Whether you work in the music, film, or game industries, you’ve likely seen a steadily growing buzz about immersive audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Ambisonics in recent years. Already well-established in the worlds of film and virtual reality, immersive audio’s popularity for music is on the rise, and many studios have already upgraded their monitoring to work in these formats.

For many, this new frontier of mixing offers exciting creative possibilities to explore. For others, it’s a necessary skill to learn to keep up with the industry and stay relevant. Either way, there’s an ante to join this game: if you want to work with immersive audio professionally, your studio is going to need a few upgrades. 

Fortunately, upgrading your studio to mix in immersive formats is now more accessible than ever. Advances in software, monitors, interfaces, and other gear have made it possible (and surprisingly affordable) for even the humble home studio to dip a toe into the world of immersive audio. But with so many different audio formats, speaker configurations, and new technical jargon to keep up with, it’s easy to get confused.

Using cutting-edge AEI (Audio Engineer Inquisitiveness) technology, we’ve predicted and answered your top questions about getting into immersive audio. This article will help you decide what gear you need, which speaker configuration to use, and how to set it all up so you can bring your studio into the future of audio.

What do I need to work with immersive audio?

Depending on your current capabilities, you may need just a few key upgrades—or a complete studio overhaul—to enable you to work with immersive audio. Here’s a quick rundown of the key elements of an immersive-capable studio so you can see where you stand and what to prioritize.

Compatible Software

First and foremost, you’ll need software that allows you to work with your immersive format of choice. Currently, the latest versions of Pro Tools Ultimate, Nuendo, Cubase Pro, Logic Pro, Studio One, Pyramix, and DaVinci Resolve Studio feature built-in rendering for Dolby Atmos. Other DAWs require the use of Dolby software such as the Dolby Atmos Renderer, Production Suite, or Dolby Atmos Music Panner to unlock Atmos capability. 

If you’re just interested in working with Ambisonic audio for field recording, game audio, and VR, you’re in luck: most popular DAWs can already facilitate Ambisonic workflows (either with included encoders and decoders or using third-party plugins such as the Ambisonic Tool Kit or the IEM Plug-in Suite).

A Multichannel Speaker Array

You can mix immersive audio with in-ear monitors or headphones using binaural rendering, but a multichannel speaker setup is usually recommended (and sometimes required) for professional work. Most immersive arrays build off of industry-standard surround sound formats, adding overhead speakers to extend the soundfield into three dimensions. The more speakers you have, the greater “spatial resolution” you’ll get, which allows you to mix and monitor more accurately. 

Immersive monitor configurations range from 5.1.2 to 9.2.6 and larger, with 7.1.4 being the most common. The first number signifies the number of surround speakers, while the second number denotes the subwoofer(s). The third number tells you the number of overhead speakers.

Compatible Hardware

To feed your multichannel array, you’ll need an audio interface with enough outputs for all of your speaker channels. You’ll need at least eight outputs for a 5.1.2 array, 12 for 7.1.4, and so on. On top of that, you may need additional outputs for headphone mixes, reference monitors, and outboard gear. Taking all of this into account, the I/O requirements can stack up quickly!

Fortunately, there are plenty of capable interfaces already on the market, so you can easily find one that suits your needs—or simply add more outputs to your existing interface via ADAT or Ethernet. Additionally, if using passive loudspeakers, you’ll need one or more amplifiers to power them. Finally, you may wish to add an immersive-capable monitor controller for convenience, although this isn’t strictly necessary.

Speaker Stands & Mounts

With the excitement of shopping for new monitors, it’s easy to lose sight of practical considerations like how to actually set them up in your space. Before you decide which speakers to get (and how many), examine your space to figure out the best way to mount them. Depending on your room size, layout, and building materials; you’ll need some combination of floor stands, bolt-on wall and ceiling mounts, or speaker suspension kits. Be sure to factor the cost of these into your budget now to avoid surprises later.

How Many Speakers Do I Really Need?

With that overview out of the way, let’s get into the big question that will influence everything else. Immersive formats range from 5.1.2 to 11.2.6 and larger, but what’s the right size for your studio? In general, bigger is better; but your individual needs, budget, and available space will dictate the amount of speakers that makes sense for you.

If you just want to start exploring immersive audio without investing too much, 5.1.2 is the minimum accepted format. Combining a standard 5.1 surround setup with two height channels, this configuration provides just enough spatial information to mix in three dimensions. If you already have a pair of stereo monitors that you like, you only need to add five speakers (and a subwoofer if you don’t have one), making this option a great entry point.

If you’re serious about mixing in Dolby Atmos professionally, you will need at least a 7.1.4 monitoring system. This configuration is recommended by Dolby for mixing music in Atmos, and Netflix requires Atmos home theater mixes to be created on 7.1.4 systems. This is because the additional speakers provide far better spatial resolution, allowing you to hear panning much more accurately. As the most common mid-sized immersive monitor configuration, several brands offer 7.1.4 monitor bundles to make the upgrade a little more accessible.

Larger arrays such as 9.1.4, 9.1.6, and 11.1.6 are mainly used in big commercial studios and audio post facilities. By increasing the number of surround and overhead speakers, these configurations provide maximum coverage and resolution in large spaces. Some even include multiple subwoofers, such as 11.2.6. Large arrays like this are usually used in far-field monitoring applications where multiple people need to be in the “sweet spot” at once, such as cinemas, dub stages, and even dance clubs.

What Kind of Speakers Should I Get?

There are tons of options for both active and passive monitors, each with different specifications, features, and price points. But which ones are best for immersive mixing? To narrow down your options, focus on these four critical aspects: frequency range, frequency response, amplification, and mounting options. If you want to get even more specific, download the Dolby Atmos Room Design Tool (DARDT) to get speaker recommendations for your particular setup.

Frequency Range

Ideally, you should use full-range speakers (20 Hz - 20 kHz) for every channel. However, even the most well-designed monitors tend to drop off toward the bottom of that range, so it’s usually necessary to use your subwoofer for bass management. Additionally, full-range speakers tend to be large and heavy, making them less practical for ceiling and wall mounting. It’s okay to use slightly smaller speakers for the overheads and surrounds, but try to match them as closely as possible.

Frequency Response

Just like any professional monitor setup, the goal is to achieve a neutral frequency response so you can trust what you’re hearing and make informed mixing decisions. Accuracy is even more critical when you have seven or more speakers around you because all of them will be influenced by the room’s acoustics in different ways. When shopping for monitors, look for a relatively flat frequency response as well as onboard EQ or Automatic Room Calibration (ARC) to help you achieve transparency.

Amplification: Active or Passive

Active and passive monitors both have their pros and cons, but passive monitors have a few practical advantages for immersive setups: they’re lighter, they don’t require power cabling, and an entire array can be powered by just one or two amplifiers for a streamlined setup. However, active monitors are a bit more accessible (especially prosumer models) and don’t require external amplification, making them a better option for entry-level immersive setups. If you need to, you can even mix and match active and passive monitors (as long as they’re the same type, such as the JBL 708P and 708i).

Mounting Points

Don’t forget to look at mounting options when choosing your monitors. Many otherwise excellent monitors lack screw holes or other mounting hardware, making them impossible to use as overheads. Look for monitors that feature threading for speaker stands, mic stands, or VESA mounts, then find the appropriate hardware to use with them. Before buying anything, make sure that your chosen hardware and the mounting surface itself can both support the weight of the speakers.

What About Subwoofers?

A subwoofer is a necessary part of any immersive setup. For starters, you need a sub to play the LFE channel, which contains low-frequency effects at about 120 Hz and below. Although LFE isn’t used as much in music as it is in film and game audio, you’ll still probably need a subwoofer for bass management. Luckily, most professional subwoofers are more than capable of handling LFE and bass management, and it’s not critical to match the brand of the other speakers. For optimal performance, look for a subwoofer with high headroom, adjustable crossover frequency, and a polarity switch.

How Should I Set Up My Speakers?

Immersive monitor arrays require precise setup to achieve accurate spatial imaging. Not only must each speaker be at just the right angle to recreate the three-dimensional soundfield, they all must have a precise phase relationship to minimize comb filtering when sounds are panned between multiple speakers. There are two main speaker placement methods to achieve these goals: equidistant and orthogonal.

Equidistant vs Orthogonal Arrays

Equidistant arrays form a hemisphere around the listening position with each speaker at the same distance from the center. Placement of the “listener-plane” speakers (left, center, right, and surrounds) follows the standard circular layouts for 5.1, 7.1, and so on. Above this circle, the overhead speakers are positioned on the outside of an imaginary dome around the listening position, each pointing directly inward toward your head. This method is best for small or medium-sized nearfield systems where only one person needs to sit in the “sweet spot.” 

Orthogonal arrays allow speakers to be placed in a rectangle, such as the corners of a room. While orthogonal arrays can save a lot of floor space compared to equidistant arrays, they require precisely calculated delays to compensate for the different speaker distances. Orthogonal configurations are often used by large studios with mid- and far-field monitors, including post-production mix stages where multiple people need to work in the “sweet spot” simultaneously.

Speaker Mounting

Mounting your monitors (especially the overheads) can be one of the biggest hurdles in the process of creating an immersive-capable studio. Every room is different, from the physical dimensions to the placement of studs and other factors, so you’ll need to analyze your space to figure out the best option.

If you own your space or are allowed to modify it, fixed ceiling and wall mounts are usually the best option, as they take up the least amount of space. Surround speakers can be positioned at ear level or slightly above and at an angle, like in a cinema. Overhead speakers can be bolted onto swiveling ceiling brackets, suspended with chains or steel cables, or even mounted on a truss system.

If you’re in a rented space or just don’t want to install any permanent hardware, you can use floor stands for your mains and surrounds, along with heavy-duty boom stands to position the overheads above you at the correct angles. This method is the most convenient and least permanent (it’s even portable!), but you’ll probably have to use smaller and lighter overhead speakers to avoid tipping over the stands.

Do I Need to Tune or Calibrate my Speakers?

Audio engineers hold many different views on speaker calibration and tuning. Most professional mixing and mastering studios tune their speakers with EQ to achieve the flattest frequency response possible, while post-production studios go a step further and also calibrate their listening volume to ensure consistent levels (especially for dialogue) for film and TV mixes. On the other hand, more casual engineers simply put up some acoustic treatment and learn to trust the sound of their monitors as they get used to mixing on them.

If you’ve never considered tuning and calibrating your monitors, now’s the time. With multiple speakers in various locations and pointing in different directions, the acoustics in your room can get complicated very quickly, causing tonal shifts and even mismatched levels between speakers. By tuning your system, you’ll know for sure that your work will translate accurately. Depending on your needs, you can tune for a flat response or use a target curve such as the one specified in Dolby’s Best Practices for Music Room Calibration document.

There are several ways to increase the accuracy of your system, depending on how much time and money you want to invest. Acoustic treatment should always be your first line of defense—if you haven’t already, start by installing absorbers, diffusers, and bass traps to control reflections and resonance naturally. Then, you can use automatic calibration tools (included in some active monitors, monitor controllers, and software like SoundID Reference) to get closer to a flat response.

If you want even better results, you can purchase a measurement microphone and software like Room EQ Wizard or FuzzMeasure to identify any remaining problem frequencies and manually treat them with corrective EQ. Going a step further, commercial Atmos facilities typically hire Dolby engineers to do an on-site system calibration with a multi-mic array for pinpoint spatial accuracy. 

Am I Forgetting Anything?

Once you’ve got your immersive system up and running, you’ll probably want to invest in a few extra tools to make the most of it. Here are a few hardware and software accessories to consider.

  • Ambisonic microphones allow you to record three-dimensional spatial audio, which you can listen to in full fidelity on your new system. Try using one as a drum room mic, arranging an acoustic group around one, or making immersive field recordings to use in film, games, and VR applications.
  • In-ear monitors are the best option for binaural mixing, providing unparalleled spatial accuracy. Unlike over-ear headphones, IEMs completely eliminate the influence of your ear shape, which is already simulated by your binaural decoder (also known as a Head-Related Transfer Function, or HRTF).
  • 3D reverbs provide artificial reflections in three dimensions, filling your speakers with immersive ambience and allowing you to place tracks in virtual spaces. Some utilize impulse responses from real rooms for an extremely lifelike sound, while others allow you to create larger-than-life echoes.
  • Other immersive plugins, from Ambisonic encoders and decoders to amazing 3D synths, can make your mixes even more immersive. We expect more and more plugin companies to start embracing immersive audio, so keep a lookout for new releases!

Consider Upgrading in Stages

The costs of an immersive upgrade can add up quickly, and it’s not always feasible to get everything at once—but don’t let that stop you! If your budget is tight, try spreading out your investment out over a series of smaller upgrades.

Stage 1: Upgrade Your Software 

If you’re running an older version of an Atmos-compatible DAW, you’ll need to upgrade or update. If you use a DAW that doesn’t support Atmos natively, you can purchase Dolby’s own software. If you only plan to work with Ambisonic audio, find a DAW or plugins that enable you to. Once your software is up to spec, you can start working with immersive audio in headphones before acquiring the necessary speakers (for best results, use high-quality in-ear monitors).

Stage 2: Upgrade Your Interface

If your interface doesn’t provide enough analog outputs for your desired monitor configuration, you have two choices: replace it or expand it. If you really want to futureproof your studio, now is a good time to purchase an immersive-equipped interface. However, if your current interface has ADAT, MADI, Ethernet, or other digital I/O, adding external converters can be a cost-effective way to get the outputs you need.

Stage 3: Add Monitors

Once you’ve made the necessary software and hardware upgrades, you can finally start adding monitors. Depending on your situation, you can save a bit of money by purchasing all of your monitors at once or spread the cost out by slowly expanding your setup. For example, you can start with 5.1 for a modest investment, then add overhead speakers and additional side surrounds when your budget allows. 

Stage 4: Nice-to-Haves  

After acquiring all of the key elements, you can start to add a few optional tools to make your workflow a little easier and expand your creative options. Depending on your needs, your next upgrade might be a monitor controller to manage your rig, a pair of custom IEMs for better binaural translation, an Ambisonic mic for immersive recording, or a 3D reverb to take your mixes to the next level.

Spread the Word!

To make the most of your investment, educate your clients and peers about the possibilities of immersive audio and how it might benefit them by offering new creative options, improved exposure on streaming platforms, futureproof master formats, and more. Be an advocate for immersive audio, invite people to experience it for themselves in your studio, and keep improving your immersive mixing skills. Together, we can move the art of immersive audio forward.

Want to learn more? Check out Vintage King’s immersive how-to articles, Dolby Atmos buyer’s guide, and client stories.

James GoodIf you’re interested in upgrading to an immersive mix space, we're here to help! Contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.