This guide will help you get started with creating spatial audio using 360 WalkMix Creator. Please see “DAW Specific Instructions” if further assistance is required to add the plugin to your specific DAW.


Step 1 - Add the plugin to an audio track


Add an instance of the 360 WalkMix Creator plugin on one of the audio tracks in your project.

If you do not have an audio track in your project, please add one at this time and then add the 360 WalkMix Creator plugin to it.

The 360 WalkMix Creator plugin will launch.

Do not click “Yes, it is” in this step. Feel free to close or move this instance of the plugin aside, as this is not the master. We will click “Yes, it is!” in Step 2.


Step 2 - Add the plugin to the output or master


Add the 360 WalkMix Creator plugin to the output/master track.

On some DAW’s this can be called “output” or “Stereo Output” and others, “master.”

At this time, just add the plugin to your master track. After STEP 4 you can add the plugin to other audio tracks that you want to mix spatially.

A second 360 WalkMix Creator Plugin window will launch.

For more in-depth instructions on how to add a plugin to the master or output track, or how to create a master track, please see the instructions that come with your specific DAW.


Step 3 - Enable 360 WalkMix Creator


Verify that you currently have the master/output selected in your DAW and click on “Yes, it is!”

This will set up your project so that you can monitor your output in a spatial format.


Step 4 - Set up your environment


  1. To access 360 WalkMix Creator settings, click the settings icon.
  2. Click the Devices tab:
  3. Using the drop-down menus select and set the following: Output type, Output device, set the Sample rate to 48000, and set your Output buffer size.
    1. Output type and Output device: Because this plugin has object audio rendering processing and cannot render output to the DAW due to bus constrains in the DAW, render output should be connected to a DAC system to listen to 360 WalkMix Creator mix audio over loudspeakers.
    2. Depending upon the capabilities of your system, please choose an output buffer size of 1024 or greater, keeping in mind that multiples of 512 are preferable. For example, 1024. If you find that the audio stutters during normal operation, please increase your buffer size further.


Step 5 - Set up your speakers and channel mapping


  1. Select the Speakers tab and use the dropdown menu to select the speaker configuration that most closely resembles yours.
  2. The numbers in each output represent the current channel assignment to that output.
    To change the channel assigned to each individual output, click the output or select it via the drop-down menu, use the channel selection drop-down menu to change the channel:     
  3. If there is a conflict, it will be represented by a red output. Please assign an unused channel to the output to resolve this:
  4. To change the Azimuth, elevation or radius of speaker outputs, you can click on the output in the graphical view and drag it to move, or you can click next to the value you wish to change and type the value that best represents your setup:
  5. 360 WalkMix Creator is compatible with custom *.arb files currently used by Architect. If you have been provided with a custom *.arb file, please place your *.arb file in the following location.
  • Windows users; C:\ProgramData\Audio Futures\360 WalkMix Creator\SpeakerLayouts
  • macOS users; HDD\Library\Application Support\Audio Futures\360WalkMix Creator\SpeakerLayouts


Step 6 - Turn on 360 WalkMix Creator


  1. Exit the settings menu by clicking the 'X' in the upper right-hand corner of the plugin.
  2. To turn on 360 WalkMix Creator, click the power icon, or at the top of the plugin window:

Be sure to check this on/off as you insert this plugin from a new session, when the track name is not inherited, or the object cannot be moved.



Step 7 (optional) - Set up headphone monitoring


If you have a custom HRTF profile (not provided by the plugin):


1. Click the “settings” icon.
2. Click the “headphone” tab.
3. Select the HRTF profile you are currently using.
4. Note:  To import a custom profile, click the “+” and navigate to your *.hki file.

To enable headphone monitoring, click the “headphone” icon at the bottom of the plugin. 


Step 8 - Important things to keep in mind


  • Every audio track must contain a 360 WalkMix Creator plugin. Repeat step 1 for all audio tracks in your project or session.
  • Do not add effects to the 360 WalkMix Creator track signal chain after the plugin.
  • Feel free to use effects on the Master/Stereo Out but make sure they are after the 360 WalkMix Creator plugin in the chain. They don't work for 360 WalkMix Creator rendering playback.
  • In Settings, the Output Type “360 WalkMix Creator” is a loopback device for sending audio data back to the DAW’s master audio output. Feel free to use CoreAudio or ASIO or whichever output type maps to your current setup.
  • Ensure that all audio tracks containing a 360 WalkMix Creator plugin have the same output as your master. 
  • Do not put multiple 360 WalkMix Creator plugins on the same track.
  • Make sure “Dynamic Plugin Processing” is turned off in your DAW.