Hello there, can you recommend me a VST plugin that allows me to encode ex. 8ch to 2ch or 6ch to 2ch? I am looking for solution to encode 6 channels output from Nuendo 12 and send it to my amp using 2 ch S/PDIF. I am currently using Minnetonka SurCode Pro Logic II VST encoder but the effect is not really good because I can hear back-channels bleeding to center and front. Nuendo 12 has built-in tool called “Matrix Encoder” it works but it’s only for 4 channels
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There are plug-ins from Waves or NUGEN. But Nuendo has everything you need. You can use MixConvert V6, which you mentioned. You can use it in the master, in a group channel or directly on a track. And, of course, MixConvert also works in stereo.
Nuendo also offers in the Surround folder the two plug-ins “Mix6To2” or “Mix8To2”.
The choice is yours. 
But Mix6to2 is down mixing 6 channels to left and right I still need back channels (Ls/Rs) and separate center
Okay… I’m not quite sure what you have in mind. If I understand your opening post correctly, it’s not about encoding, but about monitoring, right?
From what you describe, you actually need 3 channels (LCR). Not two channels. But if I understand correctly, you want something like “ProLogic real-time monitoring”. Correct? In this case I don’t understand why you only write about the centre and rear channels? A PLII signal also contains front channels. Should their signal be omitted? Or should they be routed to the surround channels?
It is a matter of technology. If you want to avoid this, you need to output each channel separately. (And not matrixed into a stereo signal.)
Yes, I am talking about real time monitoring and the only way is to use matrix channels so all 5 channels are sent in matrixed form using 2 channel SPDIF. With SurCode ProLogic II I can matrix L, C, R, Ls, Rs but because this VST is old It has a couple of problem like channels bleeding to others in some cases. That’s why I am asking about better solutions to encode these channels to matrix so then they can be decoded by A/V receiver that is connected to my soundcard using spdif that’s supports up to two channels, It can send AC3 encoded audio but there’s no solution for real-time encoding to AC3 i think I could use Dolby Digital Live capable sound card but I am not planning to upgrade any time soon
I might be confused. On one post, you ask for a mixdown to 2 channels. Then, you ask for a 5.0 monitoring.
Regardless, SPDIF only handles two channels.
Are you stuck having to do this for financial reasons or? I don’t really think you’ll ever find a good solution since you always have some compromise during conversion… I think… based on the A/V receiver’s accepted formats…
If it’s a matter of cheap 5.1 mixing I would say you’re probably better off buying a very cheap 5.1 system… or 5.0.
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I have been using Waves 360° Surround Tools for years and it usually works fine. and is Software independent and if you need to move the project from Nuendo to Protools, there are no issues.
M360 Surround Manager & Mixdown works like a charm and 360 limiters compressors can be used on independent streams.
In Nuendo you can use as mentioned by others Mix6to2 or Mix8to2 you can also use Animix Pro for more control as you can spread and isolate channels to control the bleed.
for more control try using PSP Aural Control. Play with delay…I use it on every bus and love it.
I know that’s why I am looking for better VST plug-in because SurCode Pro Logic II encodes on the fly 5 channels into 2 channels by matrixing signals and sending it as left and right then my A/V receiver decodes this signal. Using this method I can monitor 5.0 signal pretty well using SPDIF but in some case this VST breaks and all channels are mashed up. My question was, are there any new solutions maybe better developed VST then SurCode that can handle Pro Logic encoding so I can monitor 5.0 using digital input that can transport 2 channels
I am talking about matrixing channels using pro logic to send them to my amp for decoding.
Dolby Pro Logic II matrix notation 5:2:5
Pro Logic II is fundamentally Matrixed Stereo ( and applies Hass effect for ambient background sounds), so you cannot use it for monitoring 5.1 panning, Surround Panning won’t work. For 5.1 panning using your A/V receiver you have to use Optical and not S/PDIF. Kindly note that all A/V receiver decoders have an inbuilt Menu to control and configure the decoding the Matrixed channels, have you tried it.
There are some Chinese encryption disabled A/V receiver that can receive discreet 5.1 RCA and decode it to Dolby 5.1 surround.
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I think SPDIF is an optical connection TOSLINK cable from my pc goes to my AV receiver. TOSLINK cable is connected to “SPDIF out” and then it goes to “SPDIF in” on my AV receiver
S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface)/TOSLINK (Toshiba optical Link) are the consumer version of the two channel Pro AES/EBU protocol and they are not ADAT (Alesis Lightpipe) ADAT supports upto 8 channels of Hi-defination audio. Even though they use the same connectors/cables, the signals are not compatible. All A/V receivers give you the choice to choose which protocol is active. For 5.1 or 7.1 you have to choose ADAT.
You sure about that? As far as I know most receivers may use optical connectors but will use encoded two-channel signals that they then decode internally, and they don’t ‘accept’ an actual 8-channel linear PCM stream at full resolution.
Maybe not all but I have an 12 years old Onkyo at home and it does offer a choice between DTS HD Multichannel PCM stream using ADAT and HDMI, I have seen some Chinese A/V receivers provide unprotected LPCM out of the box.
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Well, if you are having it decoded from Dolby Pro Logic, then you have to first encode it as Dolby Pro logic. Otherwise it will absolutely not work.
It depends entirely on your AV receiver. And having a plug in that can encode to that format only.
I have a VST plugin called SurCode Pro Logic II that is encoding pro logic and sending it using SPDIF but I am looking for newer better VST plugin because currently in some cases the signals are bleeding to other channels
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Then I repeat myself too:
If you convert a 5.1/7.1 signal to a matrix-encoded PLII signal for monitoring on your consumer AV receiver, you will always have these effects. This is the nature of the technology. This will not change even if you use a different (newer) plug-in. The SurCode plug-in you mentioned is still perfectly fine. It won’t get much better with another plug-in. Just more expensive. 
If you don’t want your downmixed signal to be washed out and the individual channels to bleed into each other, then you have no choice but to transmit the 7.1/5.1 signal with 8 or 6 separate channels. This is the only way to achieve professional results. Anything else is - with all due respect - a botched job. (You wouldn’t have had to buy expensive software like Nuendo to do this). At least if you don’t use the plug-in to control your PLII signal (quality control), but to compensate for the limited capabilities of your hardware.
What type of AV receiver are you using? (Complete model number, please.)
With AV receivers, this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. When it is, it is only in a few, usually expensive models. More common, however, is multichannel PCM via HDMI. But even this feature is reserved for higher-end. But maybe that has changed in recent years. Maybe it has become standard. 
I bought Nuendo 12 already but ok that’s all I want to know. So my SurCode ProLogic II is fine, now I got it. My A/V receiver is Technics SA-DX940
OK, so it doesn’t have HDMI. 
But if I have researched it correctly, it has 6 inputs via cinch. With the right hardware, you could use those inputs. Then you would have “real” surround monitoring with separate channels. All you would need is an audio interface with 6 outputs. Or a sound card. You should be able to find something cheap second hand.