Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) has recently introduced Dolby Atmos support, and the system’s lead architect, Mark Cerny, has provided insight into how the new surround sound set-up functions. Previously, it was speculated that the PS5’s existing Tempest 3D audio data was being recalculated and injected into the Dolby Atmos “container.” This innovative solution allows the existing library of PS5 titles to work with Atmos set-ups, as developers had not previously mastered audio to support the 7.1.4 speaker system.
In Cerny’s statement, he details the entire audio pipeline in the PS5 and how support has been extended to accommodate the additional speakers that an Atmos set-up provides. Unlike some issues experienced with Xbox and Windows PCs, Sony’s solution ensures lag-free Atmos support. However, it is worth noting that while the solution is “as good as” an Atmos mix from a mathematical perspective, there is still room for improvement as sound engineers can now master their audio mixes on full Atmos-spec equipment, leading to further enhancements.
To provide a more comprehensive understanding of the PS5’s Dolby Atmos support, the recently launched Digital Foundry DF Clips YouTube channel features John Linneman’s impressions of the system’s capabilities. The breakdown of the technology revolves around Tempest-based 3D Audio and its compatibility with Ambisonic audio. Ambisonic audio is considered an extension of stereo audio and allows for sound sources to be added into multiple channels based on their location. With 36 channels, Ambisonic audio ensures high-quality sound localization. The Tempest 3D AudioTech engine then uses the player’s Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) and speaker locations to create an appropriate audio stream for each speaker.
Prior to the recent update, the Tempest engine rendered Ambisonic audio information into headphones, stereo TV speakers, and 5.1 and 7.1 audio setups. The introduction of 7.1.4, with its four overhead speakers, does not significantly change the overall rendering strategy, as the 36 Ambisonic channels already include audio from all directions, including above the player. This means that the support for the four overhead speakers is on par with any other speakers, and the rendering latency remains consistent across all speaker setups. Existing games should provide a good 7.1.4 experience, and going forward, sound designers have the opportunity to verify audio quality on 7.1.4 speaker setups.
This statement from Mark Cerny will be featured in the upcoming DF Direct Weekly #124, in which John Linneman and the team discuss his comments and conduct crowd-sourced testing on surround sound latency. The episode will cover a range of news topics and will be available tomorrow at 16:00 BST.