Wave Arts

The Definitive 3D Spatializer

Panorama is a virtual acoustics processor that can produce stunningly realistic auditory scenes for playback over headphones or loudspeakers. Panorama uses 3-D audio and acoustic environment modeling technology to simulate the acoustics of sound propagation in real spaces.

Panorama has many possible uses, including:

3D audio production. Insert Panorama on each track in a mix, and use Panorama to pan the individual sounds around in the virtual space. This works best for headphone mixes (think of the possibilities for podcasting), but the same concept can be used for loudspeaker playback. You can use the sequencer to set up motion trajectories for the sources, or simply automate them.

Stereo panning effects. In conventional stereo mixes, sometimes you have a sound you want to treat specially. By applying 3D processing, Panorama can be used to create a panning effect that stands out from conventional power panning.

Stereo “auto-pan” effects. Panorama can work as a conventional stereo panner, and it has a powerful sequencer to automate pan positions. Hence you can create all sorts of modulating pan effects.

Stereo widening. Panorama can process stereo mixes to sound very wide when played back over loudspeakers.

Virtual monitoring. Panorama can be used to simulate stereo and surround playback for headphone playback.

Some of what’s new in Panorama 7:

• The big new feature is the position sequencer, which can be used for trajectory automation and beat-synced musical effects (auto-pan). The sequencer works by panning the sound along a set of trajectory waypoints.
• All new UI look with dark theme.
• Larger UI area for panning, now including side and rear view options.
• Larger virtual area for panning. Previously Panorama 6 allowed from -10 to +10 feet, Panorama 7 allows from -100 to +100 feet.
• Zoom in/out control.
• Support for SOFA format HRIRs. SOFA (Spatially Oriented Format for Acoustics) is a standard file format used for interchange of head-related impulse responses. Support for SOFA data is provided via a conversion application called Sofa2Pan that converts from SOFA format to Panorama format.
• Improved support for third-party HRIRs: HRIRs are specified by filename and are sample rate converted to the session rate when loaded.
• Implemented “Near Head Model”. This improves reproduction accuracy for positions close to head by applying additional head shadowing based on a spherical head model.
• Added “Stereo Pan” HRIR to implement traditional stereo panning.
• Added “Stereo Passthru” HRIR to implement proper binaural to loudspeaker conversion.

For researchers, academics, or DIYers who want to explore using custom HRIRs, here are some resource links:

• Sofa2Pan application
• PDF document describing Panorama HRTF file format
• Zipfile of MATLAB functions to read and write Panorama HRTFs

Highlights

• Head-related impulse response (HRIR) based binaural synthesis
• Early room reflection modeling
• Late diffuse reverberation
• Doppler pitch effect
• Distance modeling
• Position sequencer for automating trajectories and creating musical panning effects (auto-pan)
• Crosstalk canceling based on real head models for loudspeaker playback
• Support for SOFA format HRIRs
• Support for user supplied HRIRs
• Conventional stereo panning mode
• Binaural to loudspeaker conversion

MR Gate is a full featured expander/gate that can be used to gate noise during quiet sections.

It’s a very comprehensive gate implementation with adjustable lookahead, variable ratio, attack and decay times, etc. In addition, it has a scrolling time display that shows the level of the input signal and the gate attenuation, very handy for setting up the parameters. Also, it has a monitor feature that lets you hear the gated signal which is kind of cool for listening to the background without the foreground.

Features:

• Gate with threshold, ratio, attack and release times
• Adjustable lookahead
• Comprehensive metering
• Dynamic display shows recent history of input and gain levels
• Monitor allows you to hear gated signal
• Latency compensation via compatible hosts
• Up to 192 kHz sampling rate
• Mono or stereo

MR Click combines click and crackle filtering for cleanup of phonograph recordings or other impulsive contamination.

MR Click has separate processors for clicks and crackles because of the different nature of the contaminants.

We use the term “click” to mean a large disturbance, such as caused by a phonograph scratch or a splice in a digital signal.

The click processor automatically detects clicks and reconstructs the audio signal in the neighborhood of the click to eliminate it.

We use the term “crackle” to mean the high frequency scratchiness you get from dust or wear in the grooves of a phonograph.

The crackle processor automatically detects crackle and eliminates it by smoothing the signal in the neighborhood of the crackle event. The crackle processor also contains an onset detector that will inhibit de-crackling the onset of events like snare hits or cymbal crashes.

MR Click has a scrolling time display that shows all the click and crackle events detected, so you can easily adjust the detection thresholds. There is also a monitor feature to hear the removed clicks and crackles.

MAIN FEATURES

• Separate algorithms optimized for click and crackle processing
• Sophisticated detection algorithms for clicks and crackle focus processing on contaminating events
• Onset detection allows crackle processing to bypass onset events, keeping attacks bright
• Monitoring feature for hearing eliminated clicks and crackle
• Comprehensive stereo display of signal level, clicks, crackle, and onset events
• Latency compensation via compatible hosts
• Up to 192 kHz sampling rate
• Mono or stereo