Stories with Tag 3D audio

• Show HN: AudioNimbus – Steam Audio's immersive spatial audio, now in Rust

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  Posted: 2025-03-12 15:58:36

  Verbose tl;dr

  AudioNimbus is a Rust implementation of Steam Audio, Valve's high-quality spatial audio SDK, offering a performant and easy-to-integrate solution for immersive 3D sound in games and other applications. It leverages Rust's safety and speed while providing bindings for various platforms and audio engines, including Unity and C/C++. This open-source project aims to make advanced spatial audio features like HRTF-based binaural rendering, sound occlusion, and reverberation more accessible to developers.

  Maxence Maire has introduced AudioNimbus, a Rust implementation of Valve's Steam Audio spatial audio technology. This project aims to provide a robust, high-performance, and easily integrable solution for developers seeking to incorporate realistic 3D audio into their applications, particularly games and interactive experiences. Originally developed by Valve and implemented in C++, Steam Audio leverages advanced algorithms to simulate how sound interacts with the environment, leading to a more immersive and believable soundscape. AudioNimbus seeks to replicate and potentially expand upon this functionality by re-implementing the core principles of Steam Audio using the Rust programming language. This choice of Rust offers several potential advantages, including memory safety guarantees that can prevent crashes and vulnerabilities common in C++ development, as well as improved performance due to Rust's focus on low-level optimization and lack of garbage collection. Furthermore, Rust's modern features and tooling could streamline the development process and make integration into various projects simpler and more efficient. Maire's implementation, currently available on GitHub, appears to be actively under development, focusing on porting key aspects of the original Steam Audio SDK, including HRTF-based binaural rendering, sound occlusion and diffraction calculations, and potentially support for various audio APIs. This project represents a significant step towards making high-quality spatial audio more accessible to developers, particularly those working within the Rust ecosystem, offering a potentially safer, faster, and more modern alternative to the original C++ implementation. While still a work in progress, AudioNimbus holds promise for enriching the audio experiences of games and other applications by providing a powerful and flexible tool for realistic 3D sound rendering.

  • Rust
  • Audio
  • spatial audio
  • Steam Audio
  • Game Development
  • Game Audio
  • immersive audio
  • 3D audio
  • Sound Design
  • Library
  • Open Source
  • Cross-Platform

  Summary of Comments ( 7 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43344595

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN users generally praised AudioNimbus for its Rust implementation of Steam Audio, citing potential performance benefits and improved safety. Several expressed excitement about the prospect of easily integrating high-quality spatial audio into their projects, particularly for games. Some questioned the licensing implications compared to the original Steam Audio, and others raised concerns about potential performance bottlenecks and the current state of documentation. A few users also suggested integrating with other game engines like Bevy. The project's author actively engaged with commenters, addressing questions about licensing and future development plans.

  The Hacker News post "Show HN: AudioNimbus – Steam Audio's immersive spatial audio, now in Rust" generated several comments discussing the project, its potential applications, and some technical details.

  Several commenters expressed excitement about the project, particularly its potential for gaming and VR applications. They praised the use of Rust, citing its performance benefits and memory safety. One commenter specifically mentioned the desire for easier integration of spatial audio into game engines like Bevy.

  Some discussion revolved around licensing and the original Steam Audio implementation. One user inquired about the licensing implications of basing the project on Steam Audio, and the author clarified that AudioNimbus is licensed under the MIT license, distinguishing it from Steam Audio's more restrictive license. Another commenter mentioned the apparent abandonment of Steam Audio by Valve and expressed hope that AudioNimbus could fill that gap.

  Technical aspects of the project were also touched upon. A commenter questioned the performance characteristics, particularly regarding CPU usage, which the author acknowledged as an area needing improvement. Further technical discussion involved the use of HRTFs (Head-Related Transfer Functions), a key component of spatial audio, and how they are implemented within AudioNimbus. One commenter specifically inquired about the use of OpenAL, to which the author replied they are looking for feedback on OpenAL examples and integration before officially supporting it. There was interest in WASM (WebAssembly) support as a desired feature for web-based applications.

  Finally, some users expressed interest in contributing to the project, showcasing community engagement and the potential for future development. The author responded positively to these offers, further reinforcing the collaborative nature of the project.

