Use Cases

Vladislav Isaev, an award-winning sound designer who recently won the Game Audio Network Guild Award for Best Sound for the free online game Diablo Immortal, has attributed much of his success to Merging Technologies’ expansive audio toolkit.

Isaev's role as a sound designer in the video game industry is both demanding and intricate, requiring precise sound quality, multichannel mixing, and real-time optimisation across multiple audio sources. With his latest project, Diablo Immortal, his goal was to seamlessly integrate high-quality sound production with minimal latency, all while maintaining audio fidelity across complex setups.

“Whether it's a surround sound environment or a single monophonic track, each sound asset needs to preserve its unique character,” Isaev explains. “With many digital audio workstations, the lack of precision during various processing stages often sacrifices that individuality, which is unacceptable in my line of work.”

Isaev turned to Merging Technologies to address these challenges, drawn to the combination of innovative design with groundbreaking audio processing solutions. Merging’s Pyramix workstation, Anubis interface, and VCube video player have all been crafted to offer exceptional quality and integration.

Vladislav Isaev

“Merging Technologies offers something truly unique – a combination of precision, real-time processing, and flexibility that I hadn’t seen elsewhere,” he says. “They understand the details that matter to sound designers and consistently deliver beyond expectations.”

Isaev was particularly impressed with Merging's commitment to technical evolution, notably in their use of audio-over-IP and the RAVENNA protocol, which enable data-rich sound transmission with minimal latency and interference across a single Ethernet network. “This made a massive difference in the quality and speed of my work,” he notes. “It’s as close as I can get to seamless, real-time processing across multiple devices.”

For Isaev, Merging’s Anubis interface and Pyramix workstation became integral to his daily workflow. By connecting multiple computers via a unified Ethernet network with the RAVENNA/AES67 protocol, Isaev could mix, monitor, and optimise sound assets with precision.

“Anubis delivers audio from all sources in real-time with the highest quality and almost zero latency,” Isaev shares. “It also acts as a controller for independent monitor and headphone setups, giving me more flexibility when working across multichannel soundscapes.”

Anubis

With high sample rates up to DSD256 and world-class digital-to-analogue converters, Anubis allows Isaev to analyse and record streaming audio with unparalleled clarity. Power Over Ethernet (PoE) technology powers the interface, further minimising interference.

Meanwhile, Isaev leverages the VCube video player for frame-by-frame video synchronisation in scenarios requiring video exports, ensuring that both visual and audio elements remain in perfect harmony. “The synchronisation between Pyramix and VCube is essential for projects like Diablo Immortal, where every frame matters,” Isaev emphasises. “It’s this level of control that allows me to push creative boundaries.”

Merging Technologies’ products have empowered Isaev to take his sound design for games like Diablo Immortal to award-winning levels. The company’s dedication to high-quality sound and future-forward technology aligns perfectly with Isaev’s commitment to producing captivating, immersive audio.

“With Merging, I feel like I’m part of the future of sound design,” Isaev reflects. “Their tools don’t just meet today’s needs; they’re also built to grow with the demands of tomorrow. I look forward to seeing what Merging will innovate next.”

Vladislav Isaev on Pyramix

More info: