Exporting

Orbit can export audio renders of your file — binaural, speaker layouts and ambisonics — generate PDF reports, and extract raw AXML metadata. These exports let you deliver mixes, document QC findings, share reports with collaborators, and archive metadata for your records.

For Eclipsa Audio™ (IAMF) files of every ADM master in a session's playlist, see Batch ADM to Eclipsa Audio™ Export.

Export Audio

New in 1.6.0 (beta)

Export Audio is one window in the 1.6.0 beta. It replaces Export Binaural WAV from Orbit 1.5.

Open it with File → Export Audio… (⇧⌘B). Tick every layout you deliver, tick the tracks, choose a folder, and Orbit writes every file in one go while you keep listening.

Targets

Targets are grouped into families, with a filter (All, Binaural, Speakers, Ambisonics, Custom), a Search field, and a grid of tiles that draw each rig (or a list, if you prefer):

• Binaural — Orbit Binaural, and Apple Spatial Audio as its own target. Apple Spatial Audio writes a stereo WAV and exports alongside everything else, one file per track.
• Speaker formats — every speaker layout Orbit knows, including 7.1.6, 9.1.4, 9.1.6 (wide) and classic quad alongside the familiar formats such as 5.1 and 7.1.4.
• Ambisonic formats — 1st, 2nd and 3rd order ambisonics: AmbiX (ACN / SN3D), 4, 9 or 16 channels, rendered from the full mix. Loudness normalisation and limiting aren't applied to ambisonic files.
• Custom — any custom layout you've loaded (see OSLS) appears under its own heading.

Focusing a target shows its preview and the Channel Order as written to the file; when the window is wide, the two sit side by side. Focusing a binaural target shows the virtual room and the HRTF, with the same HRTF menu as the Monitor View — change it here and the monitor follows. With Apple Spatial Audio focused, the window says whether your Mac renders with your personalised HRTF or the generic one.

Tracks

The Tracks list shows the tracks you can export, with Select all and None. With no playlist, the loaded file is the only row, ticked.

Format, loudness and range

These settings apply to every file in the export, except where noted:

• Format — Bit Depth (16-bit, 24-bit or 32-bit float) at the source sample rate, and a Container: WAV, MOV or MP4. MOV and MP4 can also mux the session's video track.
• Loudness — Normalize loudness to a target in LUFS, and Limit true peak to a ceiling in dBTP. Orbit shows an estimate of the gain it will apply before you export. Loudness is measured to ITU-R BS.1770-5. Normalisation and limiting are not applied to ambisonic targets or to Apple Spatial Audio files.
• Range — Whole track, or a Selection set with Start and End (or ⌥-drag the waveform).
• Downmix — for bed channels, fold with your Monitoring Settings or a Custom set of trims. Objects always render to the target layout.
• Destination — the folder the files go to.

A Summary shows the channels, format and estimated size before you start.

File naming

Files are named <track>_<layout>.<ext>, using the layout's own display name — for example _Stereo20, or _1OA, _2OA and _3OA for ambisonics. The window shows the first few names before you export.

Delivery scripts

Filenames changed in the 1.6.0 beta: _Stereo is now _Stereo20, and quad takes its layout's registry name. If you have delivery scripts that match on the old suffixes, update them.

Exports are the full mix

An export is always the full mix at unity gain. A track you had soloed or muted while listening does not carry into the file.

Watching the export run

While Orbit exports, the window turns into a progress view: which file it's on and how far through, how long it has taken, and — once there's enough to go on — how long is left and how many times faster than realtime it's running. Every file has its own row, grouped by track, and settles to Complete with its loudness, or Failed with its reason, the moment that file finishes. A file that fails doesn't stop the rest. When the export finishes, Reveal in Finder is right there.

Exports are 3–10× faster in the 1.6.0 beta, and a batch renders several files at once.

Orbit and Orbit Pro

Orbit Pro

Exporting more than one layout or more than one track is part of Orbit Pro, and so is ambisonic export. Orbit (Standard) exports one binaural file of one track, as before. In the window, speaker and ambisonic targets, loudness normalisation, ranged export and video muxing are marked as Pro.

TIP

Select your preferred HRTF profile before exporting a binaural file — the Binaural section of the Export Audio window uses the same HRTF menu as the Monitor View.

PDF export

Orbit offers two PDF report formats, both available via File → Export PDF.

Standard (Metadata Only)

Shortcut: ⌘⇧E

A concise report covering the ADM file's structure and metadata:

• Programme info: Title, duration, channel count, sample rate, bit depth, bed format.
• Content groups: All content groups listed.
• Loudness metadata: Integrated LUFS, loudness range, max true peak, max momentary, max short-term, and dialogue loudness (when present in the ADM).
• Beds: Each bed channel with track index and speaker label.
• Objects: Each object with ID, track index, type, importance, dialogue flag, width, gain, and a summary of position keyframes.

This is a quick way to confirm that the file structure matches delivery notes without generating waveform data.

Advanced (with Timeline Graphs)

Shortcut: ⌘⇧⌥E

A comprehensive QC report that adds waveform graphs, spatial automation plots, and measured loudness to the standard metadata. Orbit runs an offline analysis pass, so export takes a moment — a progress overlay shows each stage.

Everything in the standard report, plus:

• Measured Loudness section with Orbit's own ITU-R BS.1770 offline analysis:
  • Integrated LUFS, true peak (excl. and incl. LFE), loudness range (LRA), max momentary, max short-term.
  • A time-series graph showing momentary and short-term loudness curves, an integrated reference line, and the LRA band — with marker positions overlaid.
• Master waveform: A combined waveform of all audio channels with marker overlays.
• Per-bed waveform graphs: One graph per bed channel showing RMS and peak levels, with speaker labels and time markers.
• Per-object cards: Each object gets its own section with:
  • Waveform graph (RMS and peak).
  • Position graphs for X, Y, and Z axes showing spatial automation over time.
  • Width animation graph (when applicable).
  • Metadata summary (importance, dialogue type, gain).
  • Any linked marker comments.
• Markers: All markers not linked to specific objects are listed in a separate section.

TIP

The advanced PDF is ideal for archiving a full QC record alongside the ADM delivery. The measured loudness section gives you an independent verification of loudness compliance without relying on the ADM's own metadata.