What Netflix’s New High-Quality Audio Means to You
Netflix users may soon find that TV and movies on the platform sound better than before. The company announced today that the platform now uses “studio quality” audio that “sounds closer to what creators hear in the studio,” and results in an overall improvement in audio fidelity without the need for increased bandwidth or increased buffering.
While this is all technically true, there are some caveats. Let’s take a look at what this announcement means for subscribers, how much new high-fidelity audio upgrades really need to be, and what the hardware requirements are.
New streaming technology
You can read the technical explanation on the Netflix Developer Blog , but essentially Netflix now applies the same variable bitrate algorithm it uses for video streaming to deliver audio. Netflix apps dynamically change streaming quality (or bitrate) based on a number of factors, including home theater equipment; the power of your internet connection and the available bandwidth; and characteristics of the content viewed. By changing the bitrate in this way, Netflix can achieve the best picture or sound quality for your setup at the moment, while (hopefully) avoiding buffering or dropouts.
In the ear of the beholder
Despite the use of the phrase “studio quality,” Netflix’s algorithm does not magically deliver true lossless master-quality audio streaming.
Instead, Netflix claims that the new high-performance bitrates (640kbps for 5.1 or 768kbps for Dolby Atmos) are “transparent” with studio-quality sound – a fancy way of saying “your ears won’t tell the difference.” The company also claims that the lowest of the new bitrates (192 kbps for 5.1) is in a “good” range when compared to studio grade audio. While it is true that the human ear cannot detect an increase in audio quality beyond a certain threshold, this will only be true for the highest possible bitrates that Netflix can currently stream at.
That said, unless you’re the pickiest of audiophiles, the new audio bitrates are pretty good and won’t result in higher bandwidth requirements or more data usage. Even continuous streaming at the highest bitrates will add just over half a megabits per second to Netflix’s total bandwidth usage, according to statements made by Wired by a Netflix spokesperson .
Netflix requirements for high quality audio streaming
The upgrade may be free and won’t affect your data plan, but there are a few requirements users must meet to get the best sound quality – and even more if you’re looking for “studio” tier. the quality of Netflix boasts. At the very least, you need the following:
- Compatible TVs, set-top boxes, game consoles connected to 5.1 / Dolby Atmos capable speakers and / or soundbars that can play audio at a higher bit rate. No other devices are currently supported.
- Watching movies or TV shows with 5.1 and / or Dolby Atmos support (Supported Netflix titles display 5.1 or Atmos icons).
- Either 802.11ac Wi-Fi or a wired Ethernet connection supported by a broad data plan for Internet connectivity (at least 5 megabits per second for HD video, 25 megabits per second for 4K / HDR).
- Dolby Atmos requires Netflix Premium subscription.
Even with all of these components, you are not guaranteed to get sound in the perceived transparency range. This will depend on the power of your audio hardware, as you need devices that can actually play audio at transparent bit rates. At the very least, the average 5.1 TV should be able to transmit audio at a “good” bit rate, so even users who meet the minimum requirements will notice some difference.