Arcam is upgrading its latest AV receivers with some natty 3D sound tech.
The AVR10, AVR20 and AVR30 (pictured) will get Auro-3D, as will Arcam's AV40 AV processor.
Auro-3D is 3D audio, much like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony 360 Reality Audio. Like those better-known rivals, it adds a height layer to its audio output. This creates a more immersive listening experience, dropping the viewer/listener into the heart of the action.
To take advantage you'll need one of the above Arcam devices, a Blu-ray player with the appropriate discs and an Auro-3D-configured speaker array (these range from 9.1 to 13.1 set-ups, so you'll need a fair bit of space for all those speakers).
Though there is a saving grace - Auro-3D formations don't require ceiling speakers, so you won't have to get out the drill and step ladder. Instead, the vertical sound field is created by mounting speakers just above the existing surrounds.
So what can you listen to? Certain Blu-rays already have Auro-3D audio, but the tech also works with non-3D-Auro content: these Arcam devices use the Auro-Matic up-mixer to convert content into Auro-3D.
Auro-3D started rolling out as a firmware update yesterday.
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