Dolby Atmos and DTS:X have been added to the Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar's supported 3D audio formats

Sennheiser announced that Ambeo, its $2,499, 13-driver monster soundbar, can now play 360 Reality Audio by installing the latest firmware update Using the soundbar's built-in Chromecast, Ambeo owners can now play compatible songs with Sony's spatial 3D technology

For those unfamiliar, 360 Reality Audio maps the component parts of a musical work, such as various instruments and vocal parts, onto a 360-degree digital sphere around the listener It is not compatible with all songs, as the music must be mastered, but when it works well, it can create an immersive 3D effect 360 Reality Audio is also made specifically for music, as opposed to Apple's similar spatial audio

Sony initially introduced 360 Reality Audio in headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WF-1000XM3, but has recently begun applying the concept to speakers as well In a way, it is similar to a music version of Atmos, which is specialized for movies, bouncing sound off walls and ceilings to create a 3D effect

With Ambeo, 360 Reality Audio now offers a 3D format for both music and video, an added feather in a very expensive cap However, the need for a Chromecast may make finding compatible songs a bit more difficult in the immediate future: Deezer, Tidal, and nugsnet are good sources for 360 Reality Audio when listening with a smartphone and headphones, but with a Chromecast Only nugsnet so far offers the same compatibility with Chromecast Therefore, the selection of songs may be somewhat limited

And Sennheiser also states that "additional services and content are expected to follow," so with any luck, there will soon be more 3D-compatible songs available to listen to on the Ambeo