[JAChichorro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenixdown110 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How exactly does it compare to the Channel Mixer surround?

Sound overall feels less "congested". Voices sound more "natural" and realistic, less "synthetic". Instruments separation is also better in FreeSurround to my ears.

 

[dongringo]

Just wanted to express my appreciation of this thread.

I can't believe the difference this had made. I love my RS1s, but they would get fatiguing really fast, for obvious reasons. But I still preferred them for progressive metal due to the gut wrenching punch they provide. Well, with this 5.1 surround setup, they have lost some of the chunk that I love about them, but they are WAY less fatiguing and I'm now able to enjoy what they offer for a much longer period of time. Besides, there's still plenty of chunk to be had. So the trade off is totally worth it in my book.

As far as my D5000s are concerned, rock really isn't well represented to begin with, but I preferred them more for the more dynamic space rock of older Porcupine Tree, anything with a lot of keyboards, as well as some acoustic based music and jazz. But the 5.1 surround opened up the soundstage on these considerably and have a better all around balance than before.

When I test the difference, with and without, I can't believe the difference. I'm getting so spoiled here on head-fi. How did I go through life without good sounding music? I really feel like I wasted 40 years of my life. lol

 

[fenixdown110]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAChichorro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sound overall feels less "congested". Voices sound more "natural" and realistic, less "synthetic". Instruments separation is also better in FreeSurround to my ears.

I'm going to give this a try then.

 

[owenhan]

I'm pretty interested in how FreeSurround turns out for you. Might give it a try later.

 

[adrianbrac]

I am trying to do this tweak, but for some reason I cannot see foo_channel_mixer.7z in the DSP section. I downloaded it from the page, and put it into the component folder.

Is there something I am doing wrong? I get the other DSP's in the DSP section, but the Channel Mixer does not show up.

Help Please.


*EDIT* I did not know .7z was an archive file. DL'd it and extracted the file. Took alittle bit of brain mechanics. Thanks.

 

[Lavcat]

Has anyone else tried the option "Add low freqs"? I could find no information about this option on hydrogenaudio, nor anywhere else.

I am assuming that if "Add low freqs" is unchecked, low frequencies are *not* sent to the rear channels. Since we are using headphones, there is no reason not to send low frequencies to the rear channels. I don't think the option is adding any extra bass beyond what should be there.

I've also played around with "Stereoimage width" and decided I like it best at the default of 1.00.

 

[adrift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dongringo /img/forum/go_quote.gif When I test the difference, with and without, I can't believe the difference. I'm getting so spoiled here on head-fi. How did I go through life without good sounding music? I really feel like I wasted 40 years of my life. lol

Yep, I feel the exact same way.

Also, thanks to those who are still experimenting with this for an even better experience.

 

[JackeShan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dongringo /img/forum/go_quote.gif As far as my D5000s are concerned, rock really isn't well represented to begin with, but I preferred them more for the more dynamic space rock of older Porcupine Tree, anything with a lot of keyboards, as well as some acoustic based music and jazz. But the 5.1 surround opened up the soundstage on these considerably and have a better all around balance than before. When I test the difference, with and without, I can't believe the difference. I'm getting so spoiled here on head-fi. How did I go through life without good sounding music? I really feel like I wasted 40 years of my life. lol

Sounds impressive...... have to try this out.
Btw, did anyone get this to work with WASAPI? I read someone had problems.

EDIT:

OK I just tested this with Denon D5000 as well, and wow I am actually very surprised. The "Dolby headphone" function in Xonar really sounds awful.. while this mod doesn't make the sound worse, just a much better soundtage.

Thanks OP for this!

 

[roadcykler]

I figured it out. The file from lynne music was opening in Quicktime. DOH!

 

[Lavcat]

Using the Spectrum view in foobar I confirmed that unless "Add low freqs" is checked there is no bass in the rear channels.

I'm also liking some "Rear in front".


Edit: A few months later I am re-reading this thread. Several posts down I discovered that having rear in front (or for that matter front in rear) is generally a bad thing. On some music mixing a little rear in front was OK, but for other music it was terrible.

 

[AtomikPi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lavcat /img/forum/go_quote.gif Using the Spectrum view in foobar I confirmed that unless "Add low freqs" is checked there is no bass in the rear channels. I'm also liking some "Rear in front".

That would explain why some have experienced a loss of punchiness. OP should probably be edited to mention this.

 

[bigfatdynamo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomikPi /img/forum/go_quote.gif That would explain why some have experienced a loss of punchiness. OP should probably be edited to mention this.

So what is a 'natural' sounding setting for this? Having no idea what "splitting frequency" does, I have been playing around with it and have found that I either add way to much bass - it sounds distorted OR I take too much out OR it sounds like I have done nothing.

 

[mmss939]

nice thread! i can hear huge differences between normal stereo and the 5.1
but i guess it's a personal thing....i use it depending on my mood.
i use 5.1 mostly for classical musics. omg Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade never sounded so good.

 

[Watsdat88]

I figured the Split Freq option really didn't do anything for me. As said above, it either caused too much distortion in the bass - or it didn't feel like it sounded any different with it being lowered to take the distortion away.

Anyone found some decent settings for the Rear in front option? It sounds sweet, just can't figure out what's the perfect setting :<

 

[bigfatdynamo]

My experience:

Used music/Equipment: Asus WinXP laptop (circa 2006)-> Foobar -> ASIO4ALL -> generic USB cord -> Maverick DAC -> Completely stock Ultrasone HFI 780s.

Music: FLAC: Rush Moving Pictures / Sarah McLachlan Closer: The Best of.. / Jay-Z Empire State of Mind / Them Crooked Vultures

320mp3: Once OST / Jay-Z Empire State of Mind / Eric Clapton Unplugged
256VBR mp3: The Clipse / Popular Demand

Some other, lower quality mixtapes were also used -- Normally at 192

I played around with it some more and had a nagging feeling that it was 'colouring' the music, especially female vocals. I decieded to get a second opinion with my girlfriend, who is a trained vocalist. I loaded up a song I knew she was very familiar with - Building a Mystery from Sarah McLachlan's 'Best of CD' - and asked her to listen. I began with the Dolby headphone as set up in the OP (with 1.25 centre) and she right away took it off the headphones and gave me a look. I asked her to try it again with nothing and then switched to bs2b on the cmoy setting. She could not tell the difference between the vanilla sound and the crosfeed sound but noted that the vocals on the DH were unnatural.

Personally, I prefer the stock sound but become fatigued quite quickly. I use the bs2b setting on the default or the cmoy depending on listening times. After a couple days use with multiple 4 + hour sessions, I find the the dolby headphone to be the least fatiguing setting, the cmoy bs2b to be the best balance, and no DSP to be the best sounding.

The cmoy bs2b was also the most generous with lossy files, I am assuming this is because some of the highs are rolled off. Dolby Headphone completely exposed poor files; however, 320 and FLAC were mostly indistinguishable.