Pc requirements for room correction plugins

[Eidie]

Hello everybody! Whilst not new to the pursuit of fine audio reproduction I have had a hiatus and things have moved on.

Current system:
RME ADI-2 dac fs
Denon avr (soon to be replaced with March P451 monoblocks)
Theophany Psuche speakers (please don’t look at their website. It may make your blood boil!)

The ADI-2 is fed by a Lenovo i3 ultrabook (approx 5 years old) used exclusively for audio.

I have tried Audiavana which I generally liked but UI and meta-data are clunky. Currently trying JRiver, finding the UI and library management very clunky.

My question is this....

How much processor power is required to run a room correction VST plugin? Will my i3, 8Gb ram, laptop struggle? Any recommendations for plugins would be great to.

Cheers!

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I'm running Dirac Live 3 vst plug in on an I3 running JRiver. Seems to work fine. I had to fiddle with lip sync for Netflix, but JRiver has a way to do that. So, yes, it's ok.

 

[Eidie]

I'm running Dirac Live 3 vst plug in on an I3 running JRiver. Seems to work fine. I had to fiddle with lip sync for Netflix, but JRiver has a way to do that. So, yes, it's ok.

Many thanks Phoenix! Good to know.
Have you any tips for JRiver?

 

[Trell]

Hello everybody! Whilst not new to the pursuit of fine audio reproduction I have had a hiatus and things have moved on.

Current system:
RME ADI-2 dac fs
Denon avr (soon to be replaced with March P451 monoblocks)
Theophany Psuche speakers (please don’t look at their website. It may make your blood boil!)

The ADI-2 is fed by a Lenovo i3 ultrabook (approx 5 years old) used exclusively for audio.

I have tried Audiavana which I generally liked but UI and meta-data are clunky. Currently trying JRiver, finding the UI and library management very clunky.

My question is this....

How much processor power is required to run a room correction VST plugin? Will my i3, 8Gb ram, laptop struggle? Any recommendations for plugins would be great to.

Cheers!

Your RME ADI-2 has a 5 band parametric EQ for each channel built-in and that might be enough to notch down the bass peaks that are so troublesome in most rooms. To do do this you need a calibrated measurement microphone and the free software REW (RoomEQ Wizard). To use Dirac you'll have to buy a measurements microphone in any case and the inexpensive miniDSP UMIK-1 is on the Dirac list of recommended microphones.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Have you any tips for JRiver?

1. Don't give up. There is almost always a solution.
2. Scour the YABB for answers and don't be put off by prickly responses to your questions.

 

[Snarfie]

I'm running Mathaudio room Eq on a Lenovo Thinkpad from 2014 with an older I5 processor 2600 MHz. For me the most important an cheap improvement (had to buy a measuring mic) heard encounterd in 40 years time. The CPU load of mathaudio is extreem low incombination with foobar2000. It it is one of the few or mabey only free full functionality solutions incombination with foobar2000 an compareble with expensive solutions like Dirac, Lyngdorf, an others. Realy up an running in minuts

 

[deprogrammed]

Many thanks Phoenix! Good to know.
Have you any tips for JRiver?

I like having a "player tab", each with their own filters, for my speakers and headphones. You can customize the interface fairly well. I do wish it was better documented. Are there any specific frustrations you are having? I just use it for streaming music and audio.

 

[Eidie]

Your RME ADI-2 has a 5 band parametric EQ for each channel built-in and that might be enough to notch down the bass peaks that are so troublesome in most rooms. To do do this you need a calibrated measurement microphone and the free software REW (RoomEQ Wizard). To use Dirac you'll have to buy a measurements microphone in any case and the inexpensive miniDSP UMIK-1 is on the Dirac list of recommended microphones.

Terribly sorry for the slow response Trell,

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. I am aware of the ADi-2’s capabilities. Just not sure of mine! The UMIK-1 is 50% more expensive here in Aus. than in the US. I am confident I can learn to use REW, and eventually, through trial and error, translate that into a 5-band PEQ. Certainly worth a shot. Thank you.

 

[Eidie]

1. Don't give up. There is almost always a solution.
2. Scour the YABB for answers and don't be put off by prickly responses to your questions.

Thank you Kal, and I won’t be!
What’s the YABB?

IF I may say...
I have always appreciated your writing in Stereophile. Thank you.

 

[Eidie]

I'm running Mathaudio room Eq on a Lenovo Thinkpad from 2014 with an older I5 processor 2600 MHz. For me the most important an cheap improvement (had to buy a measuring mic) heard encounterd in 40 years time. The CPU load of mathaudio is extreem low incombination with foobar2000. It it is one of the few or mabey only free full functionality solutions incombination with foobar2000 an compareble with expensive solutions like Dirac, Lyngdorf, an others. Realy up an running in minuts

Thank you Snarfie.
Are you, does, Mathaudio run as a pluggin to anything other than foobar2000?

 

[Eidie]

Hello everybody!

I probably should have posted this in the op, but you know...

I have a neurological disorder that makes things harder. Everyday. It affects my vision and coordination, amongst other things. I have improved my hifi because some days all I can do is listen. I need to keep things simple.

I really appreciate your responses. Whilst it can, at times, get narky here, for the most part it doesn’t. Civility is great!

