Dirac Live standalone for PC and Mac

[Jakub]

miniDSP Flex HTX is in Anchorage right now. Pretty impressed with the shipping. I should have it early next week.

Does anyone have the issue of having to set their calibration mic to +20 decibels when doing the volume calibration in Dirac live?

 

[neRok]

I'm just looking at the various licenses for RCS and have some subwoofer/bass questions that hopefully someone can answer.

For RCS Stereo on its own, I presume it's 2 channels in, and 2.1 out, where the .1 can be multiple subs playing the same signal? And it will handle the crossover nicely?

Then there is RCS Stereo + Bass Control, which takes it a step further and handles each sub individually in order to "harmonize the bass" by using phase filters etc. How effective is this if there is only 1 subwoofer though?

What has really got me scratching my head is this section of the user manual;

Where does the middle option - "Bass Management" - come from? Is that part of the base RCS Stereo package, or part of the BC upgrade?

 

[peng]

I'm just looking at the various licenses for RCS and have some subwoofer/bass questions that hopefully someone can answer.

For RCS Stereo on its own, I presume it's 2 channels in, and 2.1 out, where the .1 can be multiple subs playing the same signal? And it will handle the crossover nicely?

Then there is RCS Stereo + Bass Control, which takes it a step further and handles each sub individually in order to "harmonize the bass" by using phase filters etc. How effective is this if there is only 1 subwoofer though?

What has really got me scratching my head is this section of the user manual;
View attachment 407245
Where does the middle option - "Bass Management" - come from? Is that part of the base RCS Stereo package, or part of the BC upgrade?

I don't remember seeing the bass management option before I purchased the BC license so I tend to think it is part of the BC upgrade. However, if I understand right, D+M has added a basic BM feature that you can use, even if you don't purchase the BC license, but the BM feature in that case might/or rather, must be somehow done by D+M themselves, sort of synergy?? members like @EWL5 or @ban25 would know more about it.

Regardless, if you want the best possible looking curves for 2Ch Stereo using 1 or more subwoofers, the BC license can deliver, but hard to say if the better looking curves = audible better sound, though it should, at least in theory.

 

[EWL5]

I don't remember seeing the bass management option before I purchased the BC license so I tend to think it is part of the BC upgrade. However, if I understand right, D+M has added a basic BM feature that you can use, even if you don't purchase the BC license, but the BM feature in that case might/or rather, must be somehow done by D+M themselves, sort of synergy?? members like @EWL5 or @ban25 would know more about it.

Regardless, if you want the best possible looking curves for 2Ch Stereo using 1 or more subwoofers, the BC license can deliver, but hard to say if the better looking curves = audible better sound, though it should, at least in theory.

DLBM became available on Denon/Marantz products via firmware last year. While the firmware also allowed for DLBC capability, the DLBM that comes w/the first paid DLBC license (either limited or full bandwidth) is included!

The PAC products from 2021 (RZ50, DRX5.4, but not the 505) also recently received a similar firmware update late last month. Like the D/M units, it also gets DLBM automatically w/o additional cost. Unfortunately, the firmware is currently buggy and suffering from an indexing error that is covered in detail over at AVS!

 

[peng]

miniDSP Flex HTX is in Anchorage right now. Pretty impressed with the shipping. I should have it early next week.

Does anyone have the issue of having to set their calibration mic to +20 decibels when doing the volume calibration in Dirac live?

I never have to set it anywhere near even 0, let alone +20.

 

[ban25]

miniDSP Flex HTX is in Anchorage right now. Pretty impressed with the shipping. I should have it early next week.

Does anyone have the issue of having to set their calibration mic to +20 decibels when doing the volume calibration in Dirac live?

If you're running Dirac on Windows, make sure you have the microphone in exclusive mode, which is the default now in Dirac Live 3.11:

Dirac Live 3.10.3 // 2024-06-27 | Dirac Live

FeaturesImproved the measurement qualification algorithm to more reliably detect occasional data loss in the recording.To improve the quality of measurements with microphones connected to Windows PCs, WASAPI Exclusive Mode will be activated by default in some cases.To control whether Exclusive...

helpdesk.dirac.com

The issue here is that Windows 11 defaults to enabling noise supression on all microphone inputs, which will effectively filter out the Dirac chirps, making the calibration impossible or ineffective. Exclusive mode will prevent that, but you can also just turn off noise supression:

Redirecting

If you're on MacOS, you don't have to worry about this.

 

[ban25]

I'm just looking at the various licenses for RCS and have some subwoofer/bass questions that hopefully someone can answer.

For RCS Stereo on its own, I presume it's 2 channels in, and 2.1 out, where the .1 can be multiple subs playing the same signal? And it will handle the crossover nicely?

Then there is RCS Stereo + Bass Control, which takes it a step further and handles each sub individually in order to "harmonize the bass" by using phase filters etc. How effective is this if there is only 1 subwoofer though?

What has really got me scratching my head is this section of the user manual;
View attachment 407245
Where does the middle option - "Bass Management" - come from? Is that part of the base RCS Stereo package, or part of the BC upgrade?

Bass Management is part of the base Dirac Live package IIRC -- I always had access to it even before purchasing DLBC, though I have never used it. According to Dirac, DLBM does the following:

Filter Design | Dirac Live Bass Control

helpdesk.dirac.com

By selecting “Bass management”, regular bass management filters with Dirac Live filters are designed and each subwoofer gain is scaled by 1/(number of subwoofers) to match the target curve. Selecting the “Bass control” the filter design will harmonise the subwoofers and non-subwoofer speakers in the lower frequencies using tailor made phase filters, delays and gains.

