Article: The Immersive Audiophile Update 6

[The Computer Audiophile]

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[jrobbins50]

Sounds great, Chris!  I don’t know what you could put together for the system that would have the potential to sound any better. 

 

As one point of comparison for DD+ lossy Atmos, I have an Apple TV4K which is HDMI connected to my Marantz AV-8802A processor. This plays Apple Music, of course. I’ve utilized the Audyssey Pro measurement kit to optimize DSP as best I can with the limited processing power in the pre/pro. 
 

In comparison, I have a 2017 MacBook running Apple Music which I have looped the digital output into the Lynx AES16e sound card in my Windows server. This enables me to use HQPlayer to upscale the 24/48 content to DSD128, apply Audiolense convolution filters and use the recommended HQP lossy settings before outputting to my Okto dac8pro. 
 

No question, the routing through HQP and my DAC smokes the Apple TV4K through the Marantz. Much more spacious (pun intended) sound from top to bottom, even though lossy. 
 

I would expect the difference may be less for you with the Trinnov as your processor, but the proof will be in the outcome once you get it all set up. Fun to follow along. JCR  

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, jrobbins50 said:

Sound great, Chris!  I don’t know what you could put together for the system that would have the potential to sound any better. 

 

As one point of comparison for DD+ lossy Atmos, I have an Apple TV4K which is HDMI connected to my Marantz AV-8802A processor. This plays Apple Music, of course. I’ve utilized the Audyssey Pro measurement kit to optimize DSP as best I can with the limited processing power in the pre/pro. 
 

In comparison, I have a 2017 MacBook running Apple Music which I have looped the digital output into the Lynx AES16e sound card in my Windows server. This enables me to use HQPlayer to upscale the 24/48 content to DSD128, apply Audiolense convolution filters and use the recommended HQP lossy settings before outputting to my Okto dac8pro. 
 

No question, the routing through HQP and my DAC smokes the Apple TV4K through the Marantz. Much more spacious (pun intended) sound from top to bottom, even though lossy. 
 

I would expect the difference may be less for you with the Trinnov as your processor, but the proof will be in the outcome once you get it all set up. Fun to follow along. JCR  

Thanks JCR! 

 

I'm looking forward to all of this. Can't wait to write about it and go into each system extensively. I'm sure much of it's a little fuzzy for people who do't eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff :~)

[AudioDoctor]

I think the only way to get it better would be to hire the musicians to come to your house and play for you live Chris!

[Rt66indierock]

I've been following the series with great interest thanks.

[retro]

Now, where's the 🍿🍿🍿😇

[jcbenten]

"...Neither movies nor screens are allowed in my listening room."

 

I understand your point of view but one of my great HS experiences was a midnight showing of The Song Remains The Same at a local theater...and they cranked it for us.  I still remember!

 

 

[jcbenten]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

I think the only way to get it better would be to hire the musicians to come to your house and play for you live Chris!

No video allowed!  He has to stream it in from downstairs!

[bbosler]

Another option should be available soon if Trinnov comes through with an announced software update... , Trinnov processing to the HAPI DACs via AES67.

 

The Trinnov AL32 also has 16 channels of AES built in if you have that many channels of DACS that will accept AES inputs or using 16 channels of powered speakers with built in DACS  that accept AES

 

For immersive I'm currently using a combination of Trinnov DACs for 16 channels and AES/EBU for 4 others. Two of the AES channels go to the DAC I use for my 2 channel "reference" system. For immersive they are the L-R speakers and for 2 channel, well, they are the 2 channels 🙃

 

So far I am thrilled with the DSP built into the AL32 for room optimization using it not only for immersive but also 2 channel. Currently experimenting with my vinyl too

 

phono pre >> Antelope ADC >> AES >> Mutec MC-3+ reclocker with REF10 >> AES >> Trinnov >> AES >> another Mutec MC3+ >> AES >> DAC

 

For 2 channel digital instead of the bold above I feed the first MC-3+ from my computer using Audirvana via USB 

 

big fun, keep it coming !!

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

The UPS man just dropped something off :~)

 

[austinpop]

59 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

The UPS man just dropped something off :~)

 

 

I hope you’re HAPI.

[botrytis]

1 hour ago, austinpop said:

 

I hope you’re HAPI.

