xp4l, a new 3d audio system for Ableton live

Hello Elvio,

thanks for your post - we have also a specific thread on ircam forum which seems more appropriate, but i m happy to answer here as well.

The format required here reach the limit of what is possible in Xp and Ableton. Ableton supports only 64 channels routing in max for live. As we use 2 channels for binaural rendering, it leaves actually a maximum of 62 channels out as a maximum out supported for XP.

In your case, you are requested to provide either a 49 or 64 channels wave file corresponding to the encoded ambisonics stream for 6th or 7th order. Given what i said before, you cant provide a 7th order file.

But you could provide a 6th order wave file. To do that you have to work inside a dummy speaker layout template made of enough loudpseaker that the encoded stream is 6th order : from 49 to 62 loudspeaker template, Xp will set automatically a 6th order hoa stream that you can record

It's not ideal for now, but Xp has been designed for live context, where you set your project that corresponds to the concrete speaker layout you are working in. It also secured that the content has been designed for such set up. In the future, you will be able to set the order output you want to encode to whatever your current speaker template, but be aware that a content designed on a 16 hp array, even if ambisonics makes that possible, might not sound as you want if you deploy it onto a 64 loudspeaker array like.

Anyways, in short, to create your content, create a fake dome like template using xp.lsd. Create a preset, and configure your project with this preset, using hoa3d as spat type. Then go in record module in xp.engine, and record the hoa stream.

Look here, we have selected a factory preset made of 49 loudspeaker. When recording the hoa stream, it will record a 49 channel encoded stream - see hoa record bellow.

I would advice to create another template than this one that has under horizon loudspeaker. Try xp.lsd, and reach us if you cant manage this, we will help

Record module : set record the hoa stream.

The rest of the requirement seems fine on XP, as it uses Spat convention. You will likely get the right ACN / SN3D.

My advice here, would be to use XP to generate contents (you record sections etc), but edit the whole piece in reaper, as Ableton still doesnt support multichannel audio file.

Working just in real time might limit your expression/ideas.

let me know if that helps!