BYTEME
Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2025
- Messages
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- 6
I use a small Windows box for HTPC type use - listening to music, watching movies etc. I've got a Topping D10 (original version) feeding a decent vintage Kenwood KA-7100 integrated amp driving EPI M105 + AR7 speakers (old school acoustic suspension). My setup goes low end enough for me, not a big sub fan. And I might be in the minority, but I don't care about analytically correct sound - I like what I like, though I do think I've got good ears. I prefer having some control over my audio as opposed to having everything direct - eq and other processing is fine with me, provided it sounds good. Looking at the popularity of room correction solutions tells me that people recognize their systems need processing and a direct, flat, non-eq'd signal won't necessarily provide the best listening experience. Digital processing seems to carry an unwarranted stigma.
I'm really surprised that in this modern digital age there aren't many affordable hardware dsp options. EQ is one thing, but what I miss now is some Dynamic Range Compression for watching movies on my entertainment pc. Perhaps it's my basic stereo setup as opposed to a multi-channel HT setup, but movies seem to take dynamic range to extremes... turn up the volume to hear dialog, then get deafened from an explosion. I've tried Equalizer APO (several times), but it's just too finiky for me and doesn't provide an easy user experience (at least for ME). Which is too bad, because having a small chain of decent VST processors would probably do the job if I could get it to work as I'd like - EQAPO doesn't update the VST gui, so no visual feedback and no metering unless I use the Peace GUI (which makes using VST's even harder). I'd prefer a 'system-wide' solution as opposed to every audio or movie app needing it's own audio process chain.
I look at products like the MiniDSP Flex and they are probably 90% of what I'm looking for - but they are limited to EQ and very basic compressors for dsp processing options. The Hifi Berry card is going in the right direction, but sound quality is not top notch and GUI is also not my thing. And I think it's limited in sample rates and I don't want unnecessary sample rate conversion. I also considered something like the Behringer DEQ2496, but it's _old_ and it's analog measurements aren't really that great.
I know that the majority of 'audiophiles' hate EQ and processing, but I'd think there is a market for people like myself - and dsp hardware (like all digital electronics) is always getting more power and dropping in price. How there aren't more dsp/dacs or even just dsp boxes with digital in/out surprises me.
I do think that being Windows based is part of the issue - I don't have a lot of Apple experience, but OSX does seem to have a better audio path and allows more options. So maybe I could get the software solution that allows versatility and ease-of-use in a manner that actually works in a pc box environment. Plus, the point of this post is that there simply _aren't_ many (any?) hardware solutions that do what I want. With the processing power available in the average pc today, a software solution seems the most sensible and would also provide the most options. But, at least on the Windows front, that doesn't seem possible thanks to the audio path design in the OS. And linux? LOL - linux is the OS you choose when you have nothing better to do than fitz with the OS. Plus, HDCP just doesn't work on linux, so no video streaming services for you.
Imagine a dsp/dac box that provides the ability to chain together the audio processing you want with an easy to use GUI... I'd think people would snap something like that up. Especially if it was affordably priced.
Edit - forgot to mention that I've also looked at several daw-type audio interfaces such as the Lewitt Connect 6... I am also a bedroom musician and have many years of using daws and various audio interfaces. I thought the Lewitt Connect was a good possibility until I discovered that it's dsp processing is limited to the analog inputs on the interface and cannot be applied to the pc's stereo output stream. Which is a real shame as it's dsp EQ, compressor and limiter/maxmizer are very close to what I'd want. And none of the other interfaces from UA, RME, MOTU etc do that either (at least none that are under the $1K mark). Something like an Axe FX might work, but I don't know how good the analog sections work and they are overkill for this application - not to mention ungodly expensive.
Edit - just discovered Effetune in another thread here... Despite much Googling I somehow never stumbled across this app. This is almost _exactly_ what I'm looking for - if it didn't require everything to run at 96KHz (and resample everything as a result), it would probably be the Holy Grail for me. Though given the lack of alternatives I will definitely need to experiment with this. A small touchscreen secondary display would be awesome for something like this in the rack.
I'm really surprised that in this modern digital age there aren't many affordable hardware dsp options. EQ is one thing, but what I miss now is some Dynamic Range Compression for watching movies on my entertainment pc. Perhaps it's my basic stereo setup as opposed to a multi-channel HT setup, but movies seem to take dynamic range to extremes... turn up the volume to hear dialog, then get deafened from an explosion. I've tried Equalizer APO (several times), but it's just too finiky for me and doesn't provide an easy user experience (at least for ME). Which is too bad, because having a small chain of decent VST processors would probably do the job if I could get it to work as I'd like - EQAPO doesn't update the VST gui, so no visual feedback and no metering unless I use the Peace GUI (which makes using VST's even harder). I'd prefer a 'system-wide' solution as opposed to every audio or movie app needing it's own audio process chain.
I look at products like the MiniDSP Flex and they are probably 90% of what I'm looking for - but they are limited to EQ and very basic compressors for dsp processing options. The Hifi Berry card is going in the right direction, but sound quality is not top notch and GUI is also not my thing. And I think it's limited in sample rates and I don't want unnecessary sample rate conversion. I also considered something like the Behringer DEQ2496, but it's _old_ and it's analog measurements aren't really that great.
I know that the majority of 'audiophiles' hate EQ and processing, but I'd think there is a market for people like myself - and dsp hardware (like all digital electronics) is always getting more power and dropping in price. How there aren't more dsp/dacs or even just dsp boxes with digital in/out surprises me.
I do think that being Windows based is part of the issue - I don't have a lot of Apple experience, but OSX does seem to have a better audio path and allows more options. So maybe I could get the software solution that allows versatility and ease-of-use in a manner that actually works in a pc box environment. Plus, the point of this post is that there simply _aren't_ many (any?) hardware solutions that do what I want. With the processing power available in the average pc today, a software solution seems the most sensible and would also provide the most options. But, at least on the Windows front, that doesn't seem possible thanks to the audio path design in the OS. And linux? LOL - linux is the OS you choose when you have nothing better to do than fitz with the OS. Plus, HDCP just doesn't work on linux, so no video streaming services for you.
Imagine a dsp/dac box that provides the ability to chain together the audio processing you want with an easy to use GUI... I'd think people would snap something like that up. Especially if it was affordably priced.
Edit - forgot to mention that I've also looked at several daw-type audio interfaces such as the Lewitt Connect 6... I am also a bedroom musician and have many years of using daws and various audio interfaces. I thought the Lewitt Connect was a good possibility until I discovered that it's dsp processing is limited to the analog inputs on the interface and cannot be applied to the pc's stereo output stream. Which is a real shame as it's dsp EQ, compressor and limiter/maxmizer are very close to what I'd want. And none of the other interfaces from UA, RME, MOTU etc do that either (at least none that are under the $1K mark). Something like an Axe FX might work, but I don't know how good the analog sections work and they are overkill for this application - not to mention ungodly expensive.
Edit - just discovered Effetune in another thread here... Despite much Googling I somehow never stumbled across this app. This is almost _exactly_ what I'm looking for - if it didn't require everything to run at 96KHz (and resample everything as a result), it would probably be the Holy Grail for me. Though given the lack of alternatives I will definitely need to experiment with this. A small touchscreen secondary display would be awesome for something like this in the rack.
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