[Lunatique]

EDIT: Isone Pro has been upgraded to TB Isone, and the new link is here: http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-isone/
 
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I just want to share my latest discovery with my fellow head-fiers.

I have always disliked the "in your head" sound of headphones when compared to speakers, and while I have tried some of the crossfeed DSP processing plugins (both free and commercial ones), none have ever actually impressed me. That is, until I tried Isone Pro. I was completely blown away by how it was able to make my headphones sound just like speakers--the effect was so realistic that I thought I had left my K+H O300D's on, and it was 1 am in the morning, so I was afraid I'd have woken up the neighbors. That is how convincing it was. It even does surround sound! I have tried Redline Monitor, hdphx, the headphone crossfeed feature that comes with J River Media Center 14, and some of the ones for Winamp--none of them have ever sounded as realistic as Isone Pro--not even close. Best $27 I've ever spent for my headphones.

I highly recommend that you download the demo version and see for yourself how amazing it is:
http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-isone/
 
(TB Isone can be made to sound identical to Isone Pro, so there's no need to try and find Isone Pro anymore--just use TB Isone.)

Here's a discussion thread comparing it to Redline Monitor:
KVR: Redline Monitor or Isone Pro?
 
(EDIT: There's now another HRTF product called Ircam HEar: http://www.fluxhome.com/products/plug_ins/ircam_hear
 
Its realism is comparable to Isone I think, but it doesn't have all those controls and presets that emulate different environments and speakers, and it costs more as well. You can download the trial version and see how you like it. I see no reason to get it over Isone since it has less features and costs more. Maybe the people that don't want to fiddle with the controls of Isone might like how simple HEar is.)


For those of you who don't have a media librarian/player that can use VST plugins, I highly recommend you try J River Media Center. It has VST hosting, and not just one, but a full chain of as many as your computer can handle. That means you can host very high-end professional spectrum analyzers, EQ's, Mastering compressors, and whatever else you want.

Winamp now also has a plug-in that can host VST's. Media Monkey with some customizing can also do it, since MM is compatible with Winamp. Supposedly you can host more than one VST in MM if you do some tweaking. Personally, J River Media Center 14 is just less of a headache IMO. It kicks the crap out of all the media librarians/players I've ever tried, and I think I pretty much tried them all in the last several years--from foobar to whatever flavor of the month.

 

[GungaDin]

I've been fooling around with the demo for the last half hour. I really like it and will probably buy it. It's a very professional sounding piece of software. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GungaDin /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been fooling around with the demo for the last half hour. I really like it and will probably buy it. It's a very professional sounding piece of software. Thanks for the tip!

It's kind of addictive, isn't it? Once you have tired it, you don't ever want to listen on headphones without it ever again.

While the headphone crossfeed feature that comes with J River Media Center is pretty good (especially on pronounced setting)--actually quite similar to the results you get from Redline Monitor, which costs much more than Isone Pro, neither can actually create the convincing sound of speakers actually in front of you.

 

[gurubhai]

ya, great piece of software, I especially like the surround down-mix vst. Movies never sounded better on headphones.

 

[Deep Funk]

I use Mediamonkey without Winamp, could I still use Isone Pro and is it possible to order or get the disc in/via a store/website?

If J River Media Center 14 is the only stand alone software to support Isone Pro I might consider it, the free version if it works with Isone Pro...

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep Funk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use Mediamonkey without Winamp, could I still use Isone Pro and is it possible to order or get the disc in/via a store/website? If J River Media Center 14 is the only stand alone software to support Isone Pro I might consider it, the free version if it works with Isone Pro...

You'll have to find out how Media Monkey handles VST hosting on its own, or it has to rely on Winamp's implementation of third-party plugin for VST hosting.

When you purchase Isone Pro, you get a download link to the non-demo version. That's it. What you do with it is up to you.

The free version of Media Center is called Media Jukebox, and it does not have VST hosting capabilities (nor deal with videos or images or a bunch of other advanced features that Media Center has). With that said though, Media Jukebox is amazing for something that is free (so is Media Monkey). If it wasn't for VST hosting, I'd have just kept on using Media Jukebox like I already have been for years.

You can also try this setup:

1) Download any free vst host that can host more than one plugin at a time.

2) Download mp3play2, which is a free vst mp3/wav player.

3) Download Isone Pro.

4) Have mp3play2 loaded first, then load Isone Pro in a later slot.

5) Enjoy.

 

[GungaDin]

I've been using it in Foobar using the George Yohng VST wrapper. You just put the Isone dll in your VST folder.

 

[Lazerboy2000]

wow, I am impressed with the J River Media Center. Bit pricey for my broke college student self but I'm tempted.

Do the plugins automatically work once you install them or do you have to enable them or something?

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazerboy2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif wow, I am impressed with the J River Media Center. Bit pricey for my broke college student self but I'm tempted. Do the plugins automatically work once you install them or do you have to enable them or something?

In the DSP Studio window, there's a button where you can navigate to your default VST folder and then add any VST's .dll. Once added, they show up on a list, where you can check a check box to activate them (or uncheck to bypass/deactivate them). You can also drag them up or down to change the signal chain. For example, if I want an EQ to be placed after a spectrum analyzer so I can see the original frequency response of a song instead of post-EQ'ing, I simply drag the EQ below the spectrum analyzer on the lsit.

 

[Oya?]

Just wanted to bump this thread as I'm thinking of buying this. I just started playing around with the demo but haven't really read through the manual or started tweaking things. Do you have any favorite presets?

 

[Lunatique]

I don't touch the controls on the left hand side at all. On the right, the only change I made was to set the distance to 2 meters, which matches my studio monitors distance to my listening position. I never bother with the cabinet emulation presets and keep it on flat. The only time I'd use other presets is to check to see how my mix would sound on a laptop or some boombox or through TV speakers...etc.

 

[Erik Garci]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lunatique /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't touch the controls on the left hand side at all.

When I adjust the HRTF controls on the left, it makes a very noticeable improvement in localization and clarity. It is easier to adjust them if you select "L only" or "R only" as the Channel Mode.

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

I just tested this plug-in and it is indeed amazing i listen one song and when activated isone pro the song was no longer coming from the side but from the front like a speaker also when listening someone speaking it no longer sound like your are speaking to yourself.

But to adjust settings on things like this ... there is so many possibility, also the buttons are a pity to control.

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erik Garci /img/forum/go_quote.gif When I adjust the HRTF controls on the left, it makes a very noticeable improvement in localization and clarity. It is easier to adjust them if you select "L only" or "R only" as the Channel Mode.

I think my head/ear preference as pretty the same as the default settings, that's why after playing around with it the first time, I realize I don't really need to mess with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega17TheTrue /img/forum/go_quote.gif But to adjust settings on things like this ... there is so many possibility, also the buttons are a pity to control.

I think once you decide on an optimal setting, there's no need to mess with the controls anymore. For me, 2 meters away is just right, and the room size as medium is just fine too. Cabinet emulation flat is best if you don't want any unwanted coloration. The HRTF is already pretty good in the default setting, so I don't mess with it.

 

[.Sup]

anyone got it to work in winamp?