Room correction for Tidal through computer to DAC without Roon or DSP hardware?

[JensenW]

Hello ASR friends,

I am completely new to room correction but I understand it is perhaps the single most important thing that will drastically improve sound quality a HiFi system.

My setup is just a computer (Windows OS) sending Tidal or files from its internal harddisk to my DAC and then the amp and speakers.

The easiest option to do room correction is surely to insert a MiniDSP SHD Studio (version without DAC chip) between my computer and the DAC, but is there a way I could use REW on Windows and make Tidal music could go through room correction before being sent to the DAC? This could save 900 dollars and one less component in the chain too if this could be done without too much difficulty.

Thanks!

 

[Music1969]

The easiest option to do room correction is surely to insert a MiniDSP SHD Studio (version without DAC chip) between my computer and the DAC, but is there a way I could use REW on Windows and make Tidal music could go through room correction before being sent to the DAC? This could save 900 dollars and one less component in the chain too if this could be done without too much difficulty.

Don't need to spend $900. Less for this model:

 

[JensenW]

Don't need to spend $900. Less for this model:

Thanks.
Just did some calculation. The mic and Dircac license is not included so has to be added. The result is about 750 usd. Still better than 949!

I think I can connect it to the computer via USB and to my CD transport via Coaxial here

 

[ppataki]

@JensenW

You don't need a hardware DSP. Just use Jriver and its DSP engine - that allows you to use any VST plugins (including Dirac Live 3)
You can use Jriver's WDM driver to route all signal through Jriver's DSP engine (Tidal, Chrome, etc....)

 

[somebodyelse]

There's a thread full of software EQ options.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ows-linux-macos-ios-ipados-and-android.18450/

 

[Music1969]

I don't think those Windows solutions would support automatic sample rate switching of Tidal (44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96k)

At least the miniDSP box will support automatic sample rate switching, before feeding Dirac processing

 

[ppataki]

They all do, just need to turn Exclusive Mode on in Tidal

 

[JensenW]

They all do, just need to turn Exclusive Mode on in Tidal

Thanks for all your advice! Some steep learning curve to climb for me.

My DAC is a full MQA decoder. If I use JRiver and route Tidal through it using exclusive mode, will the DAC get MQA or a software decoded digital audio file?

So I need to buy:
1. JRiver license. I think I can use it forever after buying a license key? Does the JRiver license key include Dirac Live?

2. a microphone for measurement

Do I need anything else? Thanks.

P.S. On the other hand, will my DAC lose MQA if I use Mini DSP?

 

[Music1969]

My DAC is a full MQA decoder. If I use JRiver and route Tidal through it using exclusive mode, the DAC will get MQA?

Nope, once you do DSP to fiddle with the bits, MQA won't get decoded/rendered at the DAC

Except there's some special thing with Roon where it somehow can still light up an MQA DAC, strangly. They have some special arrangement.

Roon Team were ex Meridian

 

[ppataki]

MQA works only if there is no DSP processing enabled (=bitstreaming)
So you will need to forget about MQA if you go this route....

- You will need Jriver license (non-expiring for a given version but upgradeable at a discounted price every year)
- Dirac license
- Licenses for any other VST plugins (this is optional, you won't need those to start with)
- UMIK-1 measurement mic

 

[bluefuzz]

I don't think those Windows solutions would support automatic sample rate switching of Tidal (44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96k)
At least the miniDSP box will support automatic sample rate switching, before feeding Dirac processing

Dirac runs at a fixed sample rate - either 48 or 96 kHz depending on implementation - so the importance of sample rate switching is a bit moot ...

 

[JensenW]

Nope, once you do DSP to fiddle with the bits, MQA won't get decoded/rendered at the DAC

Except there's some special thing with Roon where it somehow can still light up an MQA DAC, strangly. They have some special arrangement.

Roon Team were ex Meridian

Roon's annual subscription is expensive for me if network streaming around the house is something I dont need. I guess I'll try JRiver first. I believe the benefit of room correction is greater than the loss of MQA for my humble setup

 

[Music1969]

Dirac runs at a fixed sample rate - either 48 or 96 kHz depending on implementation - so the importance of sample rate switching is a bit moot ...

Not claim audible difference here but you are better feeding Dirac the best quality you can and let it handle resampling

In the case of MQA, @Archimago showed technically you are better off doing that 1st unfold of MQA compared to not

 

[ppataki]

Roon's annual subscription is expensive for me if network streaming around the house is something I dont need. I guess I'll try JRiver first. I believe the benefit of room correction is greater than the loss of MQA for my humble setup

Agreed! MQA in my opinion is kind of a snake oil anyway

 

[JensenW]

Does JRiver have folder view? I'd like to choose music using my own folder tree especially in classical music.

Many music players have been off my list because they advertise all kinds of automatic sorting which are often not suitable for classical music where the composer is not the artist and there are thousands of pieces that are called "First Movement: Allegro".

If JRiver has an option to just show me my folders and not do anything "clever" with them, I'd be very happy.

 

[BDWoody]

Roon's annual subscription is expensive for me if network streaming around the house is something I dont need. I guess I'll try JRiver first. I believe the benefit of room correction is greater than the loss of MQA for my humble setup

Thanks.
Just did some calculation. The mic and Dircac license is not included so has to be added. The result is about 750 usd. Still better than 949!

The other way to look at it, is that a lifetime Roon subscription is about the same price once you add it up...maybe less.

 

[JensenW]

The other way to look at it, is that a lifetime Roon subscription is about the same price once you add it up...maybe less.

Time to do the math!
Roon subscription has Dirac live included already?

Oh, mt friends say Roon doesn't seem to show "folder view"... is there a way to do that?

 

[BDWoody]

Time to do the math!
Roon subscription has Dirac live included already?

No, not included. Didn't mean to imply that, but if you look at the lifetime subscription as the equivalent of a component you are adding to your system, it gives you another way to evaluate the purchase.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Dirac runs at a fixed sample rate - either 48 or 96 kHz depending on implementation - so the importance of sample rate switching is a bit moot ...

Not so. There are limitations in sample-rate switching if you install Dirac as a virtual output device but not if you install it, as suggested, as a VST plug-in in JRiver. All sample rates up to 24/192 and autoswitched. (Roon does not support VST plug-ins and so it limits the user to the former less flexible configuration.)

 

[JensenW]

Not so. There are limitations in sample-rate switching if you install Dirac as a virtual output device but not if you install it, as suggested, as a VST plug-in in JRiver. All sample rates up to 24/192 and autoswitched. (Roon does not support VST plug-ins and so it limits the user to the former less flexible configuration.)

how about those tracks that are 44.1khz/ 88.2kHz based? Do they get resampled to 48/96 khz? Thanks