Not every little thing pops with such dramatics, and there have been some tracks the place one thing was misplaced (or fairly gained) in translation. Reverb was one ingredient that mixers sometimes appeared uncertain the right way to deal with in some older tracks. The snare in Elton John’s “Mellow” from Honky Château feels oddly misplaced, with further verb that clearly wasn’t meant to be remoted. As with all combine, all of it comes all the way down to decisions, and never all are equal. Nonetheless, just about every little thing I listened to sounded pretty much as good or, extra usually, higher when unfold throughout the Optiq’s system.
Talking of stated system, chances are you’ll be questioning whether or not any good stereo observe would sound this good over a sound system as glorious because the Optiq’s. After bouncing backwards and forwards, I can unequivocally say no. Whereas stereo tracks can sound superb, none had the identical readability, punch, or immersion of their Dolby Atmos counterparts. Not as soon as did I mistake a random stereo observe for Atmos. The closest was Phil Collins’ “Within the Air Tonight,” which impressively expanded in area because the drums entered. By comparability, Peter Gabriel’s stereo “Sledgehammer” sounded fairly flat. (Sorry, O.G. Genesis followers, I used to be simply as stunned.)
It could’t be overstated how essential a part the clean sonic canvas offered by the Optiq EV’s whisper-quiet inside is. You’ve obtained to goose the amount to essentially really feel the total Atmos Music impact, and a loud automotive with a burbling engine simply wouldn’t hit the identical, particularly given how they have an inclination to mess with the low finish. Having Amazon Music locked and loaded within the sprint put a great deal of tracks at our fingertips, whereas Cadillac’s fabulous Tremendous Cruise hands-off driving system offered a breezy strategy to fall into the music, making each drive a novel second.
Challenges Stay
{Photograph}: Ryan Waniata
Whereas the Optiq is a marvel on the subject of gorgeous Atmos Music supply, just like the speaker setup I witnessed on the Wynn, it’s additionally a barrier to entry. I talked about traditional rock for a purpose: Not everybody can afford a brand new Cadillac (definitely not me). Taht stated, Dolby says 25-plus carmakers have introduced plans or are already within the Atmos Music combine, from Mercedes-Benz to Hyundai Genesis. Most are expensive at current, as with all new expertise.
There are some extra reasonably priced methods to get a semblance of my Optiq expertise, together with a couple of soundbars and stand-alone audio system that allow you to stream Atmos Music straight, just like the Sonos Arc Ultra (9/10, WIRED recommends) and Sonos Era 300.
However at the same time as Atmos Music has expanded to over 20-plus streaming companies (Spotify is a notable holdout), getting it to the throng of Dolby Atmos soundbars might be tougher than you would possibly anticipate. AirPlay added Atmos streaming to the HomePod final yr, however third-party help has fizzled. Amazon’s Echo Studio Atmos speaker was discontinued. Dolby says some gadgets have added casting, however the firm wasn’t capable of present numbers or fashions.
It takes time for an ecosystem like Atmos Music to assemble steam. There are at all times hurdles as new software program and {hardware} choices develop. What was most hanging concerning the Optiq is how straightforward it made it to entry, serving to me go from informal listener to particular Atmos Music fiend. Right here’s hoping Atmos Music continues to trickle down. The music is prepared, the medium is primed, now let’s get it to the individuals.
