Docs in progress — 1.4.x rollout

These docs are being updated from 1.3.x to 1.4.x. Orbit 1.4 is the largest release since launch — it introduces Orbit Pro, native IAMF / Eclipsa support, full video sync, a redesigned Sessions system, markers & comments, parametric headphone EQ, a new Preferences window, and a DAW-style waveform engine.

Some pages still reflect the 1.3.x feature set — we're working through them. If a page doesn't match what you see in the app, the 1.3 docs are archived here for reference.

Why Orbit

Orbit is a focused desktop app for quality-checking and finishing immersive audio masters. It now ships in two editions:

• Orbit — a full QC suite for ADM BWF, IAMF / Eclipsa, and Higher-Order Ambisonics content. Inspect beds, objects, automation, and spatial positioning; monitor in 7.1.4, binaural, Apple Spatial Audio, or stereo; verify levels with broadcast-grade metering.
• Orbit Pro — everything in Orbit, plus authoring. Pro starts with IAMF / Eclipsa export so you can ship Eclipsa-compatible deliverables directly from your ADM master, and adds video sync and multi-track editing, Sessions, per-track markers, looping, and multi-format outputs below 7.1.4.

Whether you're a mix engineer validating your own work, a QC specialist reviewing deliverables, a delivery engineer producing IAMF masters, or a supervisor who needs a reliable playback reference, Orbit aims to give you confidence in a delivery without the overhead of a full DAW session.

The problem Orbit solves

When you need to verify or deliver an ADM master, you typically have two options: export an MP4 for playback or load up your full DAW session. Neither is ideal for focused QC, and neither helps when the deliverable you actually need is IAMF.

Orbit gives you a third option: a lightweight player that shows you exactly what's in the file — beds, objects, automation, and spatial positioning — with clear visualization and reliable metering. With Orbit Pro you can then finish the job: render an IAMF / Eclipsa master with mix presentations and per-target loudness, or sync the audio to picture and export a muxed MP4.

Common scenarios:

• Verify a finished ADM master before delivery to a distributor
• Spot-check a mix while assets are still in motion
• Review spatial positioning without opening your DAW
• Compare 7.1.4, binaural, Apple Spatial Audio, and stereo translation in one session
• Generate a PDF report summarising what's in the file
• (Pro) Author an IAMF / Eclipsa deliverable from an ADM master
• (Pro) Sync audio to picture, edit a multi-lane video timeline, and export a muxed MP4

What Orbit (Standard) does

Orbit Standard is the inspection and verification edition. It's the same role Orbit has always filled — a focused QC tool, not an authoring environment.

• ADM BWF playback and inspection — beds, objects, automation, spatial positioning, with deterministic playback that's the same every time.
• IAMF / Eclipsa playback — full v2.0-spec decoder with streaming decode, scalable-layer monitoring, and per-element waveforms. Audition any layer in real time.
• Higher-Order Ambisonics — playback, monitoring, 3D ambisonic field visualisation, and BS.2076-3 metadata parsing.
• Four monitoring modes — 7.1.4 speakers, binaural headphones, Apple Spatial Audio, and stereo fold-down. Switch on the fly to validate translation.
• Headphone EQ — parametric compensation engine with 18+ presets (Meze, HiFiMAN, Audeze, Focal, Neumann, DCA, Shure, Sony MV1, Slate VSX, …) and a 5-band user tone stack.
• Broadcast metering — ITU-R BS.1770-4 loudness, true-peak, channel meters with peak hold.
• DAW-style waveform view — pinned label gutter, two-tone min/max strokes, sample-accurate detail at deep zoom, and instant reopening of previously-indexed files.
• 3D visualisation — numbered objects move with ADM automation and react to audio levels. See at a glance whether things are where they should be.
• Preferences window — 11 sections (Audio, Downmix, Spatial, Monitoring, Headphone EQ, Appearance, Metering, Timecode, Head Tracking, Sessions, Performance) with visual grids and inline camera preview.
• PDF QC report — a structured summary of the file you can hand to a client or distributor.

