Spatial Creator
by THX · Imaging · Binaural 3D spatializer
Not rated yet
Spatial Creator is a THX plugin for making headphone-oriented binaural mixes, turning mono or stereo sources into 3D sound sources you place visually.
It adds motion, a virtual room with adjustable reflections and 360-degree reverb, for $125.
Best for: Vocals, Keys & Synths, Drums, Sound Design, Mix Bus. Genres: Ambient & Cinematic, Electronic & EDM, Pop.
Keywords: spacious, tempo-synced, wide, dialogue, full mix, podcast, bus processing, cinematic, creative, drums, film & game audio, mix bus, mixing, neutral, sound design, subscription, visual feedback, vocals.
What it does
Spatial Creator is THX's plug-in for making "headphone-optimized binaural spatial audio mixes" from ordinary mono or stereo tracks. You place each source in a 3D view, set it moving if you like, and the result is encoded to a normal stereo file that plays on any streaming service.
- 3D placement: position a source around, above and behind the listener on a visual display, on any audio or MIDI track in the DAW.
- Motion: continuous movement of sources, with speed set in seconds, milliseconds or synced to the project tempo; version 1.1 added five new motion modes and tempo sync.
- Virtual room: room presets (six more added in 1.1), adjustable width, length and height, strength for each wall's reflections, and a high-shelf filter on the reflections.
- Reverb: 360-degree reverb designed for the binaural image, in Standard Quality and High Quality modes.
- HRTF and tone: a neutral head-related transfer function designed by THX for the binaural rendering, plus a control to rebalance the frequency response after processing.
- Acoustic parameter sets: controls grouped as Advanced HRTF, Size, Room and Filter (per audioXpress).
This is version 1.1.0 (June 2024). It is sold through Plugin Alliance, has a 14-day trial, and is included in the CORE and PRO subscriptions. Version 1.0 owners got the 1.1 update free.
When to use it
Spatial Creator is the pick when you want individual sources to sit and move around a headphone listener, not just a wider stereo image. Compared with Ozone Imager, S1 Stereo Imager or NUGEN Stereoizer, which widen or narrow a mix between two speakers, it places each track in binaural 3D with a virtual room and motion. Unlike those imagers, it is built for headphone listening rather than speaker playback. Its tempo-synced motion makes it more of a creative effect than Precision K-Stereo or bx_stereomaker, which aim at natural width on a whole mix.
- Best for: binaural placement and moving effects on single tracks for headphone listening, plus video, film and podcast work.
- Genres: cinematic, ambient and electronic music, plus video and podcast production.
- Look elsewhere if: you only need stereo width on speakers (Ozone Imager or S1 Stereo Imager are simpler).
Where to buy
- Plugin Alliance: $125
Tutorials and reviews
- THX Spatial Creator - Walkthrough
- Create Immersive Audio With THX Spatial Creator Plugin In DaVinci Resolve 19!
- THX Spatial Audio Creator - Trailer
- Unlocking 3D Audio Magic with THX Spatial Creator by Plugin Alliance
- Interview with Kasson Crooker on THX's Spatial Audio Plugin
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