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Xp4l 1.01 release for OS X

Dear all,
xp4l, a new flexible spatial sound system for Ableton live is released. It partially uses Ircam spat~ library (spat 5.2.4).

From now on, information, release updates, and content related to this subject will be posted under this tread.

Project info :
https://forum.ircam.fr/projects/detail/xp4l/

xp4l is a project initiated during an artistic research residency and distributed through its own website.

Complete information and download are available at www.xp4l.com

Requirements

Mac OS

Recommended minimum computer requirements:
2,9 GHz Intel Core i7 - 16 Go / with Radeon Pro 560 4 Go or equivalent.

Mac os 10.14 and above (Not tested on Apple Silicon M1)

Note: it is quite likely possible to work on lower Mac os version from os 10.11 and with lower computer spec. You can test your set up with the demo version. If it works for the demo, then the full version should work.

Ableton 10 or 11

with Max For live extension updated to max8.

Ircam Spat library

Current supported version is spat 5.2.4

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xp4l is based on a standalone (purchased), max based built, and a max-for-live devices suit (free)

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First episode of a new video tutorial serie.

Installing and authorizing xp4l

Second tutorial episode : Configuration

Third tutorial episode : Create sound source (with xp4)

Nxt steps for xp :

Windows version in Oct/Nov, with likely some correction, maybe addition of one or two new features (3d models import). Meanwhile, thx to spat~, the xp4l.source can be used either with polar or cartesian mode.

xp4l will be presented during FulldomeUk festival this week end. It’s happening in Plymouth dome (19 speakers)

https://www.fulldome.org.uk/programme/dome-presentation-4-spatial-audio-with-ableton-live/?fbclid=IwAR0v7gCVPvljVu7wfi6ts-Ij4o7paVn7-hygIOmpi-ejEDY8s5OXCfcuWOA

Full video presentation during FulldomeUK can be watched here :

xp news.

Alongside the recent max update 8.2, XP will get an update to 1.11, scheduled in a couple of week, with bug fixes, corrections, entirely new ui design, new features and windows version.

Hi there,
Not sure this is the right place to post about troubleshooting…
I’m interested in xp4l and have been trying to use the demo xp4l.demo.live10.als as recommended, as to evaluate if it would suit my needs.
But, unfortunately, it seems it can’t recognise soundcard outputs, not even for 2 speaker layout (ch1/2).
On the xp4lengine route tab, with Autofill disabled, I’m not able to see any outputs. The visual window (Xp4l.demo), is not showing the loudspeakers nor the sources…and I have no sound at all (engine input shows 16 channels faders, but no signal and engine output tab showing one mono meter, with no signal.)
I do have the SPAT library and use it in standalone Max without problems. For Xp4l to work, do I need to give it the path to the SPAT folder?..this is not detailed in the installation tutorial videos.
I’m running macOS 10.15.6, and ableton 10 with bundled max4live ver.8.1.11.
Any comments/tips?
Thank you lots.

  • Fred

Hello,

That is strange. Nobody has shared such problem so far. It seems it can see the spat library from Ableton, but not sure
Are you on M1 ? Which version of spat are you using ? Also could tell me what says the console in m4l : when in Ableton, right click on xp4l.engine.demo device “open max window”.

thx!

Hi, sorry for the delay. Just had the time to comeback at it now.
I’m on intel Core i7 running Catalina.
The spat version I’m using on Max7 standalone is 5.1.6, x64 mode with 32 bit float. Though, I also have downloaded spat 5.2.6 and added it to “~/Documents/Max 7/Packages”.
When doing the “open max window”, console shows a bunch of reds, it seems it cant find spat. (pictured)
I’m intrigued if Xp4l fetches this library on my hard drive, or does it install its “own” spat library? At no time during Xp4l installation I have given a path to the already installed spat folder…

Thank you for any help.

Hello,

So we have several possible reasons here. Xp has been installed, tested, numerous of time and run perfectly on Catalina, so i doubt it comes from that.

The requirements of xp are displayed here : xp – xp4l

  • max 8
  • spat 5.2.4
  • live 10 or 11 with maxforlive extension installed, updated to max8

There are no guarantees xp works under these prerequisites specs, and it’s important to check you meet them before installing.

xp devices are using your max path to access spat~ object. It should be located in /Documents/Max 8/Packages. Indeed, it looks it can see the objects which indicates there might be some confusion in your system path.

I m not sure if spat~ is installed in Max 7 and your Live is pointing to the shipped version it will work. So Something to check is which version of Max Live is pointing to (from Live preferences).

Please consider update your system, and make a clear diagnostic of your max paths.

Next xp versionn 1.11, will use max 8.2.1 and spat 5.2.6 and will be released in a couple of weeks.

best,

First glimpse into xp4l v1.11

No date announced yet. The release will get along the max update to 8.2.1 and spat~5.2.6. And will have a windows version.

Ui of each devices have been properly designed this time. It was a tremendous work, but the system will get a unique look.

Unexpected events in December have unfortunately delayed the schedule to release v1.11. I will post now more regularly news + very sorry for windows users who were expecting that release earlier.

While v1.00 devices were pretty basics on the ui side, they have now been entirely designed from scratch.

First look on the xp4l.source device.

xp 1.11 will have some new features.

One of them is super cool, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Greetings !

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First look on the new xp4l.room device (1.11)

The parameters panel for the custom room design will be hidden by default, making the device more compact to use in generic case.

First look on the new xp4l.engine (part of the upcoming 1.11 update)

In Ableton Live, the xp4l.engine works as a multichannel bus, where you can set your project configuration, listen to the current sound field, or in binaural, and record the audio stream.

While in the v1.00 some ui elements weren’t responsive to Live theme colors, now each devices will properly adapt to your current live skin.
Are you rather Grey or black?


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One major feature of the v1.11 will be a new mode of sound rendering. Alongside the classic “scene” mode, xp will offer a “listener” mode, where user will be able to navigate through the sound scene with a virtual camera, and in the case of using binaural, will obviously involve head tracking assignation possibility.

I will demonstrate soon in detail how it is implemented in Ableton workflow, but thanks to spat5 library and the link made to jitter library in xp, shifting between the two mode will be extremely simple.

Have a look on the video bellow (binaural)

OS Monterey users

however not supported officially, there’s a little thing to do for having xp working on this OS.

Monterey would probably put in quarantine some externals that are used both in the m4l devices and in the standalone, as xp is using other third party externals in addition to spat~ (whose issue has been explained by T. here : Spat 5 for Max : read this first! )

If you run Monterey and still want to try to use xp, do this on your machine :

  1. Open Terminal

  2. Enter this command line :

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine

Then, from your finder, take the full xp4l.app and drop it after. Press enter (it will ask your user login)

  1. repeat the operation with your ~/Documents/Max8 folder

enter the line

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine

From your finder, take the full Max8 folder and drop it after

press enter.

That’d would do the trick to use Xp4l on Monterrey. Otherwise, there shouldn’t be other problem.

best.
-e

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