Sony has announced an all new music experience at the CES 2019; the “360 Reality Audio” which makes listeners feel as if they are immersed in sound from all directions. The new experience is delivered by Sony’s object-based spatial audio technology.
Sony is working with major music labels, music distribution services, and other such music organizations to provide the technology for building a musical ecosystem around 360 Reality Audio. The 360 Reality Audio uses Sony’s object-based spatial audio technology to provide an immersive music experience that feels just like being at a live concert.
360 Reality Audio makes it possible for artists and music creators to create a 360-degree musical experience by mapping sound sources such as vocals, chorus and instruments with positional information of distance and angle to suit their creative and artistic purpose. Sony says that it will provide content creation tools and work with major music labels to prepare and augment music into 360 Reality Audio content. Also, existing music that is already in multitrack sound format will be able to be converted into a 360 Reality Audio compatible format using the production tools that Sony will provide.
The company is also planning to release a format optimized for music distribution. With the cooperation of the Fraunhofer IIS, part of Europe’s largest organization for applied research, the format will be compliant with MPEG-H 3D Audio, an open audio standard. Sony is looking into the potential for a variety of audio devices to support this new music content.
Bernhard Grill, Director, Audio and Media Technologies, Fraunhofer IIS, said:
We are excited to be part of this innovative project which allows consumers to listen to music in a completely new way. Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, based on MPEG-H 3D Audio, is providing audiences with a highly creative, cutting-edge music experience. Thanks to the underlying support of MPEG-H object-based audio, the vocals, instruments and effects can be placed all around the listeners, immersing them like never before. With 360 Reality Audio, Sony offers a pioneering service for music lovers and creatives alike.
Dennis Kooker, President, Global Digital Business & U.S. Sales, Sony Music Entertainment said:
Sony Music is pleased to be partnering with Sony Corporation to support the growth of 360 Reality Audio. We are long-running believers in high quality audio solutions that enhance the listening experience for consumers, and this three-dimensional sound format is an exciting new option for fans seeking a more immersive way to hear their favorite music. We look forward to working with a growing number of digital service providers to make songs from our artists available for streaming in 360 Reality Audio.