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[TheSacredSoul]

Back when I was using AIMP3, there was this function to automatically adjust equalizer as per the track.. Is this possible with MC?

[Matt]

You can save a DSP configuration to a preset and then set the track to load it by setting the 'DSP' field.

[mojave]

Note that currently, if you set the DSP tag on any track, it will change the DSP and the DSP setting will be used for all subsequent tracks until another tagged file is played that changes the DSP. There is no default option. This means you need to create a default DSP, tag all your files with that DSP, and then tag ones you want changed with a different DSP saved setting.

[TheSacredSoul]

Thank you for the response!

What I mean by automatic equalizer is when the software reads a music file and automatically adjusts the equalizer to best suit the song, without user intervention and regardless of what genre of music you are playing. I don't know how the algorithm works and all or even if it was the 'best' equalizer setting for the selected music but that option was nice.

I tend to stay away from artificially enhancing music but a good equalizer can make a nice subtle difference. Are there any plugins you would recommend for this?

[rec head]

Note that currently, if you set the DSP tag on any track, it will change the DSP and the DSP setting will be used for all subsequent tracks until another tagged file is played that changes the DSP. There is no default option. This means you need to create a default DSP, tag all your files with that DSP, and then tag ones you want changed with a different DSP saved setting.

Still? I haven't bothered playing with this in a while. I was hoping it was changed by now.

[bblue]

Still? I haven't bothered playing with this in a while. I was hoping it was changed by now.

So was I.  I can't see any real use for how it is now.  It should set the DSP for the song to which it refers, and unset it at the conclusion of that song (except, see below).

The other issue, which has been discussed before, is that in the DSP section there are both global and local settings.  Global settings affect the zone, not just the song.  Those are Output Format, Volume Leveling, Adaptive Volume, Room Correction, headphones and Convolution, and should be excluded completely for per song settings.  Everything else would be the Local settings.

Within the Local settings there appears to be only one setting available for each;  On or Off.  This makes the assumption that once you come up with a setting for each that works with some songs, that it will be sufficient for all songs.  I don't think it is or ever could be.

You do have the option within DSP of saving a combination of settings to a name. Once that excludes the Global settings and includes individual parameters of each DSP that is active it would be very usable.  Then all you would have to do is make a template for a song or songs, and switch to it by name in the DSP setting in file flags.  By name you could identify if it's a specific setting for an album, or for a specific effect or contour (group of DSPs set a certain way).

I haven't tested all of the DSP options that are saved, but did determine that calling the DSP by the name you saved it as in the DSP section does affect convolution, so right there it's a fail.  Since you may be using this playlist in any zone you couldn't use the DSP settings as they are.

Since lookahead is already available for 'next song' DSP, its name could be examined, and if it was the same as the one currently in play, no need to reset the DSP and reselect the same parameter for that song.  That would only happen if the next DSP setting was different than current.  An next entry with no DSP defined would reset the DSP selection to none.  That would be killer!

And lastly, to help debugging DSP settings when needed, update the DSP Studio display in real time to show what goes into effect and when.

Nirvana!

--Bill

[mojave]

The other issue, which has been discussed before, is that in the DSP section there are both global and local settings.  Global settings affect the zone, not just the song.  Those are Output Format, Volume Leveling, Adaptive Volume, Room Correction, headphones and Convolution, and should be excluded completely for per song settings.  Everything else would be the Local settings.

I guess I don't understand your point. They are currently whatever you want them to be. I can make Output Format only change per zone or make it change per song. What is wrong with that? What if I want JRSS upmixing on for some songs, but not others? Shouldn't I be allowed to do that? With the current system that is possible.

[bblue]

I guess I don't understand your point. They are currently whatever you want them to be. I can make Output Format only change per zone or make it change per song. What is wrong with that? What if I want JRSS upmixing on for some songs, but not others? Shouldn't I be allowed to do that? With the current system that is possible.

My point is flexibility.

Please tell me how I could apply various parameters of one or both parametric equalizers and effects without also setting/unsetting convolution in the process?  And have different settings in the equalizers for different songs.

Your point of upmixing is well taken, however my libraries where I'd use this capability are 2 channel stereo.

Are VST plugins included in what is saved by name in the DSP studio?

--Bill

[mojave]

My point is flexibility.

Please tell me how I could apply various parameters of one or both parametric equalizers and effects without also setting/unsetting convolution in the process?  And have different settings in the equalizers for different songs.

The entire DSP chain is saved with each preset. Nothing is preventing you from checking or unchecking convolution for each preset.

