Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP plugin, new plugin Options

[ev0|]

Default coefficients of default middle crossfeed level and of 44100 Hz sampling rate was staticaly implemeted to bs2b library.

Does that mean it is not appropriate to pass 48000 Hz audio to this DSP? Currently I am placing the resampler in front of bs2b...

It is mean that a user of bs2b library can bypass initialisation calls until he need to change crossfeed level or change sample rate in order to rate of audio samples.
It is no concern of plugin or converter users.

Okay thanks for clearing that up. This is an excellent plugin, btw. I like it better than crossfeed.

[boris_mikhaylov]

i dont understand. what am i supposed to do with the (.9) plug-in? when i add it to the playback DSP, all it does is muffle the music. it sounds like it turns down the mid-level freqs in the EQ, and the config options don't make a perceivable difference. am i supposed to have a certain kind of headphones or something?

Try to hear two hours long music with bs2b and two hours without one. And get it out if you don't feel fatigue without bs2b.
You need a stereo headphones and amplifyer without any kind of surrounding or crossfeeding or somethig with antistereo effect.
There is many crossfeeding software. But, from what I saw, they are hungry to CPU and/or have an annoyng comb filter effect. The bs2b is simple and it is depleted of both of this disadvantages.

[boris_mikhaylov]

Uh, I too need to know how to apply resampling (I resample to 48000Khz instead of letting my hardware do it) if this also resamples to 41Khz ? Should this go before resampling or after ?

I use 24bit output and bs2b after PPHS with 48kHz resampling for my SB Live24 ;-). You can use it as you wish. The bs2b handles sample rates from 2 to 192 kHz and it don't makes resampling.

[randal1013]

i dont understand. what am i supposed to do with the (.9) plug-in? when i add it to the playback DSP, all it does is muffle the music. it sounds like it turns down the mid-level freqs in the EQ, and the config options don't make a perceivable difference. am i supposed to have a certain kind of headphones or something?

Try to hear two hours long music with bs2b and two hours without one. And get it out if you don't feel fatigue without bs2b.
You need a stereo headphones and amplifyer without any kind of surrounding or crossfeeding or somethig with antistereo effect.
There is many crossfeeding software. But, from what I saw, they are hungry to CPU and/or have an annoyng comb filter effect. The bs2b is simple and it is depleted of both of this disadvantages.

well, i'll try listening to bs2b for a while, but when i turn it on, it just muffles the mid-level freqs in the EQ which ruins the guitars and makes my music sound weak. maybe this plug-in isn't suited for my taste in music.

[kaiwei]

Hi,

I just want to put in a fair word for your plugin.

I'm currently using Etymotics ER4S in-ear monitors directly plugged into a Apogee Mini-DAC with Foobar2000 and the Bauer plugin. I find that without the plugin, headphone listening is tiring after several hours and the plugin really helps to counter the effects. Moreover, I find that it is with the plugin that the music sounds more natural. Afterall, audio engineers mixed the CDs using studio monitors (speakers) and this is exactly what they intended for us to hear.

The old records or even some radiohead acoustic tracks where it's totally vocal on one channel and the guitar is on the other channel is simply unlistenable without crossfeed.

Lastly, the -3db effect is nothing. Just turn your amp up a notch.

Read the below thread for more information on why crossfeed is essential for headphone listening.
Why Crossfeed?

Thanks for the great work! I would not enjoy my music as much without it. I consider it as important as my headphones or DAC.


PS Is it possible to implement HeadRoom's crossfeed design? They describe it on their website. It'll then be a perfect world

This post has been edited by kaiwei: Apr 9 2006, 13:32

[boris_mikhaylov]

PS Is it possible to implement HeadRoom's crossfeed design? They describe it on their website. It'll then be a perfect world

The description of HeadRoom crossfeed processor is insufficient for me. I think, this processor have more potentialities by using of two-stage active filters. All these potentialities can not be simulated by recursive IIR digital filters and I don't know what to simulate. May be it is just not fully described marketing issue. ;-)

[Zoom]

I have to agree with most of the rest of the posters so far, I was skeptical at first but after listening on my HD600's without the DSP and then using it; I definitely prefer to listen with this DSP enabled. Excellent plugin.

[extesy]

Is there any progress with this plugin? I see development has stopped at 2.0.0 beta2...

[boris_mikhaylov]

Is there any progress with this plugin? I see development has stopped at 2.0.0 beta2...

What improvements are you wait for? The bs2b do what I wanna do.
By 2 release I will change LGPL to MIT license only and I will separate package of plugins from library for better tracking of changes of players. And maybe add plugin for WMP later.

