Areal introduces its Upmix Engine

Immersive audio specialist Areal has unveiled its Upmix Engine stereo upmixing hardware.

Powered by the RISE (Realtime Immersive Stereo Expansion) algorithm, the Upmix Engine converts stereo content into immersive audio by redistributing spectral elements across multiple channels. With low latency from input to output, the engine permits real-time upmixing of stereo performances and recordings in live sound, corporate AV and broadcast scenarios.

The Upmix Engine is the first release from Areal, a Belgium-based developer and manufacturer of immersive audio technologies. It is compatible with all loudspeaker brands and supports 5.1, 7.1, 7.1.4 and custom arrays without needing multitrack stems or object-based audio. Areal’s FocusField technology allows the spatial image to be defined and steered to fit the application, while LF Warp functionality enhances low-frequency depth and impact. The engine’s I/O includes Dante, AES3, AVB, MADI and balanced analogue connectivity for ease of integration with multiple workflows.