Pushing the boundaries of high-fidelity spatial audio production

Merging Technologies, with its Anubis interface and Pyramix DAW, provides an infrastructure that opens the door to uncompromising high class audio production. In combination with Dear Reality's spatializer and virtual monitoring plugins, this also applies to the forward-looking field of spatial audio. 

In this article we would like to introduce you to the newest member of the Sennheiser group, and its solutions to give you an outlook on the future of spatial audio. 

Welcome, Merging Technologies!

Merging Technologies is one of the world's foremost manufacturers of high-resolution digital audio recording systems. The company develops professional audio hardware and software products acclaimed by some of the finest audio engineers worldwide. 

In the summer of this year, Merging became part of Neumann under the umbrella of the Sennheiser Group! This was a logical step, as there are many synergies between the companies’ product lineups. In this article, we introduce you to the products of the new Sennheiser family member,  Merging Technologies and their interaction with Dear Reality’s plugins.

Merging’s Pristine Hardware

Merging's motivation is always based on processing the most pristine audio possible to achieve an outstanding quality. Combined with the best converters, a fresh design, their network topology using the RAVENNA protocol gives almost unlimited scalability. In combination with dearVR MONITOR and Merging’s powerful headphone amplifiers, for example, the way is paved for high quality virtual monitoring without compromise. 

Merging's product range covers hardware and software solutions for high-end audio production combined with a breathtaking set of the latest technology. Every product, whether used alone or combined with others to realize its full potential, promises world-class quality.

Merging’s 30 years of experience are all concentrated within the development of the world’s finest mastering-grade networked audio hardware, like the Anubis interfaces

Merging’s products have always been known for exceptional audio fidelity. The introduction of these interfaces continued that tradition, but with the added advantage of network signal transmission and control. The signal path’s breathtaking transparency is obvious at any sample rate and the Premium versions have inspired universal praise for their DSD and DXD performance.

DSD (Direct Stream Digital) in practical terms, allows users of Pyramix to make recordings that truly mimic those using the best analog gear without any of the limitations associated with using 'linear' equipment.

Included in the Anubis interface is Merging’s new 32-bit dual PreAmp topology with incredible headphone amps, combined with a powerful low-latency mixing engine, powered by modular software. This enables the user to access advanced monitoring tools from stereo to Atmos to 22.2. With the all-important AES67/RAVENNA connector, it is possible to connect directly to AES67-enabled monitors like the Neumann KH150, even for a full Atmos set-up - all handled purely from Anubis. 

Merging’s Powerful Software

Merging’s leading software solutions allow audio and music producers to make no compromises with their productions. Throughout the whole production chain Merging gives producers all the tools needed for precise work across a range of contemporary audio formats, including the latest “Next Generation Audio Systems".

The focus switches to Merging's own DAW: Pyramix.

Pyramix is a digital audio workstation used for decades by professional studios and engineers for music production, mastering, TV, and film post-production. Pyramix has been pushing the boundaries since the beginning of digital audio.

Back then, when the limitation of having only one or two front speakers was first addressed by the movie industry, Pyramix was there to help. Today, the demand for a more involving spatial audio experience has spread to public buildings, arenas, live events, broadcasts, games, recorded music and even today’s living rooms. In the process, significant variations in the number and configuration of speaker systems have superseded any format like 5.1. There has never been more of a requirement for large channel counts and multiple output busses; both of which can be easily managed in Pyramix and Ovation.

Merging and Dear Reality are shaping the future of spatial audio

Especially in the area of spatial audio, the combination with Dear Reality’s plugins is now an enrichment of the Merging cosmos. Plugins like dearVR PRO, Dear Reality’s state-of-the-art spatializer plugin, or dearVR MONITOR, the perfect virtual mix room for any multi-channel format fit perfectly to Merging’s solutions. 

Concerning Virtual Monitoring, this collaboration is particularly important with the latter, dearVR MONITOR, as the two independent stereo headphone jacks of the Anubis offer the highest quality amplification Merging has achieved. They are in a class of their own, and Anubis systems make it possible to fully appreciate the quality of dearVR MONITOR. Through a great pair of headphones from Sennheiser or Neumann and in combination with dearVR MONITOR’s outstanding spatial headphone compensation, producers, engineers, and artists will unlock a new level of mixing and monitoring power, essentially giving them superhuman hearing.

With the addition of Merging to the Sennheiser Group, we are now able to supply a full solution for spatial audio and everyday audio productions, from microphones for recording, mic-pres, processing, and software, all the way to headphones and monitors.  

Linking Dear Reality's plugins to Merging's hardware and software solutions offer an entry point into tomorrow's high-end spatial audio production, where boundaries are being pushed to futuristic levels… stay tuned for more!

For more information on Merging’s products, visit merging.com and their YouTube channel

All information about dearVR PRO and MONITOR can be found on our website

Kai Detlefsen
Kai combines a creative approach with profound knowledge about international business processes having two bachelor’s degrees in Music and International Management. As a musician and mixing engineer, he can be found at concert venues and in recording studios. At Dear Reality, Kai strives to make the spatial audio world accessible for everyone.
The pictures used in this article were kindly provided by Merging Technologies.

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