-
Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Active Room Treatment (ART) by Dirac
- Thread starter Flak
- Start date
C80 shows spatial decay for music and C50 is for speech but as I said, they are unreliable for small sizes like our rooms especially for bass region. Group delay (flatness more than length), RT60 and waterfall graphs are good to compare time of lingering bass in the room but once bass is sorted, you will probably get the best sound from ART with a EQ curtain down to 200Hz. Unfortunately there's no REW graph that I know of which can show you that graphically.
NAD | Dirac Live
Mit Dirac Live können Sie auf einfache Weise die akustischen Eigenschaften Ihrer Lautsprecher und Ihres Raumes messen und optimieren.
nad.de
Some comments from Floyd Toole about room curve targets, room EQ and more
Room curve targets Every so often it is good to review what we know about room curves, targets, etc. Almost 50 years of double-blind listening tests have shown persuasively that listeners like loudspeakers with flat, smooth, anechoic on-axis and listening-window frequency responses. Those with...
www.audiosciencereview.com
Last edited:
There are some sample house curves floating around various forums and you got some tips above as sell. Some use Storm curves - there are no dedicated D&M curves at least not that I know off.
But, it's not just as simple as implementing the "common" curve in your system. I love my neighbors car - its Audi QRS8, but he has it in metallic purple which I hate.
One should basically focus only on three things for curves.
1. Determine boost you want in low end
2. Determine roll off you want towards high end
3. Determine if you like the full range EQ or will set a curtain above which range there will be no EQ.
I would not start with custom curves but rather with the shelves that Dirac offers. They will not be significantly worse or better (at least IME) if you customize it. So sliders on both sides of the curve. Clean and simple.
Then there is variety of material that has different bass levels. I have 6 presets ranging from very bass shy for late nights to +12dB (max) for the content that does not have hot bass. It generally goes by increments of +2dB. I don't roll off high end much, 2dB at most, but that's just me. You might want more or less - so need to spend some time listening and determining what you like.
There is no rule how much should you boost or roll off. It's just preference and being able to adjust the settings on the fly based on content. Some people use the same setting for all the material they listen to apparently honor artistic intent. Has always puzzled my why, but I guess we are all different.
But, it's not just as simple as implementing the "common" curve in your system. I love my neighbors car - its Audi QRS8, but he has it in metallic purple which I hate.
One should basically focus only on three things for curves.
1. Determine boost you want in low end
2. Determine roll off you want towards high end
3. Determine if you like the full range EQ or will set a curtain above which range there will be no EQ.
I would not start with custom curves but rather with the shelves that Dirac offers. They will not be significantly worse or better (at least IME) if you customize it. So sliders on both sides of the curve. Clean and simple.
Then there is variety of material that has different bass levels. I have 6 presets ranging from very bass shy for late nights to +12dB (max) for the content that does not have hot bass. It generally goes by increments of +2dB. I don't roll off high end much, 2dB at most, but that's just me. You might want more or less - so need to spend some time listening and determining what you like.
There is no rule how much should you boost or roll off. It's just preference and being able to adjust the settings on the fly based on content. Some people use the same setting for all the material they listen to apparently honor artistic intent. Has always puzzled my why, but I guess we are all different.
KenMasters
Active Member
I wanted ART to work, but I can't deny it's less appealing to my ear (and I think most others would too, though the best I can offer in evidence is my in-room recording).
This is in no way a criticism of ART, it's doing what it's supposed to, and I don't think it has anything to do with wet vs dry - my speakers simply have no business assisting my subs:
Dirac support was great though, very accommodating. I appreciate them giving me the weekend to do a proper assessment before processing the refund.
Dirac house curves are easy to create, but I made low-frequency house curves from 0 to 12 dB
I’m not sure about that. Dr. Toole said the Harman curve isn’t something you should create — it’s the result of a well-designed loudspeaker and room, not a target to EQ toward.
I bet your neighbourhood is up in arms if you use the 12dB curve
.Do you change the curves based on content or keep it at "reference"?
