Noise Makers, the makers of have released this new plugin, which converts ambisonic B-format signals into 3D binaural audio. It allows manipulations of 3D scenes (rotations and control of spatial width) and contains features specifically designed for immersive listening.As we have discussed in previous podcasts the entry of virtual reality content, needs immersive sound to go with it and so we are seeing a growth in based immersive sound solutions outside of the cinema workflow.As Virtual Reality (VR) grows, we will need a palette of cost effective tools to create immersive binaural audio to go with the images. Noise Makers have already entered this market with which enables you to take mono and stereo audio and pan it around an Ambisonics sound field and now hot on the heels of Ambi Pan, Noise Makers have released Ambi Head. Check out their demo video below to get a sense of what Ambi Head can do and for the best effect listen on headphones or earphones rather than speakers.

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Noise Makers Ambi Head Features. 3D binaural decoding of Ambisonic signals. Spatial width control. Scene rotation (Z axis).

SOFA importer for custom HRTF filters. Goniometer (Lissajous display of the binaural output).

Sampling frequency up to 192 kHz. Support ambiX (WYZX) and FuMa (WXYZ) New in v1.1. Input: B-format (ambiX or FuMa). Output: BINAURAL STEREOAmbisonics BackgroundAmbisonics has been around for decades but for most of it, Ambisonics has been a niche area in the audio sector. However with the rise of appropriate immersive delivery formats like Auro 3D and Dolby Atmos and more recently Virtual Reality, Ambisonics is fast becoming a useful way of acquiring, storing and manipulating multichannel audio in a way that can be used in any of the immersive formats. But what is Ambisonics?Ambisonics is a method of recording and reproducing audio in full 360 degree surround – and while it’s not exactly a new invention, recent developments in software encoding have made it a lot more interesting. And with demand for surround source material skyrocketing with the advent of 3D audio for film and immersive platforms such as virtual reality, Ambisonics is an increasingly useful option.But how does Ambisonics work in the real world, how do you get started – and how do you make the most it?

On the experienced Ambisonics recordist and sound designer John Leonard gives more details in this special hands-on primer.Ambisonics is a “scene-based” paradigm to capture, transform and render 3D audio. It is ideal for 360 videos and interactive media allowing listeners to rotate their head into the scene.First-order Ambisonics can be considered as a 3D extension of mid/side stereo with additional height and depth channels. The resulting 4-channel signal set is called B-format.

Several microphones and plugins exist to record and process B-format. For example:. Soundfield microphones. TetraMicSo straight away you can take the audio recorded by these mics and run it through Ambi Head as it offers a solution for binaural rendering of ambisonic scenes.

The internal filters have been designed for immersive 3D listening. Users can also load their own HRTFs thanks to the integrated SOFA importer.

As the technologies for VR and 360 video rapidly advance and become more accessible, media creators are realising the crucial role that sound plays in achieving realism. Sound designers are exploring this new frontier of 3D audio at the same time that tools for the medium are being developed and introduced. When everything is so new and constantly evolving, how does one learn where to start or decide where to invest time and experimentation?To better understand this process, Andrew from caught up with Korey Pereira who is a sound editor and mixer based in Austin, Texas - who has started to work and develop a workflow in the and 360 audio world based around the format.Andrew: Can you provide some background info about who you are, the work you’ve done, and what you’ve been up to lately?Korey: I’m the Owner and Creative Director at Soularity Sound, an Austin-based post production company. We primarily work with Indie filmmakers, but also do some television and ad work. In addition to my work at Soularity, I also work as a sound editor and mixer at a few other Austin post facilities including Soundcrafter (my credits with them include Linklater’s Boyhood and Everybody Wants Some, as well as TV shows such as Shipping Wars and My 600lb Life).

