sectors Get it on the App Store

sectors

Sectors app interface showing the X-Y surround panner pad

sectors is an AUv3 surround panner for quadraphonic speaker setups on iPad. Move sound around the room using the X-Y pad, or hand it off to Orbit and Random for dynamic, automated movement. Trace goes a step further — capture a gesture as you perform it, then loop it back across all four outputs.

features

pad

Drag the puck across the pad to place sound anywhere in the room.

orbit

Swirl your sound around the four speakers on a true circular path. Set the rate and spread, or sync to the host's clock.

random

Make your sound drift and jump around the four corners on its own. Set a slew amount to make it smooth.

trace

Capture a gesture as you perform it, then loop it back. Try adjusting the rate!

spread

Control how tightly sound gathers around the puck's position. Wide open, the field blends smoothly across all four speakers. Dialed in, it narrows into a precise, localized point.

sync

Lock orbit, random, or trace to your host's tempo.

orbit

random

trace

Notes

sectors requires an audio interface with a minimum of 4 outputs.

It has only been tested in AUM so far.

AUM Setup

  1. Load sectors as an effect plugin on a channel.
  2. Create a 2nd channel and select "Multi-Bus Audio Unit Instances," then select sectors. Route each channel to its own output pair on your interface — e.g. Channel 1 to outputs 1-2, Channel 2 to outputs 3-4. You can use the instance on either channel, as they're the same.
  3. Check your interface's own output routing in its dedicated app. If your audio interface has multiple output pairs (e.g. "Main Mix" and a secondary output), make sure each is mapped to the correct physical speaker pair, and that nothing's set to duplicate across both on your audio interface.
  4. Your interface's own meters are the more reliable check. Confirm all four speakers independently. Move the puck to each corner of the X-Y pad and check that only the corresponding speaker responds.

If you're running a different host and hit routing issues, we'd love to hear about it — sectors is still early days on the compatibility front.

Technical specifications

PlatformiPad, iPadOS 17+
Outputs4 (only compatible with multi-bus hosts like AUM)
FormatStandalone + Audio Unit (AUv3)
ModesPad, Orbit, Random, Trace
SyncHost tempo sync
Storage~40 MB

sectors

Available now for iPad.

Get it on the App Store