When it comes to ‘immersive audio’ what would you say are some of the biggest misnomers about the practice?
“The biggest misconception is that it is surround sound. It can be but isn’t always. Immersive audio is a feeling that the audience has. The sense of a sonic environment makes them feel a part of the happening. It is important to state the difference between object-based mixing content and ‘immersive’ content. One is a way to deliver a sound mix in a more organic way that unites the audience with a spatially accurate mix by placing the mix objects in a physical location in the system. Immersive systems are designed to immerse the audience in sound. The two can exist separately or together.”
Why should more people within the live events space and those in the music industry be taking more of an active interest in immersive audio?
“This technology will achieve universal adoption because audiences will begin demanding it. These systems reproduce sound in a more accurate way to how we hear. Utilising them makes the audience work less to enjoy the content. We will increase the entire audience’s engagement in the productions and give everyone a better experience.”
How has Focusrite specifically been working in the immersive audio space?
“Focusrite Group’s investment in technologies and, more importantly, in the people that are working in the space shows a huge commitment to immersive audio and object-based sound systems.”
What do you think the future of immersive audio is within the live events arena?
“As an industry, we should continue the move towards these systems. They break down the barrier between the content and the listener. They make the audience work less to hear what we want them to hear. They, quite literally, make a more cohesive experience for the entire audience. This is the natural evolution of our industry and something we have always worked to do. As long as we stay focussed on the audience and what delivers the best experience for them, we will always be evolving and adopting new technologies.”
