Dolby Audio vs Dolby Atmos: Which One is Right for You?

Introduction

You’ve probably noticed some shows and games advertise “Dolby Audio” or “Dolby Atmos,” but what’s the real difference? One makes sound clean and clear, the other turns it into a full 3D space you can almost walk through. To keep it simple, the right pick depends on your budget, and of course, how deep you want to dive into every footstep, explosion, or note. Let’s break down how they compare.

Table of Contents

1. What Is Dolby Audio?

Dolby Audio is just improved speaker tech, developed by Dolby. It’s channel-based audio processing (e.g., stereo, 5.1, 7.1).

However, it is not just a slight improvement—you can get significant benefits with Dolby Audio. It’s specifically meant to improve the quality of existing mixes without changing the content’s original structure. 

Features Of Dolby Audio

• Dynamic range control (to balance loud and quiet parts)

• Dialogue enhancement

• Surround sound optimization

• Consistent volume across sources

It comes with standard media devices, such as TVs, consoles, and so on. Dolby Audio works with formats like Dolby Digital, Digital Plus, and TrueHD. It’s more or less supported everywhere.

2. What Is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos, however, is a truly unique technology. Its purpose is to be completely 3D - while Dolby Audio can also do surround sound, it’s restricted to a 2D plane, so you can only differentiate between which side the audio is from. 

With Atmos, things go up a notch, as you can also notice your audio going up and down. Sound objects can move around x, y, and z axes without being held down by channels. This creates an immersive, spatial audio where sound can come from all around and above the listener.

Features Of Dolby Atmos

• Supports up to 128 audio objects

• Height channels for overhead sound

• Adaptive playback (scales to headphones, TVs, theaters)

• Better precision and realism in sound placement

Dolby Atmos is mostly used in cinemas, home theaters, streaming services, and some gaming setups. It comes in TrueHD for Blu-ray, Digital Plus for streaming, and MAT for consoles. The device needs an Atmos-capable decoder to play it.

Figure1-speaker

3. Dolby Audio vs Dolby Atmos: What is the Difference?

As we said earlier, one is a simple audio enhancement technology, while the other is intended to provide a very special and extra immersive experience. We’ll break down the details further so you have a better idea.

Sound Processing

Dolby Audio relies on channel-based mixing. 

All the sound elements are assigned to a specific speaker channel (such as front left, rear right). There’s extra processing involved - the audio is optimized with dynamic range control, dialogue levelling, and equalization, to improve things further. 

Dolby Atmos doesn’t work this way. 

Rather, it’s based on object-based processing. Objects in the audio carry metadata, which shows their exact position and movement in a 3D space. Thanks to this, the sound can go further than simply relying on channel layout - it can render the sound dynamically based on the playback movement.

Surround Sound Capabilities

Dolby Audio can only support up to 7.1 surround setups. That’s good by itself, as it can offer sound across the whole horizontal plane - the front, sides, and rear - but there’s no vertical dimension.

This is where Dolby Atmos completely beats its counterpart, as it adds height layers. It's able to take advantage of ceiling or upward-firing speakers, as well as vertical height processing. As a result, the listener gets to hear sound above them.

With such an expansion of the sound field, you can hear a lot of vertical effects, such as rain, aircraft or ambient reflections, all of which move naturally around and over you.

Immersion and Realism

With Dolby Audio, you do get consistent surround sound, but it remains fixed. Each speaker outputs a predetermined part of the mix. 

Meanwhile, Dolby Atmos can do spatial precision. 

You’ll have a true sense of physical space and depth, as sound objects fluidly move around you. So anything you watch will be more lifelike, and directional cues will be much clearer, especially in films, games and VR.

Device Compatibility

Dolby Audio works on a lot of platforms. 

If there’s any confusion, you can look for the Dolby logo. Generally, most devices have out-of-the-box support. As long as you have a couple of normal speakers, you’ll be good.

