Category: Feature Update

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Plugin Updates and New Plugin (Beta)

All of the plugins in aXPlugins suite have been updated with new features, stability, and bug fixes. Here is a summary of the biggest or most interesting changes.

  • All plugins – All plugins can now have their license deactivated so you can move it to another computer. Simply hit the “SSA” logo at the bottom of the GUI and click to deactivate the plugin. If you are using Offline activation you will need to connect to the internet in order to deactivate your plugin.
  • All plugins – the number of activations available per license has increased to 5. One license still covers only a single user.
  • All plugins – the plugins are now installed using installers so you no longer have to copy the files to the plugin folders. All plugins are now automatically installed in the recommended system folders depending on their type (AAX/AU/VST3) and the operating system (Win/Mac).
  • All plugins – the Mac .pkg installers are now Notarized by Apple meaning the plugins should install without any warnings from Gatekeeper on Catalina (macOS 10.15). Please get in touch if you have any issues.
  • aXRotate – Yaw, pitch and roll can now be received via OSC messages. Select your desired port number (double click to enter) and click Connect. Click Show More to see the message format expected by the plugin as well as the incoming messages to your selected port.
  • aXDeesser – Some bug fixes.
  • aXEqualizer – Fixed a bug where changing a filter band at low frequency could cause the plugin to become unstable. Fixed another bug where loading a preset from the DAW would cause the UI markers to become unlinked from the audio.

To get the updated version of your plugin just head over to the Downloads section of your account page.

Please note: Because the updates now use installers, you should manually remove any previous versions of the plugins from you DAW plugin path, especially if you have used custom paths in the past.

New Plugin Beta Release

If you have bought one of the plugin bundles then you will find a beta version of a new plugin with the download from your account – aXLimiter! As the name suggests, this is an Ambisonic limiter with input gain, ceiling, look-ahead and release time (with option for auto).

Anyone who has bought a bundle will get aXLimiter for free when it is officially released.

The display shows the peak across all Ambisonic channels for the output (blue) and the input with gain applied (red). The amount of gain reduction over time is shown in white and in the meter to the bottom right.

I would be very happy to hear your thoughts and experiences using it, especially if you run in to any bugs.

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New Prices and Plugin Updates

It has been a while but now I have plenty of news to share!

New Prices

First up (as you probably saw in the big image at the top!), if you head over to the shop, you will see that all of the plugins have new, lower prices. I think you’ll find them quite attractive. By buying a plugin you will be supporting the independent development of spatial audio tools. The more interest there is in the plugins, the more time I can spend making improvements, adding new features and developing new plugins.

Offline Activation

All plugins can now be used offline. You just need to be connected to the internet the first time you activate the plugin. Then, from that point on you should not need an internet connection to use the plugin. Easy! A lot of users requested this, so I am really glad to be able to release it.

You can finally work with your spatial audio projects on the plane!

Plugin Updates

I am always working to try improve the plugins in any way I can. Here are a few of the improvements:

  • VST to VST3 – The plugins are now available for VST3 instead of VST. VST3 is now the only format supported by Steinberg, so I wanted to make the move early. After polling users, it appears that most are using the VST3-supporting Reaper as their main spatial audio DAW. The VST3 plugins should automatically replace the VST versions in old projects but I cannot guarantee this, so you should not delete the older versions of the plugins that you might need.
  • aXEqualizer
    • improvements to the filter algorithm for less CPU use.
    • GUI now displays the pre- and post-EQ spectrum.
  • Performance improvements – I have added small performance improvements to most of the plugins. This is an ongoing project so I hope to be able to speed things up even more in the future.
  • GUI – All plugins have had the way they display the measurement units updated. These are now included alongside the parameter value, rather than in the label.

Coming Up…

I have a few new plugins coming up of various complexities. One is quite simple and the others are more ambitious and exciting. The simple plugin will be out sooner rather than later. The other will require some beta testing. If getting your hands on some plugins early is something you are interested in, get in touch in the comment section or send me an email.

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aXMeter Updates to Version 1.1.0

aXMeter Ambsionic meter with a third order input signal

Two weeks ago I released the free aXMeter – an Ambisonic level metering plugin. I immediately had several requests for new features that would make it better and have added them to the plugin. aXMeter now in has three parameters (accessible from the “Open Settings” button in the bottom left):

  • Numbering Convention: choose between Ambisonic Channel Number (ACN)
    convention, starting at 0 for the first channel, or ACN + 1, starting at 1.
  • Dynamic Range: Set the minimum value of the meter between -6 dB and -90 dB.
  • Peak Decay Speed: control how quickly the peak marker decays to zero.

If you’ve already downloaded the plugin, go to the Downloads section of your account and download it. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, head over to the web shop and download it for free!

