Audeze DSP presets now available in Roon
Aug 25, 2017 at 2:15 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 166
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Audeze is pleased to announce that we are partnering with Roon Labs to offer optional DSP presets for all our headphone models. Roon's Audeze presets apply carefully designed filters specific to the selected Audeze headphone models. In addition to using our headphones “flat (no EQ)” these filters can be used to provide a listening experience similar to great speakers in a typical well treated room. Additionally, you can tweak these filters by using Roon’s built-in EQ and crossfeed settings. Importantly, each preset has the calibration filters for all commonly used sample rates (44.1kHz to 768kHz) to avoid resampling. Audeze is able to do this because we have our own digital hardware and software engineers, as well as our experience working with Audio Precision in developing headphone-specific test equipment.

For extended Roon Trials (60 days instead of default 14 days) please use the promo code HDF1-VJM7-WU9Z

Will these work only with Audeze headphones?
Yes. These presets are optimized only for Audeze headphones, and are free for our customers.

Do I need to use the presets to get the best sound possible?
Of course not. Audeze headphones are designed to be the best sounding headphones - period. These optional DSP algorithms are just another “flavor” to be chosen by the listener, and add value to your Audeze headphones. They are not meant to fix any issues, but rather enhance to the listener’s experience. We expect some users will prefer our headphones without any EQ, while others will prefer the “room sound” calibration provided by these Roon DSP presets. We give you a choice!

Are you only doing calibration?
No. This is just the beginning. We have been beta testing some speaker emulation algorithms. We expect to develop this over time and provide our customers more features.

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Why DSP?
At Audeze, we design our headphones to produce the best possible sound. In doing so, we often push boundaries by making breakthroughs in materials and technology.

Over the past years, we have measured hundreds of headphones. Our experience in measuring and listening to headphones as well as our research in applying DSP techniques to optimize headphone performance has shown us that we can enhance the experience of the listener by giving them the option of using DSP. But many headphones do not respond well to DSPs and often exhibit audible distortion or a diminished sound-stage. Using DSP requires drivers that contain a linear response, very low distortion, and a fast-settling transient response. The planar drivers that Audeze uses in our headphones exceed these requirements and thus respond very well to DSP.

Advancements in chip manufacturing has produced significant quantities of processing power available in an ever-decreasing footprint. This enables us to fit advanced signal processing algorithms of a DSP into a diminutive form-factor cable. Through the Cipher cable, we have shown that DSP can be used to provide dramatic improvements, rivaling other professional augments at a fraction of the expected cost.

Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response from the Head-fi community, as well as the possibilities within the Cipher cable, we set out to scale up, utilizing the processing power available in a desktop system. However, DSPs can often be intimidating to those who have never used them before.

To this end, Audeze has been on the lookout for platforms where the DSP seamlessly integrates into the playback chain and takes the guesswork out of the picture. Additionally, we have been seeking DSP platforms that are sophisticated enough to let us add more features in the future, thus providing our customers with the best feature-rich experience possible. With the release of Roon’s DSP engine, Audeze sees it as an ideal platform to integrate DSP into a desktop platform for music playback and discovery.
 
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Audeze Stay updated on Audeze at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.facebook.com/AudezeLLC https://twitter.com/audeze https://www.audeze.com/
Aug 25, 2017 at 4:18 PM Post #2 of 166
Thank you for doing this. I´m listening to my LCD i4 with the new Roon preset, and it´s absolutely fantastic. I don´t know what woodo you have cooked up, but my LCDi4 has never sounded this good. More open. More natural. More spacious.
 
Aug 25, 2017 at 4:52 PM Post #4 of 166
Yes I saw it yesterday and have been playing with it. I have an LCD-4 driven by a Headamp GSX Mk2. Previously I've used Roon EQ to bump up response by 1-2 db in the "presence" range (4Khz to 8KHz), and controlled clipping by adding 3db of headroom. With the LCD-4 setting I turn the EQ and headroom adjustments off.

