What is AURO-3D?
The AURO-3D speaker configurations are designed along three layers of sound (surround, height and overhead ceiling), building on the single horizontal layer used in the 5.1 or 7.1 sound format.
The AURO-3D technology creates a spatial sound field by adding a height layer around the audience on top of the traditional 2D surround sound system.
This additional layer reveals both localized sounds and height reflections complementing the sounds that exist in the lower surround layer.
The height information that is captured during recording is mixed into a standard 5.1 or 7.1 surround PCM carrier, and during playback the Auro-3D decoder extracts the originally recorded height channels from this stream.
Figure 4 – 1 | Simplified Illustration of Legacy Audio Formats and AURO-3D Formats
Hardware Setup
Connect the speakers to the audio outputs of your audio interface in order to mix in 3D with the AURO-3D Export plugin.
Note that supported audio formats (immersive, surround or 1D) depends on the DAW.
Please refer to Chapter 5: “DAW Routing Approaches” for more information.
The following Figure 4 – 2 illustrates examples of hardware setups for the most popular AURO-3D formats.
Figure 4 – 2 | Examples of AURO-3D Speaker Configurations
Mixing in 3D with the AURO-3D Export Plugin
STEP 1: Select the Desired Audio Format
Configuring the audio project for supporting a certain audio format (immersive, surround or 1D) depends on the DAW.
Please refer to Chapter 5: “DAW Routing Approaches” for more information.
STEP 2: Insert the AURO-3D Export Plugin on the Master Track
The AURO-3D Export Plugin treats all audio channels at the very end of the audio chain.
STEP 3: Start Panning Audio Sources
Simply use the panners natively provided by the DAW to pan the audio sources in 3D.
STEP 4: Listen to the Different Versions of the Mix
While mixing, the AURO-3D Export plugin lets you:
• Listen to a Binaural Version of your mix using Auro-Headphones technology. (Free)
• Listen to a Stereo Downmix version of your mix. (Free)
• Listen to an Auro-Codec encoded version of your mix using the Auro-Codec Encoder. (Auro-Codec Encoding License Required)
• Decode Auro-Codec Encoded content using the Auro-Codec Decoder. In that case, the AURO-3D Export plugin should not be inserted on the master track but directly on the audio track containing the Auro-Codec encoded content instead. (Auro-Codec Encoding License Required)
STEP 5: Export Your Mix
In order to export your mix, you can:
• Use the bounce options natively provided by the DAW to export your Immersive Mix, Binaural Mix or Stereo Downmix. (Free)
• Configure the Auro-Codec Encoder and export your encoded mix using the Auro-Codec Encoder Export Button. (Auro-Codec Encoding License Required)