Comfortable set-up: PC with Dirac Live, 5.2 stereo subs, Headphones, Turntable?

[Ongii]

Hello All,
maybe someone has "the idea" I am looking for, since several months.
My requirements:
- Dirac Live room correction (I have the multichannel PC license)
- 5.2 system, with two separated stereo (!) subs
- volume control via rotary switch and ir remote
- possibility to switch to headphone listening without the need of several "clicks"
- possibility to connect a turntable and listen to it without the need of several "clicks"

At the moment I do it like this:
PC with JRiver doing 5.2 bass management and hosting DL plugin. Put as system-wide output via WDM driver functionality.
A Focusrite 18i20 is the multichannel DAC that feeds a Marantz AVR via its multichannel input.
When I want to use the headphones, I open JRiver, go into the DSP chain and deactivate DL
When I want to listen to the turntable, I need to go via Windows, Sounds, "Listen to source"

Is there anything easier? I don't post the history of my trials... I leave it to your fantasy

Thank you!

 

[Ongii]

I may add that I tried the proposed solution of Voicemeeter, but get stuck in misaligned bitrates...
And the solution doesn't cover headphones

 

[Ongii]

No help for a desperate houseaudiowife?

 

[abdo123]

I know that Dirac is beta testing Dirac Live bass control right now on Windows.

I have no idea whether it supports stereo subwoofers though.

 

[Ongii]

I know that Dirac is beta testing Dirac Live bass control right now on Windows.

I have no idea whether it supports stereo subwoofers though.

Thanks. Although, this is partly a problem. I'd just let Dirac treat the two subwoofer channels as standard channels. No issue.

My big concerns are how to perform:
1) source selection on PC, in a confortable way (Windows way to "listen to" turntables is rather long. A lot of clicks)
2) output at the same time of both the Dirac-processed channels and also a pair of, unprocessed, stereo channels for headphones listening

 

[DVDdoug]

Usually your AVR is your control/switching center.

 

[Ongii]

Usually your AVR is your control/switching center.

Correct.
The fact is that I started with an (HT)PC as I had just one source. Now I'd like to integrate a turntable, and, ok, this may call for an AVR, I admit.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Thanks. Although, this is partly a problem. I'd just let Dirac treat the two subwoofer channels as standard channels. No issue.

My big concerns are how to perform:
1) source selection on PC, in a confortable way (Windows way to "listen to" turntables is rather long. A lot of clicks)
2) output at the same time of both the Dirac-processed channels and also a pair of, unprocessed, stereo channels for headphones listening

Set them up as different zones.

 

[Ongii]

Set them up as different zones.

Wow, Kal, my idol
Jokes aside, could you elaborate a bit more? Do you mean I should set up a second zone for the headphones? I can tell you, it will work (in JRiver) but just for playing from the library. It will not work when JRiver's WDM driver is involved. The InterProcessCommunication (IPC) mode of JRiver (aka WDM driver) doesn't support multiple zones

Any hint for my concern #1, a comfortable source selection?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Hello All,
maybe someone has "the idea" I am looking for, since several months.
My requirements:
- Dirac Live room correction (I have the multichannel PC license)
- 5.2 system, with two separated stereo (!) subs
- volume control via rotary switch and ir remote
- possibility to switch to headphone listening without the need of several "clicks"
- possibility to connect a turntable and listen to it without the need of several "clicks"

At the moment I do it like this:
PC with JRiver doing 5.2 bass management and hosting DL plugin. Put as system-wide output via WDM driver functionality.
A Focusrite 18i20 is the multichannel DAC that feeds a Marantz AVR via its multichannel input.
When I want to use the headphones, I open JRiver, go into the DSP chain and deactivate DL
When I want to listen to the turntable, I need to go via Windows, Sounds, "Listen to source"

Is there anything easier? I don't post the history of my trials... I leave it to your fantasy

Thank you!

You can create various zones in JRiver. You could have a multichannel zone where you have all your outputs for 5.2 home theater, and you could have a completely different groups of setting for headphone listening which you call the headphone zone. Moreover, you could have a third zone for stereo only listening where you use the two subs as woofers for 3 way speakers which would have a different DL tuning for a stereo system, as opposed to a 5.2 system where the subs are used for LFE. That's what I do. For stereo and multichannel with my 5.1 LS 50 Metas+OG LS50 surrounds+Kef HTC 3005 SE center + SB 2000 sub with all of it running through JRiver (Qobuz for 2 channel audio, and Netflix and Kodi for home theater).

