Running Amazon 360 through Apple TV 4k

[OregonSurround Fan]

Is it possible? I'm loving the Apple Spatial Audio content on my home system (some of the mixes are much better than others), and would love to tap into the HD surround content from Amazon as well. Has anyone been able to do it - perhaps with different device, like Roku? Also, does the Amazon 360 format really send discrete signals to all of the surround channels? For example, is the Sony quad mix of Aerosmith Rocks on Amazon legitimate, or is it just an upmix? Any insight would be much appreciated. Apologies if this has been addressed in a different thread.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I'll try to break this to you as gently as possible.
Forget it. You're screwed. That's not how Amazon RA360 works.
Only available on Amazon Echo smart speakers or a selection of other soundbar-type devices.
Or an $8,000 McIntosh pre-amp.

For the rest of us, headphones on a mobile device only.
I have gone through the seven stages of grief over this, and moved to the final state of acceptance.
So I have forgotten about ever hearing Amazon 360 in my sweet spot, but am trying to delight in having it available on quality earbuds while exercising, bicycling, in the car, or a waiting room.

I started a thread on that topic here:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...exclusive-ra360-spatial-streams-amazon.32243/
It's hilarious to contemplate the amount of wasted time by folks on this forum alone trying to make 360RA work on their AVR.
Not gonna happen.
Welcome to the future.
This is 360 Reality, however grim.

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/tidal-unveils-sony-360-reality-audio.27285/
https://electronics.sony.com/360-reality-audio

 

[HomerJAU]

Supposedly Denon and Marantz most recent higher end AVR models support MPEG-H 3D decoding (Sony RA360).

EDIT:
Denon: AVC-A110, AVC-X8500H, AVC-X6700H, AVC-X4700H
Marantz: AV8805, AV7706, SR8015, SR7015

 

[humprof]

Supposedly Denon and Marantz most recent higher end AVR models support MPEG-H 3D decoding (Sony RA360).

EDIT:
Denon: AVC-A110, AVC-X8500H, AVC-X6700H, AVC-X4700H
Marantz: AV8805, AV7706, SR8015, SR7015

USD2799 (Marantz SR7015) or even USD3799 (SR8015) would be an improvement over $8000--but I've just looked at the spec sheets for both models and can't find anything about MPEG-H. Just DTS:X, Auro-3D and IMAX. Plus Atmos, of course.

 

[OregonSurround Fan]

I'll try to break this to you as gently as possible.
Forget it. You're screwed. That's not how Amazon RA360 works.
Only available on Amazon Echo smart speakers or a selection of other soundbar-type devices.
Or an $8,000 McIntosh pre-amp.

For the rest of us, headphones on a mobile device only.
I have gone through the seven stages of grief over this, and moved to the final state of acceptance.
So I have forgotten about ever hearing Amazon 360 in my sweet spot, but am trying to delight in having it available on quality earbuds while exercising, bicycling, in the car, or a waiting room.

I started a thread on that topic here:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...exclusive-ra360-spatial-streams-amazon.32243/
It's hilarious to contemplate the amount of wasted time by folks on this forum alone trying to make 360RA work on their AVR.
Not gonna happen.
Welcome to the future.
This is 360 Reality, however grim.

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/tidal-unveils-sony-360-reality-audio.27285/
https://electronics.sony.com/360-reality-audio
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Hugely helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I’ve been spinning my wheels trying to figure out a workaround.
Also - thank you to the moderators/operators of this site for keeping it running - and for those who contribute their insight. Such a great resource!

 

[MrSmithers]

Yep MPEG-H was added to those Denon and Marantz models (in certain markets) via a firmware update...
https://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/sound-united-mpegh-denon-marantzRecent LG TVs and the newer Google Chromecast are also supposed to offer MPEG-H but I'm not sure if it works. The main problem being that most app developers are yet to offer the feature. I've not seen anything to suggest a Roku would work. And even if it did I'm not sure what you could play it through?

Sony's 360RA format (MPEG-H) is proper surround and works in a similar fashion to Dolby Atmos. It can also render a binaural mix to be played over headphones. The Aerosmith Rocks quad mix will be legitimate.

I doubt if many of these old quad mixes that are now on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer etc would've been released if it not for Sony's foray into 360 Reality Audio... It's just a shame about how it's been marketed by them. Hopefully MPEG-H will be coming to more hardware/software soon.

 

[HomerJAU]

I recently asked two developers to help me with a a RA360 add-on for Kodi but no response from either…

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Yep MPEG-H was added to those Denon and Marantz models (in certain markets) via a firmware update...
https://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/sound-united-mpegh-denon-marantzRecent LG TVs and the newer Google Chromecast are also supposed to offer MPEG-H but I'm not sure if it works. The main problem being that most app developers are yet to offer the feature. I've not seen anything to suggest a Roku would work. And even if it did I'm not sure what you could play it through?

