Review--SRS Audio Sandbox: Has DSP's time come?

[David]

Just to get things started, I going to repeat a review that I posted about a year ago elsewhere, with some updates.

DSP is out of fashion with most audiophiles, but I think modern software has made it worthy of a revisit.

The SRS Audio Sandbox is a software version of a patented method of extracting and manipulating ambiance information in a recording. It originally appeared in the 80's as a hardware processor that was manufactured by Hughes Aircraft, called the Sound Recovery System. It was well received, but went the way of most ad on boxes, like equalizers, and other spacial enhancement devices because, among other things, it was necessary to sacrifice resolution. I never heard the hardward based original.

The software version, which includes more than sound field recovery, is a $50.00 software plug-in that I have been using for over a year in stereo mode. It is made for a PC but a similar product is available for macs.I have no experience with the multi-channel effects. It is not marketed for audiophiles, but more like an mp3 sound enhancer. Nevertheless I have concluded, in spite of certain significant caveats and initial skepticism, that it represents the single biggest step I have encountered in simulating the experience of live music in a home environment. I feel that it is reason enough for almost everyone to consider computer audio.

What is it?

Generally, the Sandbox is a 21rst century tone control that manipulates sound field information and frequency response in a highly sophisticated way to create (usually) a very realistic sound field/hall ambiance. Those who are technically inclined can learn more at the website. Briefly, it separates sonic reflections, which are the source of spacial cues, and manipulates them in a very sophisticated way to bring out the actual hall ambiance from the venue where the music was recorded. The user can control the effects. It has seven controls. SRS describes them as: 1. SRS 3D - 3D stereo enhancement for mono or stereo content; 2. SRS 3D Center Control- a virtual” zoom lens that dynamically extracts and positions the dialog in the foreground or background of the audio mix; 3. SRS TruBass - bass maximization; 4. SRS FOCUS optimize speaker output to compensate and reposition audio placement; 5. Speaker size-set this to the frequency where the bass in your speakers drop off; 6. SRS Definition- delivers a more lively and brilliant sound by highlighting the high frequency details originally presented in the audio source, it uses synthesis of highs rather than boosting them; 7. Limiter Level- this introduces compression.

Caveats

1. This is not a plugin for those who are looking for strict signal fidelity in their music. You must prefer live music to recorded music to fully appreciate this plug-in. Probably most popular music today is mixed and mastered to produce an end product that is an essential part of the artist’s intention. The final product has nothing to do with the sound of a live concert where the hall is an important contributor to the sound. As an example, I was listening to Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne”. At some point a female chorus appears over his left shoulder and above his ear. A nice effect but impossible in a real venue. The Sandbox is best suited for music that is presented in a real venue, such as jazz or classical. Sadly, many audiophiles have little actual experience with live music.

2. It does not work well with every recording. In my experience it works well to spectacularly well in about 80% of the recordings I listen to, which consists almost entirely of classical. In the remaining 20% it makes little difference or makes the sound worse.

3. There is a learning curve in using the effects. It requires some patience to learn. I never compress the music and simply set the Speaker size to 40hz and leave it. I play with the other 5 controls to optimize the sound for each recording, but have basic settings for my own personal default. It probably took me about a week to fully “get” the controls.

4. You might have to sacrifice a slight amount of resolution to use it. This is not for those that insist on ASIO. It does not work with ASIO. I use it with J. River Direct Sound. Some users will probably find a slight drop in resolution because of this. If you love the sound of live music you won’t miss ASIO. Also, if the signal you feed it is above 48khz, it will resample it down to 48khz. For some this could mean a slight drop in resolution.

Sound

As stated, it provides very realistic hall ambiance and a sense of 3-D depth. I subscribe to the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall and to a series at Carnegie Hall. On many occasions. I have listened to a particular work, e g Beethoven’s violin concerto, Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony, Strauss’ don Quixote, gone home and listened to it with and without the Sandbox. The effect was astoundingly realistic. Never have I been so close to live music in my living room.

I record both vinyl and SACD’s to my hard drive at 24/96. I have not captured 100% of the ease and weight of vinyl. Still many recordings sound shockingly better at a lower resolution (48khz) because the natural ambiance and 3-D experience has been recovered. Same with SACD. Between the effect of the Sandbox and the quality of my Lynx L22, I sold my fancy Sony SCD 777es, which was Kern modified. This $50 plug-in and $700.00 sound card beat a $4,000.00 (with mods) SACD player.

Another benefit: I owned a few SACD recordings that were almost unlistenable over a long period of time, a set of Beethoven String Quartets and Mendelssohn /Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto’s performed by Isaac Stern. After recording them to the hard drive and then playing through the Sandbox problem solved.

