There's been plenty of excitement about Apple Spatial Audio in recent weeks but now it's the turn of Deezer to step into the spatial audio limelight. The music streaming service has revealed it will offer HiFi subscribers a series of '360 Sessions' – live performances reformatted in Sony 360 Reality Audio.
Using Sony's object-based spatial audio technology, the 28 track playlist aims to provide a "unique immersive experience in which all audio elements – including vocals, individual instruments and audience – can be heard as if they are in different positions inside a 360 spherical space".
The tracks include live performances from a slew of global stars and rising talents ranging from Dua Lipa and Anne-Marie, to Circa Waves, Lolo Zouai, Barrie, Fireboy Dml, Joesef, Half Moon Run and Georgia.
Anyone with a subscription to Deezer HiFi, the service's CD-quality tier, can enjoy the 360 Sessions from today. No special hardware is needed but you will need to download the standalone 360 by Deezer app. Premium users can enjoy the playlist, but only in stereo.
Sony's 360 Reality Audio format offers a 3D sound space by creating multiple virtual speakers and can be listened to via most standard headphones. That said, the experience has been optimised for Sony headphones that use the Headphones Connect app, such as the WH-1000XM4 over-ears and WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds.
Deezer was the first music streaming service to offer 360 Reality Audio, but it has since been joined by Tidal, Amazon Music HD and nugs.net (a streaming service dedicated to live concerts).
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