User question I couldn't answer. Dolby Atmos Headphones

d0x360 · Nov 13, 2021

Someone recently asked me about the Microsoft wireless Dolby Atmos headphones and... I was stumped. I told them I would keep digging so I figured I'd ask my fellow ambassador's.

Below is their question, word for word.

"Hello, I bought the Microsoft Dolby Atmos headset for the Xbox series x and Windows 10 (I bought the atmos app from the windows store as well) on certain Xbox and PC games it will have a setting for audio device. It might list something like "Stereo, headphones, surround sound, binaural audio for headphones to simulate 3d audio" and I was curious as to which option I should pick?

When I turn the headphones on my surround receiver changes from Dolby Atmos to stereo. So the Xbox seems to be handling the audio processing to take advantage of the Atmos headphones and app but as I said some games list audio options for listening device type.

Am I supposed to pick stereo, surround sound, headphones or binaural for headphones?

I never know which one to choose to get the proper Atmos effect the headphones offer."

____end user question____

I looked up everything I could (again) about how they work, setup etc and couldn't find a direct answer even on Dolby's site page for them. So... I went out and bought a pair, read everything cover to cover and started using them and after doing so for about 5 hours on PC and 5 on series x I had no clue. The user is right, when a game presents options for audio it gets confusing.

Any help would be appreciated. I've hit the proverbial wall.

Thanks in advance.

:)

d0x360

Edited after the reply email would have been sent

It's the new series x wireless one. Microsoft wireless headset

I can't find any info on what audio device you pick when presented with options for surround, headphones, stereo etc.

It's not about testing the sound it's about making sure you pick the correct in game device for audio. Testing in the Dolby app doesn't give you a choice of audio device, it just works. At a system level the Xbox & PC will automatically have Atmos for Headphones selected in the system audio settings but once in game it's unclear which audio option to choose for the kind of output device you have from the games settings.

A good example of a new game with those choices is Battlefield 2042 on Xbox series consoles and almost every game on PC.

Do you select surround which is Atmos, headphones which fake Atmos, or stereo because the system is supposed to be processing audio into 3d audio?

It's very unclear.

XBF-Spartan

Hi d0x360,

Out of curiosity did the the customer by chance give the brand/model of headset they purchased? I am linking a few resources concerning Dolby Atmos for Xbox Experience Your Games in Full Audio Immersion with Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos Spatial Sound - Xbox Wire and Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone:X headset settings on Xbox | Xbox Support . I usually recommend to players that once they have installed the Atmos app on their console or pc that they use the app to test the differences in sound rather than using a game to test the audio.

Whitey Black

use the dolby atmos apy it or buy a headphone that have dolby atmos

The Viral Cyrix

Dolby Atmos and Atmos for headphones are two different things. Netflix does not support Atmos for headphones as far as I am aware

napalm 31337

Hi RomiDumitru,

*maybe* this "problem" is exactly how the Dolby Atmos App on Xbox One X works.

Dolby Atmos native content? perfect! Dolby Atmos playback.

No Dolby Atmos? the App upmix current audio track to Dolby Atmos (the headphones features works in this way).

I don't know if is intentional.

User question I couldn't answer. Dolby Atmos Headphones