 

[mohragk]

Not a problem whatsoever. Modern CPUs are more than capable of applying some filters to an audio signal.

 

[Eidie]

Not a problem whatsoever. Modern CPUs are more than capable of applying some filters to an audio signal.

Thank you Moh. I am beginning to see that my concerns were unfounded. I have used “Reason” for production, and know how hard that pushed my iMac. Things have moved on. I really appreciate perspective. Thank you

 

[Snarfie]

Thank you Snarfie.
Are you, does, Mathaudio run as a pluggin to anything other than foobar2000?

I run Both the free version with Foobar as the paid systemwide Windows version around 100 usd. Did hear they are in talks with Volumio. So using the systemwide plugin all my sound applications (as ableton) run under mathaudio room eq

 

[Trell]

Terribly sorry for the slow response Trell,

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. I am aware of the ADi-2’s capabilities. Just not sure of mine! The UMIK-1 is 50% more expensive here in Aus. than in the US. I am confident I can learn to use REW, and eventually, through trial and error, translate that into a 5-band PEQ. Certainly worth a shot. Thank you.

That was my idea to try out your ADI first along with a free trial of Dirac. Then you can compare and make a decision.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

1. Don't give up. There is almost always a solution.
2. Scour the YABB for answers and don't be put off by prickly responses to your questions.

My biggest critique of JRiver is the lack of documentation. Audiophile Style did a comprehensive run through of all the features of JRiver, but that was back when it was called Computer Audiophile and JRiver had released MC 14 or 15, and now they;re almost up to MC 28. And that's the other rub with JRiver, it keeps doing updates which it charges for, but exactly what significant new features are in each update, is burried so deeply within the comprehensive wiki list of 200 changes (the overwhelming number of which are things like changes in the default font being used on subtitles), that it's difficult to determine when anything major has been done. In MC 28, for example, it will be possible to control and run Netflix from inside JRiver. To me, that's huge. I don't know how that might affect things like latency and AV sync, but I'm guessing it couldn't hurt. I had to wade through a bunch of stuff to find that out.

It would also be helpful to know what advantage obtains from changing from 32 bit version to a 64 bit version. I bought mine a while back, so I'm using the 32 bit version, and I'd like to know if there is some performance advantage to upgrading to MC 28 64 bit.

In any case, what I'm getting at here is that it would be helpful if JRiver could themselves do a manual like that which was done by Audiophile Style. For example, wouldn't it be nice to know exactly how to set up JRiver to run as the front end of a surround sound processsor? When I look at the crossover settings, I'm not even sure which setting controls the high pass, and which controls the low pass. Certainly would be nice to have that labelled as such. Also would be great to see some instruction regarding how to set AV sync. Finally, how about a summary of what additions are in each release of JRiver--and by that I mean the major ones, not revisions to the Polish translations of interface settings.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Thank you Kal, and I won’t be!
What’s the YABB?[/QUOTE}
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php

IF I may say...
I have always appreciated your writing in Stereophile. Thank you.

Thanks.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

My biggest critique of JRiver is the lack of documentation.

To be sure, that is a big problem for entry.

it keeps doing updates which it charges for, but exactly what significant new features are in each update, is burried so deeply within the comprehensive wiki list of 200 changes (the overwhelming number of which are things like changes in the default font being used on subtitles), that it's difficult to determine when anything major has been done.

Yup but, unless you have a problem with MC ??, why bother updating? If/when you have an issue or if you think of a new feature you want, just ask. Either they will suggest an update that solves it or take it under consideration for inclusion. Just in the weeks, I have seen suggestions accepted and included in the beta of MC 28.

In MC 28, for example, it will be possible to control and run Netflix from inside JRiver.

There you go.

It would also be helpful to know what advantage obtains from changing from 32 bit version to a 64 bit version. I bought mine a while back, so I'm using the 32 bit version, and I'd like to know if there is some performance advantage to upgrading to MC 28 64 bit.

I am not really qualified to answer this in general but, afaik, the 64bit version is faster with suitable systems and it allows the use of much larger audio buffers.

In any case, what I'm getting at here is that it would be helpful if JRiver could themselves do a manual like that which was done by Audiophile Style. For example, wouldn't it be nice to know exactly how to set up JRiver to run as the front end of a surround sound processsor? When I look at the crossover settings, I'm not even sure which setting controls the high pass, and which controls the low pass. Certainly would be nice to have that labelled as such. Also would be great to see some instruction regarding how to set AV sync.

I understand that and I agree this is something they should do but acknowledge that they will never do it. All I can say is that, the more I use it, the more it impresses me and the easier it becomes.

Finally, how about a summary of what additions are in each release of JRiver--and by that I mean the major ones, not revisions to the Polish translations of interface settings.

Like this? https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,126718.0.html

 

[maverickronin]

The last time I tried Jriver it decided to fetch album art for my entire library on its own and thought that most of my video game remixes should have a cover from a random rap album.

I always turn off album art displays anyway, but that sure would ruined somebody else's day...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

The last time I tried Jriver it decided to fetch album art for my entire library on its own and thought that most of my video game remixes should have a cover from a random rap album.

I've used it for many years and that kind of thing has never happened to me. It needs to be provoked in some way.