In this video, I explore MELD from Metric Halo, a $400 channel strip plugin that brings a master bus workflow to Dolby Atmos by allowing you to group and control multiple instances simultaneously with powerful sidechaining capabilities. However, be warned: it currently has a critical bug in Reaper (and potentially other DAWs) where it doesn't save group assignments, so test thoroughly before buying.

In this interview, I sit down with Thorsten Michels, a maker from our Discord community who builds high-quality ambisonics microphones on a budget. We discuss his DIY approach to immersive audio recording and his new website, ambisonic.studio, where he's making his blueprints and knowledge accessible to anyone wanting to get started with spatial audio without breaking the bank.

In this video, I'm testing the latest update to zplane's Elastique Pitch plugin, which now includes multi-channel support for immersive audio workflows including Dolby Atmos and Ambisonics. I demonstrate how well it works across 16 channels by pitch-shifting in the Ambisonics domain, and while it performs flawlessly, I discuss one small UI improvement that would make the multi-channel mode more obvious to users.

In this video, I explore Blue Cat Audio's Patchwork plugin update that now supports 16-channel processing for immersive audio formats like 9.1.6 and third-order ambisonics, demonstrating how to integrate multi-channel beds into Dolby Atmos Composer sessions within stereo DAWs. While the feature works perfectly in the instrument version, I discovered a significant bug in the effects plugin that currently limits it to 8 channels, something I hope Blue Cat Audio will fix soon.

In this episode, I speak with Patrick Kizny, founder of Slovox and creator of the "Singing Watermelons," a family of immersive sound instruments that use beamforming technology to project sound into architectural spaces.

In this video, I answer the ten most important questions about Dolby Atmos for music production, covering everything from how the format works and its journey from cinema to streaming, to the equipment you actually need and common mixing mistakes to avoid. Whether you're mixing on headphones or speakers, this guide will show you that getting started with Atmos is more accessible than you think—and you might already have what you need to begin.

In this Q&A video, I'm answering your most interesting questions about the Fiedler Audio Mastering Console for Dolby Atmos, covering topics like OBAM-compatible plugins, album assembly for Windows users, plugin scanning issues, and how to use processors on individual objects. I also dive into why head tracking matters for immersive audio production, especially for VR/AR applications and as a practical solution for traveling professionals who can't take their Atmos studios on the road.

In this video, I'm reviewing the APL Duopan plugin, a new panning tool that combines traditional amplitude-based panning with time-based panning approaches based on psychoacoustic principles. I'll demonstrate its features including the T-A slider for blending panning methods, the head shadow functionality that mimics natural frequency dampening, the dual band option for frequency-specific panning, and its seamless integration with immersive audio formats.

In this video, I review the IK Multimedia ARC On-Ear, a portable studio simulation device that promises to solve my biggest frustration with the Qudelix 5K—the difficulty of switching between different headphones. I'll show you how this compact, battery-powered device works, demonstrate its on-device headphone correction and studio simulation features, and share whether it lives up to my hopes for a more user-friendly alternative.

In this Q&A video, I'm answering your questions about Eclipsa Audio—covering what it actually is, how it differs from Dolby Atmos, practical concerns about platform support, and why it's currently Mac-only despite being a Google/Samsung technology. I also share my honest concerns about why releasing this technology as open source so early in development might signal a lack of long-term commitment from the companies behind it.

In this follow-up to my Dolby Atmos Mastering Console review, I explore the software's incredible head tracking implementation, which supports both Apple AirPods and the Supperware head tracker with unique features like non-recentering spatial audio and direct MIDI communication that achieves the lowest latency I've ever experienced. This is hands-down the best solution currently available for monitoring Dolby Atmos through headphones, whether you're on the road or working without access to a full Atmos studio.

Today I'm exploring Fiedler Audio's revolutionary Mastering Console 2 for Dolby Atmos - a comprehensive mastering solution that combines multiple workflows into one powerful application, featuring game-changing tools like a true peak limiter that measures post-render while limiting pre-render, Apple Spatial Audio monitoring for Windows users, and the innovative OBAM plugin format for direct metadata manipulation. This bird's-eye overview showcases how the Mastering Console extends far beyond Dolby's own software capabilities, seamlessly integrating into any Atmos workflow while remaining accessible to both professionals and serious hobbyists - with detailed deep-dives on specific features coming in future videos.

