Okeanos Pro: the “first augmented reality headphones” with 16 virtual loudspeakersNAMM 2026: Karlheinz Brandenburg – best known as the co-inventor of the MP3 audio format – is back with a very different kind of audio technology. His company, Brandenburg Labs, has launched the Okeanos Pro, a headphones-based system that promises an “immersive augmented reality listening experience” by simulating up to 16 virtual multi-channel loudspeakers.
At its core, the Okeanos System is designed to remove the need for large, costly physical speaker arrays by moving the entire listening environment into headphones. Using Brandenburg Labs’ Deep Dive Audio (DDA) technology, the system recreates the experience of working in front of a full multichannel speaker setup in a real, physical space.

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Okeanos Pro supports up to 16 virtual loudspeakers, covering everything from stereo and quad through to formats like 9.1.6, with the ability to switch between configurations almost instantly.
Importantly, the system isn’t locked to a single ‘ideal’ room. During setup, Okeanos Pro is calibrated to the acoustics of the user’s actual listening space, then combined with real-time six degrees of freedom (6DoF) head tracking.
As you move or turn your head, the soundstage responds accordingly, preserving the illusion that audio is coming from fixed speakers in the room. To achieve this, the system includes an HTC Vive Tracker and two Vive base stations, which monitor the user’s position in real time.
The result is a monitoring experience that behaves much like a traditional speaker setup. Users can place sounds precisely across a 360-degree field, judge spatial compositions, and audition how a mix translates across different speaker layouts – all from the desk, without taking their headphones off.
Credit: Brandenburg Labs
Control is handled via a browser-based interface, where users can create and switch between custom speaker setups using a 3D visual layout. The system also includes tools for shaping how virtual speakers behave, including adjustable directivity patterns that let you emulate the way different loudspeakers project sound into a room.
On the technical side, the system supports up to 32-bit/ 48kHz audio, with 96kHz support planned, and integrates with professional studio hardware via Dante or Ravenna.
“From the early proof of concept, we put in a lot of work to make the system ready for real-world usage,” says Brandenburg Labs founder and CEO Karlheinz Brandenburg. “Now, we’ve made it and are beginning to sell our systems to professional studios and educational institutions worldwide.”
At $5871/€5000 (before tax and shipping), Okeanos Pro isn’t cheap, but Brandenburg Labs argues the price sits well below the cost of installing, calibrating and maintaining a physical 16-speaker studio.
For those attending NAMM 2026 in Anaheim, Okeanos Pro will be available for live demonstrations at Booth #14916.
Learn more at Brandenburg Labs.
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