We've been talking up object-based audio for quite a while now. Dolby Atmos Blu-rays are starting to trickle in at a pretty reasonable rate and we've even gotten our first DTS:X release.
So what's going on with AURO-3D?
Well, Auro Technologies just announced that the company is currently working with Sono Luminus to deliver three albums in the immersive format. Not movies, but albums.
The titles include Peter Gregson's Touch, Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottír's In the Light of Air: ICE Performs Anna Thorvaldsdottír, and Ensemble Galilei's From Whence We Came.
In case you haven't been keeping track, AURO-3D is very similar to Dolby Atmos and DTS:X in that its an "object-based" audio format. That means it can deliver an immersive listening experience. In this case, it does that via a height layer above and around the room. According to the company, AURO-3D includes both 5.1 Surround and Auro 9.1 in one standard PCM delivery file with high-resolution audio in each channel.
All three of the upcoming albums were recorded in AURO-3D and will be released on Pure Audio Blu-ray, alongside traditional stereo and 5.1 mixes.
This is sort of an interesting move, considering that aren't a lot of Blu-rays that are encoded in the AURO-3D format -- even though the tech has been available on consumer gear for almost a year now.
It's not like they don't have the content, either. Currently, there are a few AURO-3D Blu-rays, but none are mainstream titles. That said, dozens of films have been encoded in AURO 11.1 for theaters. That lineup includes major blockbusters, such as Minions, Pixels, American Sniper, Expendables 3, and more. AURO has also said that they plan to trickle the tech down to other applications, including mobile, automotive and gaming versions, all of which are expected soon. Still, there's no mention of any future AURO-3D Blu-ray releases.
"We are so excited about the creative possibilities we now have thanks to working with AURO-3D's immersive sound, that we truly want everyone to know about it," said Collin J. Rae, CEO with Sono Luminus. "It is wonderful to be able to demonstrate the power of AURO-3D and the immersive listening experience that comes with it. Together with Auro Technologies and Pure Audio, I feel we all have the common goal of helping the world hear this amazing sound experience."
The three musical releases will be available on Pure Audio Blu-ray via Naxos through all major physical retailers worldwide. Peter Gregson's Touch and In the Light of Air: ICE Performs Anna Thorvaldsdottír will be released on August 28, 2015, with Ensemble Galilei's From Whence We Came to follow on September 25.
Where to Buy:
For More Information:
