Listen to a binaural Logic Pro spatial audio mix on iPhone and other devices
If you’ve been monitoring your spatial audio mix in a binaural format using headphones, you can bounce the mix to listen to it on other devices and to share it with others.
You can mix your Logic Pro project in spatial audio using headphones, taking advantage of all the surround features of Dolby Atmos. To listen to your mix on another device or share it with others, bounce your spatial audio mix as a standard two-channel audio file encoded in binaural audio. When listened to with headphones, the bounced file delivers the same immersive audio experience that you created for your mix in Logic Pro.
Set the Dolby Atmos plug-in for binaural monitoring
To set up your project to monitor your mix in a binaural format using headphones:
Open the Dolby Atmos plug-in inserted on the surround master channel strip.
Choose one of the binaural options from the Monitoring Format pop-up menu. If you use an Apple Renderer (Head Tracking) monitoring format, you won’t experience head tracking in the bounced binaural audio file.
Bounce your spatial audio mix
When you’re ready, bounce your spatial audio mix as a two-channel binaural file.
Choose File > Bounce, then choose Project or Section.
In the Destination area, select PCM, then choose AIFF or Wave from the File Format pop-up menu.
Choose Interleaved from the File Type pop-up menu.
If you want to add the file to your music library to listen to your mix with the Music app, select Add to Music.
Set any other options, then click OK.
Set the bounce filename and location, then click Bounce.
Listen to your binaural audio file
A two-channel binaural audio file is meant to be listened to on headphones. Although you can listen to the file on standard stereo speakers or on the speakers on your computer, it will not produce the same immersive sound experience. You can listen to a binaural audio file with your headphones connected to a Mac, iPhone, iPad or other devices.
Listen to a binaural spatial audio file on Mac
You can listen to binaural audio files on your Mac with any headphones using QuickTime Player, the Music app or Quick Look by selecting the file in the Finder and pressing Spacebar.
If you’re using AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (all generations), AirPods Max or Beats Fit Pro, turn off Spatialised Stereo:
Wear your AirPods or Beats Fit Pro and make sure they’re connected to your Mac.
Start playing your binaural audio file.
Click the AirPods icon in the menu bar to show all audio devices.
Click the disclosure triangle next to your AirPods, then choose Off in the Spatialise Stereo section.
Listen to a binaural spatial audio file on iPhone or iPad.
To listen to the file on iPhone or iPad, use AirDrop to transfer the file from your Mac to your device, then tap the file in the Files app. You can also listen to your file in the Music app.
If you’re using AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, AirPods (3rd generation) or Beats Fit Pro, turn off the Spatial Audio or Spatialise Stereo setting:
Wear your AirPods or Beats Fit Pro and make sure they’re connected to your device.
Open Control Centre on your iPhone or iPad.
Touch and hold the volume control.
Tap Spatial Audio or Spatialise Stereo, then tap Off.
Export as an ADM BWF file
ADM BWF is the required file format for submitting a Dolby Atmos mix to Apple Music or other online music services. Each service then encodes the file so it can be used with their respective service.
If you bounce your spatial audio mix as an ADM BWF file, then listen to it on an iPhone or other device, you won’t hear many elements from your original mix in Logic Pro. To preview your spatial audio mix before sending it out as an ADM BWF file, bounce the file as described in this article.
Find out more about working with ADM BWF files
Learn more
If you have an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription, you can access the file in the Music app on all devices that have Sync Library turned on.
You can also sync your devices manually to add the file to the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
