Foobar2000 Dolby Headphone config - Comment & discuss!

[RPGWiZaRD]

Played around with the EQ gain vs Maxtrix mixer volume setting for the "forward" config so that Electri-Q gain was lowered a bit and Matrix mixer raised as this seemed to lead to slightly better result, bass has slightly better definition/impact and mids/highs sounds cleaner (very small difference). Download link/pics/settings updated.

 

[JackeShan]

Thanks!
 
Som vanligt, grymt jobbat! 

 
Quote:

Played around with the EQ gain vs Maxtrix mixer volume setting for the "forward" config so that Electri-Q gain was lowered a bit and Matrix mixer raised as this seemed to lead to slightly better result, bass has slightly better definition/impact and mids/highs sounds cleaner (very small difference). Download link/pics/settings updated.

 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Thanks!
 
Som vanligt, grymt jobbat! 

Haha tackar, du var lite snabb där, hade tänkt uppdatera EQ inställningen litegrann idag och det är gjort nu men det är en ytterst liten justering (kring 63Hz för det saknades kanske pyttelite bas vid där kring). Alla länkar och sånt är iaf uppdaterade nu.
 
To every1 else I also made a nice new recorded Dolby Headphone video with the latest settings except I used DH2 - Live room mode as this track fit better with no extra added reverb of a nice hardstyle track I personally love:
 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

OK need your input, I'm looking at improving the laid-back config atm and managed to get it sounding better with a wide variety of music instead of previously thinking it suited mostly quite specific recordings. However I can't make up my mind which of these 2 settings sounds better so if you can comment that would be nice.
 
Config 1
 
Preconfigured package http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/22295769/file.html
or
Fbcp dsp serializer helper config file http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/54138327/file.html
 
Config 2
 
Preconfigured package http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/40924687/file.html
or
Fbcp dsp serializer helper config file http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/96632380/file.html
 
 
Here's also an example comparision video I uploaded for convenience (Config1 is 0:00 - 3:40 and Config2 3:40 -> 7:21) 
 

 

 

[maverickronin]

I think I like the second one better.  Its farther away and more natural sounding.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

I think I like the second one better.  Its farther away and more natural sounding.

Yea I share a bit the same feeling, the config 1 seems wider in soundstage and often has more distinct positioning of instruments but it may also become slightly unnatural sounding sometimes and sometimes there's a hint of "metallic" treble in certain high frequencies (not audible in most songs including this one, well possibly if you listen closely to the drum echo at some point you might hear some tiny hints of it) and config 2 never has that but the soundstage is mostly slightly less wide but still has great sense of depth. I might upload another song for comparision as well.
 
It's the "Focus (ambience <-> localization) setting which especially affects this, going to the "localization" side the positioning often gets more distincly moved towards the sides or the positioning of "swirling around"/panning sound effects are more clear and it sounds like soundstage is wider but it also affects the sound quality a bit appearently (although just seems to be audible with certain high frequencies).
 
Which one sounds farther away probably has to do with the difference EQ settings, I could probably easily make the 1st config sound like coming from further away if moving frequencies a bit backwards in the whole midrange, the 1st config has higher boosted upper-mid and lower-highs range especially (2kHz ~ 8kHz), with exact same EQ settings it would sound slightly more muffled than config 2 though why it was necessary to make those adjustments, at least they currently have VERY similar sounding frequency balance, it's just the positioning is slightly different. EDIT: Seems like I mixed it up, config 1 has actually lower boosted treblerange settings of the two on the EQ as it was even more forward in the treblerange without the adjustments.
 
I wouldn't be suprised if some people would prefer config 1 for the wider stage & slightly more distinct positioning though, I know I sometimes do that myself too why I keep going back n forth.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Uploaded another comparision video (config1 0:00->4:12, config2 4:13 ->)
 

 
This is an example where I think config 1 fares pretty well with the increased soundstage/more distinct positioning.
 
EDIT: I increased the stereo image width slightly on config 2 now and seems to bring a bit better result.
 
EDIT2: Yea now I've found a good config for the "laid-back" one based on config 2. I will probably replace the one in OP soon after I've "confirmed" it working good listening through my collection. 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

OK I've finally updated the OP to include the latest config for the "Laid-back" one. I've made quite a lot changes compared to the one it's replacing;
 

---

Changes:
 
- Quite a bit changes in Freesurround, especially regarding "Focus (Ambient <-> Localization)" setting where I went from like +0.50 to -0.26 which resulted in less sound quality impact, highs no longer metallic and the treble range is overall clearer but the soundstage is usually less wide but more natural sounding.
 
