A few days ago, the Open Media Alliance, Google, Samsung, and Arm announced a new project they have started, which is a new audio format called " Eclipsa".
This new audio format , designed to deliver a high-quality surround sound experience, is based on the IAMF (Immersive Audio Metadata and Format) specification, developed by the Open Media Alliance, and has an open-source reference implementation.
Spatial audio technologies were first developed over 50 years ago, and playback has been available to consumers for over a decade, but spatial audio creation has been limited mostly to professionals in the film or music industries. That’s why Google and Samsung are launching Eclipsa Audio, an open-source spatial audio format for everyone.
The project states that Eclipsa is designed to distribute spatial audio content, creating an immersive experience that simulates a realistic presence in a three-dimensional space. This is achieved through advanced algorithms that recreate the natural behavior of sound waves, along with metadata that allows for the reconstruction of soundscapes or the creation of complex mixes. The format is geared towards both live streaming and the playback of stored audio files, supporting channel-based or soundscape-based presentations and allowing for the combination of different views.
An audio stream in Eclipsa can handle up to 28 input channels, including both static sources, such as a microphone in front of an orchestra, and dynamic sources, such as the sound of a moving helicopter. This format is not restricted to a specific codec , although the specification suggests using Opus or AAC (mp4a) for lossy encoding, while FLAC or LPCM are recommended for lossless encoding.
Eclipsa Audio is a multi-channel surround sound format that leverages IAMF to produce an immersive listening experience. It will revolutionize the way we experience sound by distributing audio both vertically and horizontally. This creates a three-dimensional soundscape that faithfully mimics natural environments and brings movies, TV shows, and music to life.
Eclipsa is designed to adapt to a variety of devices, from TVs and soundbars to smartphones, headphones, and home theater systems. This includes the ability to convert surround sound into formats suitable for each type of device, expanding usage possibilities and ensuring a consistent, high-quality listening experience in any environment.
The use of generic codecs in the Eclipsa format facilitates its integration with existing transmission and playback systems, as well as enabling the creation of spatial audio content using open-source VST plugins, such as EAR Production Suite. This software allows for the design of spatial speaker environments and binaural monitoring, a technique that identifies the direction of sound sources. Multiple mixing configurations can also be established, allowing for specific volume adjustments for different playback modes. To recreate surround sound in headphones or adjust playback according to the spatial arrangement of the speakers, signal processing algorithms such as EAR and BEAR are used.
Regarding implementation, it's mentioned that Samsung will be the first manufacturer to fully adopt the technology, incorporating it into its entire 2025 TV lineup. This includes everything from the Crystal UHD series models to the premium Neo QLED 8K devices. Meanwhile, Google will facilitate uploading videos with Eclipsa-formatted audio tracks to YouTube and has announced plans to simplify the creation of these files by releasing a plugin, expected in late spring, compatible with the AVID Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation.
Additionally, Google plans to incorporate native Eclipsa Audio playback into its Chrome browser, as well as TVs and soundbars from various manufacturers later in 2025. This support will also extend to future versions of Android AOSP, further strengthening the format’s integration across multiple platforms and devices.
Finally, it's worth mentioning that using Eclipsa doesn't require paying royalties, and if you're interested in learning more, you can find the details at the following link.