You don't even need an especially powerful PC. Right now I'm using a 9 YO Dell I3. I debloated it, dropped 16 gb of DDR3 memory in it, and swapped in an old Samsung EVO 850 SSD 500 GB Sata drive. It works perfectly. I can watch Netflix and do Dirac Room correction on JRiver with no lip sync issues or choppy video, and it will render 4K. A newer machine will probably support HDR 10.

 

[Ongii]

Thank you @phoenixdogfan
Unfortunately, multi-zones does not work with the WDM driver / inter process communication. And this is necessary with Spotify, for example, which is not a plug-in of JRiver

 

[Tom C]

You can create various zones in JRiver. You could have a multichannel zone where you have all your outputs for 5.2 home theater, and you could have a completely different groups of setting for headphone listening which you call the headphone zone. Moreover, you could have a third zone for stereo only listening where you use the two subs as woofers for 3 way speakers which would have a different DL tuning for a stereo system, as opposed to a 5.2 system where the subs are used for LFE. That's what I do. For stereo and multichannel with my 5.1 LS 50 Metas+OG LS50 surrounds+Kef HTC 3005 SE center + SB 2000 sub with all of it running through JRiver (Qobuz for 2 channel audio, and Netflix and Kodi for home theater).

You don't even need an especially powerful PC. Right now I'm using a 9 YO Dell I3. I debloated it, dropped 16 gb of DDR3 memory in it, and swapped in an old Samsung EVO 850 SSD 500 GB Sata drive. It works perfectly. I can watch Netflix and do Dirac Room correction on JRiver with no lip sync issues or choppy video, and it will render 4K. A newer machine will probably support HDR 10.

If you Netflix, you’re streaming, right? So then you’re connected to the internet, which means periodically Windows will force an update, unraveling your debloat, which then must be repeated, yes? Do you just minimize the updates as much as you can, and accept that you’ll have to redo the debloat with each update?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

If you Netflix, you’re streaming, right? So then you’re connected to the internet, which means periodically Windows will force an update, unraveling your debloat, which then must be repeated, yes? Do you just minimize the updates as much as you can, and accept that you’ll have to redo the debloat with each update?

Yep. That's a maintenance issue. But I plan to do an update around every six weeks. The debloat takes minutes, and I've downloaded the program, so I just consider it part of maintenance. So unless you love OneDrive and absolutely need Candy Crush running in the background on your machine, best better debloat.

But, I will tell anyone who wants to know. A cheap I3 purchased used, refitted with a cheap Sata SSD, debloated, and given additional DDR3 memory (like 16gb) will be lightning fast, able to stream Netflix without stuttering or lipn sync, be able to run Dirac Live, be able to run Tidal or Qobuz, You Tube video, and do smooth browsing with lots of Chrome tabe open. The I3 is dead quiet as well and uses only around 15 w and stays below 60C.

It's probably possible to find an I3 in someplace like a Pawn Shop for $100 or so. Adding an SSD+DDR3 memory is around another $100. The later I3's probably support HDR 10 as well and use the more advanced WiFi protocols, so 1000 mbps may be possible.

I was thinking about buying an I7 Nuc and fitting it with an Akasa Turing case or buying a Mac M1 Mini. I definitely won't buy a Nuc now. I may still get the Mac, but I've bought myself some time, and I'm going to use it.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Thank you @phoenixdogfan
Unfortunately, multi-zones does not work with the WDM driver / inter process communication. And this is necessary with Spotify, for example, which is not a plug-in of JRiver

It works with Qobuz.

 

[tim.]

This is similar to what i'm doing except no turntable.

I'm using the Dirac live standalone processor with a Motu 8A which has numerous inputs, plenty of routing capability and the DAC sounded far better than my Emotiva it replaced.

I do use the Windows volume control however with a Harmony hub remote.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

wow, love the networking option on that Motu, especially the web based interface (and not a freaking app)