How to get a big soundstage in any can - no modding.

[Br777]

well ive been playing with it for a while now, and yes i read the manuel and followed its various suggestions as well as trying my own
 
no matter how i play with it there is always a loss of frequency and thus loss of clarity around 1k, and it just keeps me from sticking with it.
 
this is also one of those effects that sounds very different, but i cant really decide whether i like it better than the original sound...
 
i get the feeling that beyond being stimulated by a new sound i wont be using this on a regular basis... but its too early to tell
 
i also dont like how much it peaks.. you have to turn the output down to compensate

 

[Lunatique]

You can have the speaker simulation be further away if you want a lower output. I find that around 1.6 meters is roughly the same volume as when Isone Pro is bypassed. My reference monitors are actually about 2 meters away, so if I tried to match them, I would get lower output.
 
Whatever frequency response changes are just the Isone Pro simulating how sounds naturally will become when played by speakers in a room environment. It's basically turning your headphones into speakers in a room, and that's what will happen to the sound naturally. Have you guys tried turning off all the head/ear and room simulation and keeping just the crossfeed? That should be transparent and not cause any frequency changes.
 
I personally prefer the head/ear and room simulations turned on, because that's what makes Isone Pro sound so realistic. I often forget that I'm listening to headphones when I have Isone Pro turned on, and sometimes it's late at night and my brain will get confused and think "OMIGOD it's so late at night and I'm playing the music quite loud! I'm going to piss people off!"

Then I would double check to make sure my reference monitors are actually turned off, and I'm only listening to headphones. That's how realistic Isone Pro sounds to me.

 

[SP Wild]

Without a doubt, the room simulations work, and they work well.  I like headphone positioning and imaging - it's like I am at the drums on the centre of the stage - like I used to do.  Though I need the soundstage and imaging of open cans.

 

[Roger Strummer]

Quote:

Whatever frequency response changes are just the Isone Pro simulating how sounds naturally will become when played by speakers in a room environment. It's basically turning your headphones into speakers in a room, and that's what will happen to the sound naturally. Have you guys tried turning off all the head/ear and room simulation and keeping just the crossfeed? That should be transparent and not cause any frequency changes.
 

Yeah, I've done it and I concur, Isone Pro is the most transparent crossfeed I've heard of any (software) implementation I've tried yet. And the room simulation is also pretty awesome (and taking into account the cost it is kind of mind-blowing great value). I wanted to thank you for recommending it in the first place.
 
Although I don't use it all the time (personally I prefer headphone presentation over speakers), I've found it very useful and educative, and would recommend people to try it and give it a fair chance, it can surprise a  lot.

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

 
Although I don't use it all the time (personally I prefer headphone presentation over speakers), I've found it very useful and educative, and would recommend people to try it and give it a fair chance, it can surprise a  lot.

I find that if the music is mixed without drastic stereo panning, then the need for crossfeed isn't that important. But on any music where the stereo panning is really dramatic, such as when the guitars are panned hard right and hard left, or other similar kinds of hard panning then crossfeed becomes a necessity, since that kind of mix always sounds very unnatural and annoying on headphones. I just leave Isone Pro on by default for all my headphone listening, since it does no harm and only does good IMO.

 

[Roger Strummer]

Quote:

I find that if the music is mixed without drastic stereo panning, then the need for crossfeed isn't that important. But on any music where the stereo panning is really dramatic, such as when the guitars are panned hard right and hard left, or other similar kinds of hard panning then crossfeed becomes a necessity, since that kind of mix always sounds very unnatural and annoying on headphones. I just leave Isone Pro on by default for all my headphone listening, since it does no harm and only does good IMO.

Oh I agree, in music with extreme stereo panning (say The Beatles or early Pink Floyd) it is extremely helpful, without it I get dizzy. Although in tracks without that extreme situation I find it might make the placement of instruments a little less precise (although that could be placebo effect since it is very subtle).
 
Anyways in the paragraph you quoted I was talking about the full room simulation of  Isone Pro (which works great), and that is why I mentioned preferring the headphone presentation, but I definitely see why you like Isone.

 

[SP Wild]

I am bumping this thread with updates to the OP.  This is well after a year since I discovered these DSPs, and I received a pair of LCD2s soon after and completely stopped exploring DSP and never tried DSP or EQ with the LCD2, I was just content to listen to music.  Until a few days ago, when the yearning for more understanding of soundstage came about and the announcement of the LCD3 that has triggered my OCD analytical listening mode again.  This time with the LCD2.
 
Since then I have had extensive experience with more amps, dacs and other high-end cans like K1000, HD800 and the T1.  My stance now is very different to my previous stance, I seem to fall more in line with the objectivists and professional audio engineers, albeit I still believe worthwhile improvements in sources and amplifiers.
 
Isone pro, head-fit and JR X feeds are still in my arsenal and using them with the LCD2 really illustrates why we pay more for higher tier cans.  They can really dig out these algorithms with greater effect than any mid tier can, with or without effects.  Combining the LCD2 with these DSPs along with EQ has helped me separate some of the myths and facts of headphone audio reproduction.  I highly urge more people in this forum to experiment with DSP, especially the use of high quality equalisers if they are fascinated by all the aspects of headphone technicalities like I am.
 
Of course this is still a highly subjective hobby and this is merely an expression of my experiences that shape my opinions.  I would like for others to experiment with digital processing and we can share experiences and opinions.
 
Cheerios!