[elira]

I really enjoy Michael Wagner’s videos and I highly recommend them. He would do a great job of reviewing the A16 with your guidance along the learning curve!

This is a good starting video for folks who haven’t watched him before:

What is he using instead of an A16?

 

[zdjh22]

What is he using instead of an A16?

In his Atmos Reference Tracks video he uses “Virtuoso”, which he says is a standalone software app (also available as plugins for DAWs I gather) which performs binaural rendering and has support for head tracking. He has a really nice 3-axis wireless USB head tracker which would be a definite upgrade for the A16 HT if it could be supported.

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

 

[Litlgi74]

He would do a great job of reviewing the A16 with your guidance along the learning curve!

We have a Zoom call scheduled for next week. Looking forward to it.

 

[Litlgi74]

In his Atmos Reference Tracks video he uses “Virtuoso”, which he says is a standalone software app (also available as plugins for DAWs I gather) which performs binaural rendering and has support for head tracking. He has a really nice 3-axis wireless USB head tracker which would be a definite upgrade for the A16 HT if it could be supported.

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

It looks like Virtuoso requires Audio/Video software with ASIO output... Not sure of many video players that have that feature... I think MPC HC, JRiver and Mitch Barnett's Hang Loose Convolver may be supported... I've contacted the developer for guidance in this area.

 

[makan]

Just trying out the Apple Music spatial audio on Dolby atmos. Pretty nice atmos affect. Enjoying it…will see after the novelty effect is gone.

 

[zdjh22]

Just trying out the Apple Music spatial audio on Dolby atmos. Pretty nice atmos affect. Enjoying it…will see after the novelty effect is gone.

I have really enjoyed the 10 Neil Young albums now available in Atmos there.

Be sure not to miss Peter Schilling’s “40 Years of Major Tom (New Adventures)”, with “Major Tom” now one of my favorite demo tracks for multichannel. “Major Tom” is awesome from Apple Music in Atmos on either the A16 or on a multichannel speaker system. I also bought the album from Immersive Audio Album and both DD+ and TrueHD downloads are available - damned if I can tell the difference, but I need to listen more carefully to be sure. This is a stark contrast to Elton John’s “Rocket Man”, which is very good in Atmos from Apple Music, but harsh sounding for me compared to the SACD 5.1 version (which is not as active, but still good and better sounding).

I am looking forward to getting a 3-axis head tracker later this week and listening on a Mac via Loopback and Virtuoso to compare to the A16.

 

[makan]

I have really enjoyed the 10 Neil Young albums now available in Atmos there.

Be sure not to miss Peter Schilling’s “40 Years of Major Tom (New Adventures)”, with “Major Tom” now one of my favorite demo tracks for multichannel. “Major Tom” is awesome from Apple Music in Atmos on either the A16 or on a multichannel speaker system. I also bought the album from Immersive Audio Album and both DD+ and TrueHD downloads are available - damned if I can tell the difference, but I need to listen more carefully to be sure. This is a stark contrast to Elton John’s “Rocket Man”, which is very good in Atmos from Apple Music, but harsh sounding for me compared to the SACD 5.1 version (which is not as active, but still good and better sounding).

I am looking forward to getting a 3-axis head tracker later this week and listening on a Mac via Loopback and Virtuoso to compare to the A16.

Whoa. Major Tom..so great, exactly as you said it.

 

[Litlgi74]

I am looking forward to getting a 3-axis head tracker later this week and listening on a Mac via Loopback and Virtuoso to compare to the A16.

I've contacted the developer about the potential use of video players... But still no reply.

How are you planning on using the software?

I've checked out some of the demos and some are more impressive than others. 18 and 19 are very nice.

This software can be a real band-aid / painkiller for those still waiting for their Realiser.... Especially if there is a way to get the software working with a HTPC.

 

[zdjh22]

I've contacted the developer about the potential use of video players... But still no reply.

How are you planning on using the software?

I've checked out some of the demos and some are more impressive than others. 18 and 19 are very nice.

This software can be a real band-aid / painkiller for those still waiting for their Realiser.... Especially if there is a way to get the software working with a HTPC.

On my Mac simply Apple Music -> Loopback -> Virtuoso, using the Nx Wave head tracker as shown in the video. I have already played with Apple Music -> Loopback -> Audacity to record in 5.1 and 7.1, and that works fine (the resulting FLACs play correctly on my Oppo and Oppo clones). Since I assume artists get royalties for every play, though, listening through Apple Music is better. I do like having copies of the Dolby Reference Tests (5.1/7.1/7.1.4 etc) and this is a way of getting them.

I always watch high quality video via the Oppos, either directly through loading the discs or from NFS mounts of the ISOs. So finding a Mac or WIndows solution isn’t a high priority for me, although I am curious.

Video on Windows appears difficult, particularly since VLC doesn’t do ASIO. Multichannel audio via FOOBAR2000 and a loopback-type connector (“Jack” for example) to Virtuoso should work, but the NX Wave connector is for Macs only (writing one shouldn’t be hard, as it is just a Bluetooth serial device and the specs for both ends are available I believe). Atmos rendering needs the Dolby suite though (Dolby Atmos Renderer and/or Reference Player), and that’s $400.

