Theoretica Applied Physics BACCH

Audio Components
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Yesterday I had a session with Edgar focused on the headphone module of the BACCH4Mac Audiophile+ package. The first order of business was creating a BAACH filter specific to headphones. The process is slightly different depending on whether you are planning to use open-back or closed-back headphones. My headphones are open back Sennheiser HD-800s.

The process for open-back models is very similar to creating a filter for loudspeakers. The ear mics are used (without headphones on), the frequency sweeps take place and then head tracking data is collected. Unlike the loudspeaker process where the head movement measured is left and right (approaching collar bone), the headphone filter wants to collect head rotation data. Once complete, headphones are selected from the Babyface as the output and you are good to go.

For closed-back headphone, you do everything you do for open-backs but there is an additional step that involves picking an equalization curve from a panel of values displayed when the BACCH-dSP headphone module is active.

For listening, you have three options. If the Bypass filter/bin is selected, you will hear your headphones just like you did before ever integrating BACCH in your system. The sound is “in your head” and no BACCH algorithms are applied. The second option is to simply select the filter/bin where you located the headphone filter created earlier. When this is done, some processing is applied that makes you think you are listening to your loudspeakers. The sound doe not appear to be coming from your headphones at all but from you loudspeakers. The sound experience is very similar to listening to your loudspeakers pre-BACCH (without headphones). Finally, there is a 3-D button that, when pressed, provides the added BACCH 3D soundscape enjoyed when listening to your loudspeakers with BACCH. The major difference being that you hear more inner detail when using the headphones.

Typical use cases:

Bypass: I only see using this mode when wanting to compare “with” and “without” BACCH processing. When doing so, Edgar mentioned there is about a 9dB level difference between the Bypass and the headphone filter. To compensate for this, the Bypass filter/bin includes a level adjustment slider.

Headphone Filter (no 3D): This mode allows you to listen to your system at whatever level you want without disturbing others. You will perceive that you are listening to your loudspeakers before BACCH with perhaps more inner detail. This could be useful for any music that doesn’t benefit much from BACCH or for comparing to the next mode.

Headphone Filter (with 3D): As you’d expect, this is like the second mode but now with the BACCH magic fully in play. You can listen at whatever level you enjoy without disturbing others and get the full BACCH multi-dimensional effect.

In summary, it’s a great capability albeit pricey at $1000. If you use your headphones regularly and enjoy what BACCH does to your system, it’s a bargain.

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Does the headphone option give you the same popping crunch when changing filter BINs on the fly. Not sure i would want to hear that in my ear with headphones so close?

So do headphones give same sound you hear with your speakers or room reflections or are you just hearing recording space reflections.

Are in ear mikes in wth headphones over them whe creating dSP filters?

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I did not detect any pops when switching bins but then again I haven’t experienced that with the non-headphone mode either.

The headphone filters capture the room characteristics just like the non-headphone filters (remember you aren’t wearing the headphones when creating the headphone filter). Therefore, the room characteristics carry over to the headphone experience. It’s like listening to your speakers with BACCH but wearing headphones. Spoiler Alert: when Edgar is first demonstrating the headphone filter he plays a song on Bypass and then he says, “Now I’m going to play the same song on your speakers”. If you aren’t aware of the ruse, you’ll think that is exactly what you are hearing. Then he discloses you are actually hearing your headphones. I had heard of this from earlier reading so I was on to him but it was very convincing nonetheless.

BTW… I forgot to mention in my earlier post that if you are using closed headphones, when performing the extra EQ step, the headphones are worn for that step. I don’t own any closed headphones but I remember Edgar mentioning that detail.

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Al has mentioned hearing noises when he does things on his bacch Adio iPad. Its noise reminds me of changing channels on old tube TVs with manual selector. It would seem like an easy thing to throw mute into the software for a few milliseconds. The digital VU meters peg past 0 DB into negative dB on the Baach4mac so it doesn’t appear to be my imagination. I haven’t asked Edgar about it yet.

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Are you headphone’s plugged into The Babyface mixer or your system’s headphone preamp for this version?

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I’m plugging them into the Babyface (Edgar’s recommendation)

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I suggest sending them a description of the pop phenomenon. They strike me as very responsive. They could add it to any backlog list of bugs to be worked for a future release.

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I have been giving him a break after being on speed dial with him when I was having crashes. I gies an iPhone video would best communicate it.

Things are stable now but growing pains of learning curve, and no manual sucked.

