[Lunatique]

  I should have added that this setup i got is a result of scoping pink noise with freq-domain analyzer with Isone enabled and adjusting frequency curve to best fit original pink noise. (i know it doesn't say so in the manual

)
 

It's generally a bad idea to alter the frequency response in order to "flatten" the changes in frequency applied by Isone. The reason is very simple: In order to simulate realistic space with speakers playing in front of you, Isone HAS TO also recreate the natural changes to frequency response caused by HRTF (Head Related Transfer Function). If you try and negate the effects of HRTF, then you might as well not use the plugin at all and just use a simple crossfeed plugin instead.

 

[Priidik]

I guess my ears are odd.
Suggested settings produce unnatural results to me. 
Maybe its the phones, HD800-s are more open than some others. 
   Anyways i'm still using it with the real stereo tracks with my 'linearized' settings and i'm feeling it is closest to speaker sound in treated control room.

 

[Chodi]

  I guess my ears are odd.
Suggested settings produce unnatural results to me. 
Maybe its the phones, HD800-s are more open than some others. 
   Anyways i'm still using it with the real stereo tracks with my 'linearized' settings and i'm feeling it is closest to speaker sound in treated control room.

I use Isone but I never use Isone with my HD800. I use Isone with my other headphones. The HD800 image so well there is no need to insert Isone in the mix. I have tried Isone with my HD800 just to see what would happen and like you, I got some really bad results. Works great with my other headphones though.

 

[Priidik]

  I use Isone but I never use Isone with my HD800. I use Isone with my other headphones. The HD800 image so well there is no need to insert Isone in the mix. I have tried Isone with my HD800 just to see what would happen and like you, I got some really bad results. Works great with my other headphones though.

That makes somewhat sense, but in theory real stereo (meant for speakers) should feel really awkward through pure unmodified headphone setup.
 
Of all the headphones i have tried HD800 is clearly the closest to produce ideal headphone sound, to me it makes sense that many rock albums sound weird through HD800, as these often are real stereo (in simplified words drum beating in one ear and guitar in the other).
In comparison my other headphones sound like they have a mediocre cross-feed built in.
 
I have tried my other phones with Isone as well, but only with HD800  i get  the occasional sense of hearing  live orchestra or quality speaker setup. Without Isone it doesn't feel quite that realistic. 

 

[Chodi]

  That makes somewhat sense, but in theory real stereo (meant for speakers) should feel really awkward through pure unmodified headphone setup.
 
Of all the headphones i have tried HD800 is clearly the closest to produce ideal headphone sound, to me it makes sense that many rock albums sound weird through HD800, as these often are real stereo (in simplified words drum beating in one ear and guitar in the other).
In comparison my other headphones sound like they have a mediocre cross-feed built in.
 
I have tried my other phones with Isone as well, but only with HD800  i get  the occasional sense of hearing  live orchestra or quality speaker setup. Without Isone it doesn't feel quite that realistic. 

If I read your information correctly, you are using your Yulong DA8 dac as your headphone amp. I would suggest that it is a wonderful dac but the amp section is not up to what the HD800 can really produce. When your budget permits you may want to explore a separate amp for that setup and then see what you think.

 

[Priidik]

Initially i hoped i could beat 2 flies with one bat with that DA8, but i guess you are right, i really shouldn't post here before i have got a nice amp for the cans 
I am eyeing that new Questyle CMR800 or Auralic Taurus MK2. Can't jet decide which to get. 
Not looking to mess around with tubes. 

 

[Chodi]

  Initially i hoped i could beat 2 flies with one bat with that DA8, but i guess you are right, i really shouldn't post here before i have got a nice amp for the cans 
I am eyeing that new Questyle CMR800 or Auralic Taurus MK2. Can't jet decide which to get. 
Not looking to mess around with tubes. 

I just got the Taurus 2 days ago. I can report that it is excellent with my HD800 but more importantly it works just as well with most other headphones. It gives you the option of balanced or se input and output which the cma800r does not. The Questyle is reported to be great with the HD800 but I have read reports that it is not so great with other headphones. Some owners on the forum reported to me that they were not happy with the performance of other headphones. I inquired specifically about T1's as I own them and was told not a good match. I can tell you that it is very good with the Taurus. 