 

[Litlgi74]

I always watch video via the Oppos, either directly through loading the discs or from NFS mounts of the ISOs.

Slightly confused... So you do have a way to (watch/listen) legacy and Atmos content in a Mac that will communicate with Virtuoso?

I'm guessing you ordered the Supperware head tracker?

 

[Eich1eeF]

Video on Windows appears difficult, particularly since VLC doesn’t do ASIO

Not the public builds, but apparently you can enable ASIO if you compile it yourself.

 

[zdjh22]

Slightly confused... So you do have a way to (watch/listen) legacy and Atmos content in a Mac that will communicate with Virtuoso?

I'm guessing you ordered the Supperware head tracker?

Yes.

Following Michael G. Wagner’s “An Easy Way to Use Apple Music for Referencing Dolby Atmos in Your DAW” YouTube video that I linked above, I installed the trial version of Loopback (free for 20 minutes at a time) and connected Apple Music to Audacity. He connects the same way to Virtuoso. I haven’t tried Virtuoso yet, because I am waiting for the Waves NX head tracker to be delivered (Sweetwater has a nice $79 bundle). Wagner uses the Waves NX head tracker in that particular video along with a free software connector that takes the Waves NX output into Virtuoso.

I have a Supperware tracker on order, but it has to come from the UK and they are off for a week. Wagner referenced the Supperware on the other Atmos video that someone else linked above; it is specifically recommended by Dolby for the Atmos Renderer. I think for my uses the Waves NX will be better since it is wireless (bluetooth) as opposed to the Supperware, which requires a USB cable.

Because I love all things Arduino, I also have the parts (about $15) on order for an nvsonics head tracker. Wagner mentions this design in his “Top 5 Head Trackers for Spatial Audio Production” video. It is supported by Virtuoso as well.

I’ll report back towards the end of the week about Virtuoso on the Mac with Waves NX. The nice thing about using a Mac is that an Atmos renderer is built-in (accessible via the MIDI settings app); I don’t know of a similar thing in Windows except by buying the Dolby suite.

For those who are interested, the time to buy Virtuoso is probably now since their beta offering (“Early Access) is $99 (includes both Windows and Mac) and it includes future upgrades. It comes with 53 speaker layouts, a bunch of the equivalent of HPEQ files for many different headphones, and it supports SOFA HRTFs in case you might have one of those for yourself or a sample to try.

 

[Litlgi74]

Yes.

Following Michael G. Wagner’s “An Easy Way to Use Apple Music for Referencing Dolby Atmos in Your DAW” YouTube video that I linked above, I installed the trial version of Loopback (free for 20 minutes at a time) and connected Apple Music to Audacity. He connects the same way to Virtuoso. I haven’t tried Virtuoso yet, because I am waiting for the Waves NX head tracker to be delivered (Sweetwater has a nice $79 bundle). Wagner uses the Waves NX head tracker in that particular video along with a free software connector that takes the Waves NX output into Virtuoso.

I have a Supperware tracker on order, but it has to come from the UK and they are off for a week. Wagner referenced the Supperware on the other Atmos video that someone else linked above; it is specifically recommended by Dolby for the Atmos Renderer. I think for my uses the Waves NX will be better since it is wireless (bluetooth) as opposed to the Supperware, which requires a USB cable.

Because I love all things Arduino, I also have the parts (about $15) on order for an nvsonics head tracker. Wagner mentions this design in his “Top 5 Head Trackers for Spatial Audio Production” video. It is supported by Virtuoso as well.

I’ll report back towards the end of the week about Virtuoso on the Mac with Waves NX. The nice thing about using a Mac is that an Atmos renderer is built-in (accessible via the MIDI settings app); I don’t know of a similar thing in Windows except by buying the Dolby suite.

Cool... But I guess I should have specifically asked about which video player can be used to stream Atmos content to Virtuoso on Mac?

If it's possible... It's a big deal!

 

[zdjh22]

Cool... But I guess I should have specifically asked about which video player can be used to stream Atmos content to Virtuoso on Mac?

Apple TV (the TV app on the Mac, as opposed to the Apple TV hardware) output supposedly works, although I haven’t tried it. That would allow video content from Apple with Atmos to go to Virtuoso on a Mac. Loopback (or blackhole) introduces some latency, so you might have to futz with audio delay if bad lip syncing drives you crazy (like me).

I just read that Plex on OSX will work too, so I’ll add that to my list of stuff to try this week (I have plenty of MKV movies and TV on my Plex server, but none with spatial audio, just 5.1 - I’ll rip an Atmos disk to try).

 

[Litlgi74]

Apple TV (the TV app on the Mac, as opposed to the Apple TV hardware) output supposedly works, although I haven’t tried it. That would allow video content from Apple with Atmos to go to Virtuoso on a Mac. Loopback (or blackhole) introduces some latency, so you might have to futz with audio delay if bad lip syncing drives you crazy (like me).

I just read that Plex on OSX will work too, so I’ll add that to my list of stuff to try this week (I have plenty of MKV movies and TV on my Plex server, but none with spatial audio, just 5.1 - I’ll rip an Atmos disk to try).

Decoding Legacy (up to 7.1) and channel mapping has been doable for some time, especially on a Mac. But immersive audio, that is another story.

This is very exciting.