My initial impression is that the overall adjustment by the Audeze calibration is more of an 'across-the-board' change than my very 'presence focused' EQ adjustment I personally made. There seems to be a bit more upper midrange energy than the unadjusted LCD-4 sound, but the overall soundstage also seems to be a bit closer and more precise, and mid and upper base is a bit more punchy. This has not resulted in any negative sonic artifacts (e.g., boominess, excessive sibilance, etc.) that I can hear...in fact lingering lower treble ringing and smearing is pretty much vanquished by time domain adjustments apparently made by Audeze, which probably reflects improved transient response. So all-in-all, my reaction to the Audeze Roon calibration for the LCD-4 is quite positive and I will continue to use it. That said, which setting is closer to "absolute natural sound" is something I don't know and I look forward to getting everyone else's reaction.

I subsequently interacted with the Audeze engineer who developed these presets and he confirmed my sense that Audeze's presets for the LCD-4 were intended to make multiple adjustments, including some EQ in bass below 150 Hz, in the 3.5 KHz range and in the treble, and some time domain response adjustments (or as I stated above, 'across-the-board'). So my description above, of what I hear, appears to be very consistent with what Audeze's engineers did, where and how they did it, and what they were trying to achieve.

Insofar as the LCD-4 adjustments are concerned, a strong thumbs-up!! The sound is definitely a significant improvement over my rudimentary EQ adjustment, IMHO.
 
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Aug 25, 2017 at 6:33 PM Post #5 of 166
How do Audeze handle their headphones variations? 100ohm LCD4, 200ohm LCD4, pre fazor LCD3, 2015 LCD3, 2016 LCD3, pre fazor LCD2, fazor LCD2, etc... You get the point
 
Aug 25, 2017 at 7:10 PM Post #7 of 166
How do Audeze handle their headphones variations? 100ohm LCD4, 200ohm LCD4, pre fazor LCD3, 2015 LCD3, 2016 LCD3, pre fazor LCD2, fazor LCD2, etc... You get the point

Though only the Fazor versions of LCD-2/3 and 200 Ohm LCD-4 are officially supported, if you have a pre-fazor version of LCD-2/3 or a 100 Ohm LCD-4, go ahead and give the presets a spin. The 100 Ohm and 200 ohm LCD-4s are voiced so close to each other that you may like the LCD-4 preset with the 100 Ohm LCD-4 too.

For pre-fazor LCD-2/3, it is a tougher call and it could come down to your preferences in treble. If you do not have Roon, you can still contact support to get a 60 day free trial and check it out for yourself.
 
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Aug 25, 2017 at 7:26 PM Post #8 of 166
Can the presets change the tonality that are more influenced by the materials? Like can a plastic housing headphone with paper cone reproduce tonality of a wooden housing headphone with biocellulose cone of dynamic driver? I suppose Roon is not ready to spill the beans on the secret sauce or sauces.
 
Aug 25, 2017 at 8:38 PM Post #9 of 166
Can the presets change the tonality that are more influenced by the materials? Like can a plastic housing headphone with paper cone reproduce tonality of a wooden housing headphone with biocellulose cone of dynamic driver? I suppose Roon is not ready to spill the beans on the secret sauce or sauces.
These presets work only with the specific Audeze headphone Models. All Audeze headphone are planar-magnetic and no they are not for emulating other headphones.
 
Aug 26, 2017 at 12:40 AM Post #12 of 166
I have the closed Sine too and am eager to try this out. Can you describe your setup?

I'd love for these presets to work with the Cipher cable, using my iPhone as my Roon output device. @KMann is that on the roadmap?

thanks!
The Roon presets work only on a PC or Mac at the moment. So it is not possible to use them with iDevices through cipher. We have it on the roadmap to add additional functionality.
 
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Audeze Stay updated on Audeze at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.facebook.com/AudezeLLC https://twitter.com/audeze https://www.audeze.com/
Aug 26, 2017 at 3:28 AM Post #13 of 166
How long will the promo code be valid for? I don't have any Audeze anymore, interested in obtaining one to give this a try though.
 
Aug 26, 2017 at 10:10 AM Post #14 of 166
I look forward to trying this. I have the LCD-3s and have been using Roon for about 8 months with tidal. I am saving so that I can purchase a lifetime membership when the renewal is up.
 
Aug 26, 2017 at 4:32 PM Post #15 of 166
kudos to Audeze and Roon: i'm a lifetime Roon subscriber, considering getting a pair of Audeze LCD X cans...would these also work?

let's hope other major players (sennheiser etc) also get on board with Roon for similar DSP partnerships.
 

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