Comparison of Dirac Live Bass Control (DLBC) and Dirac ART for all known AVRs/Processors

[beatelund]

When are we going to see ART for AudioControl Maestro X7 and X9....please.

Best guess is never, but i Hope i am wrong.
Because that means my sdp-55 problably gets it too

 

[harryb]

I'll take you up on that. Somebody at Dirac told me it's in the works. They will make money off these updates as they spread to new units (for a fee, undoubtedly). Also, AudioControl won't want people flipping to other pre-pro's like Storm.

 

[Hayabusa]

DLBC is specifically for systems with subwoofers and limited band (e.g. small) speakers. The crossover is set in software, to any desired frequency, and is mandatory. It helps particularly to smoothly integrate the crossover region between your subwoofer(s) and the rest of your system. For multi-sub deployments, it also time aligns those subwoofers, assuming your AVR/processor has independent subwoofer outputs (the AV10 has 4!).

Dirac ART will take advantage of full range speakers in a system by using their full-range capabilities for support in the <120 Hz range.

So ART will do nothing for my subs in this case?

 

[harryb]

ART and DLBC are different.

DLBC offers advantage (in my opinion) to systems with multiple subs. It provides AI computed determination of best crossovers and integration of low frequency support for subs from all speakers in your system. It frequency correct....it time aligns etc.

ART is the new kid on the block. As I understand it, DIRAC will identify in testing early reflections and then figure out how to correct them by applying phase reversed signals from other speakers as a kind of countermeasure signal. I'm very interested in how we will be able to further adjust our listening environment with this new tech. They probably put a lot into this. If it works well, I can't imagine they aren't going to roll it out to existing platforms (for a fee, of course)..

 

[sweetchaos]

We have unofficial confirmation that…

The ART beta testing phase is completed. ART is fully compatible with AVRs starting from X3800H and up and It's now up to Masimo to decide when to release the FW (It should be sometime this year after April)

That’s great. I was worried ART would only be for the highest tiers, but thankfully not.

Updated post.

 

[paulgyro]

Today I got the DLBC upgrade to my Marantz AV10.
All the press releases are not very informative over when DLBC adds something for your specific setup.
If I read all the marketing bla-bla DLBC optimises multiple bass channels so that it sounds the best possible in your room
So do you need to have more than 2 full range speakers and subwoofers to get better results than normal Dirac Live?
I assume that with a 5.1 setup where all speakers are 'small', so all bass is redirected to the sub makes no good use of DLBC and its better to use normal Dirac Live?

DLBC will optimize the sub much better, but primarily multiple subs.

 

[harryb]

Love DLBC in my AudioControl, but ART could make an even bigger difference for me.

 

[sweetchaos]

Changelog:
2023-01-09:
- Added Denon AVR-X6800H to the table, since it became available to purchase

 

[Looptroop]

New member contemplating purchase of AVR with specific Dirac support:

Any takes on how sensitive the more advanced Dirac ART will be on relatively small changes in the cinema/movie/living room e.g. more or less people seated, slightly moved furniture, new decorations or curtains etc?

Similar technologies exist for radio communications but they typically require continuous active ”sounding” to capture and correct for the changing radio channel/environment. Now, sound waves are different and if anything I would expect low frequencies to be less sensitive to changes as above.

 

[harryb]

New member contemplating purchase of AVR with specific Dirac support:

Any takes on how sensitive the more advanced Dirac ART will be on relatively small changes in the cinema/movie/living room e.g. more or less people seated, slightly moved furniture, new decorations or curtains etc?

Similar technologies exist for radio communications but they typically require continuous active ”sounding” to capture and correct for the changing radio channel/environment. Now, sound waves are different and if anything I would expect low frequencies to be less sensitive to changes as above.

If the environment changes, you'll have to retest. But if the environment is stable, reflections should be quite consistent. The idea of sending opposing signals to neutralize excessive reflections is intriguing.