In this tutorial, I walk you through the complete workflow of setting up Eclipsa Audio plugins in Reaper to create immersive audio in the IAMF format, covering everything from configuring the renderer and creating audio elements to routing tracks using both built-in and third-party Ambisonics panners. I'll demonstrate the practical process using a four-track session, showing how to work with YouTube's Base profile to create a 16-channel third-order Ambisonics environment with an additional stereo element, and finally export your project as an IAMF file ready for upload.

In this video, I review Plugin Alliance's new Hears Perfection plugin—a hearing correction tool for studio monitoring—and compare it with Altitude Audio's Aria Studio to help you decide which one best suits your needs. While both plugins delivered surprisingly accurate hearing profiles that matched my audiologist's measurements, I found myself preferring Hears Perfection for its simplicity, quick 1-2 minute hearing test, headphone-specific profiles, and more focused frequency correction range that doesn't waste energy on ultra-high frequencies you can't hear anyway.

Dolby quietly added Apple AirPods head tracking support to the Atmos Renderer, burying this game-changing feature in a support article without any proper announcement—and it works with virtually any Apple or Beats headphones containing the H1 or H2 chip. In this video, I'll show you how to set it up, demonstrate its impressive spatial monitoring capabilities in a real mixing session, and even reveal how to use your AirPods as a head tracker for your professional studio headphones.

I'm breaking down four game-changing developments in immersive audio that have been happening behind the scenes: NovoNotes' new format support for 9.1.6 and 7.1.6 configurations, Audio Brewers' revolutionary beamforming decoder, Eclipsa Audio's open-source spatial audio plugins that finally make 3D sound accessible to everyone, and Apple's Spatial Audio Format that transforms static mixes into responsive sound environments. Each of these deserves its own deep dive tutorial which I'll be releasing over the coming weeks, plus there's another massive announcement on the horizon that could revolutionize immersive music production—but I'll have to save that for another day.

In this video, I explore BeatGen from Novo Notes, a new AI-enhanced beat-making software that uses large language models like Claude as a collaborative assistant to help develop drum patterns—a unique approach that's quite different from typical "prompt-to-music" AI tools. While the software is still in early stages with significant limitations (Mac-only, expensive API costs, no MIDI export), I walk through the installation process, demonstrate its capabilities, and discuss why this collaborative AI approach represents an interesting glimpse into the future of music production interfaces.

In this video, I'm kicking off a new FAQ series by answering the 10 essential questions about Ambisonics—the full-sphere surround sound technology that's become the backbone of VR, AR, and 360-degree video. From understanding the B-format and the difference between AmbiX and FuMa standards, to practical guidance on getting started with Ambisonics in your DAW and monitoring your mixes, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about this increasingly important immersive audio format.

"Something Simple ‘25” blends minimalist staging with whimsical, unexpected encounters to explore the longing for authentic connection in a world saturated with noise. The video opens with a girl seated alone on a granite bench against an infinite white background. As the music builds, her stillness becomes a stage for surreal interruptions — a curious robot joins her, a cartoon character pops into frame, a ball drifts by, a puppy bounds into her lap. Each appearance is fleeting, evoking the transient distractions of modern life. Anchored by lyrics yearning to “cut through all the static,” the work contrasts digital absurdity with the quiet search for something real. The result is a lighthearted yet moving examination of simplicity, truth, and human connection during an era of unrelenting stimuli.

In this video, I dive into some of the most fascinating (and frustrating) Dolby Atmos takes I've found on Reddit, tackling everything from claims that it's just a marketing gimmick to confusion about 8D music and whether you need 16 subwoofers to create an earthquake simulator. I separate fact from fiction in the world of spatial audio, explaining why immersive audio is here to stay while addressing the legitimate criticisms and misconceptions that dominate online discussions about Atmos and surround sound.