After weeks of preparation, the IAA team is excited to present our latest endeavor: a brand-new podcast! In this ongoing series, we’ll be exploring all aspects of immersive music–including the background behind the technology, why it's so revolutionary, and–most importantly of all–how you can get involved!
For the inaugural episode, join our hosts–Head of Music Jonathan Cornell and Head of Technology Cameron Tham–as they embark on a historical deep-dive into the origins of immersive audio and sound recording technology. Their eight-decade journey begins with Disney’s experimental Fantasound speaker system of the early-1940s, eventually culminating in today’s industry-wide adoption of Dolby Atmos for film and music. Along the way, they cover a multitude of immersive formats from the past–including quadraphonic vinyl and tape, 5.1 DTS-CD, Super Audio CD, and DVD-Audio.
Note that this podcast is best-experienced with headphones, as it’s been developed and mixed especially for spatial audio–enabling us to move specific sounds beside, behind, and above your head! The first episode is available to watch or listen to below, though you can also download an Atmos-encoded MP4 file from our shop free-of-charge.
About Our Hosts:
Jonathan is an audio engineering enthusiast from New York with a passion for immersive audio, having amassed a formidable collection of multichannel optical discs and quadraphonic vinyl. He earned his undergraduate degree in Television-Radio from Ithaca College in 2021 and Master's degree in Audio Technology from American University in 2023. In his ongoing role as Head of Music at IAA, he’s been instrumental in establishing and developing business relationships with artists and labels.
Cameron is an enthusiastic early adopter of technology, continuously exploring the latest advancements of all things immersive. As a violinist and music arranger, Cameron combines a deep passion for music with a meticulous attention to detail. Professionally, Cameron serves as a programmer and designer for IAA, where he applies his creative and technical skills to grow immersive music adoption.
The team would like to extend a special thanks to Michael Marquart for granting us permission to use his song “Sign of the Times,” originally released on A Bad Think’s 2021 album Lifelike (get it in 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos in the IAA shop!). Additionally, the podcast incorporates our trademark Dolby Atmos + Surround Channel Test created by acclaimed producer/mixer Gabriel Lundh at The Dome studio.
IAA is your go-to online hub and premier marketplace for immersive audio. We offer hi-res Dolby Atmos digital downloads in the lossless TrueHD format, affording listeners a degree of sonic clarity and inner detail far beyond what's currently possible with the compressed-bandwidth of streaming services. When you choose IAA, you're choosing to support the artists and engineers whose labor took immersive audio from a niche hobby to a mainstream Grammy Award category.
Over the coming months, we'll be exploring a variety of topics in this format including but not limited to: the process (and pitfalls) of immersive music mixing, the best ways you can get set up to experience Dolby Atmos content at home, what constitutes a successful immersive music mix, and more! For the earliest updates, be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Download Episode 1 from the IAA Shop!
