2. Add overhead speakers to your mix room
A key element of Dolby Atmos and spatial audio is overhead sound. It adds a new dimension to your soundscapes and gives you new creative opportunities to make players feel like they’ve stepped into the world of your game, like the roar of a dive-bombing dragon or the unexpected creak of a footstep upstairs that signals there’s someone else in the house.
To monitor that overhead sound, Dolby Atmos mix studios use overhead speakers. Professional Dolby Atmos mix rooms are based on a traditional 7.1 surround sound setup, with an additional four speakers overhead. This speaker setup is known as 7.1.4, where the third number denotes the number of overhead speakers.
Dolby Atmos can pan sounds all around and above the listener without affecting timbre or frequency. Ideally, all monitors (except for the subwoofer) should be of the same make and model to avoid any timbral shift due to unmatched frequency responses. If this is not possible due to budget or logistics, some monitor manufacturers produce models that are designed to match the frequency response of their other model lines, but in a form factor that is easier to mount to the ceiling.
Alternatively, when you're away from your mix room or you want to get some work done before you show up in the studio, you can mix with Dolby Atmos for Headphones, which is available for free with developer kits. Just connect any pair of headphones and you can still experience sound all around and above you.
