Ambiophonic Audio... anyone?

[Dewey2]

This is an interesting software that creates a different (better?) soundstage and eliminates crosstalk between speakers. It's just possible that this is where we're all going next. If you're the least bit interested, go to: http://www.ambiophonics.org/

 

Free software is available here: http://www.hotto.de/software

 

The software operation is very simple, but (as far as I can tell) only uses the computer as a line in and line out for the program. I've been unable to use itunes as a music source or output to a DAC. This might be friendlier to a PC than the Macbook Pro that's my music server.

 

I'm interested in anyone's experience with this technology and in any software or configurations allowing me to use itunes as a source and send music via USB to a DAC.

 

[BobH]

..as always, starting from a known 'good' position. TaCT's latest digital room correction hardware uses the Ambiophonics software but the end user starts with a calibrated microphone - without this calibration the software has no way of distinguishing between room and microphone characteristics, with the obvious result that the software has to put ALL anomolies down to the room.

 

I've tried various 'homebrew' solutions but none have come even slightly close to the results that can be obtained using dedicated hardware. That statement perhaps needs to be qualified by saying that my objective was always a completely flat (or as near as can be) in-room response. If you are happy to be guided wholly by your ears then a calibrated microphone becomes less critical.

 

As far as using iTunes goes, I don't have direct experience using it for this purpose but I would think it would be a non-starter. As a bare minimum the program you use would need appropriate plug-in support - in this case support for VST plug-ins. In my opinion the best way to implement it, via software, is on a dedicated computer. The chain would then be - Computer playing iTunes --> digital output --> digital input on second computer -->'AudioMulch' software --> digital output --> DAC.

 

Having said all of that, I am of the view that room correction/enhancement systems, when implemented correctly, can yield astonishing results. Very few of us have the luxury of dedicated, well engineered, listening rooms and digital room correction will probably always be 'second best' in that respect. But, certainly in my own case, it was not until I had fully integrated the TaCT into my own system that I heard fully what my speakers were capable of delivering to me.

 

All the very best with it.