Frank207be
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I have 93 used out of 94 on my A1H. Speakers are 7.4.6
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Active Room Treatment (ART) by Dirac
- Thread starter Flak
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I have 93 used out of 94 on my A1H. Speakers are 7.4.6
Correct!
ThELiZ
Active Member
I thought I'd share my thoughts on how I've been getting on with Dirac ART. I've had it since it came out for my Denon x3800H. Before it I was running one of the versions of A1/MultEQ-X with the subs running MSO.
My system is 7.4.4 (Dirac sees 7.3.4 as my rear subs are connected via Y-splitter - I need sub out 4 from my AVR for tactile devices). All my speakers are in wall (Revel W553L, Revel W763) and my ceiling speaker are Kef (Ci130QR). My subs are Q Acoustics QB12, placed in each corner of the room. It is a very small, purpose built, cinema room in my garden. Measures 4.7m x 2.7m x 2.2m.
Before I used ART I had a very good sounding system, with just a niggle being bass could occasionally sound too loose and boomy at certain frequencies. This always puzzled me, as my frequency response looked pretty clean and flat. I've since learned it was showing it's head in other measurements that I was yet to full understand.
Here are my plots before ART (using A1/MSO):
And here are my results with Dirac ART. I've been playing around with support speakers, levels, grouping etc, but things pretty much look the same on the graphs. What I have noticed in listening tests was that with the default settings, it was unenjoyable. It felt like the sensation I get with noise cancelling headphones. I was getting strange pressure sensations in my head. I pretty much go no higher in support than -12dB for support speakers. This made things better for me. The following data is with -6dB for the support speakers:
I'm not great with deciphering the graphs, but things look much better now to me than pre-ART. As for listening impressions, things have really just gone to another level. The thing I've noticed most is drums now sound really impactful. I notice this most on Hans Zimmer's 'Mombasa' from Live in Prague. That blows my socks off every time! I've also noticed dialogue has become clearer. I can crank the volume higher than before and it just gets better!
So all in all, Dirac ART has been great in my little room!
Next I plan on getting it into my living room with my Audio Frist Cadentia 3 speakers. That's a bigger room, but no optimal MLP. My sofa is right against the back wall and the speakers are quite close to the front wall. Let's see how we get on there next!
Hope this helps someone.
My system is 7.4.4 (Dirac sees 7.3.4 as my rear subs are connected via Y-splitter - I need sub out 4 from my AVR for tactile devices). All my speakers are in wall (Revel W553L, Revel W763) and my ceiling speaker are Kef (Ci130QR). My subs are Q Acoustics QB12, placed in each corner of the room. It is a very small, purpose built, cinema room in my garden. Measures 4.7m x 2.7m x 2.2m.
Before I used ART I had a very good sounding system, with just a niggle being bass could occasionally sound too loose and boomy at certain frequencies. This always puzzled me, as my frequency response looked pretty clean and flat. I've since learned it was showing it's head in other measurements that I was yet to full understand.
Here are my plots before ART (using A1/MSO):
And here are my results with Dirac ART. I've been playing around with support speakers, levels, grouping etc, but things pretty much look the same on the graphs. What I have noticed in listening tests was that with the default settings, it was unenjoyable. It felt like the sensation I get with noise cancelling headphones. I was getting strange pressure sensations in my head. I pretty much go no higher in support than -12dB for support speakers. This made things better for me. The following data is with -6dB for the support speakers:
I'm not great with deciphering the graphs, but things look much better now to me than pre-ART. As for listening impressions, things have really just gone to another level. The thing I've noticed most is drums now sound really impactful. I notice this most on Hans Zimmer's 'Mombasa' from Live in Prague. That blows my socks off every time! I've also noticed dialogue has become clearer. I can crank the volume higher than before and it just gets better!
So all in all, Dirac ART has been great in my little room!
Next I plan on getting it into my living room with my Audio Frist Cadentia 3 speakers. That's a bigger room, but no optimal MLP. My sofa is right against the back wall and the speakers are quite close to the front wall. Let's see how we get on there next!
Hope this helps someone.
90sNintendoKid
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I wanted to do a quick post to let everyone know how I solved a problem I was having with ART on my Denon 3800H.
I was able to load a target curve and calculate a filter and export it. When I did post EQ measurements using the moving mic method, I noticed that the frequency response was no where near the target and the bass was no where near.
In fact an A1 Evo Acoustix calibration on the speaker preset was much close to my target curve.
Then I got upload filter errors and Dirac stopped detecting my AVR.
I did a reset and then I also tried to disable Tailscale which I had enabled and also access to local network was enabled.
After disabling Tailscale, pressing the calculate button was more reliable and took longer and I was able to export to my 3800H.
Post EQ measurements now follow the target curve much more closely.
YMMV, I can only guess Tailscale and/or my network config on my MacBook was causing problems with the Dirac app communicating with the Dirac servers.
I was able to load a target curve and calculate a filter and export it. When I did post EQ measurements using the moving mic method, I noticed that the frequency response was no where near the target and the bass was no where near.