It’s trickier to use Dolby Atmos, though. You need your entire playback check to be Atmos-enabled. Starting from content to device and output. For instance, you’d need an Atmos soundbar, AV receiver or Atmos-certified headphones.

That’s not the case all the time, though. Some streaming services and mobile devices also provide virtualized Atmos, with the help of software rendering, so you can enjoy it without having a full speaker setup. 

Comparison Table: At A Glance

4. Dolby Audio vs Dolby Atmos: Which is Better?

Objectively speaking, Dolby Atmos is better in most cases, but the standard Dolby Audio is still good. We’ll walk you through some of the use cases.

Figure2-Dolby Audio vs Dolby Atmos

4.1 When to Choose Dolby Audio

• Use it if you only have regular stereo or 5.1/7.1 speakers without Atmos.

• If you watch TV, movies, or streaming casually.

• Older TVs, phones, and consoles can’t run Atmos, but Dolby Audio still plays fine.

• Horizontal surround still feels immersive. Dolby Audio is good if you want some realism without extra gear.

4.2 When to Choose Dolby Atmos

• If your speakers, soundbars, or headphones can do Atmos, use it, there isn’t any notable downside.

• Atmos fits home theaters and high-end streaming for a movie-theater feel.

• Sports or action movies sound better with 3D effects and vertical audio.

• Directional sound helps in games, and Atmos will help a lot in that regard.

In general, Dolby Atmos is great if you want immersive sound that feels like it’s right there with you. Dolby Audio is a passable alternative if you can’t go for the former.

5. Which Devices Support Dolby Audio?

Since Dolby Audio is channel-based and needs minimal hardware, it can even work across many old devices. Here’s a general list:

• Smart TVs: Many modern TVs have built-in Dolby Audio.

• Phones & Tablets: Most recent smartphones and tablets support it in apps and games.

• Laptops & PCs: Computers can use Dolby Audio through speakers or media player software.

• Streaming Devices & Set-Top Boxes: Popular streaming boxes support Dolby Audio for video.

• Soundbars & Headphones: Many entry- and mid-range models include virtual Dolby Audio.

5.1 How To Check Support For Dolby Audio?

You can:

• Look for the Dolby Audio logo on the device, packaging, or product page.

• Check device specifications in manuals or online listings.

• On PCs, check sound settings or media player audio options for Dolby Audio.

5.2 Why Don’t Some Devices Support Dolby Audio?

Most devices support Dolby Audio, but some don’t. This is usually because they lack a license, decoders, or firmware, or use different regional formats.

6. Which Devices Support Dolby Atmos?

Object-based audio processing is a specific thing - not every device has it. Some also don’t have height or virtual height channels, so support can be limited. 

• High-End TVs: Flagship QLED and OLED models with Atmos sound.

• Soundbars: High-end bars with upward-firing speakers.

• AV Receivers: Receivers for 5.1.2, 7.1.4, or bigger setups.

• Gaming Consoles: Current-gen consoles from both PlayStation and Xbox.

• Phones/Tablets: Recent iOS and Android devices- but only the higher-end options.

• Streaming Devices & Apps: 4K players and major streaming platforms.

6.1 How To Check Support For Dolby Audio?

Try the following:

• Look for the Dolby Atmos logo on the device, app, or content.

• Check audio settings for “Dolby Atmos” or “3D audio.”

• On Windows 10/11 PCs: Sound Settings > Spatial Sound > Dolby Atmos for Headphones/ Home Theater.

• Streaming apps usually show a “Dolby Atmos” badge on titles supporting it.
  

6.2 Why Don’t Some Devices Support Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos needs the right decoders, height-capable speakers, and HDMI eARC.

Conclusion

If all you want is good overall sound, Dolby Audio is great at the job. But once you hear Atmos, it’ll be hard to go back. You’ll hear sound from everywhere, not just left, right, or front. All the tiny details, like footsteps behind you or a helicopter overhead, will be much easier to notice. In the end, Atmos is a great choice and upgrade over its counterpart, though standard Dolby Audio is still great for those on a tight budget.