To crossfeed or not to crossfeed? That is the question...

[Erik Garci]

Can it do 5.1 or Atmos convincingly?

It can. It sounds just like the speaker system that was measured. The Realiser A16 will include Atmos.

 

[jgazal]

Can it do 5.1 or Atmos convincingly?

You should audition the Smyth. Not easy to do, but if you ever get a chance, take it. It might change your mind on a few things.

CanJam SoCal 2018 - Smyth Research Realiser A16 Headphone Surround System

CanJam SoCal 2018 - Smyth Research Realiser A16 Headphone Surround System

Here is my latest setup:

Stereo source ==> miniDSP 2x4 (Linkwitz-like crossfeed) ==> Realiser A8 (crosstalk-free PRIR) ==> headphones

Basically I hear stereo audio coming from the front but with headphone crossfeed instead of speaker crosstalk.

Is it better than your crosstalk free PRIR and the A8 mixblock to add crossfeed?

I hope Smyth adds a well thought out crossfeed to use with standard stereo recordings instead of relying just in the mixblock. I have asked them this particular question but received no answer... I am feeling sad...

 

[Erik Garci]

Is it better than your crosstalk free PRIR and the A8 mixblock to add crossfeed?

I think it sounds better. The A8 mix block merely changes ILD for all frequencies equally. Certain types of crossfeed make changes to both ILD and ITD that vary depending on frequency, which sounds more natural, while avoiding the comb-filtering artifacts that speaker crosstalk would typically introduce.

 

[bigshot]

It can. It sounds just like the speaker system that was measured.

Can you adjust the level and EQ of each channel?

 

[Erik Garci]

Can you adjust the level and EQ of each channel?

The A8 lets you adjust the bass, treble and volume levels between -12dB and +12dB per channel. I don't know if the A16 will offer more EQ controls.

You can also use other devices to adjust EQ. If you use them while the Realiser measures the speaker system, the EQ will be baked into the measurement, and they will no longer have to be used while you listen through the Realiser.

 

[bigshot]

Neat!

 

[Davesrose]

You know the best headphone surround scheme I've ever heard is a Sennheiser Dolby surround processor I got with my HD580 20 years ago (It's specifically a Dolby Pro Logic). It has many settings for tonality, sound-stage, and presence. If you spend the time to tailor it just right: it does sound a lot more convincing then any of the canned Dolby Atmos headphone settings I get with Windows 10. When it comes to stereo crossfeed, I don't have much music that's glaringly panning to one channel (the main reason to crossfeed now IMO).

 

[jgazal]

I think it sounds better. The A8 mix block merely changes ILD for all frequencies equally. Certain types of crossfeed make changes to both ILD and ITD that vary depending on frequency, which sounds more natural, while avoiding the comb-filtering artifacts that speaker crosstalk would typically introduce.

I’ve asked them one more time:

I've just read from an A8 user that he uses his unit with a special PRIR (in which the left microphone only recorded the left channel sweep, because he muted the mic for the right ear when the A8 played the sweep tones for the left channel, and the right microphone only recorded the right channel sweep, because he muted the mic for the left ear when it played the sweep tones for the right channel) and a mini dsp to have more control over the way the crossfeed is done.
But I guess that somehow detracts the personalization.
You mentioned that you can add a playback mode in which the signals assigned to left speaker are not played back at the right headphone driver and vice versa.
But that equals to total crosstalk cancellation.
As far as I understood, Dr. Choueiri uses an algorithm that achieves with headphones a similar effect that one would achieve with his crosstalk "cancellation" (reduction) applied to speakers.
I was wondering if you could add more control over the way the mix is done in the A16.
The idea is to have the freedom to control the "dosage" of "virtual crosstalk" without having to resort to any external processing.
Cheers.

But I do not know if it would really be in their interest to develop this functionality if the main purpose of the A16 is to emulate Dolby, DTS and Auro systems...

 

[Erik Garci]

But I do not know if it would really be in their interest to develop this functionality if the main purpose of the A16 is to emulate Dolby, DTS and Auro systems...

Another approach is to make a PRIR of the crossfeed itself by measuring headphones instead of speakers, and then load the crossfeed PRIR on user B which feeds the crosstalk-free PRIR on user A. That way you can eliminate the separate crossfeed device.

Stereo source ==> Realiser user B (crossfeed PRIR without head-tracking) ==> Realiser user A (crosstalk-free PRIR with head-tracking) ==> headphones

 

[jgazal]

Another approach is to make a PRIR of the crossfeed itself by measuring headphones instead of speakers, and then load the crossfeed PRIR on user B which feeds the crosstalk-free PRIR on user A. That way you can eliminate the separate crossfeed device.

Stereo source ==> Realiser user B (crossfeed PRIR without head-tracking) ==> Realiser user A (crosstalk-free PRIR with head-tracking) ==> headphones

Oh, yes! You told me that before, but I simply forgot that alternative.

 

[MorroBay]

I just cant crossfeed. It ruins the sound signature for me Ive not found one that doesnt.

 

[MadSounds]

I find there's a dip in micro detail or clarity or what ever you want to call it when using meier crossfeed in foobar. very hard to pick up at level 5 of 100 scaling to what I consider a very modest but obvious dip in detail around level 40-50. As others have stated a lot of great classic jazz recordings have hard interment splits between channels, it really just doesn't work with headphones.

 

[71 dB]

I just cant crossfeed. It ruins the sound signature for me Ive not found one that doesnt.

What is it you want crossfeed do for you? Change nothing? Do nothing?

 

[ironmine]

Has anybody tried to use Flux SPAT (Multiformat Room Acoustic Simulation and Localization Processor) as a crossfeed?

I play with it now.

Here's the description of what it can do:

 

[ironmine]

Sennheiser AMBEO ORBIT (link)

The AMBEO Orbit is a Sennheiser’s free binaural panner plugin, designed to facilitate mixing immersive binaural content.
Pairing the Neumann KU100 – reference for binaural capture – with the newly released AMBEO Orbit plugin you gain full flexibility and control over your binaural recording. You can now effectively position additional mono or stereo sources into the 3D sound field, avoiding the unwanted coloration. In fact, the patented clarity control allows you to choose how much of the binaural coloration to apply. Additionally, the unique interface for creating binaural room reflections allows you to drastically improve spatial accuracy in comparison to a reverb plugin.

The AMBEO Orbit plugin is available in AAX, VST, VST3 and AU format for both Mac and Windows.

Free Windows Download
Free Mac Download