 

[Priidik]

  I just got the Taurus 2 days ago. I can report that it is excellent with my HD800 but more importantly it works just as well with most other headphones. It gives you the option of balanced or se input and output which the cma800r does not. The Questyle is reported to be great with the HD800 but I have read reports that it is not so great with other headphones. Some owners on the forum reported to me that they were not happy with the performance of other headphones. I inquired specifically about T1's as I own them and was told not a good match. I can tell you that it is very good with the Taurus. 

The problem in my are is that i can get two Questyle amps in one Taurus price range.
And i have read that even one CMA800 is better than Taurus for HD800-s. I have no near future plans to buy more headphones, when i do it will probably be e-stats.
No doubt a single Taurus is better with planars than a single CMA800, and that it has pre-amp, since a decent value even at 1800€. I am still waiting for a comparative review with 2 x CMA800 monoblocks vs Taurus MK2, as for me these compare price wise.
 
Back to topic: i still think my setup with Isone works best with HD800 and not so much with other phones, other phones seem not to benefit from Isone-s full capability.
Various settings in Isone have greater effect with HD800, and in direct comparison almost negligible with some in-ears like TDK IE800, which imo have otherwise very good soundstage for iem-s.
I dislike my K701 too much these days i only used them a few times with Isone. 

 

[Priidik]

  It's generally a bad idea to alter the frequency response in order to "flatten" the changes in frequency applied by Isone. The reason is very simple: In order to simulate realistic space with speakers playing in front of you, Isone HAS TO also recreate the natural changes to frequency response caused by HRTF (Head Related Transfer Function). If you try and negate the effects of HRTF, then you might as well not use the plugin at all and just use a simple crossfeed plugin instead.

Truly when HRTF set to zero, it becomes a straight forward cross-feed,
and it is easily as good or better than competitors similar plugins at their game. 
 
I have to conclude that the HRTF function does not work for me at this time,
at least i can use some of Isone goodness. 

 

[Sweden]

I have found "Rhythm Is A Dancer" to be the perfect song when calibrating Isone. Not kidding.

 

[Chodi]

  The problem in my are is that i can get two Questyle amps in one Taurus price range.
And i have read that even one CMA800 is better than Taurus for HD800-s. I have no near future plans to buy more headphones, when i do it will probably be e-stats.
No doubt a single Taurus is better with planars than a single CMA800, and that it has pre-amp, since a decent value even at 1800€. I am still waiting for a comparative review with 2 x CMA800 monoblocks vs Taurus MK2, as for me these compare price wise.
 
Back to topic: i still think my setup with Isone works best with HD800 and not so much with other phones, other phones seem not to benefit from Isone-s full capability.
Various settings in Isone have greater effect with HD800, and in direct comparison almost negligible with some in-ears like TDK IE800, which imo have otherwise very good soundstage for iem-s.
I dislike my K701 too much these days i only used them a few times with Isone. 

If you can really get two cma800r for the price of one Taurus and you use the HD800 exclusively then go for it. I am not sure I understand the pricing issue since the 2 cma800r  list price at about $3000 and the Taurus is about $1800. Even allowing for the import charges in your country hard to see how they could be close in price. The Taurus is also wonderful with the HD800 as well as other headphones. Now back to the Isone thread before we get slapped for being off topic.

 

[FangJoker]

Is there a list of software programs that work with this? I tried it with jriver and it sounds pretty good, but jriver is not that great of a video player imho so I'm looking for better video players that will work with this.

 

[mkeroppi]

I use virtual audio cable and vst host.

 

[Sweden]

  I use Isone but I never use Isone with my HD800. I use Isone with my other headphones. The HD800 image so well there is no need to insert Isone in the mix. I have tried Isone with my HD800 just to see what would happen and like you, I got some really bad results. Works great with my other headphones though.

That is strange.
The result I have with the HD800 is so much better than any other headphone I almost think he had to be using the HD800 when developing the program.

 

[Chodi]

 
That is strange.
The result I have with the HD800 is so much better than any other headphone I almost think he had to be using the HD800 when developing the program.

A few days ago I ordered a new usb interface and decided to try Isone again with my HD800's. Now I find that it works as well as it does with my other headphones. The thing about the HD800 is that they are extremely sensitive and revealing of any change in the system. After changing the usb converter I find Isone works well and dials in the  image creating a greater sense of depth and layering. Better focus to the sound field overall. Might be the change in driver that came with the new usb that gets this working properly. I was using a Hiface 2 before and it really did not work well with the HD800 and Isone. Now I like what it does and I will be using Isone with my HD800's. So I stand corrected.