PMC’s Compelling Case for Immersive Audio at High End Munich

High End Munich 2024 was full of extra two-channel techniques than the StereoNET workforce may shake their collective sticks at. However, PMC introduced the large weapons to one of many bigger rooms on the bottom flooring—many large weapons. In reality, 21 loudspeakers had been organized in a formidable 11.4.6 array, all rigged up with the required electronics to ship 48,000 watts of energy and plumb all the way down to 15hz, so we had been advised.

Those figures are most likely why PMC wasn’t allowed to play this set-up in one of many rooms upstairs, as comparatively regular techniques nonetheless managed to bleed by to their neighbours occasionally—such is the way in which of hi-fi reveals.

The occasion included an album playback and an evidence of what Dolby Atmos Music can provide the listener. Atmos Music evangelist, musician, and spatial audio producer Steven Wilson offered this in his normal pleasant, plain-speaking and enthusiastic approach.

PMC’s heavy artillery consisted of an LCR trio of the flagship PMC BB6-XBD-A floorstanders bolstered by 4 potent BST subwoofers. The remainder of the 11.4.6 structure was provided by Ci Series surrounds, which have rapidly develop into the usual for a lot of studio installations, not to mention home purposes. If you’re questioning what such a factor would price to place in your individual mansion, name PMC with €300,000 prepared. No, this wasn’t the costliest system on the present.

While it was acknowledged that this specific barn-filling, scaffolded speaker system wasn’t wholly sensible for most individuals, as Steven Wilson identified, the fantastic thing about Atmos Music is that if you do not have a multi-speaker system, it’s going to routinely convert to a binaural combine, which nonetheless advantages from the spatial therapy. This is among the format’s advantages and the place it trumps the likes of 5.1, as an example. He additionally added that this yr’s Grammy-winning records had been all launched within the format.

We had been handled to a few tracks to display what this technique and the format had been able to, though different classes all through the present would focus extra on the music moderately than Steven’s presentation and Q&A. Naturally, the supply materials was the highest-quality Dolby Atmos Music, and, as an apart, Wilson acknowledged that one of the best ways to expertise spatial audio was by way of Blu-ray. However, with streaming providers now providing the spatial audio format and the price of entry being not more than an ably-equipped soundbar or headphones, it is nicely price giving it a whirl earlier than committing to a extra immersive speaker system.

And a extra immersive system is what we’ve proper right here. Having had the chance to report in Dolby Atmos Music with the format in thoughts from the very begin moderately than the way in which Wilson does it “all within the field”, I’ve expertise in how the songs are created and the choices made when mixing in Atmos. It was refreshing to listen to the person who will get commissioned to remix traditional tracks into Atmos Music does it by merely going by what sounds proper to him whereas admitting that he is a musician and never a producer. This is one side that can hold the format attention-grabbing – there are not any fastened guidelines other than frequent sense. For occasion, you would possibly need to keep away from listening to Keith Moon’s drumming planted within the left nook peak channel or a Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar solo positioned far again within the rear channel audio system.

Steven Wilson kicked off the playback session with the Prince-penned Sinead O’Conner traditional Nothing Compares 2 U.  The observe began off in its already spectacular authentic stereo format earlier than seamlessly opening up into multichannel and made ample use of these 21 PMC audio system.

The distinction wasn’t refined however in all the correct methods. While there’s nothing flawed with the stereo combine, removed from it, the spatial combine actually envelopes the listener, placing you in the course of the instrumentation and vocals. Additionally, one thing that’s oft remarked upon in evaluations of respectable techniques and audio system is the area and sound staging; right here, it was nearly doable to stroll across the gamers. The bonus was that there was a higher sense of element and emotion from the piece and, partly on account of this behemoth of a system, the dynamic vary was awe-inspiring. Looking round at my fellow viewers members, I seen sufficient smiles and nods when this observe moved to spatial audio, making me suppose this experiment might be engaged on even probably the most hardened stereo purist.

The subsequent observe was certainly one of Wilson’s personal, the ultimate reduce from his newest album, The Harmony Codex, Staircase. Here was the sound of a person fully at residence with the format. It had all of the hallmarks of a Steven Wilson observe if you’re already acquainted with his work. He has a knack for utilising your complete frequency vary to the perfect of a system’s skill, giving the music nice peak, depth and width. With backing vocals positioned above and different parts sweeping in from the perimeters or showing behind, it actually makes for a extra entertaining and immersive expertise. It is usually tough for me to not get drawn into the technicalities of “Oh, I would not have thought to position that there”, however general, I thought of this fast introduction to Atmos Music a hit. 

With the caveat that PMC’s system deftly offered the music with such energy, pace, and readability and so helped the case put earlier than us, I discover it unimaginable to imagine that it failed to go away individuals at the very least extra curious in regards to the format and, maybe, already contemplating dipping their toes into immersive audio waters with a succesful soundbar, headphones, or entry-level multi-speaker set-up.

My takeaway from the session was that Dolby Atmos Music and spatial audio are right here to remain for the foreseeable future. The format has already been adopted by many main studios, and heaps of traditional albums are being handled to spatial remixing, many by our host, Steven Wilson.