What started back in 2019 to be a Dolby Atmos presentation on immersive sound, but suddenly canceled due to the pandemic, has finally evolved into the largest AES event for the Philadelphia section in recent memory!
In our ambitious collaborative effort with Comcast and Dolby, numerous presenters introduced attendees to the unique partnership between these two companies involving the Dolby Atmos immersive sound technology and the Dolby Vision HDR imaging technology.
Immersive Sound, All Around
Ellis Reid, Senior Brand Manager at Dolby Labs, revealed how these technologies are abundantly used in film, animation, music, sports and gaming which are disseminated throughout the expansive Comcast network.
Works from the movies 1917, The Minions and Fast X were premiered and the highlight of these demonstrations was the Dolby Atmos mix of “Rocket Man” by Elton John!
What really brought these works to life was the 64 channel Dolby Atmos speaker system housed at the Ralph J. Roberts Forum located in the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia. This 500-seat amphitheater was acoustically designed for a fully immersive sound and visual experience for the audience.
In keeping with our commitment to education, Tim Carroll at Dolby Labs explained to our audience of current and prospective audio engineers how to create content in Dolby Atmos. The tools are readily available, some even free, so anyone can start producing right away.
Mixing in Dolby Atmos can conveniently be done on headphones. But beware! You need to reference your mix on a sound system that can at least render it on a 5.1 surround system if you don’t have access to a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 speaker system. What you hear on your headphones may be different, if not very different, than what you hear on your speakers.
Philly’s Largest AES Event In Recent Memory
The estimated attendance was over 400 people which comprised Comcast and Dolby personnel, ASA members, college students and professors, plus AES members from Philadelphia, New York and Washington, DC. Clearly, it was our largest event in recent memory.
Introductory remarks were presented by Chip Powell, Audio Engineering Society (AES) Chair of the Philadelphia Section and this event was co-sponsored by the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) with Felicia Doggett serving as Chair of the Philadelphia Chapter.