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No menu? I’ll be lost. But I may get lost more with a menu in hand. When BACCH can be managed by me in less than 5 minutes, then I’ll add it to my upgrade list, which is getting longer whenever I finished an upgrade. How does that happen? :roll_eyes:

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When you’re listening through Bacch dSP. You stop wondering about cables and fuses because the performance is really in the room and soundstage is no longer a mystery just a given. But stay away from mono recordings since they take you back to 2d sound. Thus trying to fix it with cables and fuses.

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Vmax,

So true, our system sounds so good now with the MKII and BACCH we have a Decware Sarah 300b amp on order from Decware and we are questioning ourselves why!

(Oh, I am sure we’ll still get the Decware Sarah 300b, and then choose which amp to keep)

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Please share the new amp experience when it arrives and how it changes with Bacch.

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The Bacch gets positive reviews from all users it seems, and it helped yours for sure.

I will move it ahead of fuses and cables then. That would probably save me money. It is still behind the streamer and speakers. :thinking: That means it could be for a while.

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Ok, We ordered the Amp January 2022, so the Decware Sarah 300b hopefully will arrive this summer.

We’re not limping along waiting, we bought a Dennis Had 300bv Amp last fall and it turned out to be the best Amp we ever owned. (So far)

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I’m trying to find out if Bacch is something for me. Since for me a holographic soundstage and naturelness/ tonality is one of the most important factors in experiencing music. However, I need to make quite a few adjustments to my setup for that, which is why I am now eager to inquire from users about experiences. If I understand you correctly, for now you are only using the software package, do you have any plans to upgrade to Bacch4mac?

I can totally relate to what you say when it comes to the binaural demos, for me the deciding factor is what it adds to regular stereo music. Now I like to listen to intimate acoustic recordings, but 99% of the time the vocalist is in the middle. You indicated that the Bacch software then brings little. Normally the singer floats between the speakers often just in front of the wall, my wish is actually that the singer comes more towards the listening position. Is this happening and how close? Could you describe what happens to most singers standing in the middle?

Also, you mentioned that in certain recordings you get an unusual perspective, as if being in front of the stage or even in the conductor’s spot. That would be a less pleasant experience for me to be honest. There should almost be some distance regulator. :).

The other day I was going to experiment with near field listening and the sound was beautifully holographic and close, but it was too close. I could almost touch the drums and guitars with my hands. You probably know that feeling when you go to the cinema and you’re all the way in front of the screen that you’re looking from left to right… Does that feeling give the Bacch sometimes?

Again maybe I’m asking very critical questions now, but I read and hear a lot of great reviews. That this kind of imaging is at the next level, hopefully you guys can give me some insight. I am about to schedule listening sessions with some full range drivers, which also produce a nice holographic image. But when I choose Bacch, a narrow dispersion speaker is required… Also, my dac has a usb or toslink input and I need to buy a Mac mini. So on one hand I am very enthausiastic to see this rivals ‘cost no object’ systems in terms of imaging, but mainly the question what can I expect?

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I am starting to have doubt.

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Expand?

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I dunno, I have a thought that the bass seems too removed with the filters. I love the soundstage but when I kick out the filter warmth increases dramatically. Not in a tubby overdone kind of way, just more bottom, more warmth. With the filter it seems analytical to a fault.

I have been listening to vinyl without the filter more and more.

I texted Edgar to see if he has any thoughts on this.

UPDATE:
Edgar answered my text within two minutes, he asked me to send him a screen shot of the iPad Advanced screen. I had two settings incorrect which Edgar said was responsible for what I was hearing. I did not have Bass Correction enabled, or Mono Correction enabled. He said what I am going to hear will be vastly different from what I was hearing for I don’t know how long.

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In the image, in the lower left corner I need to enable bass correction, and enable mono correction and select the value in the green box.

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This is what the correct settings look like, again lower left corner.

I haven’t listened yet but I am in the mood to have my mind blown.
If you look at that screen there are so very many options. It would be quite easy to fat finger this or that. I am guessing that is what I did. Whew.

Thank you Edgar!!!

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Holy schitt! Oh. My. God!
It’s back to being totally terrifying!
(In the good way!)

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This is truly great news! Although I haven’t experienced your initial concern, I’m glad it was resolved so completely and quickly. If only all products were supported in the manner that Theoretica does…

On a slight tangent, have you played with the Headphone module much? I’m normally not a headphone guy but I’ve really grown to love them when used with BACCH. I’ve been listening to my speakers most of the morning with the appropriate BACCH filter when my wife informed me that she needed to dial in to a conference call. Slapping on the headphones and selecting the associated bin and output (on Babyface) and I was back in business. Notwithstanding the confines of headphones, the BACCH headphone module convincingly emulates the loudspeaker soundstage and spatial cues. It is wonderful to be able to simultaneously enjoy the music in an uncompromising manner yet not annoy my wife!

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