Dirac Live Bass Control coming to Dirac Live Stereo This YEAR!!

[mikematrix]

It must match your source.

 

[juliangst]

Motu M4. Volume management only on 2 channels. And to avoid any accident I prefer to have a volume management afterwards to at least put a maximum not to be exceeded (if I use the volume of the application).

Software volume should work fine. You can always use the volume slider in Dirac as a limiter so nothing goes wrong.
There are limited options if you want hardware volume. A few I'm aware of are:

-Focusrite Clarett+ 2Pre
-Motu Ultralite MK5

and probably a few other pro interfaces.

If you want additional remote control functionality there basically are only 3 options:

-Topping DM7
-Octoresearch DAC8 Pro
-ExaSound e68

 

[juliangst]

The system I'm aiming for will be:
Mac Mini+ Motu M4+ Hypex NC252 paired with my LS50 and Canton sub. I'll also get a BK elec sub later.
I would control volume with a simple bluetooth remote or my flirc receiver

 

[mikematrix]

Yes I know about ultralite mk5, I didn't know about focusrite. Dm7 only TRS (RCA prohibited), okto I think it's ok and exasound too expensive.
I also thought of the ESI Gigaport eX + an HC amp or preamp (parasound halo P7).

Not bad your solution, good price and good quality. Maybe I should skip the ability to adjust the volume on the DAC...

 

[juliangst]

I think the motu m4 really is the best option for a 2.2 system. If you have more subs or plan to get more the Topping also is an easy recommendaton imo.
There was a lot of discussion about it but the Topping should work with XLR to RCA cables with Pin 3 disconnected.

 

[mikematrix]

For the topping it works but I saw that the sinad drops to +-84dB (pin 3 disconnected or not).

 

[juliangst]

For the topping it works but I saw that the sinad drops to +-84dB (pin 3 disconnected or not).

Yes that's unavoidable. But -84dB distortion is still not audible and matters even less with subwoofers

 

[mikematrix]

Yes I read the discussion but hey it's a bit of a shame anyway especially to put behind a purifi

 

[juliangst]

Yes I read the discussion but hey it's a bit of a shame anyway especially to put behind a purifi

Performance doesn't drop across the board. It only effects the channels that use TRS to RCA cables i.e. the subwoofers

 

[mikematrix]

I actually forgot that detail

 

[theREALdotnet]

A 10€ apple dongle should be completly fine for subwoofers. I don't know if you can combine 2 DACs into one inside MacOS settings.
Most people on MacOS use a program called Loopback to do that (which is another 100€ for the software)

BTW: Someone here did exactly that. There a screenshots on page 4 of this thread

You don’t need any additional software for this to work. You set up an aggregate audio device combining the L+R and subwoofer DACs (using macOS utility Audio MIDI Setup), configure Dirac Live Processor to use that device as output and that’s it. Select the Dirac Virtual Audio Device that’s available while Dirac Live Processor is running for sound output.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Yes that's unavoidable. But -84dB distortion is still not audible and matters even less with subwoofers

You might as well keep the existing stereo DAC and add an Apple dongle, with 99dB SINAD.

 

[mikematrix]

I did some tests again today. Same configuration so a laptop under windows connected via hdmi to a marantz AVR (8 channels available).
If we select 4 outputs and go to "custom channel config" and add a subwoofer and then choose custom mode and not 2.1, we have 2 subwoofers for calibration by taking the central channel for the 2nd.
This time I correctly configured the AVR by putting the LFE channel alone and not LFE+main.
During the calibration it puts me a cut at 70Hz with my library (Kanta 1). The kantas go up to 35Hz (measured in my room) and with the subwoofer (svs sb2000 pro) I go up to +-12Hz.
I did a calibration in 2.0 and 2.1 to compare and I expected more difference than that...
On the other hand, what is good is that you can increase or decrease the bass just by increasing or decreasing the subwoofer via its software.
$499... I still have a hard time understanding that it's so expensive... (349$ with promo)
And why the multisub automatically, I would have preferred the monosub license.
If not, yes it does the job.
And for home cinema use it's good to be able to redirect the bass from each channel to the subwoofer, something you can't do without the DBC, but I'm afraid of the delay with the image.
This will be the next tests and if it works I could transform my AVR into a Dirac device (but with the PC as the only source).

 

[juliangst]

Does anyone know who long the promo code will stay active?

 

[mikematrix]

** Launch offer valid until March 22nd. Cannot be combined with other discounts.

 

[juliangst]

** Launch offer valid until March 22nd. Cannot be combined with other discounts.

Oh okay.
I need to get a Motu M4 first and the Bass control discount will probably be over when I get it.
I hope that the 25% student discount also work with bass control

 

[mikematrix]

If you have an AVR you know how to test like I did. If not during blackfriday they make -30% afterwards I don't know if it's systematic.
In any case $499 (multichannel license) + $349 DBC with promo = $848 is still not cheap, whereas now I could have the same thing for $594

 

[Vacceo]

Have you seen any recent anouncements about what devices will feature DLBC? So far I know Arcam and JBL Synthesis support it, but it seems the devices are not that many.

 

[juliangst]

Some Denon AVRs and Marantz Cinema 50, 40 and AV10 will get Bass control too

 

[juliangst]

Does anyone know if it's possible to migrate a Desktop Dirac license to supported AVRs like the new Marantz Cinema AVRs?
I would say no, but the price for Desktop Dirac Stereo and the Dirac Stereo upgrade for Marantz are identical.

I'm really intrigued by the Cinema series AVRs.
I only need stereo for now but even for stereo the Cinema 50 is a transparent streamer, DAC and Amp with 4 independent sub outs and Dirac.
The 150-ish watts should also be enough for most high-passed bookshelves at normal listening distance.