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BACCH4Mac Pro Edition - For those considering BACCH

Dialectic

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Has anyone else tried the new version of Bacch4Mac (9.8.8)?

I just got around to setting up new filters and am stunned at the improvement.
 

Eurasian

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I haven't upgraded my BACCH in years. What's new in this version?
 

onion

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Great audioholics discussion with Prof Choueiri just posted

 

stevenswall

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BACCH4Mac is their "entry" offering and uses an RME Babyface Pro for the I/O. Individualised XTC starts at a touch under 5k.

That's still priced too close to the Polk Legend. Maybe BACCH is superior though?

I want them to make money because I think cutting edge stuff like this legitimately improves the experience, but here it seems like if it were a quarter the price they could sell 10x as many licenses... Or have a subscription rather than the astronomical barrier to entry.
 

Ilkless

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How does one integrate multisubs and room correction with BACCH4Mac? Am in the process of ordering new active monitors that are not Neumann or Genelec - no proprietary room correction built in.

I would like individualised BACCH correction, an AES output into my monitors which have an AES input, plus analogue output into something like Rythmiks (think digital input subs are likely overpriced), with high pass for my monitors and low pass for the subs.

The need for binaural mics means I would likely need an audio interface with mic in. However, as far as I can tell the RME Babyface Pro that Theoretica supplies doesn't have the outputs required for my use case.

BACCH-SP would probably work but obviously way out of my budget.
 

Theoretica Appl. Physics

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How does one integrate multisubs and room correction with BACCH4Mac? Am in the process of ordering new active monitors that are not Neumann or Genelec - no proprietary room correction built in.

I would like individualised BACCH correction, an AES output into my monitors which have an AES input, plus analogue output into something like Rythmiks (think digital input subs are likely overpriced), with high pass for my monitors and low pass for the subs.

The need for binaural mics means I would likely need an audio interface with mic in. However, as far as I can tell the RME Babyface Pro that Theoretica supplies doesn't have the outputs required for my use case.

BACCH-SP would probably work but obviously way out of my budget.


Latest BACCH-XO Screenshot2.png


What you stated can be nicely accomplished with the latest version of BACCH-dSP (the application at the heart of Theoretica's BACCH4Mac product) working with RME’s Fireface UCX II.

The BACCH-Xover module (whose GUI is shown in the attached screenshot) of BACCH-dSP, which is built in all 4 editions of BACCH4Mac, allows applying a 64-bit 2-band or 3-band Linkwitz-Riley crossover network (and time delay to each band) inside BACCH-dSP. Starting with version 11.1 of BACCH-dSP, the BACCH-Xover module has now the capability of applying a VST, VST3 or AU plugin to each of the 3 bands in the crossover. This allows the user to instantiate, for instance, a convolution plugin for each band and apply a frequency/time room correction filter produced by a third-party room correction (RC) system (such as Acourate) as long as the filters are not in a proprietary format, and the convolution plugin can load filters of that format (there are many third party convolution plugins that can do that. One that we are familiar with and use is Reverberate by LiquidSonics). This way room correction (RC) can be implemented in BACCH-dSP and the BACCH+RC-processed multi-channel output sent to the outboard multi-input of the RME UCX II (or any multi-channel) DAC system of the user.

The versatile and high-quality Fireface UCX II by RME (which Theoretica now offers as an option to the BabyFace Pro FS) has the 2-channel mic pre input required for making custom BACCH filters with the BACCH-BM in-ear binaural microphone, as well as the digital and analog outputs needed to apply BACCH-XO for implementing various crossover and room correction configurations. For instance, in your particular case of a 2-band system consisting of monitors + sub system you would simply select the 2-band option in BACCH-Xover, assign the LF band to the analog outputs of the UCX II, which drive your sub(s), and assign the HF outputs of the crossover to the AES/EBU output that feeds your powered monitors. You can then, if you wish, dial in delays for each band to time-align the speakers and apply any custom equalization or additional processing by instantiating a VST/AU/VST3 plugin at the output of each band in BACCH-Xover. Or you can instantiate a convolution plugin for each band to apply a room correction filter generated by a third-party room correction system as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

I hope that this is helpful.