I interpret this to mean that DLBM will EQ the subwoofers, but does no integration with the mains. So, if you have DLBC, you want Bass Control, not Bass Management.

 

[ban25]

I've been quite pleased with the performance of DLBC Multi-Sub in my system. It's given me even, consistent bass across the room. It was able to fill a gap from ~25-35hz that was quite noticeable at the low end.

 

[peng]

Bass Management is part of the base Dirac Live package IIRC -- I always had access to it even before purchasing DLBC, though I have never used it. According to Dirac, DLBM does the following:

Filter Design | Dirac Live Bass Control

helpdesk.dirac.com

I interpret this to mean that DLBM will EQ the subwoofers, but does no integration with the mains. So, if you have DLBC, you want Bass Control, not Bass Management.

Thanks, I feel there are enough improvements in 3.11 so I downloaded it right away but in no hurry to do another calibration.

DL costs extras but they keep on updating/improving, unlike Audyssey.

 

[peng]

Thanks. I did connect with them and it's possible to use RCA #7 and #8 for a headphone amp.

1-2 Philharmonic Audio Ceramic Minis
3-4 Philharmonic Audio BMR Monitors
5-6 SVS SB-3000 Subwoofers
7-8 Headphones via A70pro amp

Look forward to seeing some REW graphs, as I am using mine with BMR monitors too.

 

[Jakub]

It came in!! DL + DLBC works on windows 11 flawlessly with two balanced outputs to L + R then an unbalanced RCA to LFE on the subwoofer in channel 3. Shipping was pretty fast. Didn't expect it to come in so fast.

 

[pogo]

I feel there are enough improvements in 3.11 so I downloaded it right away but in no hurry to do another calibration.

It may be sufficient to load an old project and export the correction data again.

 

[peng]

It may be sufficient to load an old project and export the correction data again.

Good point, but I might want to re-run calibration anyway because I noticed it seems to handle the volume calibration better, hard to explain without taking another look. I noticed that when I simply click on calibrate after updating it, but did not go through the calibration as we all know to do that it is best to have a wait moment in the room for 30 minutes so I have wait for the opportunity..

I doubt the newest version would make a difference in the correction filters though one never knows, so regardless I will re-do it, soon.

 

[peng]

View attachment 407916
It came in!! DL + DLBC works on windows 11 flawlessly with two balanced outputs to L + R then an unbalanced RCA to LFE on the subwoofer in channel 3. Shipping was pretty fast. Didn't expect it to come in so fast.

Haha, time to compare notes/graphs, so far I've found that in my case, with BC, the main improvement is in filling in (to a point) certain dips (can't do much about major room mode nulls obviously) when sweeping the speakers and subwoofers together. As to individually measuring left, and right channels, there are very little differences, DL without clicking on the BC "calculate" button can do a very good job already.

Here again is my second attempt done the other day, the results seemed consistent basically same as the results from the first run, again, no manual adjustments, just the default target curve:

Note: It has been tough to find enough quiet time in that room so the results must have suffered a little from the background noise.

I may buy a second unit, this time the HTx and then may be sell the HT at a later date. Hopefully could get on before a potential price increase when the anticipated tariff sets in.

 

[Jakub]

My PB-1000 isn't playing when I listen to music or do a "subwoofer" test on youtube. I can hear it under sound settings, but music for any media player it doesn't play for some reason.

 

[neRok]

My PB-1000 isn't playing when I listen to music or do a "subwoofer" test on youtube. I can hear it under sound settings, but music for any media player it doesn't play for some reason.

Sounds like don't have your O/S outputting to the correct device. Perhaps it's outputting to "MiniDSP Channel 1+2" instead of "MiniDSP Input Mix 1", or something like that? (those are made up names)

 

[Jakub]

Sounds like don't have your O/S outputting to the correct device. Perhaps it's outputting to "MiniDSP Channel 1+2" instead of "MiniDSP Input Mix 1", or something like that? (those are made up names)

Ops! Forgot to change my default device to “Dirac Audio device”. It works now

 

[Jakub]

Hopefully could get on before a potential price increase when the anticipated tariff sets in.

I’m buying as much as I can before those happen.

 

[peng]

I’m buying as much as I can before those happen.

May be I should order a HTx soon, as soon if the exch rate gets a little better and if not I guess I would just wait it out as I don't actually need one more, just that I just realize those analog inputs could be useful sometimes.

 

[neRok]

How does Dirac on PC work? I've installed it, got trial license(s), and it makes no sense. I can choose all sorts of configs, but it only has "Channel 1" and 2, and if I "Add Subwoofer" or choose 7.1 or something like that, then all the rest appear as "---". And the audio device settings/screen/whatever only goes to 1 device, but I have "devices" (more than 1), but even if I pick VoiceMeeter Banana like I already use for routing, it still only sends to "---". And maybe "---" will work, but I can't take that risk consider my devices are "physically" at full gain!

I can't believe this is so shit. No wonder ART is "delayed". I was so hopeful that it couldn't be that bad, but when upon the first time I opened "dirac live" program and it went full screen with ~2-inch tall text across my 48" OLED monitor, I knew they fucked up.
(because it's a monitor, not a TV... ((gigabyte, not LG/Sony/etc)) And even if it was a literal TV, I've got it connected to a PC with PC output ((display port and 3840x2160, not HMDI and 4K)).)