows 10
Windows Sonic for headphones, which is available to try right now in the latest preview build of Windows 10, is designed to provide richer and more immersive sound for gaming, videos and music. The spatial sound works by simulating 3D directional sounds so it feels like you’re in the middle of an action scene from your favorite movie. To get started, plug in a pair of headphones or earbuds that are compatible with spatial sound and enable the feature from the audio settings on your device. You can also adjust other settings to customize how you want to hear things and make sure everything sounds great at all volumes.
Welcome back, surround sound!
Windows Sonic For Headphones is an extension to the current Windows 10 operating system that offers immersive 3D sound on headphones. It can be enabled by going to Settings > System > Sound > Spatial sound and then toggling the Windows Sonic for Headphones option on.
What’s great about this format is that it takes advantage of a new feature in Windows 10 called Windows Holographic. This allows for a much more expansive sound stage than regular stereo recordings. You’ll notice the difference as soon as you start playing music or videos, which will feel like they are coming from all around you instead of just from inside your head.
Available for PCs running Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and Xbox One devices running the April 2018 update
Microsoft is bringing Spatial Sound to the Xbox One and PC. This spatial sound technology creates a realistic and immersive experience by utilizing sound fields, which are localized so they sound like they are coming from somewhere in the environment.
To set up Spatial Sound on your computer or Xbox One, go to Settings > System > Audio > Spatial Sound. The first section, Speaker Setup, lets you configure how many speakers you have connected to your system and how far apart they are located. In the second section, Mixing Quality and Performance, there’s an option for switching between two different modes – Standard or High Performance – depending on what kind of performance you need from the system.
