Auro 3D files for bankruptcy - and wants to restructure

[Robert van Diggele]

Auro 3D has filed for bankruptcy and wants to take the opportunity to restructure 3D-Soundspezialist Auro Technologies ist insolvent | heise online (www-heise-de.translate.goog)

 

[fredblue]

they need to make their technology more readily available imho. get it in earbuds, get it in cheaper Receivers, etc.

case in point; my current AVR's less than a year old and it wasn't exactly cheapo budget, its an Aventage Yammy with all sorts of (to me pointless) Bells and Whistles, it handles just about everything Surround-y you throw at it, except it can't decode Auro-3D (and it can't decode Sony's 360RA either.. uh-oh, spot the worrying trend!!)

 

[humprof]

they need to make their technology more readily available imho. get it in earbuds, get it in cheaper Receivers, etc.

case in point; my current AVR's less than a year old and it wasn't exactly cheapo budget, its an Aventage Yammy with all sorts of (to me pointless) Bells and Whistles, it handles just about everything Surround-y you throw at it, except it can't decode Auro-3D (and it can't decode Sony's 360RA either.. uh-oh, spot the worrying trend!!)

Fully agree. And you'd think that would be obvious. If you want people to hear your (arguably superior) technology, then find ways to get it to as many ears as possible. I know Dolby is the 800-pound gorilla with all kinds of quasi-monopolistic market advantages, and I always root for the little guy. But if your business model relies on royalties from AVR manufacturers, then if I were an investor, I think I'd pass, too, even before the pandemic.

 

[César]

First casualty of the surround format wars, apparently. Main reasons, I'd dare to say:

Extra paid license in AVRs​

No penetration in streaming platforms​

No support from powerful parent companies (Sony, Dolby)​

I'm sorry for the company, as the upmixer was really good

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Fully agree. And you'd think that would be obvious. If you want people to hear your (arguably superior) technology, then find ways to get it to as many ears as possible. I know Dolby is the 800-pound gorilla with all kinds of quasi-monopolistic market advantages, and I always root for the little guy. But if your business model relies on royalties from AVR manufacturers, then if I were an investor, I think I'd pass, too, even before the pandemic.

Right, just ask @chucky3042 about that one

It may already be too late for Auro 3D and probably Sony's 360RA as well.

 

[Audiowannabee]

What kind of affect would that have on Tidal

Right, just ask @chucky3042 about that one

It may already be too late for Auro 3D and probably Sony's 360RA as well.

???

 

[J. PUPSTER]

What kind of affect would that have on Tidal

???

Just make it more of a bench player, than it already is to Apple Music

 

[Mark Anderson]

I got my Marantz SR-7010 in 2016 and Auro 3D was a $200 option which I paid for. The following year it was included in the 7011. I really enjoy the upmixer and if I remember correctly only have one Auro 3D disc, George McCrae-Love.

 

[AYanguas]

I built my new Home Theater late in 2019, and made an effort to impement full Auro-3D 13.1 together with Atmos. (Additional bookshelf speakers hanging from ceiling / Speaker switches for the Atmos Tops different speakers, etc.). At least, the Central High auro speaker is used for Dialog Lift for the big Projector screen.

I was also using Auro-Matic as good upmixer for Stereo. But after the upgrade of DSU in Nov-2020, the upmixing with DSU improved and I was pleased listening Stereo with DSU without changing the Atmos config.

Now, with Surround Master V3, my preferred upmixer to listen stereo is 'Involve Quad'. So I forgot the Auro-Matic.

I only switch to Auro-3D (loading different config from USB to the Denon), just to listen "Mando Diao - Aelita"

I'm afraid it's not possible for Auro-3D to revive. It was really a niche within a niche.

 

[ClassicalSurroundFan]

While I’m happy to see the wide adoption of Dolby Atmos on music streaming over nothing but stereo, Auro3D is the more life-like surround platform for music. Atmos was designed for movies. Might makes right in the format wars yet again.

 

[ar surround]

Hopefully, the Auro upmixer will survive all of this.

 

[ted_b]

Hopefully, the Auro upmixer will survive all of this.

