Dolby Atmos monitoring formats in Logic Pro for Mac

The key element of the Dolby Atmos mix is the object-based format. That means that during the mix (and later during export and delivery), the pan information of the signals on all the object tracks is kept separate from the audio signal and stored as metadata. That metadata tells the playback system where to place the individual signals during playback in the three-dimensional space regardless of any specific speaker configuration. That’s the concept of the renderer: converting the object-based mix format to a channel-based playback format (speakers or headphones). However, the renderer needs information about what channel-based format the object-based mix should be rendered to—the speaker setup that is available with the current playback system.

With the Monitoring Format pop-up menu in the Dolby Atmos plug-in, you provide that information to the renderer to simulate various playback systems. To check how your Dolby Atmos mix translates to those playback formats, you can choose from three groups of channel-based output formats: binaural, speaker virtualization, and dedicated speakers.

Note: The monitoring formats available in Logic Pro for Mac are determined by the hardware you have connected when you’re working on a Logic Pro project.

Binaural

For the following options, you need to listen over headphones:

Dolby Renderer: This is the standard Dolby Atmos binaural format that is always available. When you use this format, you can edit the binaural render modes.
Apple Renderer (Standard Spatial Audio Profile): This is the headphone virtualization used by Apple Music to render a binaural spatial audio mix for playback on headphones.
Apple Renderer (Personalized Spatial Audio Profile): This headphone virtualization uses Personalized Spatial Audio to optimize the immersive sound experience on headphones.
To use this option, you must first create a Personalized Spatial Audio profile on your iPhone (iOS 16 or later with a TrueDepth camera). After that, when you sign in with your Apple ID on any Mac (macOS 13 Ventura or later), Personalized Spatial Audio is automatically turned on. In Logic Pro, the Personalized Spatial Audio Profile option is available in the Monitoring Format pop-up menu.
Apple Renderer (Head Tracking, Standard Spatial Audio Profile): Used by Apple Music to render a binaural spatial audio mix for playback on Apple headphones that support head tracking. This format is only available when head tracking–capable headphones or earbuds are selected as the output device in the Audio Devices settings. Head tracking is turned off when bouncing with this format.
The Bluetooth enabled headphones or earbuds transmit any movement of your head to the renderer, which updates the three-dimensional sound field in real time, so any signal, regardless of the wearer’s head movement, remains in its virtual location when listened to over headphones.
Apple Renderer (Head Tracking, Personalized Spatial Audio Profile): This option uses the Apple Renderer algorithm with head tracking enabled and is optimized with Personalized Spatial Audio.

Speaker virtualization

These options use the spatial audio speaker virtualization available on supported Apple devices to create an immersive sound experience using their built-in speakers.

Renderer for Built-in Speakers: This format is only available if you use Logic Pro on a computer that supports spatial audio playback on internal speakers, and the speakers are selected as the output device in the Logic Pro Audio settings.
Renderer for Display Speakers: This option is only visible when an Apple Studio Display is connected and its display speakers are selected as the output device in the Logic Pro Audio settings.

Dedicated speakers

A 7.1.4 speaker setup is the recommended format for mixing in Dolby Atmos. It guarantees a high level of accuracy regarding the spatial resolution and the proper position of the signals in the immersive sound field. The renderer can fold the mix into any of the following speaker configurations:

2.0: This format approximates how your Dolby Atmos mix sounds when played back on stereo speakers or stereo headphones.
5.1, 7.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.4: You need a matching speaker setup when selecting any of those formats, and you also need to configure the output routing in the Output settings.

Note: You can listen to your Dolby Atmos mix in 5.1.2, using an HDMI-connected 7.1 surround receiver.

Bounce vs. Export

Bounce: When you use the Bounce feature in Logic Pro, it uses the currently selected option in the Monitoring Format menu of the Dolby Atmos plug-in to create an audio file with that channel-based output format. Bounced files are not suitable for playback on Dolby Atmos systems. See Bounce surround audio files.
Export: The monitoring format selection doesn’t affect the export of your Dolby Atmos mix to an ADM BWF file because this Dolby Atmos master file remains object based. See Export ADM BWF files.

Set the monitoring format for the Dolby Atmos mix

In Logic Pro, in the Dolby Atmos plug-in, choose one of the monitoring formats from the Monitoring Format pop-up menu.

Create and select your Personalized Spatial Audio profile

You create your Personalized Spatial Audio profile by taking your head and ear measurements with your iPhone (iOS 16 or later with a TrueDepth camera). This data set, also referred to as a personalized HRTF (head-related transfer function), is used by the Spatial Audio renderer to optimize the binaural listening experience on headphones.

On your iPhone, connect your AirPods or Beats, and then go to Settings > [your Spatial Audio enabled device] > Personalized Spatial Audio > Personalize Spatial Audio.
Follow the onscreen instructions to capture the front and sides of your head with your camera.
When you finish the setup, your Personalized Spatial Audio profile is created and turned on.
The Personalized Spatial Audio profile is linked to the Apple ID used on your iPhone.
Sign in with the same Apple ID on your Mac (macOS Ventura or later).
Connect your AirPods or Beats to your Mac; your Personalized Spatial Audio profile is automatically turned on and used when you listen to spatial audio over headphones.
In Logic Pro, select your AirPods or Beats as the output device in the Audio Device settings.
In the Dolby Atmos plug-in, choose Personalized Spatial Audio Profile from the Monitoring Format pop-up menu.

WARNING: Turning off Personalized Spatial Audio on your iPhone or on your Mac (System Settings > [your AirPods] > Stop Using Personalized Spatial Audio) deletes the profile, and you have to create it again to turn Personalized Spatial Audio back on.

Monitor your Dolby Atmos mix in 5.1.2 using a 7.1 surround receiver

In Logic Pro for Mac, you can use the 5.1.2 monitoring format to play back your Dolby Atmos mix through a surround receiver, capable of receiving a 7.1 PCM stream via an HDMI connection.

Connect your computer to your surround receiver using an HDMI cable.
In Logic Pro, in the Audio Devices settings, choose the surround receiver from the Output Devices pop-up menu, then click Apply.
The surround receiver is listed in the pop-up menu if macOS recognizes it as an audio device.
In the Logic Pro Settings > Audio > I/O Assignments > Output, choose 5.1.2 from the Show as pop-up menu and configure the speaker channels to output channels assignment the following way:
- Left: Output 1
- Right: Output 2
- LFE: Output 3
- Center: Output 4
- L. surround: Output 5
- R.surround: Output 6
- L. top mid: Output 7
- R. top mid: Output 8
Verify that the output channels on your AV receiver are connected to the corresponding speakers in your 5.1.2 setup.
In the Monitoring Format pop-up menu of the Dolby Atmos plug-in, choose 5.1.2.

Note: The monitoring formats Apple Renderer, Apple Renderer (Head Tracking), Renderer for Built-in Speakers, and Renderer for Display Speakers require macOS Monterey 12.3 or later. In addition, Apple Renderer (Head Tracking) also requires a Mac with Apple silicon.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

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