A how to for a PC XO.

[tbrooke]

What next?

I have been thinking of a PC-xo. But haven't gotten off the ground. I have played with the acourate demo, read the instructions posted here and watched the videos. I haven't purchased Acourate yet because I haven't figured out a practical way to get it working, I have an RME 9636 and I have the RME AEB-0 analog output card that I think should work, I have a Squeezebox with a spdif out plus I can play flac file off my hard drive, I have an extra PC with Ubuntu and I can put the RME in. My speakers are 3 way with an external crossover so I can go active easily and I have amps

I am just not sure where to start I downloaded the memory stick package and it does not look trivial to set that up. All the instructions I've seen seem to be about measuring etc. I am just unclear about setting up the pc to run filters.

so my questions


1. Is an RME 9636 with the AEB-0 board ok. I have heard almost nothing about the AEB board and the 9636 is a fairly old card. I got both cards fairly cheap on Ebay.

2. I have been able to get 2 channel analog out so my RME card works. Is this setup ok or should I be looking at newer RME, an ADAT interface?

3. What about analog input? I can use digital for most thing but it would be nice to be able to process DVD etx withoout having to switch back to a passive crossover.

4. Should I write a script for brutefir in Ubuntu, Use the memory stick?

I guess I would like someone to show me a nice way I can set up my sound card and load and use filters, change filters and it would be nice to be able to make changes in real time while listening.


Any suggestions

Tom

 

[ackcheng]

Hello tbrooke,

May be you can also ask this question on Acourate forum. I think there is a brutefir package for Ubuntu so you do not need to compile your own.

On the linux audio thread here in diyaudio, soundcheck has also done alot of work using Brutefir and Ubuntu.

 

[uli.brueggemann]

Any suggestions Tom

Hi Tom,

the complexity of the solution is simply given by the huge amount of variety of possible audio system constellations.

If I understand correctly then you have most of the necessary stuff already at hand. So you should be able to try even without a big investment.

So first you can download the package
www.acourate.com/Audiovero_Kernel2.6.26.8-rt12.zip

Prepare a memorystick by formatting it with FAT32 (or simply get a new one). Unzip the package and copy the file syslinux.exe to the empty stick.
Run Windows START - Execute or open an MSDOS-Window. Change to the drive of your stick. Example stick as drive E:\:
E:\
syslinux E:\
dir

The dir command should show now two files E:\syslinux.exe and E:\ldlinux.sys.

Copy the rest of the package onto the stick.

Reboot your PC (modify your BIOS to allow boot from the stick). The Linux system on the stick should boot and the console should come up with a #

These are the first steps to get a PC with a RME card running as filter engine. No need for further compilations. Just to edit the desired configuration. Arthur is using the same package so he may also assist in case of problems.

You can also ask at the Acourate forum or email me privately. So we can setup the system step by step.
If the described first setup is running we can proceed.

🙂

 

[ackcheng]

Has anyone tried Virtual Audio Cable?

http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.html

Seems to me that it can route the signal to different programs without using up the physical channels in the sound card. Can someone confirm?

Arthur

 

[Telstar]

Re: Re: Re: Lynx

If the above works, I guess that my Infrasonic Quartet would to (for 4 channels).
What do you think?

http://www.infra-sonic.com/site/p_PCI_quartet.php

I answer myself. Console does work, after i route wdm to asio with freemixer. But I believe that the sound quality is worse, much worse. Not only, but waves linEQ is "dirty" in some way.

That was my first try. Now, I'm going to try Thunau's app.

 

[Telstar]

Crossvolver

I have been looking at Acourate, AudioLense, and Crossvolver.

I know Crossvolver is not as complete or as sophisticated as the others but it will create crossovers pretty well and it's (still) free.

Very interesting site the one where Crosvolver is, Scott!
URL

I didnt try crossvolver, but some of the utilities there are very useful for speaker design and testing.

Highly recommended 🙂

 

[ABJensen]

Is it possible too use the input on this fireware unit with audiolense or acuarete. so I can use a rekordplayer, dvd, digitaltuner.

http://www.prismsound.com/music_recording/products_subs/orpheus/orpheus_home.php

 

[KCCT82]

Hi guys,

I plan to drive Mr. Nelson Pass's First Watt F3/F5 amplifiers with RME Fireface800's analog outputs (all 10 for a 5 way stereo system). I'm wondering if the Fireface800's signal will be enough without the use of an active preamp since First Watt amps only have 13-15db of gain instead of the usual +26. My speaker system is quite efficient (100+ db/w from 58hz-20khz) so hopefully I won't have to build 10 channels of active pre on top of the 10 power channels

More about my system: My DIY 5 Way Active Horn System

Thanks!

