If you’ve switched on Netflix today and wondered why The Witcher or Stranger Things 4 is sounding a little better, the answer is spatial audio.
The streaming giant has decided upping its audio quality is the way to retain viewers, announcing this morning that it’s bringing the tech to all devices with the aim of enhancing the listening experience throughout its catalogue of original titles.
“Often, the subtlety of sound goes unnoticed, but it can have a profound impact on the atmosphere of a scene and fundamentally change the audience’s response. Some of the most iconic moments in TV and film are defined by the immersive moments they create through sound,” Netflix said.
Spatial audio, if you’re not familiar, is designed to provide cinema-like sound from a movie or TV show. It gives a more 360-degree sound, like it’s appearing from all around you.
It will roll out across Netflix’s catalogue from today. Titles boasting the enhancement include Stranger Things 4, The Adam Project, The Witcher, Red Notice and Archive 81. If you type ‘spatial audio’ into the Netflix search bar, you’ll return titles that have been optimised already. All subscribers, regardless of which Netflix subscription plan you have, will be able to access it.
“Netflix spatial audio helps to translate the cinematic experience of immersive audio to any stereo, so the work creators do to bring you into the story happens no matter what device you use to watch Netflix,” the blog post clarified.
Netflix is able to bring spatial audio to everyone thanks to its partnership with Sennheiser. Netflix is the first platform to license Sennheiser’s AMBEO tech for delivering spatial audio via any 2-channel stereo speakers. In a statement, Sennheiser explained:
AMBEO 2-Channel Spatial Audio is a two-channel rendering of an immersive mix that is a drop-in replacement for stereo. It provides an improved audio experience wherever stereo is delivered today, be it standard TV sets, stereo systems, headphones, tablets or laptops.
Happy weekend Netflix binging, folks!