Halo Vision: A New Way to See Audio
NUGEN Audio launches its new audio analysis suite Halo Vision: a customizable, real-time visual analysis suite that operates on a wide variety of channels for different types of formats. It was designed especially for 3D, immersive, and immersive audio workflows. This plug-in also has a variety of modules that offer audio professionals a more detailed compression of the sound. This plug-in also has a built-in Timecode view that allows for control that was almost non-existent in previous versions. As it’s mentioned on the official website, what makes Halo Vision special is the possibility of displaying a whole spectrum of complex information in a quite intuitive way, “without the need for a crib sheet or tons of on-screen clutter.”
Inspired by well-known solutions such as Halo Upmix from the same brand, Halo Vision features a variety of modules that give audio professionals a comprehensive understanding of every aspect of their sound. Among the tools available are Spectrum, Correlation Web, and Correlation Matrix, and a meter for each channel. All of these modules assist mixing engineers in their decision-making and troubleshooting process, allowing them to identify problem areas that pass under the radar of the human ear.
Specifically, the Correlation Matrix module features a custom arc meter for more detailed analysis and anti-correlation alerts at a user-defined point. The Correlation Web displays a network of channels with an interconnecting line between each pair that lights up when the phase relationship between the two channels becomes anti-correlated. Also, Frequency Haze displays frequency content across the entire surround field, with channel labels at typical speaker positions. These modules and tools enable mixing engineers to pinpoint areas that need adjustment more easily during the decision-making and troubleshooting process. It is worth mentioning that these are usually errors that can go unnoticed.
On the other hand, this tool operates on up to 7.1.2 audio channels with outstanding sound purity, perfect for audio streaming applications and for producing reverb in mono and stereo formats, giving users an unprecedented level of adjustability with zero time stretching. It is also ideal for recreating authentic sounds from real spaces.
There are several interesting traits. In addition to mixing, the plug-in allows for cinematic soundstage enhancement, as well as the reorientation of the original stereo — not to mention TV stereo to mix surround with a hard center. At the same time, new features offer TV file enhancements for broadcasts and are highly downmix compatible. It is a perfect tool for complete mixes, which can be carried out in a novel way thanks to the neural network dialog isolation with which it counts. It is important to note that the plug-in requires a surround-compatible host such as Pro Tools HD.
Halo Vision can be customized, rearranged, and resized to suit any specific workflow. This is ideal for projects that demand surround sound, from music to film projects, as well as those that require specific conditions — not to mention that all mixers have different preferences and styles, so to speak. This plugin offers all the control you need to fine-tune your surround mix to perfection from naturally extracted and expanded soundscapes to full cinematic enhancement of large soundstages. With unique center channel management, including switchable dialog extraction, Halo Vision is perfect for everything from file restoration and television to the full 7.1 movie experience.
Halo’s algorithms produce a coherent and natural spatial mix, preserving the character of the original audio without adding artificial reverb, chorus, or delay. With accurate control enabled, Halo can be used with confidence that the integrity of the original source is accurately preserved in the downmix.
Halo Vision also includes a powerful spatial analysis view, which intuitively displays the energy distribution of the mixed panorama. Color can also be used to indicate the speaker source for audio at any position, clearly indicating cases that include phantom center vs. hard center dominance.
Because Halo Vision generates a coherent spatial sound, you can be assured of a high-quality downmix. The ‘exact’ mode feature ensures maximum mixing performance in situations where it is imperative to maintain the relationship between the original, mixed, and downmixed versions.
The optional immersive 3D extension introduces additional vertical controls through an expanded user interface that includes control over Ltm and Rtm placement for Dolby Atmos compatibility. An additional real-time analysis view is also included for the vertical dimension, showing the power distribution of the output audio. The improved upmixing algorithm allows simultaneous use of all native features, including dialog isolation and individual channel output control. Importantly, this immersive 3D extension is ideal for numerous applications, including sound design, film scoring, restoration and archiving music production, and atmospheric soundscapes.
Of course, the tool is new and there’s still so much to explore and discover. So far, we can say that it is quite an experimental plugin and it offers a plethora of possibilities that can make the mixing job a much more creative experience.
If you need technical advice for your audiovisual projects, don’t hesitate to contact experts like Enhanced Media Sound Studio. We’ll be ready to take your production to the next level!
