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[mimizone]

Hello,
I am trying to get a binaural setup to listen to 6 channels tracks on headphones.
I have installed DDMF meta plugin VST in which I load the Waves NX head tracker VST plugin (it doesn't work in MC without Metaplugin).
On the Metaplugin UI, 6 of the input channels are connected to NX and then outputting the 2 channels to the main output.

When playing 6-channel tracks either in FLAC or DSD, MC always converts to stereo 2 channels first at the beginning of the DSP Studio chain.
Even if DSP studio "Output Format" is disabled or set to "same number of channels" or forced to 5.1.

The sound actually comes out and the head tracking works, but not all the music is apparently there when I compare to using only JRiver downsampling method.

Any recommendation on how to get this set up properly?

[dichotomous1]

When I've run into that switch up upon playback, it's usually MC self correcting an issue in order to facilitate playback.  The setting is under Options, Audio, Advanced, Auto configure output settings on playback error (Y or N). I always keep it at Yes.   When iMC auto configures and changes my settings in order to allow playback, I've tried to set to No and most of the time get no sound.   
It's usually caused by your components or possibly computer.  Basically something is saying 6 channel playback isn't an option.
I've always had that same issue when playing to my AMP's For some reason, either my Mac or the AMP's.  Though I've tried three, different brands, Yamaha 11ch, Sony 5.1 and Sony 7.1.  Can't get MC to play anything more than 2 ch stereo.  I know one reason is I use Music Cast or Airplay.  Neither support must channels.

One work around to get all 6 channels to come through: Try using Room Correction in DSP studio.  redirect the missing channels to your front two and see if they come through.

Good Luck!

[mimizone]

Thanks!
I’ll try all that and see.
I feel that as you said, somewhere in the chain it says it should be stereo and that’s why MC converts automatically. I made sure the VST plugin is as high as it can be in the DSP studio list, that there is 6 or more channels as input for the plugin.
I need to spend more time with this. Something is over my head somewhere, so I don’t see it.

[dichotomous1]

It sounds to me like its the same issue.  MC corrects the number of channels it plays based on the configuration your computer reads from your hardware.  I have no idea what exactly does down, I'm not a programmer,  I just know that somehow, my Mac will only offer me the number of channels it somehow determines are avail from my output device.  Even though my amp can do an 11channel set up, using the Audio Device Setup on my Mac, it will not let me choose that may channels.  I just left it do its thing and figure its some sort of compatibility thing.  Between all these compatibility glitches  lately, I'm just happy to get stereo playback happening. 
You might want to verify the capabilities of your computers sound card.

J

[mimizone]

Thanks @dichotomous1 for confirming.
I have a mac mini, so there is little I can do about the sound card. But I use an external DAC via USB, so it shouldn't matter.

I was trying to get some help or at least confirmation of the limitation possibly from the dev team of MC, but I haven't heard back via the forum from one of them.
I understand it may be a corner case that not many use MC for, which would lower the priority of fixing or even just investigating.
It's also MC26 that I use, I feel like dev focus only on the latest version and may not be monitoring this section of the forum anymore.


Getting a 6 channel external DAC just to test the hypothesis is a bit overkill and expensive

[dichotomous1]

I'm only just seeing this response.  If you are still working on this, another idea would be to try to redirect the channels within Apple Midi Setup.  Try creating a new aggregate device and redirect/rename the extra channels within its speaker settings.   
Are you sure your file is an actual binaural recording?  It doesn't make sense that a Binaural recording would be mixed into more than two channels as my understanding is true binaural recordings only work when listened to via headphones.  Because Binaural recording utilizes two microphones installed on a human head bust in order to create the exact same environment the human ear drum would receive the sound waves from all around. It's specifically about two channels recreating surround sound.

[mimizone]

Sorry I was not very clear in my explanations probably.

Yes, you are right, I am not trying to play binaural files, which would be 2 channels.

I am trying to play 6 channels (like on SACD) and encode them down to binaural or at least some kind of encoding/processing that would play all the channels, with hopefully some control on the mixing.

I could use more specialized software like a DAW with plugins (ex: Ableton does that with additional free software).
Would be so much more practical to do it within MC directly from my audio library.

It's just for fun and an experiment for me. Nothing critical.
But I love good 5.1 or more mixes on dedicated speaker gear. It can do some incredible things.

Down mixing to binaural works pretty well too when calibrated for your head.

I haven't caved yet and haven't bought an Audeze Mobius headphone that does this with DSPs, or the more recent Apple headphones too.
I am pretty sure MC has all the DSP capabilities I need already built-in.