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[Francesco]

Hi all, I'm considering MC for my HTPC.
My idea is to use an external soundcard with 8 analog outputs (esi esp-1010e, which I already have) plus this software configuration for audio processing (drc, bass management, delay management etc etc).

Do you think it's possible? Can I route MC audio output to ASIO and then to Convolver (or some other convolution engine)?

Thankyou, bye!
Francesco

[mojave]

Welcome to JRiver.

Yes, this is completely possible. JRiver's DSP Studio allows you to add Convolver or Voxengo Pristine Space or any other VST plugin for convolution. I have both a Steinberg MR816x and a UR824 which are both external 8 channel audio devices similar to your ESI. They both work great with ASIO output using JRiver. I tested using convolution in the past and it worked, but am not currently using it. There are also some here that are using Audiolense to create the filters.

I use JRiver's own Room Correction which offers bass management, delay, and level settings. I then use REW to generate filters that I enter into JRiver's parametric EQ for smoothing out the bass frequencies.

[Francesco]

First of all, thankyou for your reply and for welcoming me.
I was thinking about using REW for measurements and DRC for filter creation... I'll take a look at Audiolense.

[mojave]

Your audio device says "switchable +48V phantom power support, with external power supply (recommended, not included, optional)." If you have the external power supply you can hook up a measuring microphone directly and use it for measuring. To do the sound card calibration for REW, use the headphone out to the mic in. If you use line out to mic in there can be an impedance mismatch which results in an incorrect reading.

You can use REW's RTA to measure the changes that take place with JRiver and the convolver. This method takes into account the actual signal chain.

The RTA measures with exactly the same accuracy as the sweeps. I tested it several times and the results were always identical. The downside is I don't think you can use the measurement captured by the RTA for the waterfall, impulse or other REW features. You are only using it for SPL across the frequency spectrum.

Since you aren't using sweeps, you need to have a signal for REW to measure. Using the Generator module in REW you can save the Pink PN with a length of 131072. Click on "Save PN to WAV file..." and save it somewhere.

With the file playing in JRiver, calibrate the SPL in REW by opening the SPL Meter module and clicking "Calibrate." In the signal source windows select "Use an external signal" and click "OK." Use an SPL meter at the mic location to measure the SPL. Increase your system volume to about 75-80 dB. Now enter the reading in the SPL Meter module to calibrate REW.

With the Pink PN file still playing, now open the RTA module. Click the setting button in the top right of the module and set it to the following:

Mode: RTA 1/48 Octave
FFT Length: 131072
Averages: None
Window: Rectangular
Max Overlap: 87.5%
Update Interval: 1

Click the settings button again to close the settings flyout. Now click the red start/stop button in the RTA. You should see a frequency readout appear. This is showing the frequency response at the mic position. To make the "crawl method" faster, you can put your sub in the listening position and then move the mic around the room to find the flattest frequency response. You can also change from "Averages: None" to something like "32." This will use the last 32 readings. You can move the mic around to different seats to get an average of a larger area.

If you want to save the measurement just click the "Save" icon at the top of the screen. You can now use the measurement for generating filters or to compare to other measurements. If you are averaging an area, you need to click save as soon as you finish moving the mic around.