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Comment by dekhn | Hacker News Reader

IIUC, I'd be able to take individual closely miked recording on multiple different instruments and mix them into a soundspace, such that when I listen on stereo headphones, I'd be able to "locate" the sounds on a virtual stage?

(asking because I listen to a lot of live jam music in stereo and noticed that they use a stereo mix with a virtual image)

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Yes exactly - this was something I wanted to achieve.

For example, you could have an entire orchestra with each instrument close miked - and then arranged in audiocube in a vritual concert hall.

The user could even move around the space for full placement control - or you could simply render it to a binauralized stereo file for more immersive listening on headphones.

I'd like to develop a mobile "listening" app, which isn't for making projects, but listening to them and placing you in the virtual environment with control

That's how normal panning works, yes (or using a stereo pair of ambient mics, same thing but baked into the recording). But that's left-right only, I assume that these Atmos tools can do it in 3D space.

Does that work if you only have a pair of stereo headphones?

I've had quad speakers before (with a "delay" unit for the rear speakers) but I think it would be hard to do 3D in stereo (I know about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_audio_effect and HRTFs but I have never noticed any 3d-ness to the sound I'm listening to in games).

Yes, on standard stereo headphones, a binauralized sound can give the impression of sound coming from all around your head. It mimics the filtering acoustic effects applied by your head and ears

Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA

I hear stereo, but no 3d effect beyond distance from microphone attenuating volume.

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