DTS is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Looking ahead the company says that based on data it has collected consumers are looking for flexible audio solutions that complement active lifestyles. As part of its 30th anniversary—DTS—the global audio company that supports audio in the commercial cinema, residential home theater and whole-house audio, automotive, and mobile audio markets, announced the outcome of a large consumer audio study it recently commissioned.
Working with Opinium Research to survey 2,000 adults in the United States, and 2,000 adults in the U.K., as well as Big Village for a Caravan survey that polled 844 U.S. adults for the results of the automotive data, DTS has released the results of all this research.
Summarizing the results of the consumer audio study data, DTS states, “As we navigate the evolving entertainment landscape, it is clear that the demand for enhanced sound quality and seamless, personalized experiences is a defining factor in the market,” says the company.
“Consumers seek products that are wire-free and capable of connecting throughout their entire house, as they seamlessly integrate their products into their daily lives. That data highlights the prevalence of multitasking while consuming audio content, with activities such as scrolling on phones, cleaning, and cooking accompanying TV viewing or music listening. Technology is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in home and vehicle entertainment systems. By doing so, we empower individuals to fully immersive themselves in their sensational entertainment experiences. The future holds immense potential.”
A Closer Look at the DTS Consumer Audio Study Data
The DTS consumer audio study looks at several aspects of home audio that includes how people are listening, what components people are using to listen to their audio content, and how the various age demographics employ modern electronics.
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- 85% said when watching shows or movies on TV
- 74% said when listening to audio in the car
- 73% said when they are playing video games
- 57% stated sound quality is important when watching sports on TV
DTS points out that an overwhelming majority said that sound quality is important in creating a sense of immersion when watching a movie or TV show. Study participants also noted that while feeling immersed in the audio is important for a total experience, a number admitted they have a hard time understanding movie or TV show dialog due to poor sound quality. Because of these issues, 25% of the respondents noted they frequently adjust the sound while watching a TV show or movie.
Digging into those sound quality issues, the study asked how survey participants deal with those problems:
- 44% stated they activate closed captioning
- 20% stated they will rewind a scene to catch what happened
- 26% often turn on closed captioning
- 50% never or rarely turn on closed captioning
- 43% would definitely/probably not continue to use closed captioning if they had the ability to adjust background and dialog to make that content clearer
- 66% of the Baby Boomer demographic polled in the research said they were more likely to never turn on closed captioning
When DTS’ study looked at home entertainment preferences, poll participants tend to favor solutions that offer cohesive user experiences. Here are the results when DTS asked, “What respondents are looking for in an entertainment system:
- Takes five minutes or less to setup: 72%
- Compatible with current systems: 71%
- Works over Wi-Fi: 63%
The study reveals that 52% would like their devices to connect throughout their homes. Overall, 59% of Gen Z respondents said that would like their devices to connect throughout their homes, and that number rises (62%) with Millennial respondents. Additionally, 58% of the study’s participants want wireless connectivity, and once again that number increases to 63% of Millennials want wireless home audio/entertainment systems.
Moving on to the topic of gaming, DTS says that it is not surprising that quality audio is important for gamers. The global audio company points out that gamers increasingly want audio that complements their video experiences.
- 47% of gamers listen to gaming audio that comes from their TVs’ built-in speakers
- 41% of the gamers asked use headphones
- 40% use audio from their smartphones
Breaking down the numbers by demographic, DTS says that 63% of Gen Z gamers listen to audio through their headphones, while 60% of Millennials listen to the audio from their TV speakers during gaming sessions. Those numbers dip with older demographics as 46% of Gen X gamers listen to their gaming audio through their TV speakers, and 29% of Baby Boomers listen to audio from their smartphones during their gaming activities.
Circling back to the activities people engage in while they are listening to audio content, DTS study participants stated they are involved in a number of things supporting the application of systems such as whole-house audio systems:
- 45% of the poll’s participants scroll on their phones
- 42% of respondents clean their homes
- 40% of respondents cook while listening to audio content
- 27% of the study’s respondents exercise
- 25% of the study’s participants work while listening to audio conent
- 20% of the poll’s respondents read with background music playing
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