Has anyone seen a quantitative list (e.g. a poll) of user ratings for Dirac? I ask because I am astonished at the difference between what I hear versus what is publicly tossed about by professional reviewers (pundits, magazines, audio stores etc.). Nearly all rave about Dirac (including from many that I trust).
I have tried Dirac in two completely different rooms, two amps and three sets of speakers. I have tried it in its limited and its full license version. I have yet to hear it sound any better and usually worse. My own experience is roughly:
I was beginning to doubt my own hearing (I am getting old that's true HA).
But just yesterday, I went with a friend to a high end audio store and listened to something completely different: A high end McIntosh versus a high end Prima Luna, both running thru speakers I know well. We both agreed 1) there were significant differences and 2) we both agreed at what they were. (by the way, we liked the primaluna a lot more, but that's a different topic.) Point being my hearing was absolutely able to discern (and agree with my friend on) the difference just between two relatively high end and similarly competitive amps.
Back to the topic. I also don't think it should take exhaustive fine tuning, different calibration curves, or god forbid an 'expert' hired to run this. If it's that 'tricky' then it feels more like a science/nerd experiment than a ubiquitous tool for improvement (as it seems to be publicized as).
So here is my suggested poll if you want to participate:
Rate YOUR own experience with Dirac from A to E, where
Mike
I have tried Dirac in two completely different rooms, two amps and three sets of speakers. I have tried it in its limited and its full license version. I have yet to hear it sound any better and usually worse. My own experience is roughly:
- about 2/3 of the time it sounds worse...with less bass, less soundstage breadth
- about 1/3 of the time it has similar or slightly worse bass, with imaging that does 'centralize' the mid and high range, at the expense of a sense of instrument separation
I was beginning to doubt my own hearing (I am getting old that's true HA).
But just yesterday, I went with a friend to a high end audio store and listened to something completely different: A high end McIntosh versus a high end Prima Luna, both running thru speakers I know well. We both agreed 1) there were significant differences and 2) we both agreed at what they were. (by the way, we liked the primaluna a lot more, but that's a different topic.) Point being my hearing was absolutely able to discern (and agree with my friend on) the difference just between two relatively high end and similarly competitive amps.
Back to the topic. I also don't think it should take exhaustive fine tuning, different calibration curves, or god forbid an 'expert' hired to run this. If it's that 'tricky' then it feels more like a science/nerd experiment than a ubiquitous tool for improvement (as it seems to be publicized as).
So here is my suggested poll if you want to participate:
Rate YOUR own experience with Dirac from A to E, where
- A - outstanding/big improvement/difference
- B - good improvement/worth it, not game changing, may use sometimes
- C - no change or no significant advantage with/without Dirac on
- D - marginally worse than without Dirac, not preferred, don't use it
- E - significantly worse sounding, definitely prefer my system without it
Mike