Amazon Music supports different types of audio formats, and with its unlimited plan, it supports 360 reality audio. On streaming platforms, there are only a few options available to play audio quality like this.
Amazon Music 360 reality audio only comes with its unlimited subscription. From October 19, 2021, Amazon Music Unlimited supports 360 reality audio by Sony.
Amazon Music’s Unlimited plan offers 360 reality audio after spending $9.99. As a student, you can take individual Amazon Music Unlimited for $5.99. You can also go with its family plan, which costs $16.99.
What is Amazon Music 360 Reality Audio?
Amazon Music 360 Reality Audio is a cutting-edge audio technology developed by Sony. It aims to replicate the feeling of being surrounded by sound.
By utilizing spatial audio technology it creates a 3D audio experience, making listeners feel they are in a live concert or action. A 360 reality audio may cost you a couple of hundred dollers (Headphone & premium plan).
This technology goes beyond traditional stereo sound by placing individual instruments and vocals in a virtual sphere around the listener, enhancing depth, clarity, and realism.
Does Amazon Music have 360 Reality Audio?
Yes, with Amazon Music Unlimited plan you can access 360 reality audio. If you’re not a Prime member or premium plan holder, you can still get Amazon Music for free but it does not support 360 reality audio.
Amazon Music’s free plan gives you access to a catalog of 100 million ad-supported tracks. Although Amazon’s free access also offers around 256 kbps of audio quality, it’s not a bad option.
How Does It Work?
Amazon Music’s 360 Reality Audio by Sony relies on object-based audio encoding. In this technology, sound engineers place audio objects in a 3D space. Each object and instrument’s sound has its position and distance within the virtual environment.
As per Sony, individual sounds such as vocals, chorus, piano, guitar, bass, and even sounds of the live audience can be placed in a 360 spherical sound field, giving artists and creators a new way to express their creativity. It does not work like mixing different audio channels like left and right stereo sound.
Like HRTF sound technology for virtual surround sound, Sony developed this unique 360 reality audio technology which creates a three-dimensional audio experience.
How do I set up 360 Reality Audio on Amazon Music?
If you have an Amazon Music Unlimited plan, you can easily access it with Sony’s certified sound systems. Other sound systems such as headphones, soundbars, and surround speakers can work with it, but not as efficiently as Sony. Because 360 reality audio technology was developed by Sony.
Let’s follow the steps to set it up perfectly:
1. The Amazon Music Unlimited plan required to start the process, will cost you $9.99/month. Now the audio source is available to serve 360 reality audio quality music.
2. Install the Sony | Music Center app on your smartphone and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup of the Sony | Music Center app.
3. In the Sony | Music Center app, connect and set up the audio device (Headphones or speakers) and smartphone using the same Wi-Fi network.
4. Now use either the Amazon Music app or voice commands to play 360 reality-supported music(with a 360 badge).
Here we go, now you’re ready to enjoy 360-reality audio with Amazon Music Unlimited. If you have Sony’s Sony-certified headphones (WH-1000XM5), you just need to connect with the smartphone and play the music with a 360 badge from Amazon Music.
How to confirm music playing using the 360 Reality Audio?
This audio technology was developed by Sony and they built a few headphone and speaker models that are compatible with it. They also provided a few features to confirm that the music is played using the 360 Reality Audio feature:
- Sony wireless speakers (SRS-RA): The Sound Mode indicator on the wireless speaker will light up in cyan (a greenish-blue color) while you are playing the music using the 360 Reality Audio feature.
- Sony soundbars (models with prefix HT-): The 360 Reality Audio icon will be displayed on the playback screen while you are playing the music using the 360 Reality Audio feature.
- Sony Headphone: You can confirm it through the Amazon Music App or the Sony | Music Center app.
If you are still yet to confirm 360 reality audio, play any supported music and listen, if every instrument’s sound comes from different angles it works perfectly.
Compatible Devices for 360 reality Audio
To fully experience Amazon Music 360 Reality Audio, you may need compatible headphones or speakers capable of decoding and rendering spatial audio.
- WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5: Headset
- For HT-A9: Home Theater
- For HT-A7000, HT-A5000, and HT-A3000: Soundbar
- For SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000: Wireless Speaker
- Amazon’s own Echo Studio speakers
These devices from Sony are equipped with advanced object-based audio encoding algorithms that can process individual sounds such as vocals, chorus, piano, guitar, bass, and even sounds of the live audience.
Examples of compatible devices include certain models of headphones from brands like Sony and Amazon’s own Echo Studio speakers.
Final Word:
Amazon Music is a streaming platform where they offer 360 reality audio with its Unlimited plan. If you want to enjoy 360 reality-supported music from Amazon, for better results play with Sony’s Headphones and speakers. Although other headphone and speaker options are available those are not certified except a few.
I’m sourav, a music lover and sound enthusiast. After experiencing multiple sound qualities, I thought many people searching regarding this topic, but there is not enough detailed information on it. That’s the main reason why I created this blog.