My wish is that SRS would come out with an audiophile Sandbox that works with ASIO.

My last thought is that I am astounded how audiophiles spend thousands and thousands of dollars trying to get the realism the Sandbox will give them for $50.00.

Also, a disclaimer, I have no financial or any interest of any kind in this product. I just like it.

[Dj_AmTraX]

I've played with SRS stuff. I kinda like my Hi-Fi pure, garbage in garbage out.

[PHC1]

I could be wrong but I can't help to think this may be part of the problem you were complaining of in the other forum about your system sounding too bright and fatiguing?

[David]

It was actually the opposite. Listening without it, especially with ASIO mode was sometimes bright and fatiguing. That probably goes to the professional nature of the Lynx card. It was designed for a production studio where it is desirable to hear every detail for better mastering. The recent problem only started when I implemented some changes in the windows xp operating system designed to improve the sound and add resolution. Those changes made the "direct sound" mode in which the Sandbox runs more resolving but also fatiguing, similar to the ASIO mode in which the sandbox does not run. By changing cables, I was hoping to tame the new harshness which came with the added detail. I may have come in a circle. I'm not sure if reversing the system changes would not be any better than trying to tame the sound with a copper cables. I was trying to keep the added resolution without gaining the harshness.

[jamesh]

Question for David or anyone on this forum. How do you copy SACD discs on a hard drive? When I insert a SACD disc (either hybrid or non hybrid) into either my macbook pro or PC, the disc is not recognized and will not download or play.

Is there any technique or method to do this?
Thanks!

[David]

Originally Posted by jamesh

Question for David or anyone on this forum. How do you copy SACD discs on a hard drive? When I insert a SACD disc (either hybrid or non hybrid) into either my macbook pro or PC, the disc is not recognized and will not download or play.

Is there any technique or method to do this?
Thanks!

When I sold my SCD777es because I preferred the Lynx, I had close to 100 SACD's. I am far from an expert on this subject, but at this point as far as I know they can not be played on a computer. (Home Computer recording and playback in DSD is possible though. See as an example Korg's DSD recorder) I decided to record many of them to my hard drive as if they were LP's, that is by recording the analogue stream. Very good results. As I understand it there is no easy way for a consumer to digitally "rip" an SACD by converting it to PCM or a DSD file format. However, I did once see a card that captured the SACD digital stream from an Oppo and converted it to PCM. You could install the board that wouldl extract the DSD from an Oppo player, convert it to PCM, and send it out via a coax connection to your DAC, or if you like to your computer for recording. The card was removed from the website after a few weeks. Maybe it was not legal. The company was Switch-box.com

[jamesh]

Thanks for your reply David.
I also have heard of the SACD Oppo converter and since I have an Oppo980, that might be a solution. I will look into it.
By the way how did you record the analog stream from SACD discs to your hard drive? I probably have around 100 SACDs as well and would like to be able to access them on a hard drive of some sort thru my squeezebox.

[David]

Originally Posted by jamesh

Thanks for your reply David.
I also have heard of the SACD Oppo converter and since I have an Oppo980, that might be a solution. I will look into it.
By the way how did you record the analog stream from SACD discs to your hard drive? I probably have around 100 SACDs as well and would like to be able to access them on a hard drive of some sort thru my squeezebox.

First, you need software for recording. Look into Audacity, which is free. I use Wavelab. There are many others. Next, you need an A/D converter which is built into most computers. For high quality results you need a sound card that will do high resolution. I would say at least 24/88.2 and up is best. If you are going to buy a card for serious recording, look in to pro brands like EMU, Apogee, and Lynx. EMU is supposed to be very good and it is inexpensive. I record my LP's and SACD's at 24/96. I have recorded them at 24/192 but found that 24/96 was fine. In terms of the hook up, just run the interconnect from the "tape out" in your preamp if there is one, to the computer "line in" or "mic in". Even better is to run the interconnect directly from your SACD player into the computer line in, skipping the preamp. You probably have a Microphone in jack in your computer. You could start out, at no cost, by getting an RCA adapter to connect with your "mic in" and downloading Audacity.

[jamesh]

Thanks David,
This is my next project when I get back from Mexico at end of April.
Appreciate the detailed explanation!

[Still-One]

Since virtually all but those SACD's that were released within the first 6 months of the introduction are Hybrid, you should be able to play and save the CD layer to your hard drive. I have had zero problems saving any SACD's to my Mac laptop or my MS-300.

Do you have that many of those first disc's that were released?