[adrift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by artforme /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, this thread is amazing. Great information. Will this technique work with any DAC? I'm new to the audio world, and just ordered a DAC/Amp combo, but I'm interested in maintaining the surround sound. I'm on a Mac right now, but will try this next time I boot into windows. How imperative is having a "s-logic" or similar surround sound headphones to the experience?

I don't see why this shouldn't work with any DAC. Its software based, not hardware based. The only issue I could see is someone using some sort of nice DAC with surround sound built into it already, but I'm assuming there'd be an option to turn that off if you wanted to use this method. Also, as I explained a couple pages ago, you can now try this on a Mac as well as PC. Finally, I don't think its imperative at all to be using s-logic headphones with this setup. Again, this is software driven, not hardware driven. I imagine you'd actually see issues using surround sound headphones and using a surround sound DSP, but it appears that Graphicism does use Surround Sound Ultrasones with this so who knows...

 

[adrift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAChichorro /img/forum/go_quote.gif This should be stickied.

youre not the only one who feels that way

 

[verteqz]

I just tried this and well... someone is not going back to stereo.

 

[artforme]

Thanks adrift! That helps. I just ordered the LD DAC_II, looking forward using it with this method.

 

[GungaDin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by razmajazz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Another DSP toy to play with, not related to Dolby Heapdhone but I use them together, is Noise sharpening (foo_dsp_delta). Thread is here: I heart foo_dsp_delta! and download is here: foo_dsp_delta. I like the ER4P type highs it delivers -- really nice for vocals and accoustic music but YMMV. Be careful setting it too high though -- I use 35%.

Thank you. I've been listening to a lastFM stream @ 128 through foobar using this very cool 5.1 setup. Putting Noise Sharpening at the beginning of the DSP chain improved the sound immensely. It makes the low quality stream much easier to listen to. Also, the DH2 setting is the way to go. I've also got the Advanced Limiter at the end of the DSP chain along with "apply gain" in the Playback section. Very nice.

A big thank you to Graphicism for posting this.

 

[RedSky0]

^^ Just tried it with my HD600s and it sounds great. Tested it out with a Cryptopsy track and it definitely makes a sizeable difference. Agree 35% is probably a good level, beyond that it gets a bit piercing in some tracks.

 

[GungaDin]

Yeah, I've been sticking to the 35% level and that works very well. I also turned the Dolby Headphone down to 75%. I'm just amazed at how great this sounds, especially with a lowly 128 stream. I'm listening to some ambient stuff and the pan effects and soundstage are wonderful and have great clarity without being harsh.

 

[Flognuts]

WOW - I absolutely hated it, but now with noise sharpening it has made it sound so much more natural...actually its now amazing! it was the missing key IMO.

Noise Sharping - 35%
DTS Decoder
Channel mixer - center 100% - Rear 200% everything else 0%
Dolby Headphone - Reference room - 85% amplification (whats everyone got this on? is live room better) I think 100% amplification too much?

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flognuts /img/forum/go_quote.gif WOW - I absolutely hated it, but now with noise sharpening it has made it sound so much more natural...actually its now amazing! it was the missing key IMO. Noise Sharping - 35% DTS Decoder Channel mixer - center 100% - Rear 200% everything else 0% Dolby Headphone - Reference room - 85% amplification (whats everyone got this on? is live room better) I think 100% amplification too much?

Interesting settings. A little forward. What headphones, DAC and amp?

USG

 

[Flognuts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting settings. A little forward. What headphones, DAC and amp? USG

xonar stx with ad900's, what would you reccomend differently?

 

[GungaDin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flognuts /img/forum/go_quote.gif WOW - I absolutely hated it, but now with noise sharpening it has made it sound so much more natural...actually its now amazing! it was the missing key IMO. Noise Sharping - 35% DTS Decoder Channel mixer - center 100% - Rear 200% everything else 0% Dolby Headphone - Reference room - 85% amplification (whats everyone got this on? is live room better) I think 100% amplification too much?

I agree. The Noise Sharpening makes a huge difference. I set it between 30% and 45% depending on the source. Lower works better for streaming lower bit rates.

I've been setting the Dolby amplification between 50% and 75%. Too high and it seems to get a little boomy and hot.

I had the DH2 "live room" setting for streaming and that sounded good but it seemed to be a bit distorted with FLAC files so I went back to DH1 "reference room."

 

[MaN227]

the skippyrich site seems down or gone. can someone please help out and upload this file for others who want to try this out. thanks, the file is : foo_channel_mixer.zip

TIA

 

[Junliang]

Did anyone tried this for gaming ?
For steam games, from valve like TF2, does it works ?

 

[David.M]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did anyone tried this for gaming ? For steam games, from valve like TF2, does it works ?

good luck finding the hardware/plug-ins to enable your games to work on the 5.1 set-up. And even if you somehow miraclelessly do, good luck trying to enable everything from the main menu of your game into foobar mode. lol, it's not gonna happen bro. Just get a decent sound card like the HT Omega Striker, 5.1 becomes an ez within a few clicks.



Quote:

Originally Posted by MaN227 /img/forum/go_quote.gif the skippyrich site seems down or gone. can someone please help out and upload this file for others who want to try this out. thanks, the file is : foo_channel_mixer.zip TIA

type 'foo_channel_mixer.zip' on google and watch the magic unravel itself !


edit: After a long listen to FreeSurround(which i find to be more prominent in the soundstage) I decided to go back to Channel Mixer =\.

I gotta agree with the OP and a few other users about that whole artificial rear echo. IMO, FreeSurround gives excellent center sound spectrum, it's just that details/separation tend to be more brighter and harsher sounding. some low quality tracks worked well on it, it just didn't provide that needed channel balance to make 5.1 appropriate for my music preferences.

Channel Mixer makes it indistinguishable balanced, relaxing and a bit less fatiguing. Vocal and bass seem to respond more accurately too IMO + I don't have to worry about getting paranoid on which Dolby Headphone Amplification setting i wanted to use. 200% had more realism;but felt it was making the tracks over-bright and i noticed some clipping, some-what same situation on 150%... I just didn't feel like getting my money's worth(even tho this is a free program

).

Now i can leave it 100% (80-90% is also great) without getting any clipping or whatsoever. That Noise Sharpening is an excellent tool ! At times, it would sound as if the artist' was singing in their live stage voice and it is really noticeable if you listen carefully.

I also got Wasapi to work under Win7 and have my output set to 24 bit and it does seem to make a slight incremental improvement !

 

[wali]

I have a confession to make, its really embarrassing but what the heck...

The other day I noticed that all this time I had not linked dolbyhph.dll to the dolby headphone plugin in foobar! Dolby headphone was in the dsp and since foobar v1.0 does not notify like previous version that dolbyhph.dll needs to be linked, so i was basically using the channel mixer with the OP's configuration ONLY!

all my praise and the improvement in sound that i had experienced and still do was due to channel mixer!

anyway, remove dolby headphone from dsp, only keep channel mixer with OP's config and report if you notice any difference in sound.