- Matrix mixer got all channels' volume adjusted separately for best result
 
- Dolby Headphone amplification went from 110% to 113%
 
- Minor EQ adjustments in the treblerange => more natural, closer to stock foobar sound
 
==> More versatail, no longer only works superb for specific recordings or genres but I'd avoid if mainly listening to rock still though Compared to the "forward" config this is still as the name hints, more relaxed, laid-back, not as "in-your-face" sounding, now they complement each other better in my opinion so that they are similar but still different regarding the positioning/soundstage.
 

---

 
Preconfigured package: http://www45.zippyshare.com/v/61272257/file.html
 
Fbcp config file: http://www45.zippyshare.com/v/12487279/file.html
 
 
And finally, here's a demo with the new config

 

[bellsprout]

so what happens if you have your sound card on Dolby Headphone also?

 

[Hailin]

Thanks for this RPG listening to the LOTR soundtrack in Flac is just plain fun. Seems to boost the mids a bit for my DT990pros.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

so what happens if you have your sound card on Dolby Headphone also?

Doesn't sound good, way too metallic and reverby sound. You shouldn't either have it enabled on your soundcard if listening to the "demo" vids. For best results the soundcard's Dolby Headphone should be disabled, you can disable the one in foobar2000 but it sounds even better using the DH plugin in foobar2000 though. 
 

Thanks for this RPG listening to the LOTR soundtrack in Flac is just plain fun. Seems to boost the mids a bit for my DT990pros. 

Using the "forward" or "laid-back" config? The forward may give you the "illusion" of boosting the mids as it's as if the mids are pushed more forward but doesn't get louder. The Laid-back is the opposite, mids gets pushed a little further away from you for increased perception of soundstage. 
 

 

[bellsprout]

 
Quote:

Doesn't sound good, way too metallic and reverby sound. You shouldn't either have it enabled on your soundcard if listening to the "demo" vids. For best results the soundcard's Dolby Headphone should be disabled, you can disable the one in foobar2000 but it sounds even better using the DH plugin in foobar2000 though.

I can't seem to get it to sound like your demo recordings. I downloaded the preset and configured my sound card drivers (Xonar D2) to 6 channel and 5.1 speakers. Would you consider uploading before and after samples of your recordings so I can see if I can set it up correctly?
 
Also, why does the output have to be set to speakers? Isn't the signal stereo after the DSP effects in foobar? Wouldn't my drivers up and down mix it again after?

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

In Xonar cards I'm not sure how you should set the speaker config in the driver software... but the Windows speaker config should be set to 5.1 for best possible result. 8 channel might be correct to use with Xonar cards in the driver software for example or it might have to be set to stereo/headphones while windows speaker config is set to 5.1 IN CASE they aren't linked to each other like with this Realtek onboard. So I suggest try both headphones/stereo in Xonar cards as well as 8 channels while Windows speaker config is set to 5.1. At least on X-Fi cards  I know the windows speaker config and X-Fi driver software have their own independent speaker configs and with those cards you seem to get the best result with 5.1 speaker config set in windows and "headphones" in the X-Fi software.
 
I personally tick both the "Full range speakers" options "front and right" and "surround speakers" in the speaker config.
 
I'm showing you this realtek speaker config gui because it's linked with the windows speaker config so it's like changed on both ends and the windows speaker config has like multiple menus that shows up with selections so it's easier to show this Realtek gui:
 

 
 

 

[Hailin]

Quote:

Doesn't sound good, way too metallic and reverby sound. You shouldn't either have it enabled on your soundcard if listening to the "demo" vids. For best results the soundcard's Dolby Headphone should be disabled, you can disable the one in foobar2000 but it sounds even better using the DH plugin in foobar2000 though. 
 

Using the "forward" or "laid-back" config? The forward may give you the "illusion" of boosting the mids as it's as if the mids are pushed more forward but doesn't get louder. The Laid-back is the opposite, mids gets pushed a little further away from you for increased perception of soundstage. 
 

Your latest compile above the FF7 song.
 
 

 

[musicreo]

Quote:

 

I can't seem to get it to sound like your demo recordings. I downloaded the preset and configured my sound card drivers (Xonar D2) to 6 channel and 5.1 speakers. Would you consider uploading before and after samples of your recordings so I can see if I can set it up correctly?
 
Also, why does the output have to be set to speakers? Isn't the signal stereo after the DSP effects in foobar? Wouldn't my drivers up and down mix it again after?

If you are using the dolby headphone dsp in foobar you should use stereo output in your xonar card and the hifi modus. If you use the xonar Dolby Headphone effect you should use 6 or 8 ch output.  If you use Win Vista or Win 7 you can use WASAPI in foobar so you don't need to bother abaut channel configuration in the windows mixer.