This is the default tc for the upcoming Evo
I haven’t tried the stronger LFE boosts like +10 dB yet, but since Denon allows up to six Dirac presets, I’m planning to experiment with a few variations. You can even assign them to the Quick Select buttons, so switching between different house curves is really easy.I bet your neighbourhood is up in arms if you use the 12dB curve
Do you change the curves based on content or keep it at "reference"?
I believe that's known as the BBC dip, which was used in the past to force speakers to sound more neutral. It is on by default in Denon/Marantz products when correcting w/Audyssey (you need to pay for the $20 app to turn mid-range compensation "off").
You can read more about it here:
Topic: Midrange compensation or BBC dip in audyssey arround 2000hz on or off
The dip is from what i read to let the speaker sound more neutral to the ears. When you see the dip in the speaker response without room correction, turn midrange compensation on. When you dont see…
arendalsound.com
I see. As I noted in my previous post, I used +4dB on House of Dynamite, now going back to rewatching the Hobbit trilogy and that one is at +12dB.
Don't use the remote but reminded me to send a feature request to D&M. They introduced new web interface that I use off my phone but managed to mess it up. Speaker preset adjustment should be the first in Speaker menu, not the last. Then in Audio menu setting the one of 3 presets should be also on top. And even further - why are these adjustments in two separate menus? This is pretty much all I use in that interface so having both adjustments in one place would be much more intuitive.
Hey doggo, you can actually register Quick Selects using the remote and then easily switch between them from the app!
Just enable Dirac and Preset for Quick Selects 1–4, disable the rest, and hold the Quick Select button on the remote to save your current setup. Super handy for switching curves or presets on the fly!
Just enable Dirac and Preset for Quick Selects 1–4, disable the rest, and hold the Quick Select button on the remote to save your current setup. Super handy for switching curves or presets on the fly!
How did you be able to get a refund ?
A friend with IB subs are thinking about ART but i have told him all the pros and cons.
And that there aint any trial version as on PC.
He would be Super excited if it is possible to buy but get a refund after a week or so.
Audiofrog
Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2025
- Messages
- 12
- Likes
- 17
I’ve been experimenting with Dirac ART on my Denon AVR-X4800H and wanted to share some observations and measurements for feedback from more experienced users.
Room details:
- Dimensions: 4.65 × 4.65 × 2.5 m + small alcove 1.7 × 0.7 × 2.5 m
- Topt (RT60): 0.288 s
- Estimated volume: ≈ 57 m³
- Calculated Schroeder frequency: ≈ 142 Hz
Based on this, I initially assumed the room behaves modally below ~140 Hz and diffusely above that — so I compared different Dirac ART correction ranges to see how that theory translates in practice.
Dirac ART Correction Range Comparisons
I tested several limits: 200 Hz, 800 Hz, 7 kHz, and 20 kHz.
My expectation was that restricting correction to the low end would deliver the tightest bass by concentrating filter resolution where room modes dominate.
The results, however, were more interesting than expected:
- 200 Hz correction: Good low-end control, but slightly rounder and less defined bass than ideal.
- 800 Hz correction: Noticeable improvement in bass articulation and integration; smoother transition through the lower midrange, with vocals sounding more grounded.
- 7 kHz correction: Further improvement in bass tightness and overall coherence — likely from better phase alignment across a broader spectrum.
- 20 kHz correction: Preserved the gains from previous runs and refined the tonal balance even more, giving the most consistent presentation overall.
REW Observations
Attached are REW waterfalls , group delay and RT60 plots at:
200 Hz, 800 Hz, 7000 Hz, and 20 000 Hz correction limits.
Subjective summary:
- Bass: The 20 kHz correction maintains the improvements from earlier settings, delivering tight, well-controlled bass with excellent definition.
- Midrange: Clear and linear across all cases, with the 800 Hz and higher corrections improving coherence through the vocal range.
- Treble: The 20 kHz correction provides the most refined top end so far — smooth, natural roll-off, reduced fatigue, and cleaner high-frequency detail.
- RT60 models:
RT60 is longer (~600–800 ms), especially below 100 Hz.
Can cause boomy or muddy bass. Room modes are likely dominant here.
800 Hz
RT60 is more controlled (~300–500 ms).
Midrange clarity is decent, but some decay may still affect speech intelligibility.
7 kHz
RT60 is shorter (~200–400 ms), closer to ideal.
