/ Oct 6, 2026
(Updated:Oct 6, 2026)
Sound Particles has announced major updates to Energy Panner 2 and Brightness Panner 2, two dynamic panning plugins that turn audio characteristics into movement. Instead of requiring producers and sound designers to draw each move in an automation lane, the plugins use signal intensity or frequency information to control how audio travels through a mix. Both updated plugins add <a href="https://cinemamix360.com/2026/10/06/cinema-st-louis-celebrates-the-spirit-of-independent-film-at-sliff-2026/” title=” Cinema St. Louis celebrates the spirit of independent film at SLIFF 2026″>independent paths for each input channel, a built-in mixer, a Virtual Center feature, and expanded output-format support. They also run on the same modern engine that powers Sound Particles’ Beat Panner.
Energy Panner 2 vs. Brightness Panner 2: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between Energy Panner 2 and Brightness Panner 2 is what drives the movement. Energy Panner 2 responds to an audio signal’s intensity, translating changes in energy into changes in position. This connects spatial movement to the dynamics of the source, allowing the sound itself to guide the panning without manually programmed keyframes. Brightness Panner 2 uses brightness, pitch, or MIDI notes to control movement. Its approach connects positioning to frequency content or note information, giving users another way to introduce motion into music and sound design. For producers and post-production mixers, the appeal is movement that responds to the material. The two plugins offer distinct ways to build that relationship, depending on whether dynamics or tonal characteristics should determine the path.
Independent Channel Paths and a Built-In Mixer
One of the biggest additions is independent paths for every input channel. Each channel now has its own start and end points, offering more control than a single trajectory shared across the input. This gives users greater flexibility when positioning multichannel material. Individual channels can follow separate paths instead of moving together along one common route. A new built-in mixer also provides per-channel output level control directly inside the plugin. Users can adjust the balance of those channels while working on their movement, reducing the need to switch back to the DAW mixer for those level changes.
Virtual Center Creates Space for Dialogue and Vocals
The new Virtual Center feature clears the signal from the center channel and redistributes it to the left and right channels. In post-production, this can help leave the center channel available for dialogue. In music mixing, it offers a way to open space for a lead vocal. The feature adds another layer of positioning control alongside the plugins’ signal-driven movement.
Three Visualization Modes for Spatial Panning
Energy Panner 2 and Brightness Panner 2 now offer Circular, Polygon, and Room views. These three visualization modes provide different ways to view positioning and movement, allowing users to choose a display that fits how they think about their mix or speaker arrangement. Mixers can work with a representation suited to the task, whether they prefer a circular layout, a polygon, or a room view.
Expanded Dolby Atmos, Ambisonics, and Custom Layout Support
The updates expand input and output support from stereo to Dolby Atmos and up to sixth-order Ambisonics, broadening the plugins’ scope across conventional and immersive audio workflows. Users can also create custom speaker layouts, with control over channel count, azimuth, elevation, and LFE placement. That flexibility allows the panning environment to accommodate a specific speaker configuration instead of relying entirely on preset formats.
Energy Panner’s Use on Dune: Part Two
According to Sound Particles, Alan Meyerson, Hans Zimmer’s longtime mixer, has used Energy Panner on multiple film scores, including Dune: Part Two. The company discusses that workflow in its “Mixing Dune: Part Two OST” webinar, available on the Sound Particles YouTube channel. The example highlights the original plugin’s use in film scoring, while the new version adds more detailed channel control and layout options.
Energy Panner 2 and Brightness Panner 2 are available for $99 each, with a 30-day free trial. Existing owners can log in to their Sound Particles account to view personalized upgrade pricing. Both plugins are also included in Panner Collection III, alongside Beat Panner, for $229.
More information and trial downloads are available at Sound Particles.
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