Audio Brewers Releases 'ab Advanced Decoder' for Decoding and Beamforming Ambisonics Signals
Audio Brewers has announced the release of ab Advanced Decoder, a new plugin designed to provide flexible and precise decoding of Ambisonics signals.
The plugin is aimed at professionals working in environments that require decoding Ambisonics audio to speaker arrays of up to 64 channels, capturing high-resolution acoustic spots using beamforming techniques, or performing automatic spatial monitoring during live recording with Ambisonics microphones.
Features
The plugin introduces a 'Speaker' mode, which allows decoding to virtually any speaker configuration: from single-speaker setups to immersive formats with up to 64 channels. It supports standard layouts such as Stereo, 5.1, Dolby Atmos, and Auro, as well as fully custom speaker arrays. Each speaker can be freely positioned around the listener, and up to 62 channels can be assigned as LFE.
The plugin also features a 'Spot' mode, powered by the Audio Brewers Beamforming Algorithm, developed in-house to offer high spatial resolution and improved off-axis rejection. In this mode, users can decode Ambisonics signals to specific spatial locations, with independent control over each spot's radius and height.
An additional 'Auto' mode dynamically adapts the decoding direction based on the source of the incoming sound. This feature is particularly useful for applications such as boom operation and podcast recording, where manual orientation is not feasible.
'ab Advanced Decoder' also integrates Audio Brewers' internal upscaler, which allows users to always work in 7th Order Ambisonics (7OA) regardless of the input order or DAW limitations. The plugin automatically detects the incoming order, upscales it to 7OA, and applies decoding accordingly.
A built-in visualizer provides real-time spatial feedback, while a 3D gate attenuates signals that fall below a defined threshold. Additional per-channel controls include high-pass and low-pass filters, gain, mute, and solo functions.
The plugin supports Ambisonics signals from 1st to 7th order (1OA to 7OA) and includes a smart troubleshooting system that analyzes the signal chain and alerts users to potential configuration issues.
Pricing
Intro Price: 119,00€ (159,00€ as a Bundle with all the Audio Brewers decoders) (Through 5 October 2025).
Retail Price: 139,00€ (179,00€ as a Bundle with all the Audio Brewers decoders).