 

Sorry, I thought you said Hopi, like the Native American tribe.

 

I am sure he is happy. More toys.

[bobfa]

Quote

There aren't many things easier than putting a Blu-ray Disc into a drive and tapping play. AppleTV into a processor is nearly as simple.  

 

This is why Apple is doing their spacial audio stuff.  Put on the headphones and press play on Apple Music.  

 

What will front row seats at the AS/CC auditorium cost?

[baconbrain]

Chris,

 

Really exciting things you are doing here and anxiously anticipating future articles as the experiment continues. Will be curious as to your impressions around the Trinnov (I absolutely love mine) and as to how you feel will be the best way of integrating all components into the overall system.  Wilson‘s in a surround constellation must have an exceptional „WoW“ potential!

[El Guapo]

Hi Chris,

I thought your last puzzle would be a very high quality measurement mic. 😆 (I just got an Earthworks M30 mic and will companion with my Anubis and Audiolense XO).

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 hours ago, El Guapo said:

Hi Chris,

I thought your last puzzle would be a very high quality measurement mic. 😆 (I just got an Earthworks M30 mic and will companion with my Anubis and Audiolense XO).

Ordered. My wallet doesn’t thank you 🤣

 

Mitch suggested I get this one for several reasons rather than stay with my UMIK-1. 

[jrobbins50]

@El Guapo, @mitchcoI’m using a UMIK-2 nowadays, which is definitely more reliable than my old UMIK-1. Any reason to think the Earthworks M30 would yield any different results using Audiolense XO? JCR 

[El Guapo]

8 hours ago, jrobbins50 said:

Any reason to think the Earthworks M30 would yield any different results using Audiolense XO?

Less calibration is better. M30's FR is very flat (guaranteed < +/-0.3dB until 30KHz) and you can even use it without calibration file. If you use calibration file you can sweep up to 40KHz!

 

I don't have UMIK-2 but I own Sonarworks' and here's the comparison chart (rendered from the calibration file):

As you can see Sonarworks' high frequency rises un-naturally and then drop somewhere from 11KHz then stop at 15KHz (vertical flip the chart  = original FR) which prob would cause more errors when computing / generating filters.

 

I personally think that UMIK-2's 192KHz sampling rate really doesn't matter. You have to check the calibration file then decide to use it or not. But unfortunately the website didn't provide any FR-related information...

[mitchco]

@jrobbins50 agree with @El Guapo Also, the M30 is going to have a much better omnidirectional polar response above 10 kHz.

 

While it may not apply in your case, moving to an analog mic and using an interface that has both and AD/DA converter means one clock and less opportunity for timing errors. With a separate ADC from the DAC, and unless using the same clock, the opportunities for timing errors increase considerably. This is the number one measurement issue I deal with from a client perspective when taking measurements with folks using USB mics. Even with AL's clock drift correction enabled.

 

It is easy to tell. Simply setup the measurement mic and take 3 sets of measurements back to back. Look at Audiolense's Measurement window->Delay in ms column after each measurement. The delays should be within 0.02ms of each other for each respective measurement for the same channel. If it is not, and depending how much it is off, there is not much one can do, except use an integrated AD/DA converter with one clock to take the measurements. Typically means using a pro audio interface.

[jrobbins50]

Thanks, @mitchco.  I can do that test. So, it is unclear to me where an M30 gets plugged into, if not USB.  Put another way, how does the microphone output signal make its way into the server with Audiolense running on it?  I guess the things I have around are my Okto dac8pro and a couple of Lynx AES16e cards in my server. JCR 

[El Guapo]

11 hours ago, jrobbins50 said:

it is unclear to me where an M30 gets plugged into, if not USB

M30 is a condenser mic and needs 48V phantom power to drive it. Looks like you need an USB interface with 48V for analog input...

[jrobbins50]

Thanks, @El Guapo.  48V won’t come through any input source I have, so I will need to stick with my UMIK-2 with 5V USB power. :) JCR 

[bbosler]

Anybody able to rip 5.1 audio from a DTS disc? I am getting 5.1 DVD-A using DVD Audio Extractor and 5.1 SACD using the PS3 ISO2DSD method, I only have a couple of DTS encoded discs so not a big deal and can play them with my DVD player, but would like to rip them if it can be done without going to extremes