Side by side

Dolby Atmos Renderer vs Z-Maestro

Both stand on audio mixing software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Dolby Atmos Renderer

Free trial MacWindows

Dolby Atmos Renderer is focused software for DAW-based immersive-audio rendering and delivery. Its platform-specific routing requirements are important when planning a production setup.

Visit Dolby Atmos Renderer

Z-Maestro offers a free, restricted plan and a one-time Pro license for commercial use. Its listed Windows support is limited to older operating system versions, so check compatibility before choosing it.

Visit Z-Maestro

The facts

	Dolby Atmos Renderer	Z-Maestro
Free plan	A free trial	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Mac, Windows	Windows
Lowest paid plan	Dolby Atmos Renderer: $299, paid once	See the plans
Plans published	1	2
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	professional.dolby.com	z-sys.org
On audio mixing software	#19 of 28	#23 of 28

Dolby Atmos Renderer: what it does well

Renders up to 128 audio and metadata inputs
Creates Dolby Atmos masters for streaming and Blu-ray
Supports macOS and Windows
Works with several major DAWs
Exports ADM BWF, IMF IAB, and MP4

What to know first

Windows requires a separate computer and routing hardware
Dolby Audio Bridge is macOS-only
Paid license costs $299, paid once
Trial requests require iLok credentials

Z-Maestro: what it does well

Free Lite plan available
Accepts live audio input
Exports MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG Vorbis, and MIDI
Pro includes future versions

What to know first

Lite is limited to three tracks
Lite is for non-commercial use only
No surround mixing
Listed support is limited to Windows XP, Vista, and 7

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