Immersion Networks is not the first software or hardware company to create an ambitious mission statement that talks about the desire to improve the sound of recorded music. But unlike the overwhelming majority of these companies, Immersion Networks went ahead and did it. Also, unlike other companies, Immersion Networks does not want to sell licenses or decoders to enjoy the benefits of hard work. I just want to sell the service.

Despite the fact that it started in 2014, there’s no particular reason music lovers should have heard about Immersion Networks. Despite the fact that its founders are very influential people in the world of audio technology, there is no particular reason you should have heard about them.

However, both Paul Hubert and James’JJ’Johnston seem to be pleased to stay in the background, a product of their recent efforts and ready to be announced by Immersion Networks. It looks like a’Mix³ from Immersion Networks’. Throughout the world, they will get some attention, whether they like it or not. The same is true for Jim Rondinelli, who joined Immersion Networks a little later.

All three qualifications are very impressive. Paul worked with Steve Jobs at Apple to install the first Mac in Prince’s Paisley Park Studios and create an audio format that opens up the possibilities of satellite radio. JJ has long been obsessed with the relationship between audio coding and human perception, and is truly grateful to most people who have heard of digital audio files as one of the main drivers of MP3 codecs. Should be. Meanwhile, Jim has audio engineering and production qualifications to describe an important collection of gold and platinum records.

How can I improve the sound of music?
Immersion networks, especially mix³, started when Paul and JJ asked themselves one of the questions that seemed pretty easy to write down. “How can I improve the sound of my music in the easiest way possible?”

The “better” part of the question is actually is it’s simple. When Paul and JJ say “better,” it really means “as the artist wanted.” By including all the nuances, all the presence, all the intimacy, all the candid musicality, the music has almost evaporated the moment it leaves the recording studio. However, “simple” is clearly a relative term …

Immersion Networks puts every aspect of humans at risk to provide the opportunity for creators to deliver sound as intended and to provide truly spatial audio without the need for any new hardware. I dug deeper. Hearing and perception of sound. For years, the sound reproduction paradigm relied on getting a linear response from a pair of speakers. After all, it has two ears.

But Paul and JJ realized that this was not how sound perception works in the real world. In the real world, there are many clear localization clues that change the sound as you move around in a particular environment. So how do you best reproduce the original sound experience? Which element of the sound field is most important to human perception?

(Image credit: Immersion Network)
Sauron ears
They have tested numerous head-tracking approaches and set up laboratories full of complex equipment of unique design and construction to literally “listen” to the ear canals of hundreds of individuals.

To assess how sound travels to different parts of the listener’s ear and the associated microsecond differences, they built a device informally known as the “Sauron’s ear.”

They learned that timing is an important parameter when trying to evoke a sense of space (and its placement within that space). So they figured out how to capture a frankly incredible amount of information about sound timing and how to extract it into the important information that listeners need to experience truly spatial audio. ..

He devised a way to deliver this information via Angkor without the need for new hardware, special speakers, or headphones. In effect, they have discovered a potential superpower sleeping in your existing audio equipment.

Spatial audio

(Image credit: Immersion Network)
Democratization of spatial audio
The result is exciting for two very clear reasons. First, they have created an end-to-end cloud-based platform that makes very advanced audio processing capabilities available to everyone. Immersion Networks mix³ is the entire system for capturing, creating, mixing, and delivering spatial audio, resulting in a sound that is almost astonishing in its immediacy. mix³ is intended to place the listener where it was always intended.

“Surround sound systems often rely on the room they are in to do the hard work, or they need to do some computational room simulations,” Paul explains. “Both approaches make it difficult to get close to the listener. It makes the sound feel like it’s coming right next to you-and that’s the magical place.” The immersion network transcoding process is “normal. Turns the stereo master into completely immersive audio. It allows you to whisper in your ears or stand on your toes behind, just as you would shock and awe from a cave-like sound stage.

We make you feel that the sound is coming right next to you-and that’s where the magic is

Paul Hubert
And second, Immersion Networks sees mix³ as a service, not a hardware setup or licensing opportunity. “Established big brands like Dolby want to sell licenses or decoders,” says Paul. “Our model changes that. The author can retrieve and transcode any content without making any additional changes.”

Audio creators can quickly deliver transcoded, fully immersive mixes by simply uploading the file to the immersive network platform. The associated costs are simply the use of the platform, and Immersive Networks categorically claims that the service will be affordable for bedroom musicians and DIY creators as well. “We provide people with the tools they need for a $ 50,000 Mac Pro to run in the studio,” Paul says. “Cloud processors provide access to everyone.”

So, “How can I improve the sound of my music in the easiest way possible?” As a result, the most powerful audio technology has been democratized, allowing musicians and creators to enhance and deepen the emotional impact of their work. “We never forget the emotional aspect of providing something with spatial audio,” Paul emphasizes. “You feel part of the experience. You feel the presence.”

Immersion Networks mix³ will be available from mid-May 2021 https://mixcubed.com/.. And in the meantime These demos Find out what you can do with your existing music player and headphones in combination with mix³.

The company makes immersive spatial audio available to everyone