What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is an immersive audio format developed by Dolby Laboratories that moves sound beyond traditional stereo and surround. Instead of fixed channels, Atmos allows sound to be treated as individual audio objects that can be placed and moved freely within a three-dimensional space — including height — creating a more realistic and enveloping listening experience.
We use Dolby Atmos for mixing and mastering, shaping how sound moves, breathes, and interacts within the space. This approach gives greater clarity, depth, and physical presence — especially in music where space, bass, and movement are essential. Whether experienced on full immersive speaker systems or translated for headphones, Dolby Atmos allows us to create mixes that feel alive, spatial, and emotionally engaging.
Dolby Atmos Mastering Practice
Listed below are the fundamental elements of Dolby Atmos music mastering practice.
IMMERSIVE OBJECT-BASED MASTERING
Our extensive experience with stereo, surround & Atmos mix/mastering engineers informs our practice as dedicated mastering engineers for this format
ADM BWF FILES
The main format for Dolby Atmos music is ADM BWF files (Audio Definition Model Broadcast Wave Format). The ADM BWF file retains separate multi-channel bed tracks & mono/stereo object tracks with their associated panning metadata. This provides a seamless workflow for immersive object-based mastering.
MASTERING GRADE TOOLS
We use a combination of analog and digital tools in order to refine the mix before it is released to the world. This includes mastering grade analog processors, and extensive stereo and immersive audio collection (Nugen, Exponential Audio, FLux, Fab Filter, Cargo Cult, Dear Reality, Sound Particles, Reverb Foundry, Softube, Liquid Sonics, DMG Audio, Avid, Izotope, Waves, & more)
CRITICAL LISTENING ENVIRONMENT
Dolby Atmos certified music studio equipped with a 9.1.4 Genelec speaker array, an extensive stereo & immersive audio plug-in collection, and mastering grade conversion, analog/digital processors, headphones & measurement tools. The studio features a custom-designed acoustic environment which guarantees that our productions accurately translate to all playback systems and listening environments
DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT
Multi-channel object-based music productions require specific techniques to effectively manage dynamic range. we use a combination of digital tools to precisely control peak levels, and reach the appropriate target loudness for each production.
Why master in Dolby Atmos?
Mastering in Dolby Atmos allows the sound engineer to fine-tune the final mix, ensuring that the audio is optimised for playback on a wide range of devices and in a variety of listening environments. This helps to ensure that the music sounds great whether it’s played back on a high-end home theatre system or on a mobile device with headphones.