 

[Looptroop]

If the environment changes, you'll have to retest. But if the environment is stable, reflections should be quite consistent. The idea of sending opposing signals to neutralize excessive reflections is intriguing.

Thanks. I think I have to play the game of waiting for others impressions, and risk being a laggard.

I assume there is a tradeoff between something very optimized towards a specific environment with close to ideal performance but with increased risk of actual bad performance (incl. perception of more hiss from speakers?) if something is slightly different vs. being more robust but with less ideal performance even with the best match between environment and measurements.

 

[sweetchaos]

Current deal for X3800H and AVR-A1H
for USA buyers only:

Master "deals" (massdrop, ebay, Amazon, etc.) Thread on Audio Product Sales

I need to say that I find it great that running a business on this, you still invest the time posting deals regularly here, and without even trying to ever promote your business. Kudos! clearly he isn’t a “desperate dealer” ;)

www.audiosciencereview.com

X3800H is US$1189 on sale
AVR-A1H is US$4550 on sale

 

[dlaloum]

Current deal for X3800H and AVR-A1H
for USA buyers only:

Master "deals" (massdrop, ebay, Amazon, etc.) Thread on Audio Product Sales

I need to say that I find it great that running a business on this, you still invest the time posting deals regularly here, and without even trying to ever promote your business. Kudos! clearly he isn’t a “desperate dealer” ;)

www.audiosciencereview.com

X3800H is US$1189 on sale
AVR-A1H is US$4550 on sale

I will be looking at what the best value next step is, once ART is available .... hopefully on Monoprice, D&M, Onkyo/Integra/Pioneer platforms....

But right now, DLBC alone, is not a sufficient enticement to move, especially given there is some question as to which platforms will receive ART.

 

[MingChops]

Any idea if Primare is (or will) expand Dirac DLCB to their recent AVR? If not, they have really botched a great oportunity with a less than one year old product.

I questioned them about 6 months ago, there response:

Thanks for your interest in the upcoming SP25 Prisma. As with the SPA25 Prisma, the processor will have two paralell sub outs. We are exploring the possibility of add Dirac Bass Control Single to both models, but cannot at this stage confirm if and when.

Similarly, we have begun the process of designing the new line of stereo models for launch in a year or two that will more than likely include some level of sub out and DSP processing, but again I cannot confirm at this time those details, other than to say we plan to produce a reference sixteen channel fully balanced home cinema processor, that will more than likely include Dirac ART, their recently released DSP program that incorporates Live and Bass Control into a more sophisticate complete package, exclusively being introduced on the market now in Storm models.

I'd forgotten I had this convo with them, personally at this point I'd hope for a 2ch DLBC/ART product like the M66, would be very tempting.
Not that I don't have complete faith in NAD to produce something without bugs and hardware reliability issues!

 

[Vacceo]

Chances are that Marantz/Denon will come up with such product sooner based on their current offerings.

 

[Miker 1102]

I questioned them about 6 months ago, there response:



I'd forgotten I had this convo with them, personally at this point I'd hope for a 2ch DLBC/ART product like the M66, would be very tempting.
Not that I don't have complete faith in NAD to produce something without bugs and hardware reliability issues!

The NAD products I have tried are problem ridden. I wouldn't ever buy a nad amp again. For all the complaints about avrs, I have several yamhaha that are outdated but work perfectly fine.

 

[Vacceo]

What Primare can argue right now is, that their 8 channel amp is an excellent product. Slightly above the Amp10 in technical performance, but well, we´re comparing an 8 channel to a 16 channel amp so...

 

[pogo]

NAD T789 with 4 sub outs for DLART

 

[soerenssen]

NAD T789 with 4 sub outs for DLART

Was DLART confirmed for the upcoming T799?

 

[dlaloum]

Was DLART confirmed for the upcoming T799?

I haven't seen anything from NAD regarding ART... and not much regarding DLBC either... (any device supporting DLBC is theoretically capable of ART...)