I am looking for an open source Linux / Unix (or Windows or otherwise) application that can assist me in creating and controlling a “3D Sonic Atmosphere” in a (mostly) linear physical setting-- my model railroad. Sort of like the capabilities found in modern video/computer gaming, but applied to the real world environment. My goal is to be able to manage multiple simultaneous sound “clips”-- for both “general ambiance” as well as specific sounds which would appear to emanate from a particular spatial location. It would also need to be able to follow pre-programmed “soundscapes” to be able to run in an automatic mode. Suggestions for audio hardware and configuration would also be useful.
My project is low-budget, perhaps a few hundred dollars max, so open source (and/or open hardware hacking if required) is really the desired solution. My layout is essentially linear, though slightly folded, and is perhaps 100 feet long by around 2 to 4 feet deep (around the walls style). I’m fine with the idea that it might require multiple (cheap) audio subsystems linked together in order to handle the whole thing. I have looked high and low, and while there are a plethora of open source mixers, sequencers, and software recorders available, I haven’t found anything that really fits the overall bill as a soundscape controller. So I’m throwing open the question out to the Model Railroading community in hopes they might be able to help. So what do you think? Are there any open source projects that might work here? Or for that matter, what’s available commercially off-the-shelf? Have you ever rigged something up that was similar, what were your issues, pros & cons?
Not sure if you have seen Air Horn from Brinston Sound Images before. It is computer based, for Windows XP and addresses up to four sound cards. I think it can do most of the things you wanted to do. I tried the demo and thought it worked ok but I did not have multiple sound cards in the system.
Air Horn
No, I had not seen that, but it is very interesting and definitely along the lines of what I am looking for. Thanks for the tip! In looking it over, it does appear to have some of the sound mgmt features I’d like. But it doesn’t appear to address the “3D spatial orientation” aspect, meaning to manipulate the apparent sound field so that the sound appears to come from a specific particular spatial location. But nonetheless, still quite interesting. I’m going to contact those folks and see what else they can tell me. Thanks again for the tip!
John
Actually in reading it more closely, it does appear to have some simple spatial controls on it. I wonder if it can be expanded to work with more speakers and over a larger area…?
What I thought was an important feature of the software was that if you had a computer with four sound boards installed Air Horn can address all four sound cards individually. The output from each card could drive a set of powered speakers or an amplifier with speakers connected etc. Lots of different configurations would be possible.
Beyond the abilities of Air Horn and the connected hardware, if you have access to a program like Cool Edit Pro or a similar application lots can be done with the sound files you use/record. Pan controls and other effects can be applied to customize the sound before it hits Air Horn. I think there are some interesting possibilities for layout sound with this product and the right hardware etc.
Hmm. I will definitely look into it further. The price seems reasonable in any case. That’s a good observation about the 4 sound boards-- even though I anticipated such a system utilizing something along those lines, I completely overlooked the significance of it in the description 
That would, in the simplest case translate into 5 or 6 channels times the number of boards, etc-- there might be real possibilities for that. Plus using sound cards with a bass channel (5.1, etc) would also give support for a number of woofers sprinkled around… another interesting thing to consider.
Yup, that might very well be a useful thing to build around.