The 3D audio standard Amphi Hi-D, which is taking on existing formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, is finally being added to more products. It’s about time because more people need to hear this new technology.
I was one of the first to listen to it on the new Dell 32 Plus 4K, which is Dell’s first non-Alienware QD-OLED monitor, that was announced on January 6 at CES 2025, and it sounds just as impressive as when I heard it more than a year ago.
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When I first tried the tech that gives you personal Dolby Atmos sound without headphones, I said that it had “game-changing potential for anyone looking to get more immersive audio without the need for headphones or multiple speakers,” and I still stand by that.
Since then, Audioscenic has partnered with more companies to license the tech out to their products, and I’m so glad to see that these businesses believe in its effectiveness just as much as I do because it means more people can finally try it out.
While I first heard Amphi Hi-D on the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro soundbar, I’ve since had the chance to listen to it on the brand-new Dell 32 Plus 4K. Simply, It’s just as convincing as it was the first time, mainly thanks to the new videos that demonstrate the multi-directional soundscape (see the video below from Razer as an example).
Both the Razer soundbar and Dell monitor are aimed at gamers, which is a target market that David Monteith, CEO of Audioscenic, had told me it initially wanted to target. Still, we can (hopefully) expect it to be increasingly found in more gadgets as it becomes more popular.
Indeed, the reason why Audioscenic is setting its sights on gamers first is because for those that can’t afford expensive headphones or one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars but want that immersive audio experience, Amphi Hi-D offers an in-built solution that doesn’t require any further set up. That means you don’t need to invest in several different speakers or an expensive soundbar or headphones.
Of course, if the 3D audio standard becomes even more popular, we can likely expect to be found in more products (Audioscenic has its sights set on headphones next) as an alternative option, but at the time of writing, this is one of its best solutions that it’s bringing to gamers.
How does Amphi Hi-D work?
Audioscenic’s Amphi Hi-D uses signal processing beamforming technology to create an immersive audio experience. What that translates to, in layman’s terms, is focusing audio towards a specific location, i.e., to the left, right, above, or below.
This is how it can create a convincing immersive audio experience that’s as effective as Dolby Atmos or the other surround sound formats available, like DTS:X. Basically, using sensors (in this case, a camera) to see where your head is, the software can tell the computer to trigger specific speakers so that you hear the audio from a certain direction.
This method isn’t exactly new, it’s called binaural audio and is essentially what other 3D sound tech use too. What sets Amphi Hi-D apart from its competitors is its use of advanced signal processing with machine learning AI to make head tracking even more effective.
The advantage of this means that you don’t require an expensive sound system with multiple static speakers and soundbars littered around your room to get the same effect, because the head tracking follows you instead.
I was able to get an incredibly convincing demo of this even from a prototype laptop with just four speakers in it, and it truly did sound like the sound was coming from specific areas of the room that corresponded to what I was seeing on the screen.
Audioscenic’s Amphi Hi-D is incredibly effective, so it’s great to see it come to as Dr Marcos Simón, the chief technology officer and co-founder of Audioscenic, said “to more everyday computing”. In addition to the Razer soundbar and Acer 3D computing monitors, you can now find it on Dell’s latest monitor, and hopefully, there will be a lot more soon.
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amelia.schwanke@futurenet.com (Amelia Schwanke)