What Orbit Pro adds

Orbit Pro is where Orbit grows beyond verification. The headline addition is authoring — Orbit Pro starts that journey with IAMF / Eclipsa.

IAMF / Eclipsa export — the first authoring feature

Render an Eclipsa-compatible IAMF v2.0 file directly from your ADM master, with mix presentations, scalable layers, contextual render targets, an optional rendered ChannelBased Audio Element, Opus quality presets, a pan-law picker, per-target measured loudness, and a "Listen as" preview card so you can audition any mix presentation before you commit. Optional binaural rendering writes a stereo binaural file alongside (or instead of) the multichannel master.

Pro also adds the heavier-weight QC features that need a project on disk to make sense:

• Video sync & multi-track editing — full timeline-style editor with up to 4 video lanes, snapping, undo/redo, lane-aware razor, fade tool, scrub-while-paused, and frame-accurate seeks. Render fades and crossfades when exporting muxed MP4 with IAMF or PCM audio.
• Sessions (.orbsession) — a robust project format with track-waveform pre-scan, broken-bundle detection, automatic media relinking, a session lockfile, and an explicit dirty indicator.
• Markers & comments — per-track markers with stable creation-order numbering, a ⇧M shortcut, and CSV / PDF / IAMF-PDF report export.
• Looping — define a loop region on the timeline with frame / second / minute / free snap modes, persisted with the session.
• Object detail / Inspect view — per-object waveform, position, and width tabs with zoom up to 64×.
• Multi-format output — 5.1.4 / 5.1 / Quad and other formats below 7.1.4, with a format-aware gate, auto-clamp, and real post-downmix meters.
• Album / multi-file playback — gapless continuous playback with user-defined track ranges.

Try Pro for 14 days

Orbit 1.4 introduces a 14-day Pro Trial for any account. The Pro app icon, full Pro Preferences, and every Pro feature unlock for the trial duration. Start it from the Welcome screen or from the License pane in Preferences.

What makes Orbit different

Built around inspection. The UI puts the timeline, 3D visualizer, and meters on screen at once. Pro adds editing and export tools without burying the inspection workflow.

Fast mode switching. Toggle between 7.1.4 speakers, binaural headphones, Apple Spatial Audio, and stereo fold-down to validate translation. The same content, different monitoring perspectives.

Visual clarity. The 3D scene shows numbered objects that move with ADM automation. Objects react to audio levels, growing larger when active. Ambisonic content gets its own 3D field visualisation.

Repeatable playback. Orbit is deterministic — the same file plays back the same way every time, on the same hardware.

One signal path. The 7.1.4 mix is the source of truth — binaural, Apple Spatial Audio, and stereo are all derived from it. That's what keeps metering, fold-down, and IAMF export consistent across every monitoring mode.

Who Orbit is for

• Mix engineers and re-recording mixers who want to validate their own work before handing off
• QC teams and delivery specialists who review ADM masters for compliance and quality
• Supervisors and clients who need a reliable playback reference without learning a complex tool
• Artists and collaborators who want to play back ADM files without the quality loss of an MP4 or buying into a full DAW setup
• Delivery engineers (Pro) producing IAMF / Eclipsa masters from existing ADM material
• Post-production teams (Pro) needing frame-accurate audio-to-picture review with markers and notes

What Orbit doesn't do

• It doesn't edit or re-author ADM files — Orbit Pro authors IAMF / Eclipsa deliverables, but the ADM master itself stays the source of truth.
• It doesn't replace a full DAW session for creative work.
• It doesn't expose mix-engine controls — there's nothing to tweak that would change the rendering.
• It's not affiliated with Dolby — use Dolby tools for certification when required.

Local playback

All playback, analysis, and IAMF export happens on your machine. Internet is only used for license activation/refresh and optional update checks. Your audio files never leave your computer.

Ready to start?

• New to Orbit? Head to Getting Started to load your first file, or take the Workspace Tour.
• Coming from 1.3.x? See What's New for the 1.4 changes.
• Looking to deliver IAMF? Jump to ADM to IAMF Exporting (Pro).