Andrew: I reached out to you recently because you purchased our NYC Ambisonics library, and I was curious if you were using the library in any VR projects. You responded, “I have been loving the library!! Huge fan of the ambisonics format and what it can do.I am actually working with a filmmaker that is creating a lot of VR content. I am currently in the process of developing a workflow and would like to integrate ambisonic content if possible.” Who is the filmmaker you’re working with, and what kind of VR content are they working on?In the coming months I plan to start creating audio content for VR with a local content creator, Deepak Chetty. Deepak is an amazing filmmaker.

Over the years we have collaborated on a number of projects. Most recently I worked on his stereoscopic 3D Sci-Fi/Action epic film, Hard Reset, which won the 2016 'Best 3D Live Action Short' from the Advanced Imaging Society. The film premiered at the iTV Fest on October 8th where Deepak took home the “Best Director” award.I love Sci-Fi as a genre, because there really are no rules. It lets you really go for it as far as sound.

Deepak has been shifting his creative focus towards 360 content and are hoping to start working together in that aspect in the near future. Deepak: The content I am working on now is mostly non-fiction documentary based content in 360 - mainly environment capture with a throughline of audio storytelling that serves as the backbone of the piece.

I am also looking forward to experimenting with fiction based narratives in the 360 space, especially with the use of spatial audio to enhance immersion for the viewer.Andrew: Prior to meeting Deepak, did you have any experience working with VR / 3D audio?Korey: No, this is my first venture into the world of VR Audio or 3D Audio. I have been mixing in surround for over a decade, but I am excited about the additional possibilities this format brings to the table.Andrew: What have been the most helpful sources for studying up and figuring out a workflow?Korey: The internet! There is such a wealth of information out there and you kind of just have to dive in. The benefit of 360 audio, being a relatively new format, is that people are still willing to talk openly about it. There are a number of sites and user forums and groups that have helped point me towards a workflow that will work for my needs including Designing Sound, AudioVR, Road to VR, and the VR Audio & Immersive Sound group.Andrew: Was there anything particularly challenging to get used to or wrap your head around?Korey: In a lot of ways designing audio for VR is not that different from traditional sound mixing for film. You start with a bed of ambiences and then place elements within a surround space.

I guess the most challenging part of the transition is anticipating how the audience might hear your mix. If the viewer decides to watch a whole video facing the surrounds, how will it sound? Andrew: Can you describe the workflow you’ve established so far? What are some decisions you’ve made regarding DAW, monitoring, software, plugins, tools, formats, order of operation.Korey: I am a Pro Tools guy, so my main goal was finding a solution that works seamlessly inside the environment. As I started looking into different options, the Two Big Ears Spatial Workstation really stood out to me as being the most intuitive and easiest platform to hit the ground running with.

Even better news is that as a result of Two Big Ears joining Facebook, is now available for free from Facebook. Basically you install a Pro Tools plugin that works as a 3D Audio engine and gives you a Pro Tools project with all the routing and tracks laid out for you.

There are object-based tracks that allow you to place sounds within a 3D environment as well as ambience tracks that allow you to add stereo or ambisonic beds as a basis for your mix.The coolest thing about this platform is that it includes a 3D video player that runs in sync with Pro Tools. There is a binaural preview pathway in the template that lets you hear the shift in perspective as you move the video around in the player. Andrew: Some leading companies have recently selected ambisonics as the standard spatial audio format - can you talk a bit about how you utilize ambisonics for VR?Korey: Yeah, I think this is a great decision. I like the “future proof” nature of the ambisonic format. Even in traditional film mixing, I like having the option to export to Stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 depending on the project. Until ambisonic becomes more standardised, I like that the Two Big Ears / FB 360 encoder allows you to export to.tbe B-Format (FuMa or ambiX/YouTube) as well as quad-binaural.I am now a huge fan of the ambisonic format in general.

The Pro Sound Effects (and now & as well) was my first experience using the format and I was totally blown away. In a traditional mixing environment it adds another level of depth to the backgrounds.

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I really look forward to being able to bring it to the VR format as well.