• Show HN: Audiocube – A 3D DAW for Spatial Audio

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  Posted: 2025-01-30 13:12:34

  Verbose tl;dr

  Audiocube is a 3D digital audio workstation (DAW) designed specifically for spatial audio creation. It offers a visual, interactive environment where users can place and manipulate audio sources within a 3D space, enabling intuitive control over sound positioning, movement, and spatial effects. This approach simplifies complex spatial audio workflows, making it easier to design immersive soundscapes for games, VR/AR experiences, and other interactive media. The software also integrates traditional DAW features like mixing, effects processing, and automation within this 3D environment.

  The newly launched application, Audiocube, presents itself as a groundbreaking three-dimensional Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) specifically designed for crafting immersive spatial audio experiences. Unlike traditional DAWs that operate on a two-dimensional timeline, Audiocube employs a visually intuitive 3D interface where users can manipulate audio sources within a virtual space. This allows for precise placement and movement of sounds around a listener, creating dynamic and realistic soundscapes.

  The core functionality of Audiocube revolves around positioning virtual sound sources within this 3D environment. Users can intuitively drag and drop audio files, representing instruments, vocals, or sound effects, into the virtual space. The spatial positioning of these sources directly translates to the perceived location of the sound in the final output, enabling the creation of complex auditory scenes where sounds emanate from various directions and distances. This provides an innovative workflow for composing and mixing immersive audio for applications such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), games, and other interactive media.

  Audiocube's interface facilitates not only static positioning but also the dynamic movement of sound sources within the 3D space. Users can automate the trajectories of these virtual sound objects, creating intricate and evolving soundscapes that unfold over time. This dynamic control over sound placement allows for highly expressive and interactive audio experiences.

  Furthermore, Audiocube offers traditional DAW features integrated within its 3D environment. Users have access to standard audio processing tools, such as equalization, compression, and reverb, enabling detailed sound sculpting and mixing within the spatial context. This combination of spatial audio control and traditional audio processing tools provides a comprehensive platform for producing sophisticated and immersive auditory content. The software aims to simplify the complexities often associated with spatial audio production, making it more accessible to a broader range of creators and developers. The platform is being presented as a novel approach to audio production, pushing the boundaries of how sound is created and experienced.

  • spatial audio
  • 3D audio
  • DAW
  • digital audio workstation
  • audio production
  • Music Production
  • audio engineering
  • Sound Design
  • immersive audio
  • VR audio
  • AR audio
  • XR audio
  • ambisonics
  • binaural audio
  • audio software
  • music software
  • Music Technology
  • audio technology

  Summary of Comments ( 64 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42877399

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN commenters generally expressed interest in AudioCube, praising its novel approach to spatial audio workflow and the intuitive visual interface. Several questioned the practicality for complex projects, citing potential performance issues with many sound sources and the learning curve associated with a new paradigm. Some desired more information about the underlying technology and integration with existing DAWs. The use of WebGPU also sparked discussion, with some excited about its potential and others concerned about browser compatibility and performance. A few users requested features like VST support and ambisonics export. While intrigued by the concept, many adopted a wait-and-see approach pending further development and user feedback.

  The Hacker News post for AudioCube, a 3D DAW for spatial audio, has generated a modest amount of discussion, with a handful of comments focusing on a few key themes.

  Several commenters express interest in the potential of spatial audio and its applications beyond music production, specifically mentioning its relevance for game development and VR experiences. They see tools like AudioCube as a valuable step towards making spatial audio creation more accessible.

  One commenter questions the practical need for a dedicated 3D DAW, suggesting that existing DAWs with robust panning features might already offer sufficient control over spatial audio. This sparks a small discussion about the limitations of traditional panning and the benefits of a truly 3D workflow for creating immersive soundscapes.

  Another thread focuses on the technical challenges of working with spatial audio, including the complexity of headphone virtualization and the need for specialized listening environments. Commenters acknowledge these difficulties but also express optimism about the ongoing advancements in the field.

  A few comments also touch upon the business model of AudioCube, with some users inquiring about pricing and licensing options.

  While the discussion isn't extensive, it reflects a genuine interest in the potential of spatial audio and the role of tools like AudioCube in shaping its future. The comments highlight both the excitement and the challenges associated with this emerging technology. Notably, nobody seems to have actually used the software yet, primarily focusing on the concept and its potential.