Graphicism's 5.1 Headphone Setup - Foobar configuration for all stereo music files

[Eric5676]

5.1 Headphone experience *Foobar configuration for all stereo music files* - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

WHAT IS THIS?

This is a Foobar configuration that converts the traditional stereo image into a three-dimensional space utilizing Dolby Headphone. A virtual surround sound is created from the stereo recording, split into 5 channels and delivered from a seemingly directional source, or virtual speaker positioned around your head.

Traditional headphones replicate a stereo image; right and left channel and position you in the middle, some like myself find this fatiguing and flat. The configuration keeps the left and right channels intact and introduces a center and 2 more at the rear for a true 5 channel multi directional sound.

YOU WILL NEED:

Foobar

AC3 decoder

DTS decoder

Dolby Headphone Wrapper

DOLBYHPH.DLL

Channel Mixer

SETUP:

• Close foobar

• Download the Dolby Headphone Wrapper for foobar, place the dll in the components folder.

• Download dolbyhph.dll and for convenience place this in the same components folder.

• Download Channel Mixer for foobar and place the dll in the components folder.

• Start foobar

• Move Dolby Headphone into Active DSPs and configure it to use dolbyhph.dll by linking to its location, leave the settings on DH1 with amplification at 100%.

• Move Channel Mixer into Active DSPs and configure it to use the following settings:

- General: Output channels: 6 / LFE should be unticked / Stereoimage width should be set at 1.00

- Upmix: Center: 1.00 / (Rear) Volume: 2.00 / - Everything else should be set to 0.00

- Profiles: Save profile

• Active DSPs should have Dolby Headphone at the bottom and Channel Mixer second to bottom for the desired sound.

TEST:

• Close foobar

• Download the AC3 decoder for foobar, place the dll in the components folder.

• Download the DTS decoder for foobar, place the dll in the components folder.

• Start foobar

• Move DTS decoder into Active DSPs above Dolby Headphone and Channel Mixer.

• Download 5.1 Surround Test File from lynnemusic.com

• Configure Channel Mixer to use only LR and RR, untick L, C, R

• Play the 5.1 Surround AC3 file, you should only hear the rear channels.

• If the test was successful turn on L, C, R, LR, RR and you're all set!

If you would like to run further tests yourself load up any good recording; Jack Johnson's 'All At Once' on his latest album 'Sleep Through The Static' if setup correctly when the forward channels are turned off Jacks voice will be completely removed from the recording. Play around with your own music, you will see this is replete throughout most stereophonic recordings. This clear separation will allow for much better directional positioning allowing details to shine. Half way through a song remove both Dolby Headphone and Channel Mixer and hear the instant difference; in comparison it will sound flat and lifeless.

Please share your experience, let me know what you think!

Sorry if the H-Scroll is a little off here.

I hope this isn't bad form for me to post in regards to a thread at Head Fi like this and someone else's work but I certainly give Graphicism at Head-Fi full credit for this and if he posts here under a different screen name than kudos.

I wanted to post this here just to match notes with the regulars around here and see if anyone else has tried this and what they think of it up or down.

I went into it skeptical just because I tend to be pretty leery about post processing and other "tricks" in these kinds of situations but I'll be damned if I'm not impressed with how this sounds.