In fact an A1 Evo Acoustix calibration on the speaker preset was much close to my target curve.
Then I got upload filter errors and Dirac stopped detecting my AVR.
I did a reset and then I also tried to disable Tailscale which I had enabled and also access to local network was enabled.
After disabling Tailscale, pressing the calculate button was more reliable and took longer and I was able to export to my 3800H.
Post EQ measurements now follow the target curve much more closely.
YMMV, I can only guess Tailscale and/or my network config on my MacBook was causing problems with the Dirac app communicating with the Dirac servers.
oldtexasdog
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Well I ditched the Drive Rack PA2 for a Mini Flex dsp with Dirac and I could not be happier. This was for a 2.3 music system in a highly reflective large room with high slanted celings.
Interesting. So how many groups does that give you? My default config. has nine groups, all the subs being in one. I've tried consolidating my heights into one group but it won't let me, says there are too many supports
I made, well not a mess but i did a fault.
Full measurement, added target curve and export - sounded strange and REW said the same.
Went over all the setting, yes they where correct but then i saw i had not used a cal file on the mic.
Man, do have to do it alla over again !?
Then i got an idea, loaded the project, step back to the first screen and added the cal fil - after a Lot of loading i could step forward.
Hit calculate and then export - and it seems to work !?
Sounds and measures as it should.
I feel i need to re-measure just in case, does someone know if it is trustworthy to do as i did ?
Full measurement, added target curve and export - sounded strange and REW said the same.
Went over all the setting, yes they where correct but then i saw i had not used a cal file on the mic.
Man, do have to do it alla over again !?
Then i got an idea, loaded the project, step back to the first screen and added the cal fil - after a Lot of loading i could step forward.
Hit calculate and then export - and it seems to work !?
Sounds and measures as it should.
I feel i need to re-measure just in case, does someone know if it is trustworthy to do as i did ?
My X4800 shows 98 max.... in theory they (all the D&M ART capable devices) all use the exact same processor chips and should have the same capabilities (and therefore # of filters available I would have thought!!)
I’m a gen x and for me it’s what they are doing with the multichannel music. I didn’t know until relatively recently but now I do and it’s quite fun. Upmixing was the same to me basically since the early 90’s, Atmos is a whole different level (and that’s without heights so I guess just the base mix-which is enough for me). I’m curious about the ceiling, I’ll probably get there eventually. And then this ART, it has me going through my large catalog all over again
It would be great if that did indeed work but myself I’m a little OCD. I only have 5.2 so it’s easy for me to say.
Looking at the decay around 100 ms, it’s clear that ART is working effectively. Although the bass already appears relatively tight, you mentioned that it feels significantly improved. It also seems that the default ART settings were a bit underwhelming. Did you reduce the number of assigned support speakers slightly?
about 3 years ago I upgraded (due to a magic smoke release incident!) - and found myself with a 5.1.4 capable AVR...
So I took my spare mini speakers, which had been in storage for a decade, and deployed them as heights - voila instant 5.1.4
Did the height speakers add much .... no
Much of the material I view and listen, leaves them idle (in fact the vast majority) - but there are occasional signs of life in the heights
The biggest upgrade has been my recent deployment of ART in my now 5.2.4 setup...
5.2 is great! - with that you get 99% of what is out there.... (and the 1% you gain with more speakers.... so far has not impressed me!)
I like your theory and would like to take advantage! It seems some of the missing ones are being used by some invisible process that must be a function of the configuration. Would love to get a definitive readout however, just don't think it's appropriate for a support ticket to Dirac.
It might be more appropriate to ask D&M...
As an aside, I use my X4800 very simply, as an AVP/Amp and Dirac ART processor - I don't use streaming and other functions... it is fed from a HTPC and from/to the TV.... perhaps my relatively basic setup leads to more filter availability?
Thanks for that! Aesthetically I personally can’t do exposed wires running up the wall so it’ll be a bunch of work. I’ve already resigned myself to waiting until I hear it in action done well with music. I’m not actively seeking it but always flexible if that makes sense.
Thanks kawauso! That's what I thought, nice to have confirmation from someone with all your ART experience! I can't figure out how to fix this. I have done all the standard troubleshooting steps so I'll contact Denon support on this week but I can't find the contact for Dirac support on their website. Could anyone here send it to me?
Thanks
Mines pretty similar to yours, only inputs are AppleTV and a Blueray drive that I never use, and single HDMI to the TV, no ARC or EARC. Don't use HEOS or any of the streaming functions.
Thanks JRowland!
Frank207be
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I have a 7.4.6 setup with 8 groups: 4 for the bed layer, 3 for the top speakers and 1 for the subwoofers. I tried to max out support assignment as close as possible to each related speaker to avoid channel bleeding fromt to back and vice versa. My ART system leans heavily on the 4 subs to preserve dynamic capabilities as all my speakers have a bottom support of 80Hz except the fronts which do 50Hz. And it clearly works as switching between DLBC and ART makes a huge difference. Yesterday I watched a movie with war scenes in-between the story and they felt amazingly real. Jump scares through sound are at least twice as intense even at slightly lower playback volume.
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