[kilgoretrout]

On my Vista computer, I have an option for Headphone virtualization that can be found through the control panel. The description explains what it does, but my question is whether enabling this is recommended. The differences are considerably large, but I don't know if I prefer it enabled or disabled.

Quote:

Headphone Virtualization uses advanced processing to create the illusion of a home theater while using stereo headphone.

 

[infinitesymphony]

From a purist standpoint, not recommended. It uses psychoacoustic-based DSP to fake your ears into making the recording sound bigger.

 

[CSMR]

I don't know how well implemented this is. Recordings are made generally with speakers in mind and so the right dsp (crossfeed effectively) is needed to recreate the positioning of speakers. Advanced processing can work with multichannel inputs. "Dolby headphone" does this: I have not tried it but the theory is very good.

 

[jcx]

if the effect is large its probably "bad" virtualization

crossfeed plugins exist for foobar, winamp

the best approach to date is the Smyth style external processor - which is a huge but good difference - tracks head motion and compesates with a custom "spatial eq" keeping the image fixed in space - which is what your brain expects

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f11/sm...phones-323219/

 

[krmathis]

Thanks for letting us know!

Now enjoy music with Headphone virtualization urned on, or maybe off...

 

[kilgoretrout]

Right now I am comparing these two crossfeed plugins for foobar:

Naive Software
Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP

I can say for sure that I prefer both of these over the similar function built into the Control Panel. The plugins removes the unnaturalness without changing anything else. Unfortunately, iTunes is my primary player, so I don't know what to do.

 

[dspargo]

In speaker setup in Windows 2000 and XP there is a drop down menu for a bunch of speaker choices and one for stereo headphones.

What do you use?

 

[kilgoretrout]

There is no such drop down menu in Vista, but the only entry in Playback Devices is "Speakers".

 

[wavoman]

I agree with jcx -- without a headtracker that you wear, you cannot do proper spatial virtualization. Smyth explained this very carefully and very cleverly at CanJam 08. Subtle turns of the head make all the difference!

His system has it (as jcx said), a very high-end Sony surround sound system has a head movement tracker, and so does Beyer HeadZone (I am planning on buying the pro Beyer).

 

[b0dhi]

Even with head movement tracking, without a customised HRTF, headphone virtualisation generally sounds like turd. Unless you get lucky. Crossfeed does well for some types of music though.

 

[wavoman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0dhi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even with head movement tracking, without a customised HRTF, headphone virtualisation generally sounds like turd.

Smyth of course fully lets you customize the HRTF, we all did that during the CanJam 08 demo. Beyer HeadRoom gives you three slider controls that speak more to the attributes of the listening room you are trying to simulate rather than your personal HRTF, but if they give you enough control over the DSP then maybe it's good enough, and the room acoustics are taken out of play (unlike Smyth). Who knows?

 

[b0dhi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavoman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Smyth of course fully lets you customize the HRTF, we all did that during the CanJam 08 demo. Beyer HeadRoom gives you three slider controls that speak more to the attributes of the listening room you are trying to simulate rather than your personal HRTF, but if they give you enough control over the DSP then maybe it's good enough, and the room acoustics are taken out of play (unlike Smyth). Who knows?

Well, I've tried many, many virtualisation programs and hardware, most of them with some, often detailed, type of "customisation" options, but only one has ever sounded "real" to my ears, and that (a particular ear-type preset in an old version of Sensaura) is now obsolete. Setting a full spectrum, frequency dependent amplitude and phase response, plus inter-aural crosstalk and other factors that play into a full HRTF by trial and error would take forever and would end up being less than accurate in any case. The only solution that doesn't depend on luck (how well your true HRTF happens to match the presets or range of configuration options/values) is a full, objective HRTF measurement which you could then feed into HRTF software/hardware.

 

[wavoman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0dhi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The only solution that doesn't depend on luck (how well your true HRTF happens to match the presets or range of configuration options/values) is a full, objective HRTF measurement which you could then feed into HRTF software/hardware.

Well that's what Smyth does with the tiny in-ear mikes. And not what Beyer does ... they have config sliders. But there's something appealing to me about not having to measure, not having to depend on the actual room. Nonetheless I see your point -- if you have a great listening room to run the measurements in, Smyth will dominate Beyer because they zero in on the real HRTF. But maybe the Beyer is good enough for me ... as long as it has the IR head-tracker I bet I get very realistic surround sound. Will let you know.

 

[fenixdown110]

Sorry for digging up an old thread, but I ran into the same headphone virtualization option on Windows 7. This is a joke. It's an attempted virtualization. Everything sounds accentuated alright, but it's all muddy sounding. I tried a few orchestra pieces on the 'concert hall' setting and was sorely disappointed. Piano solos were unclear and when the entire orchestra played, all the instruments blended into each other and formed one giant echo. The echoing effect is one of the most distracting parts to it. Definitely steer clear of this optional gimmick. Stay purist.

/end rant