[K3cT]

There's always Bauer Stereophonic-to-Binaural plugin for Foobar 2k.

 

[csroc]

I've got a couple different plugins, they're not too bad. Not that I don't mind a nice hardware solution

The Meier Cross-1 is what I plan to DIY next. I just need to get around to putting it all together and making my custom PCB for it.

 

[Taikero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K3cT /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's always Bauer Stereophonic-to-Binaural plugin for Foobar 2k.

I'll second that.

Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Lavry /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, you can buy such adapters from a few manufacturers, but they are not all the same quality. Of course one issue is the mechanical construction, but less obvious is the electrical characteristics. One would think that all of those "simple devices" should be fine, but it is not so! When you order such an adapter, most often the seller does not tell you the manufacturer, and they may substitute a different brand at different times. One of those adapter brands introduced clear distortions (measured on an Audio Precision test system). I opened it, and the connection was not even a soldered wire, it was based on some really poor "friction" and one of the conductors was the case itself... I was really surprised. Regards Dan Lavry

I don't think its placebo, when I stopped using an adapter from 1/8 to 1/4, using Furutech, music sounded better. Wonder if this is similar to what Lavry is referring to as I know the adapters he is speaking of are more complicated. So the question is, for others who have 1/8 terminated cans, do adapters have similar effect as mentioned by Lavry?

 

[Joeoboe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think its placebo, when I stopped using an adapter from 1/8 to 1/4, using Furutech, music sounded better. Wonder if this is similar to what Lavry is referring to as I know the adapters he is speaking of are more complicated. So the question is, for others who have 1/8 terminated cans, do adapters have similar effect as mentioned by Lavry?

I think his point was that cheap adapters can adversely affect sound quality... although he also stated earlier in the thread that a well made adapter with a nice connector and wire and soldered connections have absolutely no effect on sound quality. In fact he includes one with his new DA11 so that people can use the XLR outputs with RCA cables. He was just cautioning people to use good quality stuff because cheaply made XLR to RCA adapters can be terrible sounding.

 

[haloxt]

A fun test would be to alternate 1/4 to 1/8 adapters and 1/8 to 1/4 adapters until you have 10 adapters between the headphone out and your headphone cable. I gave up doing the test with just two adapters because I got new headphones and they are sounding kooky while burning in atm.

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeoboe /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think his point was that cheap adapters can adversely affect sound quality... although he also stated earlier in the thread that a well made adapter with a nice connector and wire and soldered connections have absolutely no effect on sound quality. In fact he includes one with his new DA11 so that people can use the XLR outputs with RCA cables. He was just cautioning people to use good quality stuff because cheaply made XLR to RCA adapters can be terrible sounding.

I wasn't criticizing his statement. Was trying to find out if his explanation applies to plug adapters also.

 

[Joeoboe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wasn't criticizing his statement. Was trying to find out if his explanation applies to plug adapters also.

Nor was I criticizing yours. I was just trying to clarify that although he said some adapters hurt the sound, a properly made one is transparent. I was thinking about how a 1/8 to 1/4 is made and unless I am mistaken it uses friction fit pieces and sometimes also uses the case of the adaptor as a signal path... so it is likely that what Lavry was talking about applies to what you are talking about. I cannot remember ever seeing a 1/4 to 1/8 headphone adapter that uses soldered connections.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think its placebo, when I stopped using an adapter from 1/8 to 1/4, using Furutech, music sounded better. Wonder if this is similar to what Lavry is referring to as I know the adapters he is speaking of are more complicated. So the question is, for others who have 1/8 terminated cans, do adapters have similar effect as mentioned by Lavry?

I own a 1/4-1/8th adaptor that, without any doubt, changes the sound. The particular brand called itself "Monitor Audio" or somesuch and made low-quality rip-offs of famous connectors, such as Van Den Hul. The change it makes to the sound is so significant you can hear it even with cheap headphones. Most of my other adaptors make a much smaller difference.

 

[gevorg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taikero /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll second that. Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP

This is a nice DSP, it actually makes a difference unlike the Foobar's built-in crossfeed.

 

[lag0a]

I tried the Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP and it does make a difference, but at the cost of some sound effects like treble at the top end that makes the sound more real to the ear. With the easy mode checked and crossfeed at max, it lowers the overall sound so it is less fatiguing. With the easy mode unchecked and crossfeed at max, I'm not quite sure what is happening. I decided its better not to use the DSP and lower foobar's volume if the headphone's sound is too fatiguing. My foobar2k originally use no DSPs. Do DSPs change the sound quality for the worse mostly?

 

[Taikero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lag0a /img/forum/go_quote.gif I tried the Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP and it does make a difference, but at the cost of some sound effects like treble at the top end that makes the sound more real to the ear. With the easy mode checked and crossfeed at max, it lowers the overall sound so it is less fatiguing. With the easy mode unchecked and crossfeed at max, I'm not quite sure what is happening. I decided its better not to use the DSP and lower foobar's volume if the headphone's sound is too fatiguing. My foobar2k originally use no DSPs. Do DSPs change the sound quality for the worse mostly?

Bauer's Stereophonic-To-Binaural DSP is configurable in the following way:

Easy unchecked = Original algorithm. Cuts upper treble out more than some like.
Easy checked = Sets an upper limit on the algorithm (or at least lessens its effect) so that the higher frequencies make it through without being quite so dampened.
Min/Med/Max = Intensity of the BS2B algorithm.

I personally set mine to Easy + Minimum/Medium. Anything else is too much, IMO. It's a great plugin, for sure.

P.S. I found a 64 bit version that works with foobar2000 0.9.6 in Vista: BS2B foobar2000 0.9.6 Vista 64 Download File on FileFront

 

[shampoosuicide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shampoosuicide /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I don't have an amp that utilises CAST technology, then I don't really have any reason to care for a DAC that has CAST (assuming I don't plan on upgrading my amp)? Would I be right to think that?

Anyone?

 

[sandchak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shampoosuicide /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone?

Not necessarily .. here is what Kingwa's website says..

Quote:

DAC Reference Two Applies Current Transmission Technology , even though maybe you only connect to XLR or RCA output, but Reference Two will always operate in CAST technology, and benefit from CAST technology, Therefore, XLR and RCA output will also definitely bring about improvement in SQ.

 

[insyte]

Quote:

DAC Reference Two Applies Current Transmission Technology , even though maybe you only connect to XLR or RCA output, but Reference Two will always operate in CAST technology, and benefit from CAST technology, Therefore, XLR and RCA output will also definitely bring about improvement in SQ.

This is comforting to read, no need to be limited to CAST only components