How to use Windows PC as a FIR Audio Processor

[JdM12]

This is a tutorial explaining how to configure a Windows PC to do all filtering, equalization and phase linearization:
Windows PC as a FIR Audio Processor

Slightly simplified workflow:
Media player --> WDM Audio --> Hi-Fi Cable & ASIO Bridge --> ASIO4ALL --> VSTHost & ConvolverVST --> USB audio Digital to Analog (or sound card) --> Power amps --> Loudspeakers

 

[Pano]

Meh. There are easier, maybe better ways to do this. He's a little behind the times.

 

[keylimesoda]

Or just use Jriver + WDM driver.

Or use Virtual Audio Cable WDM and Convolver VST.

Sadly, Convolver VST is getting a little long in the tooth, and hasn't been updated in a decade.

 

[JdM12]

Sorry for late reply. You may have missed a point:
with this configuration, every sound is played, no matter the media player, web music channel or video-sharing website.
I would be grateful to read about other free multichannel solutions.

 

[Kjeldsen]

Virtual Audio Cable does the same trick as Hifi Cable Asio bridge, and I think Jriver does the same trick as well (haven't tried it).

I'm trying out VSThost with convlover VST (I think you can use any convolver), Hifi Cable Asio Bridge and RePhase. I think it's rather simple to put together. With the tutorial in VB cables homepage it took me less than an hour to get it all running. You can also use Foobar as a host. The most important free tool is RePhase, all the other stuff have many alternatives (free or paid stuff)

Under Linux there are also some free Alternatives, but I'm no linux dude. I think it's called BruteFIR.

 

[JdM12]

Nice to read that it's rather simple to put together VSThost with Convolver VST, Hifi Cable Asio Bridge and RePhase. I use this configuration (with asio4all) for six months and it works perfectly.
Are there concrete alternatives that are not bound to a specific media player like Foobar or Jriver?

 

[GDO]

Acourateconvolver, as a comercial alternative.

http://www.audiovero.de/acourateconvolver.php

 

[Kjeldsen]

Nice to read that it's rather simple to put together VSThost with Convolver VST, Hifi Cable Asio Bridge and RePhase. I use this configuration (with asio4all) for six months and it works perfectly.
Are there concrete alternatives that are not bound to a specific media player like Foobar or Jriver?

I actually think that most solutions are not tied too any mediaplayer.

There are several eq's and crossovers for VST - also with GUI. Some are IIR others are FIR. Some are free and some costs a lot. They only require a VST host of some sort.

 

[jiiteepee]

One system wide alternative for Windows could be EqualizerAPO + my LT / LR4 presets. Though, this wouldn't work with ASIO, WDM/KS nor with WASAPI Exclusive output.

 

[JdM12]

Acourateconvolver, as a comercial alternative.

http://www.audiovero.de/acourateconvolver.php

The convolver alone seems to work only with Acourate filter format CPV which rePhase cannot generate. But the Acourate audio toolbox looks like a good complete solution.

 

[JdM12]

I actually think that most solutions are not tied too any mediaplayer.
There are several eq's and crossovers for VST - also with GUI. Some are IIR others are FIR. Some are free and some costs a lot. They only require a VST host of some sort.

I understand: VST host + convolution plug-in.
I need a standalone host. VSThost is OK but there may be better alternatives.
It has been said that ConvolverVST plug-in hasn't been update in a decade. Another one ?

 

[JdM12]

One system wide alternative for Windows could be EqualizerAPO + my LT / LR4 presets. Though, this wouldn't work with ASIO, WDM/KS nor with WASAPI Exclusive output.

Right for IIR filtering. Having used biquad crossovers in the past, I think it's much easier to get consistent results with FIR filters.

 

[Kjeldsen]

I understand: VST host + convolution plug-in.
I need a standalone host. VSThost is OK but there may be better alternatives.
It has been said that ConvolverVST plug-in hasn't been update in a decade. Another one ?

What do you mean by "stadalone host".

Other ways than rephase could be ReaFIR, but it's not as advanced.

 

[jiiteepee]

Right for IIR filtering. Having used biquad crossovers in the past, I think it's much easier to get consistent results with FIR filters.

Since version 1.0 convolution was added in EqualizerAPO.

 

[JdM12]

jiiteepee, many many thanks ! I have switched to EqualizerAPO: great software, elegant and easy to install.
The convolver accepts the .wav impulse files generated by rePhase.
Here is my the configuration file for my four-way loudspeaker system (ultra-simple to write):

Stage: pre-mix
# Channels (7.1)
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
# L R C Sub RL RR SL SR
#High channels 7-8
Copy: SL=1 SR=2
#Mid channels 5-6
Copy: RL=1 RR=2
#Low channels 3-4
Copy: C=1 Sub=2
#Sub channels 1-2

Stage: post-mix
#High
Channel: SL SR
Preamp: -12dB
Convolution: IR_high.wav
#Mid
Channel: RL RR
Convolution: IR_mid.wav
#Low
Channel: C Sub
Convolution: IR_low.wav
#Sub
Channel: L R
Convolution: IR_sub.wav

 

[drewan]

SOS

Hi,
I’m a total noob who is trying to get my 1st active system to work.
I have a laptop running win 10 with 4GB ram , soundcard is an asus Xonar U7 echelon. So far I have installed mediamonkey and foobar2000 (with Yhong’s vst wrapper), ASIO4ALL (as the Echelon asio driver doesn’t seem to work), VB HiFi cable, and Thuneau. I have now spent 6 hrs+ reading, reinstalling, and generally playing with settings but have gotten absolutely nowhere. I believe the soundcard to be working because of the test button. With the latest bout of playing with settings I seem to have done something which means neither foobar nor mediamonkey will even play anything! The play button changes to pause as if it’s playing, but the graphics indicate nothing happening 🙁 If anyone can help with where I am going wrong I’d be very grateful.
Thanks
Drew

 

[JdM12]

Drew, I cannot help making your configuration work but I would suggest trying a simpler way mentioned by jiteepee.

In Sound control panel, make your soundcard the default output device, configure it for 7.1 audio channels and choose a sample rate.
Play something, you should hear a sound.

Install Equalizer APO and let you inspire by Juha's stuff:
Juha's Projects: EqualizerAPO stuff
There is an example for a 3-way crossover.

Or take the FIR way as I do with rePhase and the convolution engine of Equalizer APO:
JdM12 Audio Project 2016

Rob

 

[drewan]

Hi Rob, Thanks for the reply. Looked at it all and think I'll try your setup. Love your speakers and the morrocan lamp!
Drew

 

[mrk7]

@JdM12 and @jiiteepee, how many taps are you using and what kind of latency are you getting when employing EApo FIR filters?

 

[JdM12]

With 16394 taps for a 96 kHz sample rate, I get a precision of 2.9 Hz.
Impulse offset is 8192 samples (middle centering) giving a delay of 85.333 ms.
Is there some kind of buffering in Windows that adds delay? I don't know.
If someone could explain in natural language how E-APO convolver works, that would be great.
Anyway, the image/sound delay by watching videos is (subjectively) much shorter than the one I could obtain with ASIO and VST.