The Summer Sale is continuing, so you can get 20% to 50% discount on all of the plugins in the store. If you do, you’ll be supporting independent development of Ambisonics tools. Thanks!

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aXMonitor Update: Personalised Binaural with SOFA Support

The aXMonitor plugins are today updated to version 1.3.2. If you have already bought one of the aXMonitor plugins, you can download the update from your account.  You should remove any old versions of the plugin from your system to avoid any conflicts.

Today’s update is all about getting more flexibility and personalisation for binaural rendering of Ambisoinics. This is probably the most requested feature update for any of my plugins, so I am very happy to be able to announce the new feature:

  • Load an HRTF stored in a .SOFA file for custom binaural rendering.

This allows you to produce binaural rendering for up to seventh order Ambisonics with whatever HRTF you want, providing you with the flexibility you need to produce the highest quality spatial audio content possible.

If you aren’t sure why so many people want personal HRTF support, keep reading.

Advantages of Personalised Binaural

Binaural 3D audio can be vastly improved by listening with a personalised HRTF (head related transfer function). It’s the auditory equivalent of wearing someone else’s glasses vs wearing your own. Sure, you can see most of what is going on with someone else’s glass, but you lose detail and precision. Wear your own and everything comes into focus!

With that in mind, the aXMonitor plugins have been updated to allow you to load a custom HRTF that is stored in a .SOFA file. Now you can use your own individual HRTF (if you have it) or one that you know works well for you. Once an HRTF has been loaded it will be available across to all instances of the plugin in other projects.

What is a .SOFA file?

A .SOFA file contains a lot of information about a measured HRTF (though it can be used for other things as well). You can read more about them here.

Where to get custom HRTFs

You can find a curated list of .SOFA databases here. The best thing to do is to try a few of them until you find one that gives you an accurate perception of the sound source directions. Pay particular attention to the elevation and front-back confusions, since these are what personalised HRTFs help most with.

If you want an HRTF that fits your head/ears exactly then your options are bit more limited. Either you can find somewhere, usually an academic research institute, that has an anechoic chamber and the appropriate equipment. Then you put some microphones in your ears and sit still for 20-120 minutes (depending on their system). Once it’s done, you have your HRTF!

But if you don’t fancy going to all of that trouble, there are some options for getting a personalised HRTF more easily. A method by 3D Sound Labs requires only a small number of photographs and they claim good results. Finnish company IDA also offers a similar service.

Get the aXMonitor

So if you like the sound of customised binaural rendering then you can purchase the aXMonitor from my online shop. Doing so will help support independent development of tools for spatial audio.


a1Monitor


a3Monitor


a7Monitor

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aXMonitor Update: Google Resonance Audio HRTFs

Today the aXMonitor plugins get their first major update to version 1.2.2. There are two major updates and one minor updates. Let’s start with the major updates:

  • The HRTFs used for binaural 3D sound have been regenerated using Google’s own Resonance Audio toolkit for VR audio. These are the same HRTFs used by Google in YouTube 360. The code released by Google is only up to 5th order, but was actually quite simple to extend to 7th order.
  • A gain control has been added to boost or cut the overall level for convenience.

The minor update is a fix to make sure the plugin reports the correct latency to the host when using the Binaural or UHJ Super Stereo (FIR) methods.

Google have just open sourced their Resonance Audio SDK, including all sorts of tools for spatial audio rendering. This update to ensures that you can aXMonitor ensures that you can mix your content on HRTFs that will be widely used across the industry.

The aXMonitor is available in 3 versions, providing up to first, third and seventh order Ambisonics-to-binaural decoding.

So if you’d like to start mixing your VR/AR/MR audio content just head over to my store. With your support, I can continue to update the aX Ambisonics Plugins to bring you the tools you want and need.


a1Monitor


a3Monitor


a7Monitor

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aXRotate Update to v1.2.0: Now With Head Tracking!


The aXRotate plugin receives an update today to version 1.2.0 and it’s a big one!  What’s more, it now comes as a (Universal Binary) AudioUnit format for Mac!

If you have already bought it, you can download the update from the download section of your Account page. If you haven’t, you can pick it up at my online shop!


a1Rotate


a3Rotate


a7Rotate

Version 1.0.0 was a plain vanilla Ambisonics rotation with yaw, pitch and roll control. Version 1.2.0 adds two new features that massively increase its usefulness:

  • Get head tracking by connect an EDTracker module.
  • Increase the spaciousness of your static binaural mixes by adding micro oscillations to the sound scene.

Let’s go into both of these new features in a bit more detail.
Continue reading aXRotate Update to v1.2.0: Now With Head Tracking!