The new audio experience will bring studio-quality sound on
the compatible Android smartphones and will allow Netflix to control the
dynamic range and dialogue levels in terms of audio.
The new update focuses on loudness management, dynamic
range, and dialogue levels. Loudness is the subjective perception of sound
pressure and dialogue level pertains to the audio quality of dialogues within a
TV series or a movie. Netflix says that the goal of loudness management is to
play all titles at a consistent volume, relative to each other.
Netflix says that when loudness management is active, once a
user sets their volume to a comfortable level, they may never have to change
it, even if users switch from a movie to a documentary, or to a live concert.
In terms of dialogue levels, Netflix said that it specifically aims to play all
dialogue at the same level.
Netflix says that he loudness metrics of all Netflix content
are measured before encoding. On Android, the streaming giant uses key AAC DRC
target reference levels to set the output level.
Further, the company said that its Dynamic range control
(DRC) has a wide variety of creative and practical uses in audio production.
While the company has been using adaptive bitrates in video for years now, the
xHE-AAC’s native support for seamless bitrate switching has now been introduced
for Android devices.
In its announcement, Netflix said that most members use the
built-in speakers on their smartphones. However, when members switch to
headphones, it can be a sign that the built-in output level is not
satisfactory, and they hope for a better experience. For example, perhaps the
dialogue level is not audible.
The company said that in its test, it found out that members
switched away from built-in speakers 7 percent less often when listening to
xHE-AAC. Further, it said that when the content was high dynamic range, they switched
16 percent less.