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Every year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), tech companies from around the world -- household-name conglomerates to half-baked startups -- gather in Las Vegas to showcase their upcoming innovations. During the 2019 show, Japanese tech giant Sony announced its 360 Reality Audio spatial audio format.

Also: I tested Sony's new premium headphones, and they define practical luxury for me

The concept had big names behind it -- musical royalty such as Pharrell Williams and Mark Ronson, powerful labels such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, and growing music streaming services such as Tidal and Amazon Music.