Pro-Codec gets xHE-AAC
Sonnox and long-time partner Fraunhofer IIS have updated the Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec to include xHE-AAC.
Never overlooking the importance of keeping sound stellar in all output formats, our partnership with Fraunhofer IIS focuses on integrating Fraunhofer IIS audio codecs into producers’ workflows.
The Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec plugin does more than encode audio signals, however. Its primary purpose is to monitor the material in various Fraunhofer codecs without needing offline encoding. The Pro-Codec can compare up to five codecs simultaneously, while the plugin also provides additional information about what the codecs are doing. This way, producers do not have to rely solely on their ears but on scientific facts – like the codecs’ impact on the frequency spectrum, audible artefacts, and codec-induced overloads, all of which can be monitored visually on a user-friendly interface.
The Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec has always featured a broad palette of MPEG stereo and multichannel audio codecs. We’re happy to introduce xHE-AAC, the latest AAC family generation surpassing its predecessors’ quality. xHE-AAC features improved quality at stereo bit rates of 12 to 500 kbit/s, adaptive streaming through MPEG-DASH or HLS, seamless transitions between bit rates, MPEG-D DRC mandatory loudness and dynamic range control. xHE-AAC is the audio codec of choice for adaptive audio, video streaming, and digital radio, and early adopters include market leaders such as Meta, Microsoft and Netflix. It is supported natively by the latest Apple, Android, and Amazon operating systems and products.
“We are happy to see xHE-AAC finding its way into the digital media landscape in the way we designed it: as a prime audio encoding solution for video services, music, audiobook and podcast streaming”, says Max Neuendorf, Head of Audio and Speech Coding Group at Fraunhofer IIS.
The Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec plugin is available now from our store, and a free demo is available. The update is free for existing owners.
