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Understanding Object-Based Audio

The Object-based audio pipeline allows Wwise to deliver individual audio buffers, along with their Metadata, to the part of a platform’s operating system in charge of audio, known as an endpoint. Endpoints that support 3D audio can use this Metadata, which includes a 3D position and orientation, to render their own spatialized effects. This results in the best possible spatial precision in the delivery of the sound because the endpoint is aware of the listening configuration. Therefore, the endpoint can use the most appropriate rendering method to deliver the final mix over headphones or speakers.

The combination of an audio buffer and its corresponding Metadata is referred to as an Audio Object. Audio Objects in the Bus Hierarchy differ from System Audio Objects sent to the endpoint. When a bus configuration is set to Audio Objects, the bus can hold different types of Audio Objects, from 3D objects to multi-channel, non spatialized objects.

Each Audio Object can have:

  • 3D spatialization information or not.

  • Plug-in metadata or not. (This could be inserted directly on the Audio Object from the Actor-Mixer Hierarchy, or Metadata could be propagated to the Audio Object as it passes through a bus that has a Metadata plug-in.)

  • One or many channels.

The following sections provide details on authoring Audio Objects and ensuring they reach the endpoint:


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