Speaker correction with free Room EQ plug-in for Foobar2000

[mmm]

This new free Room EQ plug-in for Foobar2000 can be used to correct the frequency response of DIY speakers. Any opinions?

Features:

• Corrects deficiencies of room acoustics (multipoint compensation).
• Corrects acoustic imperfections of speakers.
• Avoids the pre-echo (pre-ringing) problem of conventional FIR-based room correction systems. The absence of pre-echo ensures the neutrality of the sound.
• Corrects both amplitude and phase components of frequency response.
• Quells resonance peaks of frequency response while leaving the deep notches. Avoids the overcompensation which happens in conventional linearizing room correction systems.
• Manually adjustable level of compensation allows one to reach the maximum transparency of the sound.
• Supports high sample rates.
• Applies 64-bit signal path throughout.
• Works with USB measurement microphones (e.g. MiniDSP UMIK-1) or standard measurement microphones (e.g. NADY CM100 or Dayton Audio EMM-6).
• Supports microphone calibration files.
• Applies a patented method of frequency response correction.

Download: http://mathaudio.com/download.htm

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

The illustration implies that it achieves perfection!

 

[haisaikat]

They seem to require a mic for this correction just like every other AVR bindled EQ correction techniques, so will the correction not be limited with the position and capability of the mic?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Well yes, correction is dependent on the software being able to "hear" what is happening in the room. A suitable mic should be used, and the listening position is the place that matters, so that is where to put it. It pretends to be your ears!

There is always the option to run the process for different listening positions.

I don't know much more, as my practical experience is very much second hand. I've seen it done, I've listened to a room-corrected system, but I've never actually done it. Would like to one day!

What surprises me in the example shown is the perfection of the result. Is this possible? Maybe in some cases...

 

[vigneshprabhu]

It worked very well for my DIY speakers. I was finding the highs very loud before, now its balanced it well... Super solution for a quick fix. :yahoo: :clapping::clapping:

 

[manniraj]

It worked very well for my DIY speakers. I was finding the highs very loud before, now its balanced it well... Super solution for a quick fix. :yahoo: :clapping::clapping:

Congrats, can you please list down the things how you did it...

 

[vigneshprabhu]

After you install foobar, download and install plugin from mathaudio-room-eq-for-foobar2000

To launch click File - Preferences - Playback - DSP Manager, then select "MathAudio Room EQ" in the right pane and click the right-to-left arrow to activate it. After that click the "Configure selected" button.

There is help button which has precise steps, just follow them. I used my jabra usb headset mic as my Measurement microphone.

 

[manniraj]

After you install foobar, download and install plugin from mathaudio-room-eq-for-foobar2000

To launch click File - Preferences - Playback - DSP Manager, then select "MathAudio Room EQ" in the right pane and click the right-to-left arrow to activate it. After that click the "Configure selected" button.

There is help button which has precise steps, just follow them. I used my jabra usb headset mic as my Measurement microphone.

Thanks prabhu, I think I will use my Yamaha receiver's microphone to set up this on foobar and see whether does it make any difference from my seating position.

 

[spirovious]

I used my jabra usb headset mic as my Measurement microphone.

Will headset mic good enough?I doubt being headset mic, its frequency bandwidth must be limited.In stead use AVR auto calibration mic.Which is used for same purpose.

 

[vigneshprabhu]

True jabra mic is what i had currently tried. I am certain if there is a real good mic it can do even better.. Will try with my pioneer avr's calibration mic over the weekend..

 

[Santy]

We use Jabra headphones in our company. Being designed for voice, it misses out on both high and low frequencies. So the software should be ideally trying to adjust by increasing those frequencies. Well, I am just guessing.

But if it is working, its probably one of the cheapest DSP available to neutralize the mess created by the room. I however wonder due to this processing of the signal, if the sound gets degraded by any extent.

 

[spirovious]

But if it is working, its probably one of the cheapest DSP available to neutralize the mess created by the room. I however wonder due to this processing of the signal, if the sound gets degraded by any extent.

Just tried with my headset mic,it showed speaker bright.After activation of eq,sound became warm.this was the trial and will try AVR mic later.

 

[jmascreen]

How good it will be if I use my inbuilt laptop mic?

 

[manniraj]

How good it will be if I use my inbuilt laptop mic?

It should work but ideally you need to place the microphone at your seating position to get the realistic figures. So the AVR receiver's microphone should be the best bet if you can as it is designed for this usage with a pretty long cable.

 

[Santy]

Does the software / plugin show graphically what FR adjustments it has made?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

We use Jabra headphones in our company. Being designed for voice, it misses out on both high and low frequencies. So the software should be ideally trying to adjust by increasing those frequencies. Well, I am just guessing.

I have a couple of moderately serious stage mics (Sure SM57 and Rhode something) stashed away in the cupboard. I had never thought that they would be good enough to use for room correction!

But, of course, I never tried. I don't use Foobar, or even Windows, but I should check out Linux possibilities.

I however wonder due to this processing of the signal, if the sound gets degraded by any extent.

Perhaps less than the room degraded it in the first place?

 

[spirovious]

Does the software / plugin show graphically what FR adjustments it has made?

It shows curve and correction is done with Software.There are 3 options,measure, Room eq and Bypass.

 

[ujjwaana]

Wow!! thats a great find pal!! I have the Auto EQ mic from my Pioneer 80PRS Car HU lying around :

CD-MC20 - Auto-EQ Microphone for Car DVD Receivers | Pioneer Electronics USA

Acoustically and bandwidth wise, I think it should fit best for the purpose.

Would report back how it fared.

 

[manniraj]

Ok I connected my Yamaha microphone and with no other disturbance in the living room, placed the microphone at my listening place ear level and started the help manual and did the room measurements and then saved the preset and loaded the same preset by setting the stereo balance on.

Now coming to what it did with the room measurements and the sound output, first of all it made my DIY bookshelf speakers sound big like floor standers (sound was full and clear without any distortion) and now I can hear a better quality/clear/vocals of sound at a less volume level. It has not colored the sound but made some improvements so all in all a very nice plugin for foobar without any coloration. My test songs included the AR Rahman songs in FLAC and the Gregorian chants in 320kbps.
I am not sure about what the measurements say but I think knowledgeable FM should be able to judge from the picture.

Here is the image of my MathAudioRoomEQ settings/measurements:

 

[Santy]

Perhaps less than the room degraded it in the first place?

I suppose room messes up only with the frequency response. What we hear. Not what is played.
Whereas a poor DSP could spoil every other quality of the sound... dynamics/ depth/ resolution/ soundstaging/ imaging / transients or whatever you use to define sound. Sadly though these are not seen on measurements.

@manniraj...
Interesting observation.. I am going to try with the Emotiva mic..

Though this technique seems to be heavily relying on the quality of the mic. Mic I believe is as significant in recording/ measuring sound as speaker is for playing it.