Back in December, Microsoft it was would natively integrate Dolby Atmos processing into Windows 10 and the One in 2017, no special sound chip required, and it even works with your plain earbuds. While it’s far from the first attempt bring surround sound to headphones, it will be the first time that option will be available to so many people. Atmos goes beyond simple 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound Dolby Atmos is everywhere at 2017. TV’s, soundbars, speakers.

And it should be, because it’s pretty rad. Instead of mixing sounds into 5 or 7 channels for speakers plus one for a subwoofer(s) placed around you, it maps sounds into virtual objects in 3D space, which is then sent out to your audio system to reproduce as best possible. This audio system can be as large as a cinema or as small as earbuds. We go into more detail, but the gist is that besides more accurate positional audio around you, it adds height and some degree of depth to audio as well. It also helps make the transitions for sounds moving throughout surround speakers smoother. But while most surround sound systems require multiple speaker setups – and indeed, Atmos-enabled speakers do some crazy ceiling-reflection tricks – it’s the implementation for plain old headphones that’s particularly exciting.

Dolby Headphone offers up to 7.1 channels of personal surround sound from A/V receivers, game headsets, and PCs that feature the technology. This page helps you evaluate headphones (or earphones) and determine which one offers the best performance when comparing different pairs.

Immersive headphone experience ‘Dolby Atmos for Headphones,’ as it’s cleverly called, doesn’t require special headphones. It works with any stereo headset, though obviously a high-fidelity pair is ideal. In some cases, Atmos for headhpones can be even better than a speaker system, as headphones can better replicate the sensation of sounds close to your ear (think bullets whizzing by). The technology behind it is a little complicated, but basically it uses something called a HRTF (head-related transfer function) to map and modify sounds as if they were actually passing through your head.

You may have also heard of the term ‘binaural’ audio. That’s the way your hearing works in real life: sounds are modified as they pass through your noggin and earlobes, and therefore sound different on each ear. Your brain interprets those modifications and calculates where sound is coming from.

If you’re having trouble picturing how you can replicate that sensation through headphones that pump sound straight into your eardrums, here’s a pretty good example of the concept at work. It’s not Dolby Audio, but the same basic idea applies (it only works with basic stereo headphones, so disable any surround processing you may have): A few games have started implementing Dolby Audio, Overwatch most notably. It’s also worth noting that this sort of spatial technology for headphones isn’t new or exclusive to Dolby; Counter-Strike: Global Offensive introduced something similar just last week with an new HRTF mode. But Dolby Audio has the advantage of working with both speakers and headphones, not to mention Dolby’s industry clout. Rocksmith 2014 All Updates And Unlocked Profile And Over 400. Making surround sound free Most music is mixed for speakers, but people spend the bulk of their time listening through headphones. As such, we’ve grown content with sound that feels like it’s in our heads, not around us. But now Microsoft says an update to Windows 10 will give it native Dolby Atmos processing support, something normally reserved for specialized sound cards.