Sony is making its 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME) technology widely accessible for the first time, moving beyond a select group to offer music, education, and film & TV professionals the ability to produce studio-quality immersive audio mixes using just headphones. The initiative, announced Thursday, aims to democratize high-end audio production through new industry partnerships.
Virtual studio, real sound: At its heart, 360VME lets audio pros replicate the acoustic environment of a multi-speaker recording facility. After a one-time measurement of a reference space, Sony uses personalized Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) profiles and its binaural processing with the captured data to essentially 'clone' that sound field, enabling creators to work anywhere without needing expensive studio time.
Industry hookups: To push 360VME into wider use, Sony is collaborating with key players like Guitar Center Professional and Advanced Systems Group. Guitar Center Pro is already offering public demos at its Hollywood flagship and Nashville Custom House, while Advanced Systems Group, specializing in post-production solutions, will integrate the tech into client projects.
Classroom to blockbuster: The technology isn't just for commercial studios; educational institutions like New York University and the University of Toronto are incorporating 360VME into their audio engineering programs. Highlighting its professional-grade capabilities, Music Business Worldwide reports Sony Pictures' sound teams used the tech on films including Venom: The Last Dance.
The immersive wave: This wider rollout of 360VME clearly signals Sony's deepening commitment to the immersive audio space, building on its existing 360 Reality Audio format and recent creator-focused partnerships. Elsewhere, Apple is continuing to push its Spatial Audio offerings. Beyond just mixing, Sony also provides a suite of tools for 360 Reality Audio creation, and recently partnered with BandLab to bring its spatial sound tech to the social music platform's large user base.
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