Comparison of DRCs: Dirac Live for Studio, IK Multimedia ARC System 3 and Sonarworks Reference 4 Studio edition

[ai studio]

Hi I have ARC 3
with the original microphone for calibration
I bought the total package

I've had it for about two years.

I wanted to ask if anyone feels that it increases the high frequencies a little too much?

I have HD 650 headphones
And when I listen to monitors with ARC 3 together

It feels like the high frequencies are more open and less natural

And maybe it can be confusing in the mix if you want more high frequencies
And you are there less because of it.

But that's just a guess...
Maybe the problem is in my room.

 

[czt]

Feel free to measure the applied ARC3 correction in MLP with REW and another mic (or with MEMS if a calibration file is feasible): https://www.roomeqwizard.com/help/help_en-GB/html/makingmeasurements.html#fileplayback and/or adjust the ARC3 target curve to sound more natural (with reference tracks).

 

[ai studio]

Feel free to measure the applied ARC3 correction in MLP with REW and another mic (or with MEMS if a calibration file is feasible): https://www.roomeqwizard.com/help/help_en-GB/html/makingmeasurements.html#fileplayback and/or adjust the ARC3 target curve to sound more natural (with reference tracks).

I did a test if the microphone of the ARC 3
in REW
I have attached the comparison between the results in the pictures.

 

[czt]

I did a test if the microphone of the ARC 3
in REW
I have attached the comparison between the results in the pictures.

You have to work on the level calibration of the microphone (and REW scales e.g. "50 dB/decade" in "Capture"), etc. But without a calibration file, we don't know if the REW measurement with the MEMS microphone is accurate.

As an example I will shortly (after subwoofer warm-up) post my raw, uncorrected and ARC3 corrected (sans calibration, because the loaded generic mic calibration file ignored by the analysis) frequency response.

 

[ai studio]

Ok, thanks for the answer, but it is possible to export the calibration file From ARC 3.? Because I didn't see an option in the software, this is a file that only supports ARC. Thanks

You have to work on the level calibration of the microphone (and REW scales e.g. "50 dB/decade" in "Capture"), etc. But without a calibration file, we don't know if the REW measurement with the MEMS microphone is accurate.

As an example I will shortly (after subwoofer warm-up) post my raw, uncorrected and ARC3 corrected (sans calibration, because the loaded generic mic calibration file ignored by the analysis) frequency response.

 

[czt]

Ok, thanks for the answer, but it is possible to export the calibration file From ARC 3.? Because I didn't see an option in the software, this is a file that only supports ARC. Thanks

IK Multimedia • Mems Mic Cal File

 

[czt]

 

[ai studio]

IK Multimedia • Mems Mic Cal File

IK Multimedia • Mems Mic Cal File

thank you ,, it says in the link that no ARC3 microphone calibration file is provided

 

[ai studio]

IK Multimedia • Mems Mic Cal File

View attachment 276579
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View attachment 276575

I would love to know what you would recommend me to do.

According to the measurements I sent in REW

Because I couldn't find a calibration file for the Arc microphone

rew studio monitor.mdat

drive.google.com

 

[czt]

So, in the .mdat the measurement with the description "1" (and without notes) is the saved REW sweep with timing ref. (e.g. "256kMeasSweep_0_to_20000_-12_dBFS_48k_PCM24_L_refL.wav") played back in your DAW with (only) ARC3 ON, and recorded in REW through the MEMS mic? High is indeed too much, if this is the reality.

Can you borrow another measurement mic, so we get some reference? Recalibration not helped? What's your monitors?

 

[ai studio]

So, in the .mdat the measurement with the description "1" (and without notes) is the saved REW sweep with timing ref. (e.g. "256kMeasSweep_0_to_20000_-12_dBFS_48k_PCM24_L_refL.wav") played back in your DAW with (only) ARC3 ON, and recorded in REW through the MEMS mic? High is indeed too much, if this is the reality.

View attachment 276858
Can you borrow another measurement mic, so we get some reference? Recalibration not helped? What's your monitors?

hi thanks , my monitor - kali audio in 8 v2

 

[ai studio]

So, in the .mdat the measurement with the description "1" (and without notes) is the saved REW sweep with timing ref. (e.g. "256kMeasSweep_0_to_20000_-12_dBFS_48k_PCM24_L_refL.wav") played back in your DAW with (only) ARC3 ON, and recorded in REW through the MEMS mic? High is indeed too much, if this is the reality.

View attachment 276858
Can you borrow another measurement mic, so we get some reference? Recalibration not helped? What's your monitors?

This is a clean recording
without arc
in the background

 

[czt]

But we want to measure the applied ARC3 correction (with the playback of the saved REW sweep with time ref. from your DAW) to determine whether the corrected frequency response contains too much much high (as you hear) or not (if we assume that the MEMS mic is pretty linear without a calibration file).

 

[ai studio]

Oh ok yes I understand
So I will do a test together with arc
But how can I make them hear through ARC while I measure in REW?
I did not see an option in the REW software to enable the audio through ARC for the measurement.

 

[czt]

Everything explained in the previously mentioned help section(s).

1. Save the measurement sweep .wav file(s) (from REW "Generator" with "Timing Ref").
2. REW waiting with the previous .wav loaded ("Measurement", "From file", "Start").
3. Play the same .wav in your DAW with ARC3 correction.
4. REW detects the timing ref. signal, and makes the measurement.

 

[ai studio]

Oh ok yes I understand
So I will do a test together with arc

Everything explained in the previously mentioned help section(s).

1. Save the measurement sweep .wav file(s) (from REW "Generator" with "Timing Ref").
2. REW waiting with the previous .wav loaded ("Measurement", "From file", "Start").
3. Play the same .wav in your DAW with ARC3 correction.
4. REW detects the timing ref. signal, and makes the measurement.

Hi, thanks for the answer

Maybe there is a video that explains how to do it?

Thanks

 

[czt]

 

[landco]

Because of this, most of the result sounded over-processed to me and I couldn't really find any that sounded close to what I thought was natural (and which I could get with the other two).

The sound you think is natural is actually the sound you are used to. "Usual" and "natural" are not the same thing.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

The sound you think is natural is actually the sound you are used to. "Usual" and "natural" are not the same thing.

This is not meant to provoke. But how do you know that usual and natural are different to @dominikz ?

You can of course be aware of EQ that's not natural (natural must mean flat) because EQ is up to taste but acknowledge that it isn't flat but tuned to taste.

 

[ai studio]

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Hi, I'm having a bit of trouble with this With a video explaining the whole process it was much easier. I tried to search in REW where they export to WAV with timing Where is it in the REW software?