Topic: Plugin for B-format to stereo

[WiFiJeff]

Does anyone know of a good plug-in (which will work with Wavelab 6.0) to take B format ambisonic tracks (X, Y, W, Z) to a stereo mix, which allows you to listen to the result of various mix ratios?

Jeff

[Gutbucket]

I use the Tetramic specific standalone version of this, haven't tried the VST version.  The interface appears somewhat different from the photos but the funcionality should be similar- VVMicVST http://vvaudio.com/products  The interface is simple but the visual display of the virtual mic patterns and angles while adjusting the decode is great.  I'd give this a try fist as it's simple, intuitive and works well for me.

There is one has been getting all the buzz in the ambisonic world recently. It is very different than all the others listed here in that it uses psycoacoustic techniques to supposedly get higher than 3rd order equivalent results an allow previously impossible decodes simulating spaced mics, and other things.  I asked the developer a few questions about it but don't really understand how it works yet.  Gorgeous graphics that display not only the virtual mic patterns but the location and intensity of the sound sources as then move about as well.  Costly, but a free demo is available.  Users on the Sursound mailing list seem to really dig it. I've not tried it yet but mean to when I have time to dedicate to it.  Name escapes me and a search hasn't brought it up but I'll find it. [edit]   Harpex http://harpex.net/



Others I've come across but not used are below, most are free. Note that you want one that decodes a virtual stereo microphone pair. A B-Format decoder can also mean decoding to a multichannel ambisonic speaker array, which is not the droid you are looking for.  Avoid anything labled something like 'B-format speaker decoder'-

Soundfield's Surround Zone (dont use the SPS200 specific version), not sure if the non-SPS200 specific version is free or not, ailable for VST and other formats-
http://www.soundfield.com/downloads/szone_platform.php

Dan Courville's VSTs- http://www.radio.uqam.ca/ambisonic/b2x.html

University of York VSTs- http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/mustech/3d_audio/vst/welcome.htmlhttp://www.radio.uqam.ca/ambisonic/b_g.html

Dave Malham's VSTs- http://www.dmalham.freeserve.co.uk/vst_ambisonics.html


Most of these were developed and made availabe form ambisonic and surround researchers.  Some are simple, others get really complex.. down the rabbit hole.

[burris]

I use Dan Courville's Ambisonic Studio plugins.  They are free and work in 32-bit hosts.  I use Reaper as a host.

[Gutbucket]

Found the new one I was looking for, it's called Harpex http://harpex.net/
and also does binarual decoding as well as spaced mic configs (how it synthesizes those from a coincident mic arrangement I still don't know).  The breaktrough of the interface in this one is that in addition to the display of virual mic patern and angle, it also displays the sound source locations and intensities via bolbs of color on the display.  Check out the video on the site, it looks pretty cool.

Note that it only outputs horizontal format stereo, surround or binaural, but that's what you want anyway.  Not sure if it requries the Z (height) input to work properly or not, if it does that could be a problem for you using the Josephson mic with no Z output. 

Remider to make sure your gains are very closely matched across all channels of your input file.  All these plugins make that assumption and the decoding will not match the virtual patterns if not.