[jaakkopasanen]

I'm considering creating a VST plugin for Equalizer APO. The idea is to have it import measured BRIRs and use head tracking to dynamically synthesize virtual surround sound in real-time. Before I dive in, I'm curious if there's already a plugin or software out there that can do this? I'd hate to reinvent the wheel. Also, if anyone has any relevant resources or references that could help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I'd love to see this come be and I've toyed with the idea of building it myself but probably won't be have time any time soon. Head tracking would be superb and I would definitely make Impulcifer be able to record more angles to support this if anyone would build or find an existing solution for this.

 

[musicreo]

Before I dive in, I'm curious if there's already a plugin or software out there that can do this? I'd hate to reinvent the wheel. Also, if anyone has any relevant resources or references that could help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

There is a software from waves and they also sell the Nx Head Tracker for Headphones. I tested a version that uses the webcam for tracking and some generic BBRIs some time ago. That was ok but not fully convincing.

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[gregorio]

Before I dive in, I'm curious if there's already a plugin or software out there that can do this?

There’s also Sonarworks “SoundID Reference”. It doesn’t have head tracking AFAIK but it is quite a clever concept that attempts to address the translation issue from both the production and consumer playback sides. So not exactly the same thing you’re thinking about but it might be worth adding to your list of stuff to research before you start.

G

 

[castleofargh]

There is a software from waves and they also sell the Nx Head Tracker for Headphones. I tested a version that uses the webcam for tracking and some generic BBRIs some time ago. That was ok but not fully convincing.

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It’s been years(I got the kickstarter model), but there was indeed no way to use your own impulses. For me the tracker was pretty bad and the webcam option required that I stay under the lights of 7 suns to run smoothly.
Not the very best overall experience, but a nice... crossfeed++ of sort.

Same thing on the head tracking side with gaming headtracking solutions that have been around for a long time to match the view on screen for people using several screens for plane simulators and such(no sound tracking or a very generic one that sucked and made the engine louder on one side).

To my knowledge we’ve always been missing the magic tool to link existing parts together(well, there’s the A16 or even more expensive competitor...).

 

[jaakkopasanen]

Latency will probably ultimately kill this idea in practice. I've hear head tracking for audio requires sub 10 ms latency to work well and there probably isn't a way to achieve that without real time kernel.

 

[morgin]

I'm considering creating a VST plugin for Equalizer APO. The idea is to have it import measured BRIRs and use head tracking to dynamically synthesize virtual surround sound in real-time. Before I dive in, I'm curious if there's already a plugin or software out there that can do this? I'd hate to reinvent the wheel. Also, if anyone has any relevant resources or references that could help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

This software can apparently do head tracking. Just came up on Reddit and then I read your post.

https://apl-hud.com/product/virtuoso/

 

[conql]

This software can apparently do head tracking. Just came up on Reddit and then I read your post.

https://apl-hud.com/product/virtuoso/

This looks like a really good choice. It's almost perfect, but it falls short in not supporting VST2 with EqAPO, and only the HRTFs are customizable - if I'm understanding that correctly. That said, I might have considered buying it if I hadn't already started developing my own plugin.

 

[conql]

Latency will probably ultimately kill this idea in practice. I've hear head tracking for audio requires sub 10 ms latency to work well and there probably isn't a way to achieve that without real time kernel.

I'm worried about that too. According to these two papers, a total system latency of about 50ms seems to be acceptable. But a Bluetooth head tracking system could take up 10-15ms. And copying audio stream from VB-Cable to headphones takes 8ms with the fastest audio repeater kernal mode. Not to mention BRIR impulses are often quite long. The timing is indeed tight.

 

[morgin]

This looks like a really good choice. It's almost perfect, but it falls short in not supporting VST2 with EqAPO, and only the HRTFs are customizable - if I'm understanding that correctly. That said, I might have considered buying it if I hadn't already started developing my own plugin.

There’s a free trial I’m trying it but can’t figure out how to route audio from program to program. The same guy has a guide but Dante controller isn’t working as the video is showing. But from what I understand this can give height channels too

Here the video of you wanna try it

 

[sander99]

from what I understand this can give height channels too

Yes, but the audio to feed to the height channels must be provided by another program, for example the Atmos renderer.
(Anyone knows what such an Atmos renderer costs?)

But what is really nice for you:
From what I understand you can use your Mesh2hrtf hrtf (sofa file) and virtuoso provides "synthetic" virtual speakers in a "synthetic" virtual room. This is precisely the "missing link" we needed!
I wish I had my hrtf, I really should try to find an iPhone with suitable camera one of these days.

Latency will probably ultimately kill this idea in practice.

The timing is indeed tight.

I assume if you don't move your head too fast, only slowly, then it would be all right?

 

[gregorio]

Anyone knows what such an Atmos renderer costs?

The Dolby Atmos Renderer is designed for professional use, not for consumers. The software costs $299 but the difficulty is getting audio into and out of it.

In windows land, you need to run it on a separate computer, which means you also need a Dante or MADI interface for each computer. In Mac land you can run it on the same computer, getting audio into and out of the renderer using CoreAudio but that functionality depends on the DAW/Audio Editing software you’re using and currently I believe that means only Pro Tools or Nuendo (as far as I’m aware).

G

 

[conql]

Just got a chance to try out my first prototype of head tracking. I didn't have the time to measure my own HRTF for now, so I used some generic ones. I haven't done any rigorous measurements or optimizations yet, but the latency seems to be quite acceptable. I can hardly notice it unless I'm turning my head really fast. It's possible that the use of generic HRTFs might be affecting the localization quality, making it harder to discern any latency.

 

[sander99]

Just got a chance to try out my first prototype of head tracking.

Is that wireles headtracking? (If not, are there wireles headtrackers that work with virtuoso?)

 

[conql]

Is that wireles headtracking? (If not, are there wireles headtrackers that work with virtuoso?)

That's a diy bluetooth gyroscope module. I am not sure about other headtrackers but this is very cheap and works ok.

 

[XingYu]

Hello. I'm interested in speaker virtualization and would like to learn from great pioneers.

I've taken the time to read every thread from number 1 to 106 and would like to ask some questions about this.



1. I'm considering an ms-cb-900 microphone from a sound specialist. I think I can connect to my computer with a 3.5mm microphone jack, do I really need to buy an audio interface? I have different types of DACs and AMPs, but I don't have an audio interface, so I was wondering if I should buy additional ones only for binaural recording.



2. I'm a little confused after previewing general tutorials on GitHub and tutorials using Audacity.

If you look at "Stereo Speaker Settings" on Github,



Put the microphone in your ear and put on the headphones

Take off your headphones. Look forward to it

Look at 120 degrees to the left. (Left speakers should be on the right.)

Look 120 degrees to the right (right speaker should be on the left)

Look directly at the speaker on the left...

...Look at the speaker on your right


I'm sorry. There were too many questions.