Adam at Theoretica.
[email protected]
 
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Ilkless

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View attachment 190043

What you stated can be nicely accomplished with the latest version of BACCH-dSP (the application at the heart of Theoretica's BACCH4Mac product) working with RME’s Fireface UCX II.

The BACCH-Xover module (whose GUI is shown in the attached screenshot) of BACCH-dSP, which is built in all 4 editions of BACCH4Mac, allows applying a 64-bit 2-band or 3-band Linkwitz-Riley crossover network (and time delay to each band) inside BACCH-dSP. Starting with version 11.1 of BACCH-dSP, the BACCH-Xover module has now the capability of applying a VST, VST3 or AU plugin to each of the 3 bands in the crossover. This allows the user to instantiate, for instance, a convolution plugin for each band and apply a frequency/time room correction filter produced by a third-party room correction (RC) system (such as Acourate) as long as the filters are not in a proprietary format, and the convolution plugin can load filters of that format (there are many third party convolution plugins that can do that. One that we are familiar with and use is Reverberate by LiquidSonics). This way room correction (RC) can be implemented in BACCH-dSP and the BACCH+RC-processed multi-channel output sent to the outboard multi-input of the RME UCX II (or any multi-channel) DAC system of the user.

The versatile and high-quality Fireface UCX II by RME (which Theoretica now offers as an option to the BabyFace Pro FS) has the 2-channel mic pre input required for making custom BACCH filters with the BACCH-BM in-ear binaural microphone, as well as the digital and analog outputs needed to apply BACCH-XO for implementing various crossover and room correction configurations. For instance, in your particular case of a 2-band system consisting of monitors + sub system you would simply select the 2-band option in BACCH-Xover, assign the LF band to the analog outputs of the UCX II, which drive your sub(s), and assign the HF outputs of the crossover to the AES/EBU output that feeds your powered monitors. You can then, if you wish, dial in delays for each band to time-align the speakers and apply any custom equalization or additional processing by instantiating a VST/AU/VST3 plugin at the output of each band in BACCH-Xover. Or you can instantiate a convolution plugin for each band to apply a room correction filter generated by a third-party room correction system as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

I hope that this is helpful.

Adam at Theoretica.
[email protected]

Excellent, thanks for the comprehensive reply. The setup is still rather involved, but certainly it means that pretty much all the state-of-the-art measures available in transducer and DSP technology are available at once. My new monitors will be rather narrow directivity coaxial waveguide speakers. I believe adding multiple subwoofers (to help smooth out modal response), room correction and individualised BACCH filters to that will yield a bleeding-edge system unlike nearly anything out there. I'll be in touch once my move is done.
 

JohnSalvini

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Can you please explain how to route the digital audio from a cd/dvd player or satellite/cable/tv receiver through the Bacch4MAC application?
 

Dialectic

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onion

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I've had minimal problems using the lowest end M1 Mac mini (8Gb). The only issue is that the machine is a Roon core so is left on all the time - if Bacch4Mac is also left running all the time, this can cause a memory error message. The simple fix is to quit Bacch4Mac after finishing up a listening session. For me, this minor hassle is worth putting up with compared to using an Intel Mac mini because of the heat and noise reduction.

Will be interesting to learn if further advances in the software will require upgraded hardware - for me there was a subjective jump in performance going to version 10 and I could imagine that further improvements in processing might yield even better results.
 

Dialectic

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Ok, I pulled the trigger on the entry-level Mac Studio, arriving in a month. (Annoyingly, all the Apple stores in this area sold out in the last couple of days, and the higher-end models have long-delayed delivery dates.)

Will report back on any performance improvements vis-a-vis my 2012 i7/16GB RAM Mac Mini, which formerly was a model common among BACCH4Mac users...
 

kthulhutu

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Would really love to try this but Mac only is a deal-breaker.
Hope they port this over eventually.
 
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