Netflix has introduced an innovation in the audio area, which should provide more cinema sound in the future without additional hardware. The streaming provider is cooperating with Sennheiser.
The new audio technology Netflix relies on is called “Spatial Audio”. Apple users may already be familiar with it – since August 2021, Spatial Audio has already been available on iPhones and iPads with iOS 15.1 and higher, as well as for AirPods. Spatial audio, or 3D audio, captures the user’s head movement and adjusts the sound output accordingly. The result is cinema-like surround sound that seems to come from all directions, putting the listener right in the middle of the action. Netflix has been working on adding spatial audio to its app for a while.
Netflix has now spread the new audio technology more widely so that users without an iPhone can also benefit from it. Thanks to Sennheiser Ambeo, spatial audio for Netflix is now available on all devices. A surround system is not required. Simple stereo loudspeakers on the system or the television are enough to activate the 3D sound like in the cinema. Netflix advises users who don’t have surround sound speakers to switch their device to stereo audio. Otherwise the 3D sound will be deactivated by the 5.1 audio output, which is often preset on TVs.
Spatial Audio is set to come across Netflix’s entire catalog
According to Netflix, the 3D spatial sound through Spatial Audio should be available for the entire catalogue. It’s not quite there yet though, as the streaming provider has only just started to expand availability. The first titles that can already be used to try out spatial audio include the popular series “The Witcher” and the fourth season “Stranger Things”. With the search term “Spatial Audio” or “3D Audio” users can display all compatible series and films in the Netflix library.
“Netflix Spatial Audio helps bring the cinematic experience of immersive audio to any stereo, so the work the filmmakers do to pull you into the story is consistent no matter what device you use to watch Netflix,” the streaming describes -Service the new audio technology.
Use spatial audio with the iPhone
If you want to use spatial audio when streaming Netflix via iPhone, you need at least an iPhone 7 and an iPad from 2018 or newer. In addition, the new audio experience only works with the AirPods Pro, the third generation AirPods or the AirPods Max. The Beats Fit Pro now also support the audio technology. Only these headphones have the necessary sensors to track head movement in real time and thus enable the spatial listening experience. Streaming quality should only be set to High or Auto.
Also Read: Enable 3D Audio for AirPods on iPhone
Netflix users can turn on the feature while it’s playing in Control Center. A long tap here expands the volume controls on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max and reveals the corresponding Spatial Audio panel.