[bluemonkeyflyer]

Which audio host program is best for use with MacBook Pro?  Am I correct that J.River is only compatible with Windows?  What about Fidelia, Audacity, others?  I am not looking for a free program; only the best that will work seamlessly with Isone and my MacBook Pro.
 
Thanks for any help.

 

[mangler]

Quote:

Which audio host program is best for use with MacBook Pro?  Am I correct that J.River is only compatible with Windows?  What about Fidelia, Audacity, others?  I am not looking for a free program; only the best that will work seamlessly with Isone and my MacBook Pro.
 
Thanks for any help.

 

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I really like Pure Music, and you can download a 15-day trial version. The only downside is that you can't use Isone Pro with it. Apple doesn't' support VST plug-ins (like Isone Pro), but it does support AU plugins (as far as I know). Ircam's HEar plug-in seems similar to Isone Pro, but it comes as an AU plug-in, so you can use it with Pure Music. Plus, the trial version of HEar already simulates stereo speakers, as opposed to the full version, which simulates surround sound (~$50 for the full version). So, if you're just listening to music, then you only need the trial version, which isn't time-bombed (i.e. it doesn't expire after a certain amount of time), so its like getting an advanced crossfeed for free! Anyway, you can try both Pure Music and HEar for free, for at least 15 days, to see if you like it or not
 
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[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

 

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I really like Pure Music, and you can download a 15-day trial version. The only downside is that you can't use Isone Pro with it. Apple doesn't' support VST plug-ins (like Isone Pro), but it does support AU plugins (as far as I know). Ircam's HEar plug-in seems similar to Isone Pro, but it comes as an AU plug-in, so you can use it with Pure Music. Plus, the trial version of HEar already simulates stereo speakers, as opposed to the full version, which simulates surround sound (~$50 for the full version). So, if you're just listening to music, then you only need the trial version, which isn't time-bombed (i.e. it doesn't expire after a certain amount of time), so its like getting an advanced crossfeed for free! Anyway, you can try both Pure Music and HEar for free, for at least 15 days, to see if you like it or not
 
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I tried to use the Isone VST plugins with Audio Hijack Pro for Mac, which supports AU and VST plugins, but I can't get the Isone plugins to open.  I can get the Canz 3D VST plugin to open, so I know the app is working fine.
 

 

[zlobby]

Is there anyway that this program or similar can be used in conjunction with an ipod?  Mine is running rockbox right now.

 

[justie]

is anyone able to use isonesurround with media player classic? curious as how it will work out

 

[d8n0g]

 
I wonder if you could help me getting this plugin installed?

 

I am using foobar 2000 and it doesn't even see the .dll

I have cubase and a couple other programs that take plugins and I have never in my life had so much trouble  I do appreciate your time...

 

Also, as for jriver what other plugins are you using with isone?  I'm using volume and output

 

**edit**

didn't notice the vst tray

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

 
I wonder if you could help me getting this plugin installed?

 

I am using foobar 2000 and it doesn't even see the .dll

I have cubase and a couple other programs that take plugins and I have never in my life had so much trouble  I do appreciate your time...

 

Also, as for jriver what other plugins are you using with isone?  I'm using volume and output

 

**edit**

didn't notice the vst tray

Make sure you are using the right version. There's a 32-bit and 64-bit version of Isone, and they are not labelled accordingly in the .dll. You have to rename the .dll to the right version so you can identify them, and then use the right one with whatever your VST host can handle. Not all VST hosts can recognize 64-bit plugins. 
 
 
 

 

[Tetsuma]

I had problems with foobar detecting the 64x versions. Swapped over to the 32bit version, restarted foobar and it was there.
 

 

[d8n0g]

how exactly do you string vst's together in foobar?  Can anyone recommend a free one? 

 

[Adda]

I have tried this vst with my DF's and all it does is make everything sound monophonic and dull, without this vst they sound much more like speakers, must be the diffuse field equalization doing it's job.

