What is 3D Audio? How to Create Immersive Audio and Spatial Audio
When people speak of 3D sound, it often makes them think that it is more of a future concept, but the fact is, 3D audio is used nowadays and is something you have in everyday life.
Through my time working within the music industry, I have been more and more interested, and I have been frustrated at the lack of ability to make 3D music at a simple request. This led me to make Audiocube - a 3D audio DAW.
In this article, we're going to take a look at the widespread adoption of 3D music within the industry moving forward, how you can use Audiocube to support you in making 3D sound, and how Audiocube has additional features that can enhance your 3D sound.
Let's take a look below.
In This Article...
3D audio is a type of immersive audio that surrounds you from all directions.
You will learn how 3D audio can be used and how it's different from traditional stereo sound.
Audiocube can be used to help make immersive music.
I will show you some additional useful features of Audiocube, which make it one of the best on the market.
What is 3D Audio?
Download Audiocube to start making 3D Audio
3D audio is immersive sound that feels like it’s coming from all around you, not just from the left and right like regular stereo; it gives you different sounds that you may not have experienced before. It gives depth and direction to sound, so you can hear things above, below, behind, or in front of you, giving you spatial cues as to where the sound is coming from. This makes the listening experience feel more realistic and immersive.
As someone working in audio and building Audiocube, a 3D sound software, I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with spatial sound. 3D audio isn’t just a fancy effect; it can completely change how we experience music, games, film, and virtual reality. It mimics the way we naturally hear the world, using binaural or multi-channel techniques to position sounds in space.
Examples of 3D Audio
Excellent examples of 3D audio are all around us, enhancing our entertainment. In the gaming world, there are specific games like Returnal or Call of Duty that use 3D audio with the help of headphones so you can hear exactly where threats are coming from, creating intense situational awareness.
In film, movies are mixed in Dolby Atmos (which is one of the industry standard software in the film world). Examples of these films, such as Dune or Blade Runner 2049, create immersive soundscapes so you get lost in the film, and you feel like spaceships are in motion overhead and vocals are all around you.
For music, artists on platforms like Apple Music release tracks where instruments are placed around you, making you feel like you're sitting in the studio with the band. Some of your favorite artists may have used 3D sound in their music; people like Billie Eilish and the Weeknd have used 3D sound in their songs, pushing past the conventional ways of creating and listening to music, and available on streaming platforms such as Amazon Music Unlimited - which you can experience on your home theater.
What Are The Benefits of Using 3D Audio?
So, are there any benefits to using 3D audio? Well, depending on the scene you're trying to create, then yes, there are some benefits. The primary benefit of using 3D audio is all about immersion and having the ability to create a massive soundscape that people could lose themselves in. This makes any audio environment feel more believable and engaging, placing you directly at the center of the action.
Another key advantage is enhanced spatial awareness. You can accurately perceive a sound’s origin from any direction above, below, or behind, replicating how our ears hear sound in the natural world. This allows for a deeper understanding of the soundscape, letting you pinpoint a source’s location and distance with better accuracy.
Finally, for sound creators, it gives you a chance to exercise your artistic freedom. You can craft a detailed and multi-layered audio world by placing and moving individual sounds anywhere in 3D space. This results in a richer, more complex, and emotionally resonant experience for the listener, defined purely by sound itself.
The Difference Between 2D Audio and 3D Audio
I like to think of 2D audio, or stereo, as a flat line of sound in front of you. It can only move from your left speaker to your right through the use of techniques such as panning. It's like watching musicians perform on a stage; it has width, but no depth or height.
Alternatively, 3D audio or spatial audio is completely different. It creates an almost spherical sound that surrounds you completely. This means you hear sounds in a more immersive way, you don't just hear it from your left and right, but also from above, below, behind, and in-between creating more of an atmosphere than traditional stereo music. It’s the difference between watching the show and being placed directly in the middle of it.
If you're curious to try it out and unlock your creative potential, Audiocube is the perfect place to start playing with 3D sound.
You can try it for free today or purchase the lifetime license for access to the full features.
How to Make 3D Audio Using Audiocube: A Step-By-Step Guide
Back when I worked as an audio producer, I spent a lot of time looking for the right tools to handle 3D and spatial audio, but I kept coming up short.