Sony's 360RA format (MPEG-H) is proper surround and works in a similar fashion to Dolby Atmos. It can also render a binaural mix to be played over headphones. The Aerosmith Rocks quad mix will be legitimate.

I doubt if many of these old quad mixes that are now on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer etc would've been released if it not for Sony's foray into 360 Reality Audio... It's just a shame about how it's been marketed by them. Hopefully MPEG-H will be coming to more hardware/software soon.

Thanks for the link, and fair point about Sony driving more streaming surround releases.

I'd be happy to hear from any member who has successfully managed to listen to 360RA on an AVR, which should be imminent, then?

There's also a whisper of "leaked" decoding software going around.
As for me, I'll likely be past caring by the time this trickles down to the mid-fi market segment where I can afford to shop.
I'm content with binaural headphone renderings for now.

The list of exclusive 360 RA streaming releases so far holds some interest, but nothing essential given all the other options.
It's an open secret anything previously released on vinyl or tape has long been available on the down-low.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Does this mean the domestic USA 120V market is locked out of these products?
This is all based on the rest of the world going on a new video standard?
Once again, surround audio is the tail of the dog being wagged by home theater?


Applicable Denon models (*);

AVC-A110, AVC-X8500H, AVC-X6700H, AVC-X4700H

Applicable Marantz models (*);

AV8805, AV7706, SR8015, SR7015

(*) 220V/230V models only sold in EMEA, China, South Korea, the rest of Asia excluding Japan

https://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/sound-united-mpegh-denon-marantz

 

[HomerJAU]

Does this mean the domestic USA 120V market is locked out of these products?

No

 

[~dave~~wave~]

No

$3K for a Marantz AV7706 is considerably more palatable than $8K for the McIntosh MX123.

Surely somebody here has one of the models on the linked list and will report in eventually.

 

[perzon57]

$3K for a Marantz AV7706 is considerably more palatable than $8K for the McIntosh MX123.

Surely somebody here has one of the models on the linked list and will report in eventually.

Looks like the Denon/Marantz models with possible 360RA decoding are the same models that decode Auro 3D.

 

[woody]

$3K for a Marantz AV7706 is considerably more palatable than $8K for the McIntosh MX123.

Surely somebody here has one of the models on the linked list and will report in eventually.

I have Marantz SR8015 and have never been presented with option to download MPEG-H via firmware in Australian region.

 

[Audiowannabee]

I have Marantz SR8015 and have never been presented with option to download MPEG-H via firmware in Australian region.

I would reach out to Marantz if i were U

 

[woody]

I would reach out to Marantz if i were U

So apparently my Marantz amp can decode MPEG-H (according to tech support at local distributor)- but the issue now is that I can’t get a direct feed of such files through to my amp. It is not recognizing the 360 RA files from Tidal as anything but PCM stereo, and Amazon music refuses to show any content on the Apple 4K TV app. Gave up.

 

[bill77dianaud]

Is it possible? I'm loving the Apple Spatial Audio content on my home system (some of the mixes are much better than others), and would love to tap into the HD surround content from Amazon as well. Has anyone been able to do it - perhaps with different device, like Roku? Also, does the Amazon 360 format really send discrete signals to all of the surround channels? For example, is the Sony quad mix of Aerosmith Rocks on Amazon legitimate, or is it just an upmix? Any insight would be much appreciated. Apologies if this has been addressed in a different thread.

Well, it's now March 17, 2023

The new Fire CUBE is streaming Dolby ATMOS through my Sony ZA1100ES.It does not yet (operative word YET) stream 360. Instead the content in 360 is up-converted to Surround.

I've spent several hours on the phone with Amazon device support. With persistence on a few different days, yesterday I got support from a great person in Fire support leadership. She spent over an hour with me. During that time she learned what the problem is and identified her peer at Amazon Music to whom she directed the request.

Two weeks ago when I was certain my set up was correct I called support. Problem, no Dolby ATMOS. Results? Two days later ATMOS content began playing reliably via the cube.

I had purchased an Apple TV at the same time. Although it began playing ATMOS content from Apple, their search functionality to identify ATMOS tracks was as dismal as TIDAL. The Apple TV is returned. TIDAL and Apple music are no longer subscriptions.

Amazon wins. Roku ultra, by the way? Nope. Relegated to the kids TV.

 

[woody]

Well, it's now March 17, 2023

The new Fire CUBE is streaming Dolby ATMOS through my Sony ZA1100ES.It does not yet (operative word YET) stream 360. Instead the content in 360 is up-converted to Surround.

Does your receiver support MPEG-H?

The reason why i am asking is that others are reporting a MPEG-H stream via firecube on similar threads.