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

I have tried this vst with my DF's and all it does is make everything sound monophonic and dull, without this vst they sound much more like speakers, must be the diffuse field equalization doing it's job.

That sounds so far from what I hear that I have to wonder if you are using the plugin correctly, with the right calibrated settings. The guy who designed/coded it is a DSP expert and highly experienced audio professional, so it's not like he doesn't know what he's doing at a very high level. 
 

 

[Adda]

Quote:

That sounds so far from what I hear that I have to wonder if you are using the plugin correctly, with the right calibrated settings. The guy who designed/coded it is a DSP expert and highly experienced audio professional, so it's not like he doesn't know what he's doing at a very high level. 
 

I fiddled around with the plugin for an hour or so, the stereo image changes from being a panorama to being a ball inside my head.
I think the problem is that my DF's already sound like speakers, so putting a layer of speaker simulation on top of that yields poor results.
It could be that I didn't take the time with that plugin, but the stereo image is not the only thing it messes up, it doesn't sound real at all.
 

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

I fiddled around with the plugin for an hour or so, the stereo image changes from being a panorama to being a ball inside my head.
I think the problem is that my DF's already sound like speakers, so putting a layer of speaker simulation on top of that yields poor results.
It could be that I didn't take the time with that plugin, but the stereo image is not the only thing it messes up, it doesn't sound real at all.
 

Did you follow the instructions in the user's manual? Did you try music that's got dramatic stereo separation--the kind that really annoys most headphone users, and caused mixing and mastering engineers to advocate against doing critical audio work on headphones all these decades (and the reason for Isone to exist in the first place--to finally remedy that problem for audio professionals)? 
 
Here, try this short clip (demo clip for a Waldorf synthesizer) with and without Isone--you'll hear a dramatic difference, and you'll understand better why Isone was created in the first place: http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/temp/Kamm'on_128Kbps.mp3
 
Without Isone, the stereo separation is very unnatural and extreme, but with Isone, it actually sounds like speakers placed in front of you, and it's very natural and realistic sounding. 
 
For those that don't want to spend too much time tweaking, I find that for me, if you set the preset for speaker cabinet to flat, and the Room preset to Nearfield or Midfield, it gives a really good result. No need to mess with anything else, unless you have unique shaped/sized head/ears. (BTW, I'm talking about TB Isone. I used to prefer Isone Pro, but with the later update of TB Isone putting back the stuff that was initially taken out from Isone Pro, I'm fine with TB Isone.)
 

 

[Adda]

Well I tried it out again, this time TB Isone rather then Isone pro, but the result is pretty much the same.
Listening to the file you sent, I see what you mean, but I don't need Isone to get the illusion of speakers, Isone basically just places the "virtual speakers" closer together.
It messes up my headphone frequency response and clarity as well, I get less bass, the bass sounds muddy, the mids get recessed and I get blurry fuzzy highs.
I tried the settings you recommend and I tried to see if I could improve it a bit, but in the end, it just sounds monophonic and dull.

 

[firev1]

Quote:

Well I tried it out again, this time TB Isone rather then Isone pro, but the result is pretty much the same.
Listening to the file you sent, I see what you mean, but I don't need Isone to get the illusion of speakers, Isone basically just places the "virtual speakers" closer together.
It messes up my headphone frequency response and clarity as well, I get less bass, the bass sounds muddy, the mids get recessed and I get blurry fuzzy highs.
I tried the settings you recommend and I tried to see if I could improve it a bit, but in the end, it just sounds monophonic and dull.

I fully agree with you, I have been using VSTs for a pretty long time before I got on Head-fi due to a friend's advice. I find listening with Isone very fun but eventually the muddiness in bass, clipping and resulting loss in SQ not worth it to use. I eventually settled with Redline monitor a few months back and I'm very happy with it.
 
But for those still interested, my favourite settings from the time I was playing with it on my friend's computer, is Hifi speakes nearfield with the appropriate head/ear size settings.