Parametric EQ Plugin(s)?

I’ll try that later, or tomorrow, and report back. Right now, I’m enjoying the sound from the Zen CAN with the 3D enabled… :notes: :musical_note: :notes:

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One of the things I really love about those Pultec and Manley style passive parallel EQs is that you can really punch up those highs and lows with +12 or more db and still have it be as smooth as silk… Not that I am a fan of boosting much EQ… Its just interesting that its pretty hard to get any distortion with that style of EQ…

What’s on the menu Proggy? You haven’t weighed in on my Steven Wilson post at Qobuz yet?

Seems like there aren’t many inexpensive production tools that handle DSD… I’m not much of a fan of upscaling or changing formats from one thing or another… It seems there is always something lost or added along the way… And then poof you are re-mastering… I think it was Rob Watts, of Chord fame, that suggested breaking small signals was an issue with DSD… Anyway, it sounds like you have your kit well in hand…

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Yes… adding HRTF and modulating PCMxxx to DSDxxx is remastering… However, my subjective assessment is that I’m not losing information in the transitions… rather, I’m revealing what is already imbued there in the recording, that may be buried by lack of dynamic range in the original ADC… The Abbey Road Studio 3 HRTF is roughly equal to what everybody must deal with in regard to acoustics and speakers, without the overhead of a complex cross-over configurations and impulse response analysis hosted as plug-ins, and that management… It’s already done in the capturing of the studio impulse response of the four playback systems. (I also use a custom designed tactile-transducer chair back pad). Obviously, the headphone experience is different, however the Smyth A-16 system seems to be able to convincingly fool even the most seasoned audiophiles.

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Just responded to that post on Qobuz. Must have been distracted when you originally posted that. :slight_smile:

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Funny, I remember consulting on a VR project for a major car manufacturer, in the mid 80s, that wanted to do computational car crash testing… The head tracking kit was in the 10s of thousands of dollars… Now almost any headphone or ear pod at the >$150.00 mark has that tech baked in… I get that holographic sound from my stereo with well recorded and produced content…

Not really…Apparently you don’t listen to multi-channel surround recordings… If you ever get a chance to hear any of the Elton John 5.1 SACD mixes, you will have a new perspective… A great stereo playback cannot leverage the placement attributes of a 5.1 mix that adds a new level of clarity … A well produced binaural recording will get you closer to a 5.1 mix… If you know Alan Parsons, spend some time with him and have him introduce you to the multi-channel world. His 5.1 DTS-CD “On Air” is far more compelling as compared to the stereo mix even with the compression… “Dark Side of the Moon” and “Wish You Were Here” take on a whole new dimension in 5.1 surround… just to name a few pop recordings… A great classical or jazz 5.1 production has no peer.

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I’ve tried binaural with headphones, not my cup of tea… I have a blueray player and a 5.1/7.1 system for watching 4k movies on a Ultra Short Throw projector, it works well and must be pretty good as everyone says its some the best they have seen and heard… However, I am not much of a fan of 5.1 or 7.1… Sometimes I even turn down the side and back speakers a bit… Maybe my ear/brain connection is broken or something… I must admit I am “wired” a bit different… I’ll keep an eye out for an On Air DTS-CD to play on my blueray system…

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I have a copy of “On Air” signed by Alan Parsons himself.

A great stereo speaker set-up and a great recording certainly does present a great sense of being there… no question… We have been conditioned to 2-channel playback… Much like we’ve been conditioned to equal temperament music…

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And some 1960’s vintage small signal tubes can sure make a difference…

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Nice and grungy, only during the winter months please.

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Holographic with a little air and sparkle…

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So @glen … What’s the verdict? Did you solve the noise issue with the EQ plug-in running?

Haven’t tried it yet. I’ve just been using the Zen CAN with the 3D button active and it’s doing exactly what I was looking for. I’m still curious about the plugin, so I will be re-visiting it, but for now I’m just chillin’ with some good music. :slight_smile:

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