FAQ

General

What does Aro do?

It decodes Ambisonic recordings (1st to 7th order) to speaker layouts, Orbit Binaural or stereo, and converts Mid-Side, Double Mid-Side and A-format recordings. You hear the result live while you aim and mix it, then Aro writes it to a WAV.

Is Aro a plugin?

Not yet. Aro is a standalone macOS app.

Does Aro read ADM or IAMF files?

No. For ADM and IAMF masters, use Orbit or Orbit Lite.

Files

Which Ambisonic formats does Aro support?

AmbiX (ACN / SN3D), N3D, and FuMa up to 3rd order. A plain WAV doesn't say which it is, so choose it in Configuration ▸ Format. AmbiX is the default. .amb files open as FuMa by themselves.

Why does Aro ask "What is this file?"

A 4-channel file could be first-order Ambisonics or an A-format recording; a 2-channel file could be Mid-Side. Aro asks rather than guessing, and suggests the most likely answer.

My recorder writes one file per microphone. Can Aro open them?

Yes. Use Combine for first-order Ambisonics (W, X, Y, Z), Mid-Side, Double Mid-Side or A-format. Aro reads the files where they are.

Can Aro decode A-format?

Yes. Aro converts A-format to stereo, a speaker layout or first-order AmbiX. See Mid-Side & A-format.

Can I decode lots of files at once?

Yes, with Batch. Each file can have its own settings, and a batch never overwrites anything.

Monitoring

Do I need a multichannel interface?

Only for live Speakers monitoring, which needs 3 or more outputs. Stereo and Orbit Binaural work on any device, and you can decode to any layout without one.

Does Aro use the same binaural as Orbit?

Yes. Orbit Binaural is Orbit's own HRTF renderer, and Import from Orbit copies your Orbit HRTF profile into Aro.

Can I use my own speaker layout?

Yes. Import it as an .osls file in Preferences ▸ Speakers ▸ Custom layouts, or copy your custom layouts from Orbit. See Speakers & Routing.

Is the decoded file what I heard?

Yes. Layout, decode mode, orientation, LFE, mixer levels and mutes all go into the file. Solos don't, because they're for listening only.