Spatial Audio Designer Producer Plus is a suite of three plug-ins for immersive audio mixing and monitoring, supporting formats like Dolby Atmos, MPEG-H, and binaural headphone playback.
Purpose and Core Capabilities
The Spatial Audio Designer (SAD) is a professional audio plug-in suite designed for creating and monitoring immersive audio in any DAW. It uses an advanced virtual bus system to handle a wide range of formats, from 5.1 and 7.1 to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2 through 9.1.6, AURO-3D, MPEG-H, IMAX 3D, and 22.2. This makes it a central tool for mixing, monitoring, and exporting multi-format content.
The Producer Plus edition includes three plug-ins: Send, Mix, and Channel Out, providing a complete mixing and binaural engine with support for up to 330 discrete outputs. It is particularly notable for its object-based processing, which allows unlimited input channels from mono, stereo, or 7.1 sources. The suite also supports MPEG-H authoring and Sony 360 Reality Audio creation using Fraunhofer technology, making it a unique solution for these emerging formats.
Key Workflows and Features
One of the standout features is its ability to reuse existing panning and volume automation data. This means a standard 5.1 mix session can be quickly expanded to a discrete 7.1 mix and then further to a 3D audio mix for home, cinema, VR, or mobile applications. The plug-in also provides binaural virtual loudspeaker processing based on real studio measurements.
This allows monitoring any format with regular headphones when loudspeakers are unavailable. The SAD supports object-based export, letting you render any format discretely using the separate SAD Offline Export Tool. Additional features include OSC control for all inputs and outputs, adjustable GUI with box or sphere panning grids, and per-output monitoring with gain, mute, and solo functions, all of which streamline complex workflows.
Flexible Monitoring and Control
The monitoring capabilities of the SAD are designed for professional flexibility. Outputs can be monitored in any format, and each can be individually calibrated with gain, mute, and solo controls. You can also group outputs for selective monitoring, making it easier to check specific parts of a mix. The plug-in allows you to set up a mix in one environment and then play it back in another on-site or binaurally.
For installations with custom loudspeaker configurations, such as planetariums or themed venues, the SAD can create and export multi-format mixes tailored to those setups. The OSC control (Open Sound Control) is particularly useful for integrating the SAD into larger systems or using external controllers. These features make the SAD a powerful tool for both mixing and quality control in immersive audio production.
Practical Applications and Limitations
In practical terms, the SAD is well-suited for film and game audio post-production, music mixing in immersive formats, and broadcast applications. It excels in producing binaural mixes for headphones, which is critical for mobile and 360/VR content. The ability to encode MPEG-H and Sony 360 Reality Audio makes it a go-to tool for creators targeting these platforms.
However, the Producer Plus edition is a complete solution; a separate In-One plug-in is available for monitoring only, but it does not support MPEG-H creation. For extensive creation beyond monitoring, you would need a Virtual Producer or more expansive license. Note that the SAD Offline Export Tool is a separate product, though it is essential for rendering exports.
Key features
- Supports Dolby Atmos 7.1.2 to 9.1.6, AURO-3D, MPEG-H, IMAX 3D, and 22.2
- Object-based processing with unlimited inputs from mono, stereo, or 7.1
- Up to 330 discrete outputs for various speaker configurations
- Binaural headphone monitoring based on real studio measurements
- Reuse existing panning and volume automation data
- MPEG-H and Sony 360 Reality Audio creation via Fraunhofer technology
- OSC control for inputs and outputs
Best for
Ideal for audio professionals working on immersive formats like Dolby Atmos, MPEG-H, and Sony 360 Reality Audio; for post-production, music mixing, and installation-specific setups requiring flexible monitoring and export.