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In terms of affordability, a DAW with an integrated Dolby Atmos Renderer (i.e. Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc.) is the simplest and cheapest way to go. As long as your audio output device supports the channel configuration you want to use (i.e. 12 outputs for 7.1.4) and the drivers work with your planned OS, you should be fine. There may be limitations depending on the DAW when it comes to monitor control and specific Dolby Atmos features, but those vary and your needs will determine what tools you use.
If you provide some more context on what you are trying to do I can provide some more detailed information.
-B
2020 Mac mini M1 osx Monterey running
Pro Tools Ultimate 2022 with an HDX card in an external chassis through a
C24 (why we haven't updated past PT 2022)
Lynx Aurora 8 classic as our converter
Now I'm thinking everything can stay except get an Aurora classic 16 (for less than $1k on reverb) and that will take care of all the outputs I need, the c24 only supports 5.1 so it'll basically just be a monitor controller and all the mixing will be done in the box.
Does this sound doable?
Thank you!
The potential issue in that system would be the flow between the HDX, C24 and Aurora. For any speaker-based system, you need a core audio output device that supports the output channel count you are using. In this case, the HDX card would be the output device, and you would need to pass the output of that (i.e. 7.1.4) to the speakers. I'm not sure how that would work with the C24 in between the HDX and the Aurora.
As I mentioned above, at some point in the chain there needs to be a monitor controller that can do things like gain, eq, delay, and bass management for individual speakers in the system. The Dolby Atmos Renderer application has some basic functionality that can be used, but needs to be running and rendering for that processing to apply (which is not the case with an internal DAW renderer in Logic or Pro Tools). Generally this is done on an output device that has dedicated DSP (MTRX with SPQ card, RME Fireface, DAD Thundercore, etc.).
Are you planning setting up new speakers as well? What is your potential speaker layout?
-B
I did some testing today and it actually works! I used our Aurora 8 classic so I was only able to hook up 8 speakers but it was just for testing to see if this would even work so I don't see why an Aurora 16 classic wouldn't work to give me all the outputs I need. What's odd is that the faders on the c24 still control volume to each individual track but I lose the master volume pot, so I'm using the output of the dolby renderer. You're probably shaking your head saying "this poor dude, what is he even doing" lol. Hopefully this is temporary just to get me in the game and as I get more clients for dolby mixing I'll be able to reinvest in a REAL atmos setup. I'm planning on the typical 7.4.1 layout, I'll need to get a couple of speakers but it won't be anything fancy, no $2k ATCs.
I'm still running into a few kinks like the I/o setup between the renderer and pro tools so if you don't mind I may still reach out at some point.
Thanks for all your help!