AmbiExplorer
$3.99
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About AmbiExplorer
Video for version 2.0: http://youtu.be/gOsfo8or_0E
AmbiExplorer allows you to listen and explore ambisonic B-Format and UHJ audio files. It does it by decoding to stereo binaural or virtual microphones. You can decide were you want to be facing in the soundfield by moving a virtual 3D panner that lets you rotate and set the angles for either the virtual human head or the virtual microphones. The polar patterns for the microphones can be set ranging from omni-directional to bi-directional.
Instead of manually moving the panner the positioning sensors in a phone or a Bluetooth tracking device can be used to point in the direction you want to face. This can give you the option of attaching the sensing device to the top of your head or headphones and get a more realistic immersive 3D sound experience (head tracked binaural).
Support:
For any questions, suggestions or issues please email me using the Developer's Send Email link located below.
Important Compatibility Notes:
* This app currently requires Android version 4..0 or above and works better on devices with a powerful CPU. Work is being done to make it compatible with previous Android versions.
* For the positioning feature using sensors, a device with accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer (compass) is required. If your device doesn't have these sensors this feature will be disabled.
* This app has been tested on a Samsung Galaxy S3, Nexus 7 and Samsung Note 10.1. It will very likely work on many more devices but please try to check as soon as you install so you can request a refund if necessary (Google gives a 15 minute time window only). Before requesting a refund try contacting the developer.
Features:
- First order B-Format and UHJ playback (future updates will support higher orders)
- Optimized CIPIC HRTFs from the Ambisonic Toolkit www.ambisonictoolkit.net and LISTEN
- Library management with export and import locally and online via .ambxp files (csv format)
- Geotagging, map and location aware playback
- Plays B-Format from one 4 channel or two 2 channel files and UHJ stereo files (wav, aiff, amb or ogg)
- Decodes to binaural, stereo virtual microphones or stereo UHJ
- Soundfield rotation and virtual mic positioning using a multitouch interface
- Use the device's orientation sensors or external Bluetooth devices for head-tracking (based on: https://github.com/ptrbrtz/razor-9dof-ahrs/wiki/Tutorial )
- Offline export to wav or ogg files
- Audio file sharing with your other audio file enabled apps (DropBox, SoundCloud, Google Drive, etc.)
- 5 band equalizer
If you are new to ambisonics:
Ambisonics is a recording and reproduction system that was invented by Michael Gerzon of the Mathematical Institute in Oxford. This system allows to record the full 360 degrees of sound and later reproduce it through any number of speakers or headphones. These recordings can be processed to get audio signals that are equivalent to having placed a specific type of microphone pointing in a specific direction. This means it is possible to record and later decide where to place the microphones.
Ambisonic recordings can be made using a commercially available Tetrahedral microphone. The B-format files obtained from these recordings are the ones this app can play.
Instead of recording, you can also create surround mixes using already available ambisonic plugins that can be used in your multitrack audio editor. These mixes can be exported as B-Format and played with this app giving them the possibility of interactive, realistic listening.
Ambisonic recording used in the video by John Leonard and the Orfeo Trio
http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/soundmanjohn/ambisonicfile.2008-04-14.9034658665
Some external web resources:
What is ambisonics?
http://cec.sonus.ca/econtact/Diffusion/Ambisonics.htm
What is UHJ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambisonic_UHJ_format
Download and share B-Format recordings:
http://ambisonia.com/
AmbiExplorer allows you to listen and explore ambisonic B-Format and UHJ audio files. It does it by decoding to stereo binaural or virtual microphones. You can decide were you want to be facing in the soundfield by moving a virtual 3D panner that lets you rotate and set the angles for either the virtual human head or the virtual microphones. The polar patterns for the microphones can be set ranging from omni-directional to bi-directional.
Instead of manually moving the panner the positioning sensors in a phone or a Bluetooth tracking device can be used to point in the direction you want to face. This can give you the option of attaching the sensing device to the top of your head or headphones and get a more realistic immersive 3D sound experience (head tracked binaural).
Support:
For any questions, suggestions or issues please email me using the Developer's Send Email link located below.
Important Compatibility Notes:
* This app currently requires Android version 4..0 or above and works better on devices with a powerful CPU. Work is being done to make it compatible with previous Android versions.
* For the positioning feature using sensors, a device with accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer (compass) is required. If your device doesn't have these sensors this feature will be disabled.
* This app has been tested on a Samsung Galaxy S3, Nexus 7 and Samsung Note 10.1. It will very likely work on many more devices but please try to check as soon as you install so you can request a refund if necessary (Google gives a 15 minute time window only). Before requesting a refund try contacting the developer.
Features:
- First order B-Format and UHJ playback (future updates will support higher orders)
- Optimized CIPIC HRTFs from the Ambisonic Toolkit www.ambisonictoolkit.net and LISTEN
- Library management with export and import locally and online via .ambxp files (csv format)
- Geotagging, map and location aware playback
- Plays B-Format from one 4 channel or two 2 channel files and UHJ stereo files (wav, aiff, amb or ogg)
- Decodes to binaural, stereo virtual microphones or stereo UHJ
- Soundfield rotation and virtual mic positioning using a multitouch interface
- Use the device's orientation sensors or external Bluetooth devices for head-tracking (based on: https://github.com/ptrbrtz/razor-9dof-ahrs/wiki/Tutorial )
- Offline export to wav or ogg files
- Audio file sharing with your other audio file enabled apps (DropBox, SoundCloud, Google Drive, etc.)
- 5 band equalizer
If you are new to ambisonics:
Ambisonics is a recording and reproduction system that was invented by Michael Gerzon of the Mathematical Institute in Oxford. This system allows to record the full 360 degrees of sound and later reproduce it through any number of speakers or headphones. These recordings can be processed to get audio signals that are equivalent to having placed a specific type of microphone pointing in a specific direction. This means it is possible to record and later decide where to place the microphones.
Ambisonic recordings can be made using a commercially available Tetrahedral microphone. The B-format files obtained from these recordings are the ones this app can play.
Instead of recording, you can also create surround mixes using already available ambisonic plugins that can be used in your multitrack audio editor. These mixes can be exported as B-Format and played with this app giving them the possibility of interactive, realistic listening.
Ambisonic recording used in the video by John Leonard and the Orfeo Trio
http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/soundmanjohn/ambisonicfile.2008-04-14.9034658665
Some external web resources:
What is ambisonics?
http://cec.sonus.ca/econtact/Diffusion/Ambisonics.htm
What is UHJ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambisonic_UHJ_format
Download and share B-Format recordings:
http://ambisonia.com/
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App History & Updates
What's Changed
New in 2.5
* Device orientation settings for internal sensors (allows to hold device in portrait or landscape, horizontal and vertical)
New in 2.4
* Significant LISTEN HRTF decoding improvements (based on ambdec preset)
New in 2.3
* Fixed virtual microphones wrong separation angle with elevations other than 0
For full list of changes: http://www.hcenteno.net/software/AmbiExplorerChangeLog.txt
2.0 Video: http://youtu.be/gOsfo8or_0E
New in 2.5
* Device orientation settings for internal sensors (allows to hold device in portrait or landscape, horizontal and vertical)
New in 2.4
* Significant LISTEN HRTF decoding improvements (based on ambdec preset)
New in 2.3
* Fixed virtual microphones wrong separation angle with elevations other than 0
For full list of changes: http://www.hcenteno.net/software/AmbiExplorerChangeLog.txt
2.0 Video: http://youtu.be/gOsfo8or_0E
Price update Price changed from $3.91 to $3.99.
Price update Price changed from $3.34 to $3.91.
Version update AmbiExplorer was updated to version 2.5
More downloads AmbiExplorer reached 100 - 500 downloads
What are users saying about AmbiExplorer
M
by M####:
by M####:
This little app makes it possible to try head-tracked binaural rendering at no extra cost, if your phone has a compass and gyroscopes. Before, only a few researchers and even fewer professional audio engineers had access to such systems, now everyone can try. I was surprised how, after a short period of getting accustomed to the generic HRTFs, the sounds I hear were leaving my head and taking their proper place around me. If you aren't afraid of looking very geeky indeed, put the phone on the table in front of you, select a file, enable the sensors, reset, press play, and carefully tuck the phone under the headband of your phones, maintaining its orientation. Now the sonic image will follow your head around. Clunky, but after a few seconds to minutes your brain will buy into the illusion, which is a great experience.
by T####:
This little app makes it possible to try head-tracked binaural rendering at no extra cost, if your phone has a compass and gyroscopes. Before, only a few researchers and even fewer professional audio engineers had access to such systems, now everyone can try. I was surprised how, after a short period of getting accustomed to the generic HRTFs, the sounds I hear were leaving my head and taking their proper place around me. If you aren't afraid of looking very geeky indeed, put the phone on the table in front of you, select a file, enable the sensors, reset, press play, and carefully tuck the phone under the headband of your phones, maintaining its orientation. Now the sonic image will follow your head around. Clunky, but after a few seconds to minutes your brain will buy into the illusion, which is a great experience.