Blackhole Immersive and MicroPitch Immersive

[Samazar]

I am not a mixing or mastering engineer but love listening to all my 2-channel music via a classic upmixing codec in my home theater processor called Dolby Pro Logic IIx. Some people here may even know of Logic7 developed by Harman which is even better. I am hoping that the Eventide Audio technical team know of these upmixing codecs or hopefully; fellow members of this forum have used them in the past.

Let me explain my objective. I want to be able to invest in hardware (Mac Mini / Mac Studio), good basic interfaces and a DAW just to run the right plug-in that can automatically upmix any 2-channel source to 7.1 channels (or Atmos formats). Let me explain further for the sake of clarification; I want to be able to use a preset in the plug-in or fine-tune a setting and save it as my own custom setting. This will be done only once and never be touched again, I should then be able to listen to all my music which the plug-in will upmix to 7.1 for music listening purposes.

If I can get or better the results provided by Pro Logic IIx and especially Logic7 then that will be fantastic. To be honest, I don’t like the other upmixing codecs available in AV processors and Receivers such as Dolby Surround, Auro 2D/3D and DTS Neural Upmix so please don’t suggest those alternatives. Actually, Pro Logic IIx and Logic7 have been discontinued, coders tried to replicate their effect but could never achieve it effectively because their steering algorithms were never made public.

It’s time to upgrade my system and after a bit of research I came across three plug-ins that seem to be able to do what I want: Penteo, Halo and Blackhole Immersive. I learnt about Blackhole Immersive and MicroPitch Immersive recently via a forum. Penteo seems like a comprehensive solution, Halo has a really nice interface and Blackhole Immersive seems to be simple yet quite capable for my purpose. Is Balckhole immersive a stem based system just like Penteo and Halo?

This is how my workflow needs to be:-

Music Streamer (Spotify, Tidal, Local Library) –> DAC unit (RCA in and Out) –> A good basic interface –> Apple Mac Mini or Studio running a DAW just to run the Plug-in(s) –> Connected to an AV Processor via HDMI-in from the Apple device –> connected to Active speakers.

I presume the crossovers for the lower end will be set in the AV processor. Furthermore, the levels and delays can be setup at the AV processor level.

I need the system to be simple to set-up and reliable in terms of not crashing or having to restart it every now and then.

Any input from fellow members and talented mixing and mastering engineers will be appreciated.

 

[ndeshpande]

This user and I have already discussed some of these high level needs over on gearspace, however I want to open an avenue here for other users to chime in. Additionally, if more people express interest in such use for Eventide Immersive, that can inform how we tune the presets (or even adjust the algorithms) under the hood in future updates. So I want to open up a discussion for other users to chime in here on similar use cases.

[globalwm]

You’ve identified three strong contenders—Penteo, Halo, and Blackhole Immersive. Each has its strengths:

Penteo:

• Overview: Penteo is a professional upmixing tool that’s well-regarded for converting stereo to surround formats. It offers precise control over the upmixing process, allowing you to fine-tune the output to match your personal preferences.
• Capabilities: Penteo is designed for upmixing stereo audio into a wide range of formats, including 5.1, 7.1, and beyond. It uses advanced algorithms to maintain the integrity of the original mix while expanding the soundstage.
• User Experience: The interface is comprehensive, offering various presets and manual adjustments. It’s ideal if you want to dive deep into the nuances of your upmix.

Halo:

• Overview: NUGEN Audio’s Halo is another highly respected upmixing tool. It’s particularly popular in film and broadcast industries for its ability to create natural-sounding upmixes.
• Capabilities: Halo is flexible, supporting upmixing to a variety of surround formats. Its interface is intuitive, with visual tools that help you understand how the audio is being distributed across channels.
• User Experience: Halo’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to save custom presets, ensuring that you can achieve a consistent sound across your music library. It’s also known for being stable and reliable.

Blackhole Immersive:

• Overview: Eventide’s Blackhole Immersive is more recent and focuses on creative spatialization. While it’s a powerful tool, it’s more geared toward creating expansive, immersive environments rather than precise upmixing.
• Capabilities: Blackhole Immersive is not primarily a stem-based system like Penteo or Halo. It excels in creating large, ambient spaces, which might be more suited for _creative_ sound design rather than traditional upmixing.
• User Experience: If your goal is to replicate or better the effects of Pro Logic IIx and Logic7, Blackhole Immersive might not be the best fit as it doesn’t function in the same way as the other two.

Given your goal to replicate or surpass the effects of Pro Logic IIx and Logic7, Penteo and Halo are likely your best options. Penteo might give you the most control if you’re particular about the steering and placement of audio elements, while Halo provides a user-friendly interface with powerful upmixing capabilities.

Blackhole Immersive is excellent for creative sound design but may not meet your specific needs for precise upmixing. It’s more of an artistic tool than a traditional upmixer don’t you feel?

In terms of stability, both Penteo and Halo are industry-standard tools known for their reliability. With a Mac Mini or Mac Studio running these in a dedicated DAW setup, you should experience minimal issues with crashes or the need for frequent restarts.

Hope this helps, and happy listening!

[Author]

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