Dolby Atmos surround sound is coming into the living room thanks to new hardware partnerships with Onkyo and others expected to be announced. Not even many UK cinemas support the mighty Atmos yet.

Dolby Atmos is a surround sound system that features an immersive array of speakers. In its home format, that means an 11.2 system - that is 11 channels to surround from front, side, rear and even overhead, alongside up to two subwoofers - rather than the more comprehensive cinema setup.

Sound can be faded between output channels using Atmos, unlike with existing surround systems, meaning single sound elements can give a stronger impression of movement. Combined with a complete surround sound speaker dome arrangement and audio can be delivered with greater positional accuracy.

Onkyo has unveiled two network A/V receivers - the TX-NR1030 and TX-NR3030 - and one controller that will work with Dolby Atmos in the home. The hardware will be able to support up to 11 channels, but if you have fewer speakers - such as a 9.1, 7.1 or 5.1 system - then Atmos can also work with these arrangements.

Onkyo has also said it will allow for updates on its older systems so they too can support Dolby Atmos.

More partners are expected to make announcements of their hardware and updates soon.

READ: Dolby Atmos: Realising fully immersive surround sound