From MP3Car.com Wiki
[edit] Tuning via PC
In the quest for the best sound quality possible, a few of the users of MP3Car.com have been researching ways to do all of this tuning via the PC. What you will find below is the results of our research. If you are interested in contributing or would like to read the entire thread, please follow this link: [1]
[edit] Terms you need to know
Audio Stream Input Output is a protocol for low-latency digital audio specified by Steinberg.
ASIO provides an interface between an application and the sound card. Whereas Microsoft's DirectSound is typically for stereo input and output for consumers, ASIO provides for the needs of musicians and sound engineers. ASIO offers a relatively simple way of accessing multiple audio inputs and outputs independently. It also provides for the synchronization of input with output in a way that is not possible with DirectSound, allowing recording studios to process their audio via software on the computer instead of using thousands of dollars worth of separate equipment. Its main strength relies in its method of bypassing the inherently high latency of operating system audio mixing kernels, allowing direct, high speed communication with audio hardware.
Find more here: FAQ: All You Need To Know About ASIO
Virtual Studio Technology and its acronym VST refer to an interface standard for connecting audio synthesizer and effect plugins to audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies allow the replacement of traditional recording studio hardware with software counterparts.
[edit] Methods / Examples
This is a great method to use if you only need crossovers, EQ and delay for music. If it needs to work for anything else, such as video, skip this method. All the processing is done by the player itself.
This is a good entry level point. It will do everything you need it to do in music and video since all the processing is done by the DSP chip on the soundcard itself. That means your computer processor does not need to do any processing. This is equivalent to the crossovers built into headunits, amplifiers, and outboard crossovers.
If you want nothing but unlimited tuning capabilities this is the way to go. It is superior to any of the other methods based on the fact the plug-ins are more professional. It is very tricky to get this method to work and requires a good balance of the right hardware and software. The downside to this is that it is complex and requires all the processing to be performed by the CPU. You will need a minimum of a Pentium 4/AMD equivalent processor. There are a lot of little details you have to worry about if you pick this method.
If you have a Creative sound card compatible whit the KX Project and want all the tuning capability and quality of VST plug-ins, you can use the KX ASIO support and routing capability
to achieve it.
This will allow you to use all available VST plugins with any brand soundcard. It is limited however to MUSIC ONLY playback-no video.
Another alternative to signal routing and audio stream routing similar to using VAC.
Details here.
[edit] Hardware / Soundcards
[edit] VST / ASIO
Recommended Soundcards (some have been tested some are recommended due to driver flexibility but are untested)-You must do your own research to see if it fits your needs. Most of these SHOULD have the necessary hardware/software routing capabilities.
- M-Audio 1010LT Example on how to setup routing
- M-Audio Firewire410
- MOTU Ultralite
- RME Fireface 400/800
- RME 9652
- Audiotrak Prodigy LT or HiFi 7.1
- ESI Pro MaxIO 32e/MaxIO XD
- ESI PRO ESP1010
- EMU 1616
[edit] High End
These are high-end consumer level cards that may require more difficult 3rd party ways of routing the signals, or can be used with foobar player without the 3rd party signal routing.
- Auzentech
- ASUS
- Onkyo SE-200
- Barracuda
[edit] Software You Will Need to Do This
[edit] 1) Plug-Ins
- A VST effect is a type of VST plug-in that is generally used to process audio. Types of VST effect include (among others) reverb processors or phaser effects.
- VST Effects can be used in real-time when used with an appropriate software and hardware configuration, such as a sound card that supports ASIO, software that bypasses Windows' slower audio engine and so offers much lower latency times, allowing for effective real time playing. Modern Macintosh computers typically ship with low-latency audio drivers.
[edit] 2) VSTSHELL for combining/wiring/stringing VST plugins together
- Console is a VSTSHELL that works with ASIO. It routes the cards in and outs and gives you the ability to wire up multiple VST plugin effects how you want them. It does not stream audio from the actual media player unless the output of the player is ASIO. Other hosts include Plogue bidule, and Audiomulch.
[edit] 3) Audio Stream Routing/Capture to use with VSTSHELL/VSTHOST programs and ASIO
- Virtual Audio Cable / VAC - designed to capture the audio signal from media players using KS/Direct sound/WDM to be routed to VSTSHELL programs or any program that needs/uses ASIO. For soundcards that don't have built in hardware AND software routing capabilities.
- Reaper - captures the audio stream with the "REAroute" function built inside of it.
- See this [2] thread for how it was used
- Directwire - Only available on ESI PRO and some Audiotrak Cards
- Some M-Audio cards also have this capability. The Delta 44, Delta 66, Delta 1010, 410 and Firewire 410 can do it for sure within the driver control panel. Example here.
- Another option is to use the SPDIF OUT looped back to the SPDIF IN if the card has both available.
- See this [3] thread.
[edit] Tuning Software
[edit] VST SHELL/Plugin Host/Channel Allocator/Effect Chainer
- kX Project - works only on selected Creative Labs Soundcards
- Console - Combine/Wire multiple VST plugins together - $50
- Audiomulch - Combine/Wire multiple VST plugins together - $80
- Bidule - Combine/wire multiple VST plugins and other types of audio tweaks - $75
- VSTHOST - Combine/wire multiple VST plugins together - $Free
- MAX/MSP - Very advanced and not so user friendly and expensive
- [Pure Data]
- [Csound]
[edit] Free EQs
[edit] Other EQs
[edit] Time Alignment
[edit] Phase Control
[edit] Convolvers
[edit] Digital Room Correction
[edit] Impulses (Use with Convolvers)
The following plugins are available from Bruce Wiggins website
[edit] Vector Based Amplitude Panning (VBAP a form of Ambisonics)
Impulse files to use with the X-volver
- TrueRTA
- 1 (free) - 1/3 ($39.95) - 1/6 ($69.95) - 1/24 ($99.95) octave versions
- Arta - $80 (trial is fully functional but can't save results) Impulse and MLS measurement, frequency response, etc.
[edit] RTA Mic
[edit] Mic Pre-Amp
