Why do all crossfeed processors suck?
Nov 15, 2004 at 4:00 AM Post #16 of 27
I use Foobar2000's Crossfeed plugin and am satisfied with it (although I have nothing to compare it to).

I would think that it would be possible to create a perfect binaural-like conversion with a software plug-in that is processing the original digital data. Extremely complicated, but possible, since a dummyhead (in a given room) is creating a constant physical set of surfaces for reflections of the sound waves. Now if only someone could figure out the formula and write a software plug-in to simulate it.
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 4:06 AM Post #17 of 27
From the Jan Meier website, just to clarify how it works a little bit more:

".....In principle, digital soundprocessors can simulate all the mechanisms for directional listening but the results are, thus far, not very satisfactory. In particular, pinnae-reflections are very complex and listener-specific and impossible to simulate accurately.

Fortunately, the mean directional information is provided by the time delay and level of attenuation of the sounds that reaches the opposite ear. The CORDA HEADAMP can electronically simulate this process and, with appropriate attenuation and delay, add some of the right audiosignal to the left channel and vice -versa. This considerably reduces the adverse symptoms of headphone listening.

A unique feature of the crossfeed circuitry of the CORDA HEADAMP is that it "recognizes" the virtual positions of the instruments and singers in a recording. The sound of an instrument in the middle of the soundstage will be equally present in both audio-channels and isn't given any crossfeed. A crossfeed signal is only generated for instruments that are not placed at the center. The more off-center the instrument is placed, the stronger the crossfeed and the longer its delay. This feature is called "natural crossfeed"....."
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 2:07 PM Post #18 of 27
Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari
HRTF's are VERY specific to head shape and size. I am not aware of any program that allows you to customize the HRTF's to suit your head.

Binaural recordings will offer surround sound to you without any extra processing. Stereo recordings are quite hard to convert into binaural with any degree of success...

good luck
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AKGs 'HEARO' 888 wireless processor has an optional custom HRTF card customised to two of your favourite HRTF pre-sets after listening to samples. Also their 999 processor has 6 HRTF modes to suit different ears.
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 4:24 PM Post #19 of 27
dolby headphone works really well from my experience using it. even when I told my friend to listen to some music that was playing on my headphones(with dolby headphone enabled). he put them on, and said they weren't playing. I told him they were on, so then he took them off, and put them back on and he seemed pretty confused. then he said he thought my speakers were on since the music didn't sound at all like they were coming from the headphones.
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 5:22 PM Post #20 of 27
I have been listening to the corda prehead from meier audio, with my own pc as source through an m-audio transit on a bel canto dac 2. The cans were sennies 555er, and I have to say that I was quite impressed with that crossfeed feature. I must admit that before noir showed it to me, I never knew about it even existing, and as rather speaker fanboy than can addict I was used to having crossfeed without needing to turn it on, naturally. Having that in cans sounded really natural even, unlike my expectations, and much better than not having it activated.

But that's just me.
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 8:53 PM Post #21 of 27
Why not asking Dr. Meier and Tyll at headroom about the investigation they had conducted on the subject, maybe they could indicate you the best ones avaialble, or any method they may know, that they have taken into consideration in their research, I would do that instead...this is a very controversial theme, and most of the people here does not have enough info to provide you, that could be really helpful, we all use what others provide us, the only people I know with some background research on that topic are those nice fellow headfiers, and two of our sponsors....
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 8:59 PM Post #22 of 27
I am wondering if the crossfeed unit Jan Meier offers on his site would work between my cdp and my MG Head as well as a built in unit such as the Prehead, etc. I listen to a lot of early sixties stereo(?) and it can be strange.
k1000smile.gif
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 9:09 PM Post #23 of 27
Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Henderson
I am wondering if the crossfeed unit Jan Meier offers on his site would work between my cdp and my MG Head as well as a built in unit such as the Prehead, etc. I listen to a lot of early sixties stereo(?) and it can be strange.
k1000smile.gif



Yes it will work the same way, this is the only purpose of this unit, the only difference with the Corda Cross-1 is that as there is no info of the impedances you have at the output of your source and at the input of the amp, is needs all those extra settings of bass and highs, to acomodate a more variety of setups, reading the manual you will know exactly what to do....OTOH the one inside the Prehead as any other of the Corda amps, does not require this settings, as those impedances are known, and they will not change, and should be only one fixed value....
 
Nov 15, 2004 at 11:35 PM Post #25 of 27
It seems to me that there is no way a crossfeed processor that is manipulating the audio as an analog source can be as effective (or as complex) as a software-based solution working on the original digital source. It seems like we'd be much better off with a good software plug-in (or perhaps the one in Foobar2000 is sufficient) or a processor with digital input and output. This statement is being made with the assumption that the original source is digital (e.g. CD or digital music file), of course.
 
Nov 16, 2004 at 12:08 AM Post #26 of 27
Quote:

Originally Posted by NuTT98
It really shouldn't be hard at all to emulate a dummyhead realtime via a plugin


AFAIK you are wrong.
I've asked a friend (who owes me a lot) if he could do that for me.
He's a sophistcated physicist/programmer and he looked at the problem.
One problem is that the plain stereo recording doesn't contain much information about the third dimension, the height, of a signal.In contrast to that dummyhead recordings are very 3D.
The main problem according to what he told me is that the task is similar complex to raytracing/radiosity algorithms in the optical realm.There is simply no way, even if highly optimized, to do that in hi-rez and in realtime with current technology.
Based on stereo recordings you would get nothing but a ideal speakerlike soundstage in the end anyway.
Without the visceral impact, indeed.
 

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