My Ambiophonics Setup

[STC]

You only need two speakers for Ambiophonics.

 

[Klipschhead302]

You only need two speakers for Ambiophonics.

So I've read, what is it called then that you're doing?

 

[STC]

The picture that you attached earlier was the research lab. Ralph uses that setup for his psychoacoustics research. The first stage to recreate believable 3D sound is to cancel the crosstalk by employing RACE. This will give almost 150 degrees soundstage if it exists in the recordings. To enhance the soundstage to 360 degrees you use the rear speakers which are the mirror image of the front.

Adding convolution surround using IR of concert halls is to recreate the ambiance. The implementation can be as simple as using just two surround speakers for the convolution of to go as many as 48 channels. These IRs of St.Cecelia were made by Professor Farina. A brief background of the Ralph and others can be read here http://www.ambiophonics.org/Bio.html

The surround speakers need not be expensive. I use small cheap HT speakers. The idea is to recreate the reflected sound arriving from various angles.

 

[Klipschhead302]

STC,

Ok, I guess I'd have to hear a system configured for this to become a believer. I don't see myself going beyond the 2 speaker test.

Doesn't seem to be much after 2004?

 

[STC]

STC,

Ok, I guess I'd have to hear a system configured for this to become a believer. I don't see myself going beyond the 2 speaker test.

Doesn't seem to be much after 2004?

The original idea has matured to BACCH which uses a more sophisticated algorithm but it costs $55000. Ralph wanted to keep it free for the public and there are many product out there using RACE. 3D Aria, AMTRA and others are among them based on RACE. 3D Aria looks promising but it is still being developed.

The latest research paper was presented in 2014. Ambiophonics is already a matured product and there is nothing much to add to it except perfecting the implementation.http://www.ambiophonics.org/TechnicalPapers.html .

 

[Klipschhead302]

The original idea has matured to BACCH which uses a more sophisticated algorithm but it costs $55000. Ralph wanted to keep it free for the public and there are many product out there using RACE. 3D Aria, AMTRA and others are among them based on RACE. 3D Aria looks promising but it is still being developed.

The latest research paper was presented in 2014. Ambiophonics is already a matured product and there is nothing much to add to it except perfecting the implementation.http://www.ambiophonics.org/TechnicalPapers.html .

I listened to the demo's last night and while interesting I preferred the normal imaging as the more effect they added the more unpleasant it seemed. I didn't have time to experiment so I'll be playing with it again tonight.

Listening to surround music via DVDA or SACD sounds better to me thus far but of course requires more speakers. I have also listened to 2 speaker surround that companies are trying to produce in sound bars with small subs (well, they call them subs anyway) and the effect is much like the demo's I listened to last night. I can see buying a sound bar for a Condo or Apartment but only out of desperation for something, I know I wouldn't like it.

As somebody before stated, it's like a solution looking for a problem. Maybe one day they'll make convincing imaging using 2 speakers and a sub or just two speakers but I think we are a long way away.

This whole thing reminds me of what Bose claims, a system in a box, it does everything! Except it doesn't, I have yet to hear a great Bose implementation or any other that claims to do things not possible with two speakers.

Not trashing the technology (I am trashing Bose, openly and enthusiastically), just stating my opinion thus far.

 

[STC]

I listened to the demo's last night and while interesting I preferred the normal imaging as the more effect they added the more unpleasant it seemed. I didn't have time to experiment so I'll be playing with it again tonight.

Listening to surround music via DVDA or SACD sounds better to me thus far but of course requires more speakers. I have also listened to 2 speaker surround that companies are trying to produce in sound bars with small subs (well, they call them subs anyway) and the effect is much like the demo's I listened to last night. I can see buying a sound bar for a Condo or Apartment but only out of desperation for something, I know I wouldn't like it.

As somebody before stated, it's like a solution looking for a problem. Maybe one day they'll make convincing imaging using 2 speakers and a sub or just two speakers but I think we are a long way away.

This whole thing reminds me of what Bose claims, a system in a box, it does everything! Except it doesn't, I have yet to hear a great Bose implementation or any other that claims to do things not possible with two speakers.

