Ambisonics

Ambisonics is a technique for capturing and encoding a more complete sound field than is possible with simple stereo intensity panning and conventional multi-channel mixing.

Non Mixer has unique support for the Ambisonics LADSPA plugins which makes dealing with the technology rather straight forward.

A simple mix involves placing an encoder (panner) plugin on each strip that represents a sound source. The the cursor of each strip's spatialization controller is then set to position the sound source in space. The outputs of these strips then converge at either an external decoder (software like ambdec or perhaps a hardware device) or a strip containing an Ambisonic decoder plugin (for stereo or quad output).

Below is an example of a mixer strip with an Ambisonics panner plugin and the spatialization control visible:

Below is an example of the JACK routing for an Ambisonics mix using a stereo decoder plugin. In the image source strips in Non-Mixer have four output channels, corresponding to the W, X, Y and Z signals of 1st Order Ambisonics (B-Format).

For a an example of a more advanced mix including reverb, see AmbisonicsReverb.