 

[tbrooke]

Keepe me posted

Hi guys,

I plan to drive Mr. Nelson Pass's First Watt F3/F5 amplifiers with RME Fireface800's analog outputs (all 10 for a 5 way stereo system). I'm wondering if the Fireface800's signal will be enough without the use of an active preamp since First Watt amps only have 13-15db of gain instead of the usual +26. My speaker system is quite efficient (100+ db/w from 58hz-20khz) so hopefully I won't have to build 10 channels of active pre on top of the 10 power channels

More about my system: My DIY 5 Way Active Horn System

Thanks!

Keep me posted I am planning the same thing but I have a long way to go. I have F3 and F5 boards and I am collecting parts. I am thinking of a PC based XO with RME soundcard

Tom

 

[KCCT82]

Hi Tom,

Yeah, please keep me posted as well, I don't even have the boards yet... 😉 I'm more concerned with the signal level right now. I don't know if I'm understanding this correctly but the RME Fireface800 has "Eight balanced line inputs and outputs with software controlled switching of the reference levels (-10 dBV, +4 dBu, HiGain), of course realized discretely in the analog domain, guarantee highest dynamic range and highest fidelity."

Input/Output level for 0 dBFS @ Hi Gain: +19 dBu
Input/Output level for 0 dBFS @ +4 dBu: +13 dBu
Input/Output level for 0 dBFS @ -10 dBV: +2 dBV

Now does that mean the "Hi Gain" or "+4 dBu" setting will act as my active preamp in case signal is too weak to drive First Watt amps?!? (I mean it probably won't be as good as dedicated active pre but IT'LL WORK, RIGHT?)

Regards

 

[63781]

0 dBFS output voltage from the RME Fireface 800 at Hi Gain is 6,9 V. With 12 dB power amp gain you should get 27,5 V, which is ~95 W into 8 ohms, more than you need to clip a First Watt amp.

 

[KCCT82]

0 dBFS output voltage from the RME Fireface 800 at Hi Gain is 6,9 V. With 12 dB power amp gain you should get 27,5 V, which is ~95 W into 8 ohms, more than you need to clip a First Watt amp.

Thanks StigErik,

What about the lowest +2dBV setting? Will that provide enough signal for the First Watt amps?

Best Regards

 

[63781]

+2 dBV is 1,26V
12 dB gain is approx 4 times
With 12 dB amp gain you'll get approx 5V at the amp output, which is not a lot... a little more than 3W into 8 ohms.

 

[454Casull]

What's the cheapest sound card I should be looking at if I just want to use PC filtering for prototyping? Would I be able to use just two channels for HP/LP with notch, gain/atten, etc.? If so, will all two-channel (regular) cards work?

 

[63781]

What's the cheapest sound card I should be looking at if I just want to use PC filtering for prototyping? Would I be able to use just two channels for HP/LP with notch, gain/atten, etc.? If so, will all two-channel (regular) cards work?

If you will be using Console to run the filters, you must have a soundcard with ASIO driver support. I dont know if the cheaper type of cards supports ASIO, but M-audio cards do, and some of them are not too expensive. The safe route is RME or Lynx cards.

 

[ted4412wilt]

AudioTrak Prodigy 7.1hifi

http://cgi.ebay.com/Audiotrak-Prodi...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

Has ASIO and about everything you need for excellent PC sound, crossovers etc. for $110.09 shipped. I have been using this with Foobar_2000 player with crossover plugin for 2 months. I think this will do about everything the really expensive cards will.
Ted

 

[454Casull]

Re: AudioTrak Prodigy 7.1hifi

http://cgi.ebay.com/Audiotrak-Prodi...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

Has ASIO and about everything you need for excellent PC sound, crossovers etc. for $110.09 shipped. I have been using this with Foobar_2000 player with crossover plugin for 2 months. I think this will do about everything the really expensive cards will.
Ted

Good find. I was considering an E-MU 0404 USB, but I might have to get both now.

 

[pheonix358]

Hi, can this be done on a laptop (Toshiba X200). I note that ESI GIGAPORT HD 8-out USB Audio Interface seems to have the right specs but not sure if USB can handle the workload.

Any comments appreciated.

Terry

 

[pos]

I think you cannot have the "directwire" capabilities with the USB cards.
I don't understand why exactly, but only internal and firewire cards seems to have it.

 

[Frode]

Hi, can this be done on a laptop (Toshiba X200). I note that ESI GIGAPORT HD 8-out USB Audio Interface seems to have the right specs but not sure if USB can handle the workload.

Any comments appreciated.

Terry

I've had a lot of trouble with an ESI U46XL USB soundcard, so be sure that you can return it. My card were supposed to have DirectWire, but I could never make it work properly. I guess the problems is related to bad USB-drivers, so I recommend Firewire or PCMCIA.

Frode