Sony Expands Access to 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME)

Sony Corporation Expands Access to 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME) audio technology across professional markets including music, education, and film & TV. Major industry partnerships with Guitar Center Professional (GC PRO) and Advanced Systems Group mark the first widespread availability of Sony's 360VME Technology.

Sony Corporation's audio division (”Sony audio“) is significantly expanding access to its groundbreaking 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME) technology, making it available to creators across music, education, and film & television for the first time. The innovative spatial sound technology accurately replicates the acoustic environment of a professional studio using headphones, empowering creators to produce studio-quality mixes in any location. Through strategic collaborations with industry leaders, including Custom House and GC Pro, and Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), Sony is ensuring that 360VME is accessible to a wider range of audio professionals. The technology is also being adopted by leading educational institutions, who are integrating 360VME into their curriculum, as well as by film and television professionals who are using it to mix in immersive environments beyond traditional studio constraints. This expanded access redefines the standards of audio production and marks the first meaningful market availability of the product.

Sony’s 360VME uses personalized Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) data and proprietary binaural processing to recreate the acoustic field of a multi-speaker immersive studio in headphones. After a one-time studio measurement, 360VME reproduces the acoustic environment of the reference sound mixing studio in a pair of headphones with high precision. The result is a portable yet professional-grade monitoring environment that preserves spatial accuracy across platforms, allowing sound engineers and creators to work on complex projects, such as object-based audio mixes for film, gaming, or music, with confidence in the fidelity of their mix regardless of location.

Custom House / GC Pro and Advanced Systems Group (ASG)

Custom House and GC Pro’s flagship Hollywood store and the Nashville-based Custom House experience center are offering public access to Sony’s 360VME technology. Additionally, Custom House and GC Pro account managers and Custom House personnel nationwide offer on-site measurements at client facilities, allowing audio professionals to recreate their studio sound anywhere using compatible headphones like Sony’s MDR-MV1.

ASG, a leading provider of media and entertainment technology, will introduce 360VME to its post-production and studio clients. ASG will use its long history in film and television workflow design, which was recently expanded with its acquisition of Audio Intervisual Design, to bring this exciting technology to its clients’ facilities.

The strategic partnerships mark the first time that the 360VME technology is accessible to the public and underscores Sony audio’s commitment to empowering creators and enhancing their workflows with innovative solutions.

“Sony audio is committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in audio technology, and our partnerships with Guitar Center Pro and ASG mark an exciting milestone in making 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME) more accessible than ever,” said Masaaki Oshima, Head of Personal Entertainment Business Unit, Sony Corporation. “With these collaborations, we are thrilled to set a new standard for the way immersive content is mixed and experienced, and look forward to seeing how creators bring this transformative technology to life.”

Greg Glaser, VP of Artist Relations at Custom House, shared his enthusiasm: "Custom House and GC Pro are thrilled to introduce Sony’s groundbreaking 360VME technology to our industry. This innovation will revolutionize how we experience and mix immersive content, delivering sound customized to each individual. We are proud to stand at the forefront of this cutting-edge technology and look forward to its transformative impact on the industry."

Dave Van Hoy, President of Advanced Systems Group stated: "ASG has a mission to bring new technologies to the amazing creatives that make the films, TV, streaming and music we see and hear every day. We are very excited to see how these industry professionals will use 360VME to up their game even further. That is our mission: to enable creativity by providing the best technology. We believe the 360VME experience will change the game for our clients.”

Education

In higher education, top-tier academic institutions and programs like New York University, home to the Sony Audio Institute, alongside Drexel University, Ithaca College, University of Toronto, and Montgomery County Community College, have begun incorporating 360VME into their programs, with additional institutions such as The Conservatory of Recordings Arts and Sciences, Ringling College of Art and Design and more planned to adopt in the coming months. The technology packages professional-grade hardware and software for students, while addressing space limitations by making mixing rooms virtually accessible. The technology is receiving wide acclaim from respected audio technology educators:

Jeff Wolpert, Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto & multi-award winning engineer, mixer, producer and editor: “It immediately became apparent upon being introduced to the Sony’s 360 Virtual Mixing Environment, that a system that could recreate our immersive studio with such accuracy would serve to virtually expand our facility with no additional construction required. We now measure profiles for the incoming students to the Music Technology and Digital Media graduate program each year, so that every student has an accurate monitoring environment wherever they are.”

Michael Caporizzo, Ithaca College’s Associate Professor of Music Performance:

“Sony’s 360VME is a gamechanger in the classroom. When you teach in a control room, there is only one seat with proper monitoring, and it is usually occupied by the instructor. With VME, we can set up a lab environment where every student gets to hear full multi-channel monitoring in the “sweet spot” at the same time. This facilitates entirely new ways to teach audio in a classroom setting, keeping students engaged through hands-on learning.”

Paul Geluso, Freelance Audio Engineer / Education:

“The ability to accurately produce immersive audio in any environment is a gamechanger for both students and professionals. Sony’s 360VME not only removes traditional studio constraints but also enhances critical listening skills by providing a consistent and reliable reference wherever you are. This technology is an essential step forward in making high-quality sound production more adaptable to the needs of modern creators.”

Film & TV

Already embraced by leading creators in the music and film industries, 360VME can simulate studio sound environments for film and television projects, enabling audio professionals to replicate the characteristics of any mix stage or design room remotely without compromising quality. Sony’s 360VME was first tested in its R&D phase by sound talent at Sony Pictures Post Production Services during the pandemic, and its use and development has continued on such films as Columbia Pictures’ Venom: The Last Dance and the upcoming Screen Gems/PlayStation Productions horror film title Until Dawn. As it enters this new phase it will expand its use in the film/tv post production world.

Studios & Creative Partnerships

360VME will also play a strong role in commercial music studios. Multiple locations of Shangri-La Studios in Los Angeles, including the iconic Malibu facility, will utilize 360VME technology for an upcoming project produced by Big.Ass.Kids. (BAK) – a music platform known for its collaborative, artist-first approach. For the third volume of the Pigeons & Planes See You Next Year compilation project—a creative incubator-style initiative that brings together emerging artists, producers, and songwriters to collaborate on original music—Sony audio is providing 360VME systems and compatible hardware to studios and creators participating in the project. This collaboration highlights Sony audio’s ongoing commitment to supporting a new generation of independent creators while also demonstrating how established commercial studios can expand their creative capabilities through 360VME technology.

As 360VME becomes more widely accessible, it is poised to revolutionize audio production standards and reshape the future of how sound is created, mixed and experienced by offering a more immersive acoustic experience and improving the creation environment for content creators.

For more information, visit:

https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/res...logies/360VME/











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