That’s what led me to build Audiocube, a spatial audio technology designed specifically for 3D sound, making spatial audio workflows much simpler than with traditional setups.
In this section, I’ll walk you through how you can start creating 3D audio content quickly and easily using Audiocube!
Download Audiocube – You can try it for free, or unlock the full version to access every feature.
Start a Project – Open the app and choose to begin with a blank canvas or pick from ready-made templates.
Add Your Sounds – Bring in your own audio files, or explore the built-in sample downloader. It comes packed with over 2GB of high-quality custom sounds to get you started.
Create Sound Devices – Just drag audio objects into the scene to turn them into spatial devices.
Position Your Sounds – Move devices around the space by clicking and dragging them. Sounds will naturally get louder or quieter based on how close they are to the virtual listener (the camera).
Animate Sound Movement – You can animate your sound sources to move around the scene over time. Just record their positions and watch them travel through the 3D space.
Mix and Add Effects – Audiocube comes with a full mixing system. Add reverb, EQ, distortion, and more. You can apply effects to individual devices or shape the overall sound on the master channel.
Tweak the Acoustics – The built-in acoustic engine simulates natural sound behavior, like reflections from boundaries, muffling through walls, and distance fade. You can even activate the head-related transfer functions (HRTF) Binauralizer for a headphone-friendly 360° experience.
Record Your Project – Once you’re done, export your project as a .WAV file. There’s no file size limit, and you can use the output in any other software or platform.
Want to dive deeper? Check out my tutorial videos for more tips on getting the most out of Audiocube.
If you prefer learning in a more practical, hands-on approach, you can try Audiocube for free today or buy the lifetime license for access to the full features.
Other Useful Features of Audiocube to Make More Immersive Music
Now you know how to make more immersive music with Audiocube. Here are some other helpful features that can really help you dig deep into making music in a three-dimensional space.
7 Unique Devices - Audiocube has 7 unique devices, each with a different purpose that can interact with each other. These include: Samplers, Emitters, Tickers, FX Zones, Logic Boxes, Ambience, and Soundwalls.
Built-in Effects - Audiocube contains a set of built-in effects that can be used on the master track or as FX sends. These include Reverb, Echo, Modulation, and compression.
Acoustic Simulation and Audio Spatialization - Audiocubes HRTF spatialization replicates how the human ears perceive sounds. You can place objects anywhere and still hear this effect.
Generative Sequencing Logic and Physics - Use Logic, chaos, physics, and randomness to create organic, generative audio compositions and evolving soundscapes.
Soundwalls - Build custom acoustic spaces using flexible reflecting or absorbing walls. These walls interact with the acoustic simulation engine to mimic real-world behaviors like sound blocking and reflection, to build rooms and spaces.
Multiple View Modes & Camera Controls - Explore your soundscape freely with smooth 3D navigation. You can pan, zoom, and rotate the camera to examine your scene from any angle
Why not give it a go yourself today? Download Audiocube or buy a lifetime licence for the full features.
Start Making 3D Audio With Audiocube Today
As you can see, 3D audio is not as complex as it seems - it's easy to start creating in this format. 3D audio is a great tool to create more immersive listening experiences, and it is a lot of fun to experiment with.
With Audiocube, 3D sound is no longer confined, and you can use it to make your instruments and songs sound more 3D.
Download Audiocube for free today, or you can buy a lifetime license to access all of the features.
FAQ About 3D Audio
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3D audio is often better than surround sound because it gives a more realistic and immersive experience. It creates sound in all directions, even above and below, while surround sound is mostly around you in a flat circle. Audiocube uses 3D audio to help you place and move sound in full 3D space.
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You don’t need special headphones for 3D audio. Most 3D audio, like the kind made in Audiocube, works with any regular pair of stereo headphones due to it being binaural (specifically with Audiocube, it uses HRTF binauralization). The sound is shaped to trick your ears into hearing direction and space, so you can enjoy 3D effects without needing expensive or special gear.
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3D audio makes sound feel more real by placing it all around you, not just left and right. This helps with immersion, emotion, and focus, especially in music, games, or virtual spaces. With Audiocube, you can create rich 3D soundscapes easily, making your audio projects more creative and engaging.