High frequencies are well-controlled, reducing harshness.
20 kHz
RT60 is very short (~100–300 ms).
Highest frequencies decay quickly, which is typical and reduces sibilance.
Takeaway
Even though my Schroeder frequency is around 142 Hz, limiting Dirac ART strictly below that range didn’t yield the best overall result.
Broadening the correction range to 800 Hz, 7 kHz, and finally 20 kHz consistently improved both objective and subjective performance — especially in terms of bass control, time alignment, and top-end smoothness.
It seems that in my setup, allowing ART to operate full-range enhances global phase and timing coherence, which indirectly benefits the perception of bass tightness and clarity.
I’d be very interested to hear how others have approached correction-range selection with ART on similar systems — especially regarding where you found the best balance between precision and natural tonality.
Attachments
Last edited:
KenMasters
Active Member
I don't know what their official policy on refunds is. I contacted their support on the day of the purchase to say I wasn't happy with ART and if I could get a refund. They responded the next day to say no problem, but encouraged me to spend a bit more time with it first before going ahead with the refund (along with a link to their guide).
Very friendly and helpful through the process and correspondence was always with the same customer service rep.
The bass differences look noticeable, but could just as well be within the margin of error. In any case, I prefer a 200 or 300 Hz curtain — I really don’t want Dirac to wreck the mids and highs.I’ve been experimenting with Dirac ART on my Denon AVR-X4800H and wanted to share some observations and measurements for feedback from more experienced users.
Room details:
- Dimensions: 4.65 × 4.65 × 2.5 m + small alcove 1.7 × 0.7 × 2.5 m
- Topt (RT60): 0.288 s
- Estimated volume: ≈ 57 m³
- Calculated Schroeder frequency: ≈ 142 Hz
Based on this, I initially assumed the room behaves modally below ~140 Hz and diffusely above that — so I compared different Dirac ART correction ranges to see how that theory translates in practice.
I tested several limits: 200 Hz, 800 Hz, 7 kHz, and 20 kHz.
My expectation was that restricting correction to the low end would deliver the tightest bass by concentrating filter resolution where room modes dominate.
The results, however, were more interesting than expected:
- 200 Hz correction: Good low-end control, but slightly rounder and less defined bass than ideal.
- 800 Hz correction: Noticeable improvement in bass articulation and integration; smoother transition through the lower midrange, with vocals sounding more grounded.
- 7 kHz correction: Further improvement in bass tightness and overall coherence — likely from better phase alignment across a broader spectrum.
- 20 kHz correction: Preserved the gains from previous runs and refined the tonal balance even more, giving the most consistent presentation overall.
REW Observations
Attached are REW waterfalls , group delay and RT60 plots at:
200 Hz, 800 Hz, 7000 Hz, and 20 000 Hz correction limits.
Subjective summary:
- Bass: The 20 kHz correction maintains the improvements from earlier settings, delivering tight, well-controlled bass with excellent definition.
- Midrange: Clear and linear across all cases, with the 800 Hz and higher corrections improving coherence through the vocal range.
- Treble: The 20 kHz correction provides the most refined top end so far — smooth, natural roll-off, reduced fatigue, and cleaner high-frequency detail.
Takeaway
Even though my Schroeder frequency is around 142 Hz, limiting Dirac ART strictly below that range didn’t yield the best overall result.
Broadening the correction range to 800 Hz, 7 kHz, and finally 20 kHz consistently improved both objective and subjective performance — especially in terms of bass control, time alignment, and top-end smoothness.
It seems that in my setup, allowing ART to operate full-range enhances global phase and timing coherence, which indirectly benefits the perception of bass tightness and clarity.
I’d be very interested to hear how others have approached correction-range selection with ART on similar systems — especially regarding where you found the best balance between precision and natural tonality.
Audiofrog
Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2025
- Messages
- 12
- Likes
- 17
I can understand you very well ! in fact and paradoxically
I am still enjoying listening to LPs ( the ones not digitally recorded ) in pure direct mode so not DSP no Dirac at all ... ( I know it is the same room but I want to experience the full analogic mode then ) the rest of the time I use Qobuz so I put Dirac on in that caseSimilar threads
