8.2 and Ambisonic plug-ins

Some plug-ins tested so far.

Harpex: working. https://harpex.net
IEM: working. https://plugins.iem.at
Matthias Kronlachner: working. ambiX v0.2.10 – Ambisonic plug-in suite | matthiaskronlachner.com
Noise Makers: working. https://www.noisemakers.fr

Blue Ripple Sound: NOT working. Pro Audio
Google Resonance Audio Monitor: NOT working. Releases · resonance-audio/resonance-audio-daw-tools · GitHub

For the non-working plug-ins, the solution is to insert them in a Plogue Bidule plug-in. Bidule

SoundField SurroundZone2 : Working.


Next stage : allow Ambisonics B-format to map directly to an Atmos objet.


Actually it’s necessary to decode B-format to a discrete format (for example speakerdome) before to enter the Atmos RMU to to allow height information to be preserved.

So it’s using 8 mono channels objects, does not preserve the B-format integrity, and ask for two conversions. One using a B-format to discrete decoder plugin, and another inside the Dolby RME to convert from 8 channels discrete to the final theater speaker configuration.

This is non sense and unnecessary complication.

B-format should be directly supported by Dolby Atmos, with panning through the Nuendo panner.

Since Atmos is object-based and Ambisonics is scene-based, I don’t see another way of doing it. At least now, there’s a good, free, decoder plug-in (IEM AllRADecoder) that will give you a tailored decode for going from scene-based to object-based.

I would do a decode that correspond to 7.1.4 and then feed that stream to the RMU.

Microphone Stereo sources are scene based too, and they are supported by the Nuendo panner and Dolby Atmos RMU.

An Ambisonics source is scene based too, it is just 3D instead of 2D. So i do not see why Dolby RMU could not process it in the futur, if they implement the Ambisonics to theater discrete conversion engine, like they did for mono, stereo or multichannel sources.

Implicitly, this means that the spherical harmonics have to be decoded by the RMU. So, it’s either before the RMU (we can do that right now) or inside the RMU (maybe in the future).

FYI, upon installing FB Spatial Workstation it places a nuendo 8.2 sample project here:
C:\Program Files\FB360 Spatial Workstation\Nuendo\SpatialWorkstation

The documentation is helpful:
https://facebookincubator.github.io/facebook-360-spatial-workstation/Documentation/SpatialWorkstation/SpatialWorkstation.html#using-nuendo

You can download the FB plugs here:
https://facebook360.fb.com/spatial-workstation/


I notice that FB specifies using 3rd order whereas steinberg says 2nd order in their documentation about using FB Spatial Workstation.
Also, in the sample project, the FB Spatializer can be selected as a panner (rather than an insert).

Steinberg has not updated their docs related to the new (beta) FB360 plug-ins that were released two days ago.

do you happen to know why the FB 360 spatializer appears as a panner within the tracks of the sample project here:

but if you add a new track of any kind, the panner is not available for that new track?

Harpex (version 1.5 build 160) is now compatible with Nuendo 8.2 ambisonic tracks and busses. If no audio is going through Harpex, re-select the default routing (upper right corner of the plug-in).

VVencode and VVdecode work:
http://www.vvaudio.com/products

Also Bruce Wiggins’ Wigware plugins opens up but I haven’t had time to test them:

Are you trying it on a 3rd Order Ambisonics track? The track configuration needs to be 3rd Order Ambisonics, only then will the panner show up as an option. Works for me on Mac, not sure about Windows though.

Hello,
since Blue Ripple is not working, is there and alternative plugin to visualise the 3D content, like O3A Flare?

https://plugins.iem.at –> EnergyVisualizer
SPARTA - Spatial Audio Real-Time Applications –> DirASS or PowerMap or SLDoA