Using Quantec Room Simulator for Surround Sound in Logic Pro for Mac

The Quantec Room Simulator can apply reverberation effects to multichannel surround audio signals. It offers multi-surround processing capabilities for both the YardStick and QRS reverberation models, utilizing the original algorithms from the Quantec hardware units. The Quantec Room Simulator plug-in works with all multichannel formats supported by Logic Pro, resulting in a true immersive room simulation when used in a surround project. Numerous parameters allow for precise control of reverberation within a two- or three-dimensional sound field.

When the QRS plug-in is inserted on a surround channel, the surround implementation of the plug-in automatically adapts to the active surround format as follows:

The plug-in configures itself based on the surround format you set in your project settings, for example, 5.1 or 7.1. This ensures the controls and internal processing are optimized for your audio setup.
Note: QRS surround sound presets are surround format-specific. Loading a preset created for a different surround format may result in missing or unavailable channels.
Its core functionality remains consistent with the stereo version, preserving the familiar Primary and Secondary parameter pages and their associated controls.
To improve workflow and consolidate features, the Subsonic button from the Extended page in the YardStick model is moved to the Secondary page.
The Dry Source, 1st Reflection Source, and Correlation Pattern pop-up menus are accessible in the surround details section.
The meters scale according to the active surround format, following the clockwise channel sequence for consistent level monitoring.
A set of macro controls is provided for quick and easy access to adjust the balance between front and rear channels and bottom (ear-level) and top (overhead) channels. See Quantec Room Simulator surround macro controls for more information.
The Details button opens the surround details view, where you can precisely control and adjust the reverb settings for each channel in your current surround setup. In addition to standard reverb controls, this view also includes parameters for pre-processing the input signals before they enter the reverberation algorithm. See Quantec Room Simulator surround details view for more information.

To add Quantec Room Simulator to your surround project, choose Reverb > QRS in a channel strip Audio Effect plug-in menu. The surround version of the Quantec Room Simulator plug-in can be loaded if the channel mode of that channel strip is set to surround. The available channels correspond to the surround format selection in your General Audio project settings.

Figure. The Quantec Room Simulator surround features in the YardStick.

Quantec Room Simulator surround macro controls

The Quantec Room Simulator plug-in features a set of macro controls to help you quickly adjust the balance of various parameters between their front and rear channels or bottom (ear-level) and top (overhead) channels. These macro controls provide a fast way to rebalance the spatial characteristics of the reverb field without manually editing individual parameters in the surround details view. They are particularly useful for quickly auditioning different mix perspectives and for adapting settings when switching between playback formats.

Figure. The Quantec Room Simulator macro controls in the YardStick.

1st Reflection Delay knob: Adjust the delay of the first reflection between front and rear channels.
Reverb Delay knob: Adjust the onset of the reverb between front and rear channels.
Reverb High Cut knob: Adjust the cutoff frequency of a lowpass filter (applied to the output of the reverb effect) between front and rear channels.
Dry Level knob: Adjust the output level of the dry signal on the plug-in output between its front and rear channels.
1st Reflection Level knob: Adjust the output level of the first reflection signal on the plug-in output between its front and rear channels.
Reverb Level R/F knob: Adjust the output level of the reverb effect signal on the plug-in output between its front and rear channels.
Reverb Level B/T knob: Adjust the output level of the reverb effect signal on the plug-in output between its bottom and top channels.

Quantec Room Simulator surround details view

Use the surround details view to adjust settings for each channel or channel pair in your surround setup. Alongside standard reverb controls, the surround details view includes the Room Input Processing column, which lets you adjust individual channels before they are processed by the room simulation.

Tip: You can access the Room Input Processing column by setting the Quantec Room Simulator plug-in as both a surround input and output.

With this level of control, you can create subtle or dramatic spatial effects, tailoring the reverberation to achieve a more realistic and immersive sound field.

Note: Altering the surround format in the project settings will reset any adjustments made in the details view. To avoid losing your settings, save them as a preset before making changes to the surround format.

Details button: Open or close the surround details view to display reverb parameters for each channel.
I/O parameters: Shows the I/O channels that match your project’s surround configuration.
Room Input Processing parameters: Adjust the input signal’s level, delay, and lowpass filtering before room simulation, with the option to select up to eight virtual speakers. These parameters are only available when the Quantec Room Simulator is inserted as a surround input and surround output plug-in.
- Pre Level value fields: Attenuate the input level up to -30 dB or set it to Mute to balance input levels or remove a channel/channel pair from entering the room simulation.
- Pre Delay value fields: Set a delay of up to 250 ms to specific channels, creating additional spatial separation or simulating source‑to‑wall distance.
- Pre High Cut value fields: Apply a lowpass filter to specific channels at a given cutoff frequency to control brightness, sibilance, or high-end build-up. Set to None to bypass the filter.
- Room Input pop-up menus: The numbers represent the virtual speakers, positioned in the virtual room where the algorithm simulates the room response.
Source parameters: Control the input routing of the Dry and 1st Reflection signal paths.
- Dry Source pop-up menus: Choose the input source that you want to use as the dry signal.
- 1st Refl. Source pop-up menus: Choose the input source that you want to use as the first reflection signal.
Offset parameters: This section provides seven parameters to apply an offset to the corresponding main values configured in the Primary or Secondary page. You can adjust offsets independently for each channel or channel pair and can change automatically when using the Macro controls.
- 1st Refl. Delay value fields: Adjust the first reflection delay by either adding to or subtracting from the main delay setting.
- 1st Refl. Spread value fields: Adjust the first reflection right channel’s delay relative to the left, increasing or decreasing its delay from the main setting. This parameter is available only for channel pairs, not single channels (C, LFE).
- Reverb Delay value fields: Adjust the delay to the onset of the reverb effect.
- Reverb High Cut value fields: Adjust the frequency offset of the Reverb High Cut parameter in the Secondary page of the Quantec YardStick model.
- Dry Level value fields: Adjust the offset for the output level of the dry signal path. Setting the value to Mute removes the Dry signal from the output of the respective surround channel.
- 1st Refl. Level value fields: Adjust the offset for the output level of the dry signal path. Setting the value to Mute removes the first reflection signal from the output of the respective surround channel.
- Reverb Level value fields: Adjust the offset for the output level of the reverb signal path. Setting the value to Mute removes the reverb signal from the respective surround channel.
Correlation parameters: These settings determine how the virtual microphones in the reverb chamber are correlated to each other.
- Pattern correlation pop-up menus: Choose predefined correlation patterns for the corresponding channels. All virtual microphones in the reverberation chamber maintain 50% correlation with each other, while following individual discorrelation patterns. Assigning the same number to different channels produces a mono output. Choose Off to mute a Reverb output channel independently of the dry and first reflection outputs.
- Reverb correlation value fields: Adjust the correlation of a channel pair by setting this value to a positive number for a more correlated, narrower image or to a negative number for a less correlated, wider image.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

Control Surfaces Support Guide: PDF

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Logic Pro User Guide for Mac

Using Quantec Room Simulator for Surround Sound in Logic Pro for Mac

Quantec Room Simulator surround macro controls

Quantec Room Simulator surround details view