INTORNO LABS is one of the Barcelona-based companies representing its fast-evolving audiovisual sector. Founded a decade ago, it began as a small R&D laboratory focused on developing new software for real-time 3D audio.
Their aim was to overcome the limitations of existing spatial audio rendering techniques by delivering a more flexible, “format-averse” approach, while ensuring maximum accuracy, reliability, and ease of use.
INTORNO’s development efforts have expanded to include a wide range of products designed to make immersive audio accessible to more user types, empowering creatives across diverse disciplines and tapping into new markets beyond traditional live concert and theater settings. Their portfolio features AI-powered tools, plug-ins, DJ hardware, and remote multi-touch controllers.
To validate and showcase the capabilities of their technology, the INTORNO LABS team has, over the years, evolved into a full-service provider, delivering outstanding and customized immersive audio experiences for the AV market.
The Core Technology
The philosophy behind INTORNO’s core technology was to conceive a generalized framework for multichannel audio enablement, applicable to any creative context and any acoustic space.
In their vision, realistic and captivating sound spatialization can only be achieved if it is fully three-dimensional and dynamic.
“To assert that a technology is truly 3D audio, and therefore capable of accurately rendering auditory events across all three axes, an algorithm must be able to process width, depth, and elevation consistently, regardless of the position or trajectory within a volumetric shape—something very few can claim to execute properly today.”
INTORNO’s proprietary algorithm for authentic 3D audio rendering is called “Delta-Cues System,” and among other things, it avoids creating a privileged listening area, commonly referred to as a “sweet spot,” nor does it require any specific loudspeaker layout or room geometry. This has become increasingly important as demand for immersive audio grows in non-traditional contexts such as exhibitions, brand activations, museums, and theme parks, where experiences are often designed in a scattered, non-linear fashion.
Another distinctive feature is called “Multi-Band Spatial Response” which has played a significant role in INTORNO’s enduring success. Initially, the focus was on achieving hyper-realistic localization on stage for instruments, artists or actors, which is crucial for better intelligibility and overall engagement. However, this technology has since evolved to offer sound operators and artists an entirely new universe of mixing and creative options.
Finally, INTORNO’s core rendering engine is completely hardware-independent, ensuring full compatibility with any speaker type and the flexibility to adapt to the specific conditions of each venue. Thanks to a proprietary framework called “Mesh-Based Spatialization,” artistic intent can be consistently preserved when accommodating or integrating different hardware. This approach has proven extremely valuable in maintaining competitiveness as top brands like L’Acoustics, d&b audiotechnik, Meyer Sound, and Adamson have entered the immersive audio market with their fully integrated solutions.
The Tools
“We knew right away that if we truly wanted to deliver next-generation audio experiences, we needed next-generation technology to empower the next generation of creatives,” says Ludovico Vignaga, co-founder of Intorno.
At the heart of INTORNO’s technology is a suite of tools for real-time object mixing and spatialization, where audio sources are encoded and presented as “objects” with attached spatial metadata, which can then be transmitted via OSC protocol to the rendering engine.
Autospat stands out as the most ambitious product line developed by INTORNO. This AI-powered tool enables automatic and intelligent spatialization of sound objects, leveraging their affinity with a proprietary taxonomy database. Over the years, the INTORNO team has meticulously gathered a vast array of creative decisions at an incredibly granular level. For each individual sound—be it a female voice or a drone pad—they have amassed extensive data on how these sound objects have been utilized across various music genres and speaker setups. Autospat is designed to operate autonomously in the background, making it ideal for scenarios where an audio operator is unnecessary, or to assist new users by providing recommendations and suggestions.
INTORNO also developed the Bridge plugin suite, one of the oldest tools in their arsenal, now available in VST/AU format. These plugins utilize OSC metadata, allowing users to control the parameters of each sound object in real-time or automate them directly from their favorite DAW. A standout feature of the Bridge plugin is its powerful trajectory editor, which simplifies and enhances the process of automating the dynamic movement of sound objects, making it both easy and quite addictive.
