Foobar2000 Dolby Headphone config - Comment & discuss!

[musicinmymind]

Thank you.
 
Will try with DirectSound + 5.1 speakers and WASAPI and post my findings.

 

[JackeShan]

Thanks for the update. I can personally not hear a difference at all between Direct Sound or WASAPI.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Well here's a quick recording I did which turned out a bit distorted sounding and doesn't sound like during playback but at least you can hear a difference when I switch been WASAPI & DS https://dl.dropbox.com/u/63937904/WASAPIvsDS.mp3
 
This is just a showcase of worst case scenario though and what can happen in case of loudly mastered music, WASAPI outputs it at the level it should be at while with DS it kinda sounds like a limiter would be enabled and it's hard to make out all the details in the midrange sounds as they kinda float into each other. There is also cases in slight midrange detail retrieval & transparency differences in not overly loud music but the difference is small there though, this is a more noticable difference I'm showcasing here.
 
EDIT: rerecorded with slightly lower recording vol for a bit better result
 
Just to show you what this track's waveform looks like though (for audiophiles this should be a facepalm) https://dl.dropbox.com/u/63937904/clipping.png - In hardstyle the rule about mastering volume goes roughly like if you can't hear the clipping, volume is fine. It's against tracks like these I check for clipping issues with this config but I tweak it to sound optimal for WASAPI though.

 

[JackeShan]

Woa, the difference there is quite noticable. Although with the music I have the difference between DS and WASAPI is pretty much non-extistent, but I have WASAPI on anyway, for optimal sound.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

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Woa, the difference there is quite noticable. Although with the music I have the difference between DS and WASAPI is pretty much non-extistent, but I have WASAPI on anyway, for optimal sound.

 
Are you maybe using Windows volume @ 100% and controlling the volume on your amp? In my case the windows volume is set low @ 14% and maxed out on ZO2.1 as it works best that way with this "amp". I'm guessing it might also be that it becomes compressed with DS due to this but doesn't when using WASAPI. Just saying there might be a possibility that this doesn't happen with DS if windows volume is kept at 100%.

 

[musicinmymind]

Quote:

Are you maybe using Windows volume @ 100% and controlling the volume on your amp? In my case the windows volume is set low @ 14% and maxed out on ZO2.1 as it works best that way with this "amp". I'm guessing it might also be that it becomes compressed with DS due to this but doesn't when using WASAPI. Just saying there might be a possibility that this doesn't happen with DS if windows volume is kept at 100%.

 
I am using E17, set vol on E17 to 100% and control vol with window also help or this is specific to Z02 only?

 

[JackeShan]

Quote:

 
Are you maybe using Windows volume @ 100% and controlling the volume on your amp? In my case the windows volume is set low @ 14% and maxed out on ZO2.1 as it works best that way with this "amp". I'm guessing it might also be that it becomes compressed with DS due to this but doesn't when using WASAPI. Just saying there might be a possibility that this doesn't happen with DS if windows volume is kept at 100%.

That's right, windows volume @ 100% and I control the volume with the amp.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

 
I am using E17, set vol on E17 to 100% and control vol with window also help or this is specific to Z02 only?

 
Most likely, digiZoid ZO is an analog amp only and the bass boost stays cleaner (doesn't clip as easily) the lower the windows volume is set. Digizoid themselves recommend to start out with 25% in the manual. With other amps the recommended is 100% (as long as it doesn't become too unpractical on the volume slider on the amp). 
 
So in my case WASAPI is a lot more important to use as at least with WASAPI it avoids the compression no matter what the windows volume is set to when using this Dolby Headphone config at the very least.

 

[zombi3butt]

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OK I've updated the "forward" config slightly now, should be slightly better EQ'd in the bass + highs and the soundstage should have ever so slightly more depth. What's also nice is that DirectSound output seems to work very good with this config too and not just WASAPI.
 
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Portable foobar2000 v1.1.6 "Forward" configuration: foobar2000.v1.1.6.Dolby.Headphone.(Forward)-RPGWiZaRD.zip - RECOMMENDED! (Updated on 13.8.2012)
 
Note: For best result I also recommend changing to WASAPI output manually in the foobar2000 File -> Preferences -> Playback -> Output afterwards, it's been set to Direct Sound by default for compatibility reasons. If you use WASAPI you'll need to match your output device setting with the same bitrate as set in foobar2000 and make sure the music files are using same sample rate (for example 44100 Hz) as set in the output device properties in windows control panel or alternatively use a resampler plugin in foobar2000. If using DirectSound Output I recommend testing using Windows speaker config in control panel set to 5.1 speakers.

I cant download from this link, could you reup please )

 

[JackeShan]

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I cant download from this link, could you reup please )

It works fine for me.

 

[zombi3butt]

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It works fine for me.

I can't, maybe China blocks it, could you upload it on mediafire or sendspace?

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Don't have an account there but I hope zippyshare works for you http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/96233542/file.html

 

[WittyName]

Thank you for this RPGWiZaRD, it is just the tweak I was looking for.  I was running no processing out of Foobar 2000 (other than a crossover) to my gear and it sounded nice, but could use a bit of a wider soundstage.  I listen mostly to Punk and Hardcore and so I'm looking to back the middle ranges out a bit but I think that's all the tweaking I have left.
 
If you're curious about my setup, see below:

1. Soundcard is some Gigabtye/Realtek HD Audio.  It's not bad actually and can push 24-bit/192Hz
2. Toslink out to a FIIO E3 DAC.
3. RCAs to my EQ a Behringer Mini 9-band EQ
4. RCAs to Creek OBH-11 headphone amp
5. Grado SR-80 headset

 
I'm going to do some AB testing but so far your setup is giving some wild separation, all of the channels are discrete and I have been hearing new parts to music I know well.  Thanks again!

 

[JackeShan]

Quote:

 
I'm going to do some AB testing but so far your setup is giving some wild separation, all of the channels are discrete and I have been hearing new parts to music I know well.  Thanks again!

Yes, I agree! I think this is very underrated. I wish more people could try it out.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Thanks for the kind words! I'm very satisfied with the latest config to the point I don't think I'll be able to improve it much further really, I might just give an ever so slight gain adjustment on the EQ setting and clean up the post in the first page and put the "laid-back" config last under a spoiler tag as honestly I don't think I'll be able to get it equally nice but different sounding than the forward one even if I try to update the EQ settings to match more closely to the forward config.