Any plans for convolution and parametric EQ? [Released in Roon v1.3]

Thanks RBM. I’m familiar with those boxes, but it doesn’t change the situation with RoonSpeakers etc (unless those boxes become RoonReady I suppose).

The main thing that puts me off is sample rate, and lack of USB in (and out). But I know others who use them and love them.

Hi @RBM. The Minidsp boxes are very nice designs. The only problem I see from a theoretical point of view is the Sample Rate Converter dependency. So the units will always put out 24bit/96kHz. I would like to see input sample rate=output sample rate, and as @hifi_swlon says USB input/output.

The resulting sound quality with a box like this in the signal path may be very good though. I see very positive reports on various forums. The effect of Dirac room correction is probably the most important. And to be clear; I have not listened to one of these so my observations are purely theoretical

@brian, I’ve compiled a list of what I believe a Roon convolver should support. Most of this is probably in your plans already… and I am sure my list is not complete.

Up to 64 bit filter files
up to 265k taps
at least 192kHz support, but 352.8 and 384 is probably a good idea
automatic sample rate switching and filter selection (when filters for multiple sample rates are configured)
automatic sample rate switching and filter re-sampling (if only a single filter is used)
if a parametric EQ is included; frequency, level and Q must be adjustable
if no EQ, then support for two filters (in series) per channel
TPDF dither (possibly others as well) on the convolver output (selectable on/off?)
level adjustment for channels with 0.1 dB resolution
some logic for warning on digital clipping, including inter-sample clipping

This rather long thread started in December 2011 documents the fascinating (almost seminal) process when JRiver added convolution:

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=68828.0
JRiver is a competitor so maybe I should not link it here, but there is a lot of useful information in the thread.

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Hi Olav,

It’s ok to link. Thanks for the informative post.

Just to add that I did contact Dirac directly, and as a (new) customer, expressed how cool I thought it would be if Dirac were somehow integrated into Roon.

Let’s just say, they seemed pretty keen :wink:

Thank you. This is useful, and posting JRiver threads is not verboten, and their product serves as a good reference for what baseline DSP functionality should look like. There is a lot of interesting history on their forums.

I’d also like to add a “yes, please” to the conversation. I use acourate room correction filters and currently have my system set up to use PureMusic with the Reverberate convolver and LMS with the Inguz convolver. With over 2000 titles in my library, I am extremely interested in Roon, but I am unwilling to give up room correction and this really should be an essential functionality going forward for you to capture the market, particularly at your price-point. I have Dirac implemented in my HT with the MiniDSP NanoAVR, but I think it is a technically inferior application of RC compared to acourate and Audiolense, which provide much larger filters. Get the zero-latency convolution capability in there and I’m sold…

@Scintilla have you compared Dirac to the other two in the same system, and via software rather than the miniDSP box?

I’m just curious as I’ve never tried the others, but wonder what made you draw the above conclusion…

For me it boils down to simplicity/practically with OSX - I.e. Dirac’s the only one that runs! To be honest I took at look at both in terms of websites/docs, and concluded that they’re really technical and just horrible interfaces, so even if they ran on OSX I’d probably stick with Dirac.

To my mind Dirac mirrors the Roon experience for RC in terms of design/usability. It’s only one mans opinion of course!

Looking at some key Roon development decisions like HQ player makes me think the developers will probably go with the most widely used software initially. What that is I’ve no idea…

I too would love to be able to put my Acourate filters into Roon. I found that running Acourate in real time in JRiver caused it to shut down or dropout from time to time - it could be that I didn’t use their convolution engine properly, though. I pointed JRiver to the wav files generated by Acourate instead of text files. I tried text files but couldn’t find a good tutorial anywhere. I use AcourateNas to permanently alter the files which I keep on a NAS.
The obvious disadvantages are that it has so far taken about 2 years for 136K tracks with quite a few more to go; and if I change speakers or positioning or room treatments etc. I would have to do the lot again!
Cheers,
Graeme

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Im a roonlifer…I use a MiniDSP Ddirac box
My path is
Roon/Tidal…squeezebox touch…dirac box…devialet…Giya G1’s…fully treated room

All I can say is that that I couldnt live without DIRAC and that and the room = best money spent on audio

I also have acourate for minidsp …$299 vs $899 for Dirac… worth a try if you cant use a Dirac software solution
I can export the Acourate fiters…so a convolver would be nice in roon…as would a basic PEQ…
Regards
Rodney God

@brian will convolution be included in the upcoming 1.2 build?

You’re a cruel man getting my hopes up @ogs :wink:

:sunglasses:

No, not for 1.2.

Thanks Brian. That is what I thought, but one could always hope…

Any news/plans for Dirac capability via AU/VST plugin? That seems the best option for Dirac users…

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Thanks for the update. For those of that use convolution filters there is a very strong desire to be able to utilize them natively in Roon. HQP of course allows for this but at additional complexity and cost if just needing it for room correction.

Just wanted to +1 this feature request :+1:

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^This. When listening casually, I’d like to be able to have my RC filters for my living room running on a squeezebox, since I frequently synchronize the sqeezeboxen between two or three rooms based on my wife’s request. For critical listening I can use HQP via USB into my dac. But once Pandora/radio support is available, I will have the ideal set up for casual listening using my existing squeezebox infrastructure and the wife will get easy push-to-play for her Pandora.

So +2

+3 I use Acourate room correction filters with JRiver convolution on my main rig and can’t live without it. I use Roon (lifetime member) also but currently only in my remote zones or when casual listening.

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+4 for supporting Acourate filters! I could shift things to an NAA approach with HQP, but that would make things a lot more complicated for me vs. just using a single small fanless PC in my listening room as I do now. Convolution within roon would enable me to use TIDAL in my main system. For now, playback is restricted to local files with JRiver’s convolution engine. Thanks for the consideration.