Article: What is Accurate Sound?

[firedog]

1 hour ago, R1200CL said:

Can the Audiolence DSP be applied to Roon or HQPlayer ?

Are there processor power requirements.D

 

The reason for asking is I don’t want an extra PC in the digital chain. 
(I understand I need a PC for measurements). 

You create the convolution filters with Audiolense and then place them somewhere on your network. Generally it's your server or whatever your "processing" PC is. In the DSP section of Roon or the convolution section of HQP, you write the path of the convolution files you created. The given playback program then applies the DRC during playback. Same for many other "audiophile" playback software programs.

 

No "extra" computer needed. 

 

Convolution by itself doesn't need extreme amounts of computing power. On my moderately  powerful  server (in today's terms), convolution barely budges the CPU load. But if you are doing additional DSP and heavy upsampling (such as in HQP) along with the convolution, you are going to need some serious computing power.

 

For the measurements and creation of the convolution files, I use my laptop - it's simply the most convenient for me. I think that's pretty common. You simply need a PC that you can physically connect to the measurement mic and  that's also connected to your system  for the playback of the measurement signal. Once you've created the convolution files, you don't need that computer again at all, unless you make changes and need to remeasure, etc. 

 

[firedog]

6 hours ago, ALLDIGITAL said:

Mithco, thank you for a very informative article. I currently use a INNUOS Zenith SE MKII music server running ROON Core. I tried room correction in the past unsuccessfully using an Anti-mode 2.0 system. I am now considering two different approaches to room correction:

1. Roon Convolution filters 

2. New amplifier with room correction in the amplifier. (Lyngdorf TDAI with Room Perfect)

Assuming you are familiar with Room Perfect software, would you please share your thoughts on this product.

What approach to room correction do you think would yield the best results. Thanks for you consideration of of questions. 

 

I've had both types of systems - years ago a TACT unit (same basic concept as Lyngdorf all in one ) and software based room correction. I also used a "pro" unit with Lyngdorf RC software licensed and built in.

 

Lyngdorf - one box. Simple. Few cables. And looks good. Once you run your initial measurements and setup, you are good to go. Works like an audio appliance. Just turn it on and play music. Disadvantage: you are stuck with their software DRC and HW. There are some workarounds, but they sort of defeat the purpose of the all in one unit. The DRC is  good.

 

Roon: flexible. You can use different RC software. Several of the leading RC softwares improve over time and you can easily update or change vendor. Make your measurement and correction file and Roon does the work. You can change electronics anytime you want and it doesn't matter. Roon also gives you the ability to use software for more than one system. In my house I have two different systems that I've measured with Audiolense, and each has it's own correction file.  I can pick either system and it's correction at the click of a button. Or I can run both of them at once. Roon handles applying the correct correction to each setup with no issues.

Audiolense RC works very well.

 

Today I'd definitely do it through Roon, unless I had compelling reasons to go with a one box solution like Lyngdorf.

 

 

[firedog]

2 hours ago, R1200CL said:

Maybe his partner Bruno Putzeys is using RoomPerfect technology in Kii ?

 

Kii doesn't have anything like RoomPerfect, and doesn't use room measurements. It's a different concept, NOT room correcton. 

Bruno worked/works for several companies on different aspects of products.   Doesn't mean what he does with one company necessarily has anything to do with what he does with another. 

 

That article you referenced isn't very current. I wouldn't put much stock in anything it says about a specific RC product, as they have all undergone multiple changes since then. I would find the more general conclusions useful: that RC can result in subjectively and objectively better sound if done well, and that listeners don't prefer an actual flat in room response - they perceive a gradual rolloff as flat. 

[firedog]

15 hours ago, mitchco said:

Another technical point I would like to bring out is that all h/w DSP solutions, whether they be Lyngdorf, miniDSP, Trinnov, DEQX or Audyssey that is used in so many AVR's, is that their filtering capabilities are very limited. How much "filtering" that can be done is based on the number of FIR filter taps available.

 

In these h/w devices the number of filters taps available is typically limited to 1024 taps or up to 4096 and at the extreme, 8192 taps. Whereas the filters that can be developed for Roon or other software convolvers use 65,536 taps. This is a huge difference and what separates the OK from SOTA. It is a huge gap in performance, especially at low frequencies.

Yes, totally didn't think of that when  wrote my response. One of my favorite features of Roon is that it shows you the "signal path" and you can see just what is happening to your signal; you can see in the signal path how many taps are being used at any given time, and how that changes depending on the source material and what changes you are asking for in DSP.

[firedog]

Hi-

Just a plug for @mitchco and his Accurate Sound Calibration Service.

 

I was already an Audiolense user when I read the article, and pretty happy with my results. But I realized I could probably do better with Mitchco's help.

Working with him I bumped up the SQ another notch. He helped me produce measurements and correction curves that better suited my room, my speakers, and even my individual hearing (or lack thereof). Once we got started it went pretty fast and Mitch is easy to work with. 

 

The service is reasonably priced. It does take some work by the user doing at least one measurement and some testing out of correction files, so you find out what matches your hearing/taste. But all in all, not that much work for some valuable results - and definitely cheaper than HW upgrades. 

 

Highly recommended. If you've never heard what properly done RC can do, you may be amazed.