All the Audio We Loved at CES 2019
Check out the Latest Multi-Room Audio Trends
The discerning audiophile is always looking for ways to improve their listening experience. That’s why early in the year is always an exciting time for innovation. Before we can even come down off of the new year high, we get to jump right into the coming year’s technology trends at CES.
This year’s event had plenty to get excited about -- especially if you’re a fan of new ways to listen to your favorite music and movie soundtracks in your Dallas, TX home. Here, we’ll highlight some of our favorite new technology for multi-room audio, home theater, and more. Keep reading for more.
Dolby Dominates
Dolby Atmos has transformed the home theater listening experience, but it’s had a relatively small impact on the way we enjoy our movies our private cinemas. That continues to change as Dolby partners with more companies to offer excellent, 3D sound in your home theater and media room.
For instance, they’ve partnered with major manufacturers like Sony and LG for Atmos-enabled soundbars. The HT-X8500 from Sony will be the first to feature dual-subwoofers, while the SL series from LG aims to offer a variety of different experiences (at different price points) for the casual listener.
But that’s not all. Dolby is making its mark across all kinds of home audio, from TVs to PCs, even Amazon Fire and Apple TV. It may not be revolutionary, but the Atmos is definitely shaping up to be one of the biggest audio trends of 2019.
Object-Based Audio Is on the Rise
Speaking of Atmos, its most revolutionary aspect may not be obvious to many casual users, because it starts at the mixing stage.
Atmos and its primary rival, DTS, use what’s called “object-based” sound mixing. Each sound is treated as an object and appears that way on a digital display. The sound editor can then essentially drag and drop the sounds around an image, to create the realistic 3D effect.
While the aforementioned audio companies have led the 3D charge, this year’s CES saw Sony step into the game in earnest with 360 Reality Audio. Another object-based format, Reality Audio maps the listener’s ears and applies the 3D effect to headphones. The result is said to be even more immersive than existing 3D formats. However, it’s also still fairly experimental, making it hard to guess when it will hit the market.
What audio trends are you most excited about for 2019? Start a live chat with one of our representatives right now, or click here to schedule a free consultation.