The best workflow is to set all of what you call global changes (Output Format, Volume Leveling, Room Correction, Covolution, etc.) and save it as a preset called Global1.
Open Global1, add PEQ1 and PEQ2 settings and save as PEQA. Open Global1 again, add different PEQ1 and PEQ2 settings. Save as PEQB. And so on.
Select all songs and set the DSP tag to Global1. Open songs that you want tagged as PEQA and set the DSP tag to PEQA. And so on.
Set Auto Import to tag all imported songs with the DSP tag of Global1. Manually change tag to PEQA, PEQB, etc. as necessary.

Now some songs will use PEQA, some will use PEQB, and the rest will use Global1.

Are VST plugins included in what is saved by name in the DSP studio?

No

[bblue]

The entire DSP chain is saved with each preset. Nothing is preventing you from checking or unchecking convolution for each preset.

The best workflow is to set all of what you call global changes (Output Format, Volume Leveling, Room Correction, Covolution, etc.) and save it as a preset called Global1.
Open Global1, add PEQ1 and PEQ2 settings and save as PEQA. Open Global1 again, add different PEQ1 and PEQ2 settings. Save as PEQB. And so on.
Select all songs and set the DSP tag to Global1. Open songs that you want tagged as PEQA and set the DSP tag to PEQA. And so on.
Set Auto Import to tag all imported songs with the DSP tag of Global1. Manually change tag to PEQA, PEQB, etc. as necessary.

Now some songs will use PEQA, some will use PEQB, and the rest will use Global1.

That's interesting, thanks.  Are the in's and out's of this documented somewhere?  My searches turned up nothing.

If Convolution is disabled in Global1, but you play in a zone where Convolution is required and enabled, is it ignored or turned off?  If the latter, how would you go about producing DSP settings that leave a global completely alone (e.g. Convolution), so the eq and other local presets are effective in any zone (ones with or without the need for convolution), or other globals?

--Bill

[mojave]

That's interesting, thanks.  Are the in's and out's of this documented somewhere?  My searches turned up nothing.

Like Matt mentioned to you last year, it simply saves a snapshot of all DSP settings. There isn't anything more complicated then that.

If Convolution is disabled in Global1, but you play in a zone where Convolution is required and enabled, is it ignored or turned off?  If the latter, how would you go about producing DSP settings that leave a global completely alone (e.g. Convolution), so the eq and other local presets are effective in any zone (ones with or without the need for convolution), or other globals?

--Bill

I see what you mean now by only wanting EQ changes by file without the other changes. Playing back to zones makes DSP presets not really work the best.

Since the DSP tag is on a per file basis, it is zone agnostic. In other words, if one decides to use the DSP on a per file basis, then that file will have the same DSP regardless of what zone is played in. If the file is tagged with Global1 and Global1 has Convolution turned on, then the file will have Convolution on in all zones.

You currently have to decide if you want DSP settings done on a per file basis or on a per zone basis. I just use different Zones for different settings.

It would be nice to have a Default DSP for each zone with the abilty to lock the various DSP settings for each Zone. Under Options in DSP Studio we could have Process Always for Zone.

[bblue]

I see what you mean now by only wanting EQ changes by file without the other changes. Playing back to zones makes DSP presets not really work the best.

Since the DSP tag is on a per file basis, it is zone agnostic. In other words, if one decides to use the DSP on a per file basis, then that file will have the same DSP regardless of what zone is played in. If the file is tagged with Global1 and Global1 has Convolution turned on, then the file will have Convolution on in all zones.

You currently have to decide if you want DSP settings done on a per file basis or on a per zone basis. I just use different Zones for different settings.

So what is saved from a DSP SAVE is completely unique to each zone?

It would be nice to have a Default DSP for each zone with the abilty to lock the various DSP settings for each Zone. Under Options in DSP Studio we could have Process Always for Zone.

I'm not understanding the function of what you're describing.  If the Zone globals can be individually saved for each zone, then new DSP settings per song wouldn't need to fiddle with them.

Is it possible that this sort of thing could be implemented?  If not, I guess your suggested method could work, though it's a bit clumsy.

Ok, now the next part of the problem.  Is it still true that DSP settings set per song, remain active from then on or until another setting comes up? 

I can't imagine a worse way to do it, if so.  Probably the very most you'd ever want a setting to automatically be active would be per album, but then it's completely broken if you random or shuffle play, or simply select a different album to play.  I just can't see the logic in it.

If this is still the case, any chance of changing that to per song, with an auto-off at the end of the track, unless the next track has a DSP definition in it?  Same def, leave it alone (no need to unset and reset), different def apply new parms (no auto off from current track, no def apply auto-off before new track starts.

This should work as expected in any list, shuffle, random, user jump, etc.

--Bill

[bblue]

Hello?