Dolby Atmos sounds like a three-dimensional, immersive audio experience where sound feels like it is moving around and above you, rather than just coming from the front or sides. Instead of being limited to specific speaker channels, sound is treated as "objects" that can be precisely placed anywhere in a 3D space, creating a "dome of sound". Bowers & Wilkins +3
Unlike standard stereo headphones, Dolby Atmos headphones use spatial audio processing to create a sense of depth and directionality, making it feel like sound is coming from all around you—even above and behind.
The current output audio format will appear on the connected TV screen. When Dolby Atmos content plays, the display shows characters such as DOLBY ATMOS.
Marshall Heston 60 soundbar with Dolby Atmos & DTS:X, Wired & Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity – Dual HDMI, RCA, Bluetooth, WiFi, Google Cast, Spotify, Airplay2.
The LG 5.1-Channel S60TR Home Theater Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer and Rear Speakers, Dolby Audio™ - Black, supports Dolby Audio as indicated in its title, but not Dolby Atmos®.
Traditional surround sound systems such as 5.1 and 7.1 direct audio toward listeners in a limited horizontal plane. Dolby Atmos delivers audio in a horizontal and vertical plane with the addition of height channels and spatial audio technology to provide more accurate sound both around you and overhead.
You can select the most suitable sound mode for each genre.
Here are some considerations: Music genres: Marshall is ideal for rock and bass-heavy genres, while Bose excels in classical and jazz. Portability: Bose speakers are lightweight and compact, making them perfect for travellers. Marshall speakers are better suited for home use due to their larger size.
Basic Multi-Speaker Setup
4 Dolby Atmos system is a traditional 7.1 layout with four overhead or Dolby Atmos enabled speakers. You will need at least two speakers, either overhead or Dolby Atmos enabled, that can generate overhead sound and objects. For the best experience of Dolby Atmos, we recommend four speakers.
Spotify Premium users get 24-bit/44.1 kHz lossless quality, free users are capped at 160 kbps. Lossless didn't actually show up on Spotify Premium until September 2025. Dolby Atmos works best with high fidelity, without that foundation, spatial features would deliver compromised results.
While some TVs have made room for more powerful speakers, and can deliver Dolby Atmos, the best way to get improved sound quality is with a soundbar.
If you don't have a Dolby Atmos-enabled audio device or a surround sound system, you are missing out on some serious audio quality. Once you hear the difference, you won't be able to go back to just any speaker.
If you have a firestick, their audio test does a great job on Atmos. Try to watch content in Apple TV+, they have all their content in Dolby Vision/Atmos and sounds really good or in Netflix and Disney+ have some content that sounds spectacular, like Stranger Things.
Dolby Atmos: Taking Surround Sound to New Heights
Adding overhead audio creates a 3D "bubble" where sound moves freely above and around you, making you feel like you're part of the action instead of just watching it. Unlike traditional systems, Dolby Atmos doesn't limit sound to specific speakers.
To experience Dolby Atmos at home, you'll need a few essential pieces of equipment. This starts at the source of the signal, usually the TV, which should have an HDMI™ eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) output to your soundbar or receiver, which should also have an HDMI eARC connection and Dolby Atmos capability.
The sound level of your setup should be between 79dB(C) and 85dB(C). Once you have chosen your level, each monitor should be measured from the mix position with a measurement microphone or a sonometer. Use the Dolby pink noise to adjust the level of each channel individually. All monitors should have the same level.
Most conventional overhead speakers with wide dispersion characteristics will work in a Dolby Atmos home theater. Dolby Atmos audio is mixed using discrete, full-range audio objects that may move around anywhere in three-dimensional space.
The 83% rule for speaker placement is a guideline, popularized by audio expert Jim Smith, suggesting the distance from your ear to a speaker (Y) should be approximately 1.2 times the distance between the two speakers' tweeters (X), meaning X/Y is around 0.83 (or 83%). This helps create an immersive soundstage with a strong center image, balancing speaker separation and listening distance, and serves as a starting point for fine-tuning speaker placement in a stereo setup, often used with an equilateral triangle setup as a reference.
Comparing Dolby 7.1 and 4K Atmos
Dolby 7.1 provides a traditional surround sound setup, ideal for larger rooms, whereas 4K Atmos combines stunning visual clarity with immersive audio, pushing the boundaries of home entertainment.
Top 10 speaker brands in India – 2026
Bose's top competitors include Marshall Group, Silentium, and Sonos. Marshall Group operates in the audio electronics industry. The company offers products including audio equipment, headphones, speakers, and percussion instruments, as w…
Since 2023, Marshall Amplification has been a division of a Swedish conglomerate, the Marshall Group, a majority stake of which is owned by China-based HongShan Capital Group.
The S95AR or S90TR is ideal if you enjoy intense gaming and immersive movie nights. These models offer top-tier surround sound with a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers, bringing dynamic, cinematic audio that pairs perfectly with LG OLED and QNED TVs.
Press the Settings button on your LG remote.
From the on-screen menu that appears, select Sound. Then choose Sound Mode. On some LG TV models, this option may appear as Sound Mode Settings instead. Use the left and right arrow buttons on your remote to move through the available sound modes.
Choose Dolby Atmos If: