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(Image credit: Audible/Amazon)
(Image credit: Audible/Amazon)
What does spatial audio bring to the audiobook party?
In a word, space. When it’s done well, spatial audio makes the soundstage feel three-dimensional. Ambient sounds seem to come from all around, and directional sound is no longer just stereo but above and behind you too. It’s brilliantly effective, which is why it’s a staple of TV shows and movies.
It’s not going to make much difference to a book like mine, which is a memoir: it’s just me and a mic. But with live comedy recordings, documentaries using archive audio or adaptations of fiction, listening to spatial audio on a pair of thebest headphonesor via one of thebest soundbarsorbest AV receiversquite literally adds a whole new dimension to the audio. For example, according to Audible, The Little Mermaid delivers a “magical underwater soundscape and original music”.
- If you haven’t seen Toast of London, it’s wonderful: Matt Berry is a washed-up, pompous actor doing crap advert voiceovers in a delightfully old-fashioned sitcom. Unfortunately it’s not currently streaming from any of thebest streaming services.
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