OOYH Software for Mac

[Bryan]

Anyone have actual experience with "Out Of Your Head" software for Mac?

[SavantGarde]

Anyone have actual experience with "Out Of Your Head" software for Mac?

Yes. I do. There's a long thread about it over at head-fi.org, in which the owner of the company that markets it, writes about it. I suggest you check it out. If you download the software, you can use it as a trial before buying a license. The trial version lets you use all the presets, but after a couple of minutes you have to click the preset again (or select another one) to get the sound back.

 

The short version is that you have to thoroughly test all the presets until you find one that sounds natural to you. It's also quite possible that none of them fits your particular upper-body shape (i.e. your unique HRTF). The presets are made with different test subjects (as well as different audio systems), so if you're lucky you'll find one that works for you. For most of the presets the test subject seems to be the company owner himself, though.

 

For me, just a few presets sound reasonably natural and have good externalisation. I use the software exclusively for watching videos, since the externalisation is rather good with my chosen presets, but the timbre is not.

 

For music, you may want to try TB Isone from Toneboosters, since it lets you adjust some HRTF parameters to your head and ear size, as well as parameters related to the simulated speakers and listening environment. It's only two-channel, but costs a fraction of OOYH. In my particular experience the (virtual) externalisation of sound sources is much better with OOYH, but the timbre is much more natural with TB Isone. Head-fi.org has a long thread about TB Isone as well, that you may want to look through.

[Bryan]

Yes. I do. There's a long thread about it over at head-fi.org, in which the owner of the company that markets it, writes about it. I suggest you check it out. If you download the software, you can use it as a trial before buying a license. The trial version lets you use all the presets, but after a couple of minutes you have to click the preset again (or select another one) to get the sound back.

 

The short version is that you have to thoroughly test all the presets until you find one that sounds natural to you. It's also quite possible that none of them fits your particular upper-body shape (i.e. your unique HRTF). The presets are made with different test subjects (as well as different audio systems), so if you're lucky you'll find one that works for you. For most of the presets the test subject seems to be the company owner himself, though.

 

For me, just a few presets sound reasonably natural and have good externalisation. I use the software exclusively for watching videos, since the externalisation is rather good with my chosen presets, but the timbre is not.

 

For music, you may want to try TB Isone from Toneboosters, since it lets you adjust some HRTF parameters to your head and ear size, as well as parameters related to the simulated speakers and listening environment. It's only two-channel, but costs a fraction of OOYH. In my particular experience the (virtual) externalisation of sound sources is much better with OOYH, but the timbre is much more natural with TB Isone. Head-fi.org has a long thread about TB Isone as well, that you may want to look through.

 

Thank you. Your reply has good information to follow up on. Years back considered purchasing used Smyth Realizer but glad I didn't. Affordable solutions providing effects of more expensive hardware are available with software alone and these programs will improve. Not to suggest OOYH sounds same as the Smyth Realizer. Software solutions are increasily providing much of the performance of expensive components at fraction of cost. Leveling the playing field in the audio enthusiast hobby is a good thing IMO.

[bmoura]

Thank you. Your reply has good information to follow up on. Years back considered purchasing used Smyth Realizer but glad I didn't. Affordable solutions providing effects of more expensive hardware are available with software alone and these programs will improve. Not to suggest OOYH sounds same as the Smyth Realizer. Software solutions are increasily providing much of the performance of expensive components at fraction of cost. Leveling the playing field in the audio enthusiast hobby is a good thing IMO.

 

The Smyth Realiser offers better performance than OOYH. And the next version of the Smyth with support for new 11.2 audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D will be up on Kickstarter shortly.