I know this isn't the right thread for this question, but since several of the last comments mentioned how good the Auro upmixer is..........is there a thread somewhere that lists or collects those albums or films that seem to react well to the upmixer?

 

[ar surround]

I know this isn't the right thread for this question, but since several of the last comments mentioned how good the Auro upmixer is..........is there a thread somewhere that lists or collects those albums or films that seem to react well to the upmixer?

Not exactly, but there is this:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/auro-3d-upmix-anyone-using.25306/
and this:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/listening-to-now-in-auro-3d.30397/

 

[zeerround]

I've been frustrated that the encoder is only offered by subscription. It makes it unreasonably expensive for my (hobbyist) use case.

I only recently understood that this tech is really different from Atmos and DTS:X in that it is delivered in existing PCM streams (which could be inside DTS, etc.)

I don't care for the way this then behaves, at least on my AVR, not actually lighting an indicator that says Auro 3D is in effect but only that the upmixer is enabled (you don't know if you are listening to an upmix or true Auro 3D). However the ability to embed this in PCM is really cool, and could help the hobbyist (up-remix) ecosystem a lot. However that would also depend on the penetration of the decoder in AVRs.

Re: AVRs it seemed to me that North American AVRs were much less likely to included it (I had to specifically pick a model that had it, and pay extra, on top of Atmos and DTS:X) but it was much more popular in the EU.

 

[Mackspower]

Also . . . the nightmare of configuring your speakers in the AVR that satisfies both Dolby Atmos AND Auro-3D valid channel assignments is really dumb.

As others have mentioned here, Auro-3D is great for music. I purchased the Jam & Lewis - Volume One Auro-3D album that was recommended by a member here. That is a great showcase for the potential of Auro-3D.

 

[zeerround]

Is it upfiring (atmos specific) vs. ceiling mount or just the position of the rear ceiling speakers?

For me, I did Atmos 7.1.4 (ceiling mounted) and just added one "Voice of God" or "Top" speaker (instead of a 2nd subwoofer channel (I still have two subwoofers, just not left and right) for Auro 3D.

 

[Mackspower]

Is it upfiring (atmos specific) vs. ceiling mount or just the position of the rear ceiling speakers?

For me, I did Atmos 7.1.4 (ceiling mounted) and just added one "Voice of God" or "Top" speaker (instead of a 2nd subwoofer channel (I still have two subwoofers, just not left and right) for Auro 3D.

We have ceiling mounted speakers. Due to the physical construction of our media room, rear ceiling speakers are not possible so we have mid-overheads (plus 7.2 ear level speakers). I will be adding top-screen speakers soon to complete the 7.2.4 config.

Without complicating this post . . . I think the only static channel config that supports Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D is shown below (note: no rear speakers possible). For me, I picked the best fit for Atmos/DTS:X knowing that Auro-3D would be compromised. Such is the state of the hobby.

 

[zeerround]

I went with the comment I circled in orange, above.

 

[AYanguas]

While I’m happy to see the wide adoption of Dolby Atmos on music streaming over nothing but stereo, Auro3D is the more life-like surround platform for music. Atmos was designed for movies. Might makes right in the format wars yet again.

Yes, but with some nuances.

Auro-3D main goal is the reproduction at home of the sound as we hear it on stage, or close to it. Is this for the masses? Or just for a few audiophiles. Niche within niche market.

Atmos, that can do the same thing (perhaps not as good as Auro), is pussing this new surround era with a style of discrete sounds, moving, panning, etc. that may charm many but displease others.
BTW, Auro also thought about it (but very little) and released some discrete panning ping-pong sound on some few albums (just to test?) (Aelita, Lichtmond, Ambra and very very few others).

So, for me it's also a trend to generate a taste for surround/immersive music in people. And if going to the masses they need streaming...

Is it a format wars? Sure, as always is the competition. So far, Dolby first, Apple/Sony seconds, and Auro can no longer compete because he fell in the middle of the race.

 

[barfle]

Looks to me like yet another format war casualty, not caused by quality differences but by marketing.

I have to admit I never paid much attention to Auro or what it could do for me and my setup.