For additional control purposes, another long-standing product is the SPC (Space Performance Controller), an application designed for multitouch tablets that offers live-friendly controls for more “on-the-fly” adjustments or as a portable tool a sound operator can carry throughout the venue. The SPC operates in two distinct modes. ‘Control’ mode provides a comprehensive overview of the entire soundscape, allowing users to navigate presets, scenes, and transitions with precision. In contrast, ‘Play’ mode allows for a more creative approach, enabling multi-touch spatialization effects such as Gravity, Repulsion, and Vortex.
Finally, there’s the 4DFX, a hardware controller designed specifically for DJ effects. Developed by the INTORNO team, these multichannel FX are crafted so that each “voice” reacts dynamically to spatial parameters, influenced by user-controlled sliders, knobs, and other factors like BPM. These “organic” effects can significantly elevate a traditional DJ set, where the main output typically consists of a mix of pre-recorded and mastered stereo tracks. Just picture an 8-voice delay perfectly spatialized in sync with your dance tracks.
Engineering, design and creative services
The other branch of INTORNO LABS’s core business operates as a “boutique” production and design studio (specializing in immersive audio, of course).
Users and clients interested in integrating immersive audio into their event or project receive comprehensive support from the INTORNO team across two main areas: engineering and creative.
When conceptualizing the best possible system implementation for the client, factors such as the size and dimensions of the space, audience capacity, availability of third-party hardware, budget, coverage, and SPL requirements, among others, all collectively shape the final design, or “canvas,” as the team calls it.
Simultaneously, a separate discussion addresses the creative scope of the event. Is it a live concert with a full band, a solo electronic act, or an interactive experience in a museum? Perhaps there are visuals or projections that sound objects need to follow—a scenario the team refers to as “sound mapping.”
By being involved on both fronts, the INTORNO team can bring all proprietary technology and tools to the table, along with any potential customizations needed for the project. It is also quite common for content to be pre-produced at one of INTORNO’s studio facilities ahead of time. In other instances, the team is tasked with creating the content themselves, a service that has become increasingly in demand over the years, particularly in commercial and cultural applications.
Approaches can differ greatly depending on the nature of the event, whether it’s an electronic music set at an underground nightclub or a flamboyant product launch at a trade show. This diversity requires a wide array of tools to address the specific needs of each application, along with extensive knowledge and preparation across multiple disciplines.
“Our greatest strength lies in our ability to leverage the tremendous insights we continuously accumulate, project after project, as we’ve done for the past 10 years. We use this knowledge not only to stay ahead of the curve and provide our clients with the most efficient solutions but also to shape and advance our technology for what comes next,” comments Ludovico Vignaga.
INTORNO Systems in Use
INTORNO’s footprint can be found all around the world, with the team typically categorizing their projects into artistic, cultural, and commercial types. Let’s take a look at a few interesting examples.
At Dubai Expo 2020, INTORNO was entrusted with the increasing demand for “sound mapping” in the El Salvador Pavilion. Here, visitors embarked on a journey through ocean waves, forests, small towns, and volcanoes, creating an augmented and immersive infotainment experience. As more 360º projection experiences emerge—where visual narratives span multiple walls and surfaces—the need to spatially “map” sound to the visual narrative becomes increasingly essential.
Another example is the DevCon conference in Bogotá in 2022, where Autospat was deployed to provide 12 hours of continuous soundscapes for the “decompression rooms.” These rooms were designed for conference-goers to escape the intensity of keynotes and meetings, allowing them to relax and be transported to different worlds each time they entered. Due to the nature of auto-generative installations, Autospat proved to be the perfect solution for delivering an ever-evolving spatial sound experience.
One of the leading electronic music producers, Nicolas Jaar, collaborated with Intorno in 2019 to create a 3-hour show titled “¡Miércoles!” for the Barcelona-based festival MIRA. Surrounded by a 30.9 immersive sound system, Jaar performed and improvised live from the center of the room, accompanied by dancer Janaina, who moved through the audience. Using the multitouch Space Performance Controller, Jaar smoothly and instinctively manipulated each spatial component while playing his own instruments—a true gem of a performance.
Intorno Demo Room
In the case of an immersive system like the one created by the Spanish company, the best way to learn about its possibilities is to experience it in a demo room.
The good news is that the company’s headquarters are located in a 1920s factory building in Barcelona, and the space includes a 150m² listening room equipped with a 33.8 immersive system.
We encourage you to visit the company’s website and request a demo: www.intorno.xyz.
