The Mk2 Massive firmaware was a tremendous addition to audiophile version was free. The moving Mini to LPS was also a big upgrade. The ultra expensive USB is also a worthwhile investment. Without binaural microphones to eliminate more cross talk and integration to your ear shape your solution will not be as accurate or images could be stepped on by more reflections. Someone else here upgraded from intro and said it was worth it
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@Steve08226 First - I wanted to thank you for continuing to keep the âBest Played with Theoretica BACCHâ playlist updated. In addition to being a great resource for demonstrating the âBACCH effectâ, Iâve come to appreciate additional artists and works through the suggestions of others.
Now to your question⌠I canât offer anything definitive as I never installed the Intro version but went straight to the Audiophile+ configuration. As you know, with the levels above Intro you gain the ability to create filters using in-ear binaural microphones as well as the ability to use head-tracking. I have three filters that I use regularly. One filter does not incorporate head-tracking. One filter does use head-tracking and the third supports my headphone listening. What I can say is that the filter with head-tracking sounds better (BACCH effects more pronounced) than the filter without. However, the difference isnât massive (sorry - couldnât resist 
âŚ) In fact, I find myself listening without head-tracking about as much as I do with head-tracking.
What I wish I could tell you is how the non-head tracking filter compares to what you have with the Intro filters. Obviously, the Audiophile level filters will be custom to your room acoustics and your ears. I would expect they will sound noticeably better but only you will be able to say if it is worth another $4K.
My cop-out suggestion is to consider ordering an Audiophile config from Theoretica and listen for yourself. Your ears are well calibrated to the Intro filters. I would be interested in how much of a âwowâ factor you feel accompanies the Audiophile upgrade. The 30-day trial period should be plenty to determine if itâs worth keeping. I suspect youâll have a hard time sending it back but then again I donât know how good your current Intro filters are. 
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Hi Steve, Theoretica added an option to upgrade from Intro to Audiophile for $1950 here: Upgrade from BACCH-dSP Intro to BACCH-dSP Audiophile â Theoretica Applied Physics
I do not have the binaural headphones yet as I am travelling a lot until Halloween and have a risk of a 36% duty and tax hit to ship to where I am now but wonât be soon.
You need your own interface with this too. I have a MOTU M4.
I think of the steps from Default (no BACCH) to U-BACCH (Intro) and from U-BACCH (Intro) to proper BACCH4Mac (Audiophile) as being comparable in effect change. The second step is probably bigger. But it is also twice as much dosh.
You also have to figure out what to do about having two microphones. I went with two low-investment Behringer ECM8000âs as an interim solution. It is pretty awkward holding them to the ears and leaning this way and that for the filter recordings. Had a lot of trial and error to get a consistent pair of filters for âroom with windows closedâ and âroom with windows openâ too. No air conditioning in hereâŚ
Can exchange more info. If the other folks on the thread are OK, letâs do that here in public in case helps others.
BTW, since I do not stream Qobuz, could you post a screen shot or a text list of your top BACCH playlist entries? Thanks!
PS: For anyone else reading and considering stepping in, Princetonâs effort to commercialize BACCH further called BACCH Labs also has U-BACCH for Windows for even less, $399, in their store. But there is no upgrade path. And it does not look like in the video from four years ago with ârealâ BACCH that they have on their website. Caveat Emptor.
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It doesnât say the earphones are or are not included. Have you talkedto them to confirm it is just firmware. The microphoneâs need a calibration file and the price implies a cost equivalent of what they sell for and for audiophile edition to wor correctly it needs to compensate for ear pinnae shape and position effects.
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Wow, sent an email to Edgar already⌠just waiting patiently by the phone!
Thank you 
Go to Best Played with Theoretica BACCH to see the list as of 8/10/23
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2 posts were merged into an existing topic: What are you listening to now (BACCH Edition)
Wrong thread though.
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Thanks for your file list. Lots in common there. Gives me good ideas too with items to which I have not listened for quite a while.
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Confirmed and already purchased last month. Price is only for the software upgrade from Intro to Audiophile. Interfaces and microphones are bring your own.
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YepâŚ
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Al and I met a fellow Audiophile at Axpona who owns MBL 101 extremes a full DCS Vivaldi Apex setup and the top of the line Bacch processor and he said he absolutely loves the Bacch with the MBL speakers!
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Thereâs no way that gear could sound bad. Edgar likes to focus on simple set ups. And near fiield. He told me I should have absorption panels on backwal. It made everything sound too dead.
Someone else needs to post in music thread. It wonât let me add more than 5 in a row.
Hint hint.
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@vmax Aha, thank you as ever for actually explaining! I now see that we have (a) such a thing as a Music category⌠makes sense⌠and (b) a BACCH thread there.
@Elk Could you PM me advice on how to move the items above to the BACCH âWhat are you listening to nowâ thread. And/or since those are not my screenshots above from Qobuz, help move them? I expect @Steve08226 will not mind as he is also on the other thread already. Thanks!
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I have moved the music posts to the listening thread.
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2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Modding DirectStream DAC MKII
Thank you sir!
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Wrong thread again. What is going on these days?
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And moved the modding posts to the modding the DirectStream MKII thread
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