BACCH4Mac "Absolute Sound Product of the Year 2024"

[jimbill]

I'm really sold on this program, especially since ORC was added.

I would love to hear it on a pair of CLX speakers.

 

[JonFo]

This is really cool tech, and for folks with just 2ch setups, it's a large step forward. With a $1K intro option (plus M-series Mac), more folks can try it.

Now, I'm skeptical of how well this will work with dipoles like our ML ESLs, as they have a large amount of temporal smear from the rear wave. Even in my highly damped room, there are more mixed reflections than a monopole speaker. That could erase much of the effect.

I agree that a custom HRTF adds to the sound field's naturalness. I learned that using my Smyth A16 Atmos headphone processor when I performed my own PRIR (personalized room impulse response) with mics in my ears.
Using a stereo track, and running through the Dolby Surround upmixer to a 7.1.4 playback stage, the A16 does some pretty impressive things. On classical music, it feels more like I'm in the hall.

BTW- there is a Speaker Edition of the A16 that delivers Atmos with just two (monopole) speakers. Here's a review.

 

[Fidji99]

I'm really sold on this program, especially since ORC was added.

I would love to hear it on a pair of CLX speakers.

fun thing is that headphones guys have this tech for free (crosstalk cancellation) and they are trying to introduce it back by applying crossfeed.

Grass is always greener on the other side.

 

[jimbill]

This is really cool tech, and for folks with just 2ch setups, it's a large step forward. With a $1K intro option (plus M-series Mac), more folks can try it.

Now, I'm skeptical of how well this will work with dipoles like our ML ESLs, as they have a large amount of temporal smear from the rear wave. Even in my highly damped room, there are more mixed reflections than a monopole speaker. That could erase much of the effect.

I agree that a custom HRTF adds to the sound field's naturalness. I learned that using my Smyth A16 Atmos headphone processor when I performed my own PRIR (personalized room impulse response) with mics in my ears.
Using a stereo track, and running through the Dolby Surround upmixer to a 7.1.4 playback stage, the A16 does some pretty impressive things. On classical music, it feels more like I'm in the hall.

BTW- there is a Speaker Edition of the A16 that delivers Atmos with just two (monopole) speakers. Here's a review.

Actually, BACCH works especially well with ML electro-stats. I have 13a's. The more directive the speaker the better. The XTC measurements I'm getting are between 13 and 17 dB, considerably higher than a lot of dynamic speakers get.

The 3-D effect is much better, the width of the sound stage is increased significantly, and the sweet spot (with head-tracking) is so much bigger.

I know $5,000 is a lot of money, but I guarantee there isn't anything you can do to your system that will make a bigger impact, other than significantly upgrading your speakers.

 

[amey01]

Cool software, no doubt.

But of course, DSP / crosstalk elimination has been available for years. Check this out:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/rpi4-camilladsp-tutorial.29656/

You don't need to spend $6k, but you do need to trade your time for a bit of stuffing around.

Of course it has a big impact! But a big impact can also be had by swapping your speakers for headphones too! Depends if you want that or not.

And as someone else has said - a pair of headphones and a binaural recording is probably better. If that's what you want.

 

[jimbill]

Sorry, but you are wrong. It has been around for years, but not as beneficial as this.

This is nothing like headphones and binaural recordings. Headphones keep the sound stage in your head. This widens the sound stage in your room.

You don't need special recordings to benefit. Almost all recordings benefit. Probably 99%.

I hope you get a chance to hear it. Until then, keep an open mind.

 

[Robert D]

I'd love to hear a demonstration of it. Test the sound system with it on vs using just standard DSP.

 

[jimbill]

I'd love to hear a demonstration of it. Test the sound system with it on vs using just standard DSP.

Easily done. The program screen has three filter tabs and a bypass tab. You can instantaneously compare. And the difference is very noticeable.

 

[Robert D]

Easily done. The program screen has three filter tabs and a bypass tab. You can instantaneously compare. And the difference is very noticeable.

That's great. So someone could turn off this new program and then run something like ARC on their preamp and compare. I'll have to see if any hi-fi stores around here carry it.

 

[jimbill]

I run ARC on my 13a's. BACCH doesn't affect it because its main purpose is to eliminate crosstalk.

BACCH recently added ORC (Optimal Room Correction) to its program. It's an add-on at a cost. It does a nice job of flattening the response line in my room.

 

[Robert D]

I run ARC on my 13a's. BACCH doesn't affect it because its main purpose is to eliminate crosstalk.

BACCH recently added ORC (Optimal Room Correction) to its program. It's an add-on at a cost. It does a nice job of flattening the response line in my room.

Oh, ok. I was thinking BACCH did everything, but you can use ARC with it. Have you heard their room correction yet? Is it great too? What's the cost for that?

 

[jimbill]

I got ORC for free because it was given to early buyers of BACCH. I believe it now costs $1,000 to add it. I don't know how it compares to other room correction programs, but I get an almost flat frequency response in my large room.