Not trashing the technology (I am trashing Bose, openly and enthusiastically), just stating my opinion thus far.

The Youtube is meant to explain the concept and it is nowhere near to what you would hear in a correctly setup Ambiophonics System.

I am sure you took more than several weeks to get your HiFi system setup properly so the same applies to Ambiophonics.

The SoundCloud audio may be a better representation of Ambio as you can compare the original, and stereo sound.

Thanx for checking out the video.

 

[Klipschhead302]

STC,

Of course, not arguing, this is why I said I needed to do more listening. Just giving an opinion based on what I know so far, which is also normal during the process of learning something new.

 

[Pogre]

The Youtube is meant to explain the concept and it is nowhere near to what you would hear in a correctly setup Ambiophonics System.

Which is exactly why using a YouTube video is pretty much usless when trying to determine acoustics or anything else.

 

[Klipschhead302]

Which is exactly why using a YouTube video is pretty much usless when trying to determine acoustics or anything else.

I find decent FLAC recordings on YouTube that sound better than Pandora.

 

[Pogre]

I don't use pandora or any type of streaming service. I just don't trust the quality. Pandora doesn't sound as good as my WAV files or a cd.

I did mean though, as far as determining Sq or imaging YouTube is useless. I've found some decent sounding recordings on YouTube. I guess that's the one streaming service I use.

 

[Klipschhead302]

I use Pandora for work, on the little Klipsch Promedia 2.0 speakers it sounds fine. I agree about Youtube, it's a crapshoot, but there are some good recordings and if you've had a few drinks they sound better.

 

[STC]

I find decent FLAC recordings on YouTube that sound better than Pandora.

+1. If you know what to listen for Youtube videos can be useful to compare differences. When I started to post the videos, I wasn't expecting people would literally think that should be the actual sound instead of listening for difference.

 

[MrBoat]

I use the pay version of Pandora and it can sound good enough. It varies though, just like youtube videos do. I often buy cd's based on Pandora listening. Sometimes the CD's are noticeably better, sometimes, not so much. But then, I prefer a well recorded studio experience more than a live, or concert hall one.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I used pandora for a long time. Once I started using Spotify though, I gave up on pandora. Almost two years now. Somehow pandora sounds flatter to me.

 

[Klipschhead302]

I used pandora for a long time. Once I started using Spotify though, I gave up on pandora. Almost two years now. Somehow pandora sounds flatter to me.

Did you adjust the settings for higher quality in Pandora?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Did you adjust the settings for higher quality in Pandora?

Yep. Sho did. If I'm not mistaken pandoras highest(free) bitrate is lower than Spotify(also free). Can't say that's exactly what I'm encountering but it definitely sounds different. I also like that I can listen to whole albums before I buy.

 

[Klipschhead302]

Yep. Sho did. If I'm not mistaken pandoras highest(free) bitrate is lower than Spotify(also free). Can't say that's exactly what I'm encountering but it definitely sounds different. I also like that I can listen to whole albums before I buy.

I'm going to have to check it out, I haven't tried Spotify yet, might as well.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I'm going to have to check it out, I haven't tried Spotify yet, might as well.

It's free!!! I like it a lot. I use an airport express a lot and the Spotify app lets me stream to my desktop(but I just use Spotify on my pc while I'm sitting there) and the remote app lets me stream from my pc to my system. I also AirPlay out of my phone. The desktop version of Spotify is more granular and allows more options but the app is great too.

 

[MrBoat]

It's free!!! I like it a lot. I use an airport express a lot and the Spotify app lets me stream to my desktop(but I just use Spotify on my pc while I'm sitting there) and the remote app lets me stream from my pc to my system. I also AirPlay out of my phone. The desktop version of Spotify is more granular and allows more options but the app is great too.

Not a fan of the free Spotify. Half of why I never purchased the pay version.
Pandora was seemingly less (for lack of a better term). . .greedy. Thru Linux, I didn't have any ads through the free Pandora. Don't remember why now. But mostly it sounds fine.

As far as entire albums, I can typically find the HD version on youtube if something strikes me.