OVNI Audio: Free Open-Source Orbit & Supernova 0.4.0

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OVNI Audio has released two new free and open-source plug-ins for music producers and visual artists. Orbit is a binaural movement plug-in for macOS and Windows, while Supernova 0.4.0 is an audio-reactive visual synth for macOS. Both tools are available under the GNU AGPLv3 license, with source code on GitHub.

Orbit: Binaural Movement Plug-in

Orbit places a sound anywhere around the listener’s head and moves it in three dimensions. It supports circular orbits, fixed positions, and fly-by movements with real Doppler effects. The plug-in uses a variable-position HRIR spatialiser, which crossfades between two bracketing voices with fractional-delay ITD. This ensures smooth movement without clicks. For distances under a metre, it applies Duda-Martens near-field proximity, adding bass bloom and asymmetric ear shadow.

The Doppler effect is not a pitch shifter; it emerges naturally from propagation delay. Orbit includes a radar interface for dragging the source in 3D, with angle and distance on one screen. Users can set rate to free, tempo-synced from 1/4 to 1 bar, or fixed placement. Additional controls include speed, radius, height, and chaos for erratic motion. Width and room parameters shape ear-shadow width and add decorrelated early reflections, pushing the sound outside the head. Output can be headphones or speakers with crosstalk cancellation. An IN PHASE switch guarantees mono compatibility.

Features

  • Radar: drag to place the source in 3D
  • Rate: free, tempo-synced, or fixed
  • Speed, radius, height, chaos
  • Width and room controls
  • Headphone and speaker output
  • Mono compatibility switch

Orbit is available as VST3 and AU for macOS and Windows.

Supernova 0.4.0: Audio-Reactive Visual Synth

Supernova 0.4.0 transforms an image, photo sequence, or video into a cloud of 262,144 GPU particles that react to audio. It runs as a VST3 and AU plug-in inside a DAW, and as a standalone app that captures the Mac’s system audio without drivers or routing. The audio remains bit-exact, never altered.

Version 0.4.0 adds cross-dissolves between images, so particles blend smoothly instead of cutting. The exported clip now matches the on-screen output, with a 30-second soundtrack and click-free loop point. Supernova includes 50 worlds—presets that swap physics, geometry, and colour in one click. Four control domains cover Movement, Matter, Camera, and Colour. The Colour Lab offers 17 look ramps built in OKLab, plus a 3D cutout of the subject that can be rotated. MIDI triggers can explode the field or shoot directional rays.

Features

  • 50 worlds presets
  • Four control domains
  • Colour Lab with 17 look ramps
  • MIDI triggers
  • Cross-dissolve between images
  • Bit-exact audio pass-through

Supernova is macOS only, requiring macOS 11 or later. It is signed and notarised by Apple, and runs as a universal binary. Both plug-ins are free and open-source, making them accessible to a wide range of users.

Pros

  • Free and open-source (AGPLv3)
  • Orbit offers realistic binaural spatialization with Doppler effect
  • Supernova provides GPU-accelerated audio-reactive visuals with 262,144 particles

Cons

  • Supernova is macOS only (no Windows version)
  • Orbit requires headphones for optimal binaural experience

More info: OVNI Audio | Orbit and Supernova 0.4.0