NUGEN Audio Halo Upmix with 3D Immersive Extension — Free Download

Purpose and Core Capabilities

Halo Upmix is a stereo-to-surround audio tool designed to expand stereo material into various surround configurations with natural coherence. It uses real-time analysis to identify and extract locational cues from the original audio, extending the panorama without adding artificial reverb, chorus, or delays. This preserves the inherent character of the source, making it suitable for restoration, TV repurposing, and cinematic enhancement.

The plugin includes unique centre channel management with switchable dialog extraction powered by neural network technology. An ‘Exact’ downmix mode ensures the original stereo signal is precisely preserved when downmixed, providing confidence for broadcast and archival work. Clear visual feedback and direct control over upmix parameters allow engineers to fine-tune balances and low-frequency energy.

Key Features and Workflow

Halo Upmix features a spatial analysis view that intuitively shows energy distribution across the panorama. Colour coding indicates speaker sources, such as phantom versus hard centre, aiding precise adjustments. The plugin supports upmix formats from LCR through 7.1, with simultaneous control over individual channel outputs and full access to surround balances.

The ‘Exact’ mode with in-place audition lets users verify downmix compatibility, crucial for repurposing stereo mixes for TV with hard centre requirements. The workflow integrates easily into stem and group upmixing, and for enhancing stereo archives or atmospheres. The interface is designed for intuitive, hands-on control, making complex upmixing tasks efficient and reliable.

3D Immersive Extension

The 3D Immersive Extension adds vertical controls through an expanded interface, including Ltm and Rtm placement for Dolby Atmos compatibility, and support for Auro 3D and Ambisonic outputs. It enables upmixing to 7.1.2 bed tracks and first, second, or third order Ambisonic (AmbiX) for VR and game audio. All original features, including dialog isolation and channel control, remain usable simultaneously.

A real-time analysis view for the vertical dimension shows the energy distribution of the output audio, aiding precise vertical placement. This extension expands the tool’s suitability to sound design, film score work, and atmospheric soundscape production. It is essential for productions targeting immersive formats like Dolby Atmos or Auro 3D.

Practical Applications

For television, Halo Upmix streamlines workflows by providing sophisticated control, including neural network dialog isolation, which improves output quality and efficiency in stereo-to-surround conversions for broadcast. It is indispensable for meeting surround delivery requirements with confidence in downmix compatibility.

In film and sound design, the tool is used for upmixing vintage scores and stereo effects archives, bringing life and energy to soundtracks. Multiple instances can be placed on synths, effects returns, and stems. With Ambisonic outputs via the 3D extension, it fits VR and game audio workflows, ensuring immersive and coherent results that legacy delay-based techniques cannot achieve.

Key features

• Neural network dialog extraction
• Exact downmix mode with audition
• Real-time spatial and vertical analysis views
• Support for multiple surround formats
• 3D Immersive Extension for Dolby Atmos and Ambisonic (optional)

Best for

Best for post-production engineers, sound designers, and broadcast professionals who need a transparent stereo-to-surround upmixer with precise control, dialog extraction, and immersive format support. Ideal for TV repurposing, archive restoration, film score upmixing, and VR audio production where downmix compatibility and natural spatial coherence are critical.