Let's say money isn't really a problem, in your opinion, what is the most advanced, next-level VST for binaural/ambisonic /3D stereo widening or whatever you call it? I'm only talking about plugins that you can use in any DAW of course. People keep saying it's DearVR Pro but is it hype or is it really that good compared to other stuff?

Flux Spat Revolution is probably one of if not the top of the line.

I have DearVR Pro, and it is very good. In isolation, the reflections/reverb quality in DearVR isn't my favorite, but for most spatial placement work, it is fine. Spatial placement is very good, and easy to setup and/or automate (at least in ProTools).

I believe Flux Spat uses the same reverb/reflections engine as Flux Verb, and I do like, and use Flux Verb 3. It has been a while since I used Spat, but I am in the process of demoing it. So far, it is far more flexible, but quite a bit more complicated to setup and use.

As far as automating spatial movement, DearVR may be easier to get quick results, and a bit lighter on cpu, but Spat is probably the most extensive I know of.

$349 for DearVR Pro (Plugin Alliance) vs. $1790 for Flux Spat Revolution. Then there are subscription options for both. The price difference reflects the significant feature differences.

DearVR Pro will reduce bass even if placement is directly on top of listening position but that can be compensated externally of course. Placement of the sound source works well and can be had at a discount with PA from time to time.
For simple control and conversion of ambisonics , (may work with binaural), check out the free soundfield plug in from rode.
It is my favorite and I find it more useful than tools that come with Cubase and some commercial offerings.
https://en.rode.com/soundfieldplugin

I compared the realism and sense of the room, and found DearVR Pro surprisingly unrealistic compared to IRs and PAs "room' plugins.
Any alternative binaural panner with a realistic room?
I found s shootout, but it was for Unity (games).

Bumping thread because I just discovered the binaural recordings window in modartt pianoteq and was curious what there was to make other stuff not sound lame and flat by comparison.

From the French thing I'd guess the modartt derives from Ircam/flux. And you do need a stereo analyzer to keep mono comparability under control. But otherwise wow. Bit of an industry secret I guess.

Sorry, but DearVR is total crap.

That's quite an articulate critique.

For a experienced enough music performer and sound engineer I prefer to work with binaural impulse responses and I use EqualizerAPO + Voicemeeter.
A repeat: DearVR is total crap.

What binaural impulse responses do you use?

What is strange about DearVR Pro, having unwisely purchased it in black Friday folly, is that the free DearVR micro (fka Sennheiser Ambeo) is a much better all round product.

There is also the free, interesting but rather flakey Anaglyph: http://anaglyph.dalembert.upmc.fr/

For a black Friday $29 the Fiedler Audio Stage is ok, though more for the fun flanger things it does at extreme settings than its binaural panning.

Dolby Atmos is I guess the new corporate way to skin the ambisonic cat, and is in the latest version of Logic Pro, but my elderly MBP doesn't qualify to install the latest apple os needed for it.

Hi, badmark
please, follow this thread:
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=260496

I have explained it shortly there.

A very intelligent and logical approach. I think the truth is somewhere in between.

1. Definitely I have found headphone correction to be of benefit. Now each person has to decide which correction sounds best to them

2. Definitely some cross-feed is important. Question is how to achieve this.

3. Ambisonics is one approach to the cross-feed

4. Your impulse response is definitely worth examining.

Somewhere in that mix I think is the key.

Thanks for sharing your "binaural impulses".

BRIRs are great and implemented well should get some good spatialization over headphones.
Your uses case however is completely different from the purpose of DearVR pro.

DearVR pro is an algorithmic reflections generator built for the purpose of being able to automate point-source movement in real-time for creative choreography of their spatialization.

BRIR on the other hand is a convolution process, which is generally too CPU intensive for real-time movement of source material. It excels at static binaural mixes, like the use case you provide: monitoring static mixes over headphones as if they were in a real room.

Those are very different objectives.

Agree. IMO, NovoNotes 3DX is far better than DearVR. Both the sound and UI are on another level.

Some further feedback, I did spend some time with the binaural impulses, and they were interesting.

I will post an update on what I think has worked even better for me in a new comment on this thread

ab decoder light, which does 1st Order Ambisonic to Binaural or Stereo decoding, is about the most balanced decoder I have ever used.

I highly recommend it.

And its free..