Dolby Atmos, Studios on a Budget & Beer — My Chat with Gert Keunen

In this episode, I sit down with Gert Keunen — lecturer, composer, producer, mastering engineer, and author of Stereo Was a Nice Try, which is probably the most comprehensive guide to immersive audio on the market today. We dive deep into how to get started with Dolby Atmos, why thinking immersive from the start leads to better results than upmixing stereo tracks, and how to set up a budget-friendly immersive studio step by step. Gert shares his practical approach using iLoud MTM speakers, the Audient Oria interface, and SonarWorks calibration, and explains why you can get surprisingly far with just headphones, a binaural renderer, and a head tracker for around 500 euros.

We also explore DAW choices and why staying format-agnostic matters, how Fiedler Audio's tools are solving one of Dolby Atmos' biggest limitations, creative techniques for turning stereo virtual instruments into immersive experiences, the often-misunderstood LFE channel, and why the -18 LUFS loudness requirement in Atmos is actually a gift for dynamic range. We even get into beer at the end, where Gert — who is also a micro brewer — draws a brilliant analogy between beer styles and audio formats. Whether you're a hobbyist just getting started or already working in immersive audio, this conversation is packed with insights you won't want to miss.