Even Dolby Laboratories is not yet happy with its own binaural rendering solutions to translate Dolby Atmos mixes in headphones, and several companies have been developing solutions to tackle the problem. Now, Audiomovers introduced its own Binaural Renderer, which was specifically developed for Apple Music. The rendered has the form of a plugin which applies binaural rendering to Dolby Atmos mixes, allowing the user to hear how the Dolby Atmos session audio will sound on Apple Music.
This allows audio engineers to monitor their multichannel audio with the Binaural Renderer for Apple Music in any DAW, and listen live on built-in MacBook and iMac speakers or headphones, where previously this might have involved attempting to export the mix from one DAW into another to check the binaural rendering translation.
Although the development of a Binaural Renderer for Apple Music required working closely with relevant Apple and Apple Music teams to make sure the binauralization works correctly, the plugin is solely a product of Audiomovers, and not created or endorsed by Apple.
In order to ensure personalized HRTF and head-tracking, users must use compatible Apple headphones, including AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, Beats Fit Pro and Beats Studio Pro and on Mac computers with Apple silicon and MacOS 12.3 or later.
This new tool from Audiomovers - the company that was acquired by Abbey Road Studios - will now streamline the mixer's workflow, arriving with additional features like Mute/Solo for every channel and the ability to switch rendering profiles (media, movie).
"Audiomovers Binaural Renderer for Apple Music has immediately improved my workflow. Previously I had been forced to use various frustrating workarounds to emulate how a consumer hears Dolby Atmos content," shares Oli Morgan, Mastering Engineer at Abbey Road Studios.
"It's my job to make sure a release sounds the best it can, no matter where or how it is listened to. Apple Music is one of the major platforms for the consumption of Dolby Atmos content, so it’s imperative I'm on top of how my masters sound there. The Binaural Renderer plugin allows me to do that with accuracy and ease - my top priorities when adding anything to my workflow," he adds.
Dyre Gormsen, multi-platinum selling Grammy-winning engineer, producer and Director and Main Engineer of Eastcote Mastering also says: "As an audio mixer and mastering engineer specializing in immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos, the Binaural Renderer for Apple Music plugin from Audiomovers has simplified my workflow considerably. It has provided me with a newfound sense of confidence when I mix for DSPs like Apple Music to be able to monitor the exact binaural experience for the dedicated streaming platforms."
The Binaural Renderer for Apple Music supports a 7.1.4 input channel layout and works in all major DAWs supporting multichannel audio, such as Pro Tools, Nuendo and Cubase Pro. The plugin comes in VST 3, AAX and AU plugin formats.
The Binaural Renderer for Apple Music retails for $79.99 and is available to buy on Audiomovers.com.
Founded in 2017 by Igor Maxymenko (Waves, Blue Microphones) and Yuriy Shevyrov (Universal Audio, Waves, Avid, Logitech) and acquired by Abbey Road Studios in 2021, Audiomovers developed a set of audio software tools designed for real-time collaboration with anyone in the world and easy audio management within a production system. Audiomovers products include ListenTo, a remote collaboration tool, Omnibus, audio routing virtual patchbay for macOs, and Inject, a plugin to bring external multichannel audio channels to a DAW.
www.audiomovers.com