[sony666]

This is a very nice plugin for headphone listening. Thank You

[Hollunder]

How about including a built for foobar 0.8.3 since quite some people are still using this version due to missing plug-ins in 0.9 (afaik)
Don't see it as a request, just as a suggestion.

[mkeroppi]

Any chance including a non-highboost version for us ER-4B users?

[boris_mikhaylov]

2006-09-22 - bs2b 2.0.0 released.
http://bs2b.sourceforge.net/
Changes:
* Change of license.
* Package divided by library and plugins.
* foobar2000 0.8 plugin package created.

[Melomane]

thanks for release of your excellent plug-in
regards

[ASmith]

interesting plugin. makes me feel like i'm listening to my speakers instead of headphones..

[boris_mikhaylov]

Any chance including a non-highboost version for us ER-4B users?

Can anybody email me your preferred equalizer presets with bs2b level for binaural phones like ER-4B?
I have not this phones, I can not test.

[boris_mikhaylov]

New version released
Changes:
* Three new 'Easy' levels added.
'High easy' level is close to Chu Moy's version of crossfeeder
(http://headwize.com/projects/showfile.php?file=cmoy1_prj.htm)

[GeSomeone]

It is a bit unclear what the "easy" option should do. Is there a better name for it?
Does it work as a treble boost?

[euphonic]

I second GeSomeone's point, as it's unclear what "Easy" means.

This plugin really is one of those fantastic little computer tweaks that, just like in the product description says, helps immensely for hours of sustained headphone use. Many thanks!

(for what my hunch is worth, after looking through Chu Moy's page and doing a little testing (sighted, and thus of dubious worth), my loose guess is that "Easy"'s the one with the HF boost)

This post has been edited by euphonic: Nov 17 2006, 15:46

[boris_mikhaylov]

I have updated http://bs2b.sourceforge.net/
by adding description of new 'Easy' levels
Additionaly you can see description of Figure 4 at http://headwize.com/projects/showfile.php?file=cmoy1_prj.htm

It is a bit unclear what the "easy" option should do. Is there a better name for it?
Does it work as a treble boost?

Yes, but yes as effect of 'easy' cause. More easy - more linearity.
I have released this preset because folks at http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/ like Chu Moy's version of crossfeeder, and they prefer 'low' level of bs2b.

[Madman2003]

Is it possible to a list of what device each setting mimics?

A list from 1-6 will be ok.

[boris_mikhaylov]

Is it possible to a list of what device each setting mimics?

A list from 1-6 will be ok.

Table 2.1 at http://bs2b.sourceforge.net/

3: 700 -5.5 -2.5 # high crossfeed level
2: 500 -6.75 -2.25 # middle crossfeed level
1: 360 -8 -2 # low crossfeed level
6: 700 -8 -2 # high easy crossfeed level
5: 500 -9 -1.8 # middle easy crossfeed level
4: 360 -10 -1.6 # low easy crossfeed level

2-nd column - (Hz) cut frequency of lowpass filter.
3-d - (dB) level of lowpassed signal for crossfeeding.
4-th - (dB) level of highboost (or lows attenuation) filtered signal (highs relay to 0dB).
'High' level is close, but not exactly, to Siegfried Linkwitz's version.
'High easy' level is close to Chu Moy's version.
Someone like easy. Someone did not hear effect even by hard 'High' level. =8-)
In both cases, moving from high to low levels looks *like* a virtual stereo speakers are moved from 30 degrees azimuth (high crossfeed level) to 60 degrees azimuth (low crossfeed level).

[markanini]

Thanks for keeping on working on this despite some people expressing their disslike. I guess headphone enthusiasts appericiate the unnatural soundstage that headphone have. For me it makes headphone listening as pleasureable as it can get

[Madman2003]

I suggest changing the name easy to something else, it's a bit strange (i called it high boost for the moment, for lack of a better word.

I made a ladspa plugin based on the bs2b library, so linux users can enjoy it as well in the future. It will most likely be included in the next tap-plugins release. (it's not my set, but i figured that would be the easiest way to get it to spread) It's currently in cvs if anyone is curious.

[boris_mikhaylov]

I suggest changing the name easy to something else, it's a bit strange (i called it high boost for the moment, for lack of a better word.

Highboost filter is less boosted by 'easy' presets then normal one. 'Easy' is easy by less crossfeeding cause. 'Easy crossfeed' or 'less crossfeed' is more rightious...