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How to add Dirac to my setup?
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If you experience any issues with that setup, you also have two other options. If you're running Mojave or earlier you can substitute "Soundflower" for "BlackHole", which is more reliable in some cases. If you're still getting drop-outs, it's usually caused by clock drift and not because your computer can't keep up. The easiest way to get ironclad clocking is to add a digital out (Toslink/coax) to your computer, set Roon to output to that, connect it to the RME, set the RME up for full duplex, and then plug in the Dirac Live Processor as an AU plugin using AU Lab.
I just realized that you have the ADI-2 Pro, not the regular one. After skimming the manual, I don't think you even need to install any extra software (Blackhole or Soundflower) to get Dirac Live Processor running.
It looks like you can set the ADI-2 Pro to Multichannel Mode, then:
- connect a digital cable from the ADI-2 Pro to itself; I'll use AES as an example;
- configure Roon to output stereo to channels 5/6;
- configure AU Lab to input from channel 3/4;
- add Dirac Live Processor to AU Lab;
- configure AU Lab to output from channel 1/2.
This is an ideal setup because there's only one clock throughout.
direwolf08
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Thank you for posting this! I have been considering an "all-in-one" audio PC for my 2.1ch listening setup and looking for a guide on integrating Dirac Live into the signal path all on the PC. In the approach outlined in the guide, it looks like the following is possible:
Anything playing on the PC (CD player, iTunes, Spotify, etc) -> VST Dirac Plug-in -> USB DAC/integrated amp (Yamaha A-S801)
without having to adjust anything about the virtual cable or VST host in/out. Can you please confirm? If so, this is exactly what I wanted to do and it seems like an ideal solution from a cost, ease-of-use and simplicity standpoint as I won't have to put a miniDSP box between the pc and the A-S801. Thanks again!
Vasr
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Yes, with the additional clarification that
1. There is an initial set up and configuration of the VST Host as described in the guide but you don't have to touch it again after that. You will also need to set up the VST host application so that it starts running automatically after every reboot. But that is trivial.
2. This particular guide only works when you are outputting 2.0 to your DAC/integrated amp and the integration of the .1 to the sub (crossover/delay/channel balance) is done by the integrated amp. Dirac on the PC will only correct it as 2.0 full-range speakers. Since most USB DACs are 2.0, I assume this is what your situation is. You will need to make sure all the level and delay alignments are done downstream to integrate the sub to get the best results from Dirac as 2.0 correction.
If you want to do the 2.1 on the PC itself and send it out as 3 channels to a downstream unit, then you would need the multi-channel Dirac (additional cost) and use Voicemeeter instead of Virtual cable which is in the other guide at the Dirac site. But, as of now, bass management is not available for the PC yet as part of Dirac VST plug-in so it will have to be done outside it in software on the PC.
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Hi all,
Dirac is currently developing Dirac Live 3 with "Standalone" option.
When the Standalone option is used, there is no need to use DAW or player supporting AU, VST or AAX plugins, so no virtual cable is needed in such case.
There is a Dirac virtual audio device installed with DLP so the player (e.g. Roon) can use it as an audio device directly via WASAPI.
I am beta testing this version for few days now and all I can say is that it works seamlessly.
I am using my Windows laptop with Roon core running (not a dedicated music server, so the OS is not optimized in any way)
The HW config is as follows:
Win 10 Pro
CPU: i5-6200U
RAM: 8GB
CPU utilization < 15%
RAM utilization < 44%
The stable version should be available in the nearest future (hopefully in January 2021), if no major issues are detected during testing.
I was waiting for quite a long time for MiniDSP SHD Studio to become Roon certified, now I am convinced that running Dirac DRC Standalone SW on a dedicated PC with the Roon core instead makes much more sense (I don't need two devices, no sample rate limitations on DSP).
Thanks Dirac, great work!
Dirac is currently developing Dirac Live 3 with "Standalone" option.
When the Standalone option is used, there is no need to use DAW or player supporting AU, VST or AAX plugins, so no virtual cable is needed in such case.
There is a Dirac virtual audio device installed with DLP so the player (e.g. Roon) can use it as an audio device directly via WASAPI.
I am beta testing this version for few days now and all I can say is that it works seamlessly.
I am using my Windows laptop with Roon core running (not a dedicated music server, so the OS is not optimized in any way)
The HW config is as follows:
Win 10 Pro
CPU: i5-6200U
RAM: 8GB
CPU utilization < 15%
RAM utilization < 44%
The stable version should be available in the nearest future (hopefully in January 2021), if no major issues are detected during testing.
I was waiting for quite a long time for MiniDSP SHD Studio to become Roon certified, now I am convinced that running Dirac DRC Standalone SW on a dedicated PC with the Roon core instead makes much more sense (I don't need two devices, no sample rate limitations on DSP).
Thanks Dirac, great work!
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Just want to note that with this option, it will be a lot more difficult to enable/disable Dirac when you need to. For example, if you plug in headphones, you want to disable Dirac. This is easy with the SHD studio. With the PC, I doubt there is remote functionality built-in. (is there?)
watchnerd
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Hi, thanks, that's a fair point.
I agree this will not work for everyone, in my case however it can be achieved by two mouse clicks to disable/enable the filter in DLP (1. click to DLP on taskbar, 2. click to filter ON/OFF switch), since I will use the same PC to run both the Roon core and Roon app, so I will have full control over the PC and all apps using my mouse.
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Indeed, it's all about use cases.
I have a PC in my living room too, but found that dedicating that to gaming and rare desktop PC use on the big TV and having a separate hardware solution for music streaming and dirac was much more amenable to home automation
I have a PC in my living room too, but found that dedicating that to gaming and rare desktop PC use on the big TV and having a separate hardware solution for music streaming and dirac was much more amenable to home automation
Steve Dallas
Major Contributor
Timely thread. I have been pondering the same thing of late, and was trying to decide between the SHD and the VST host kluge. If they truly do release a standalone version, my decision is made for me. I already have a satisfactory USB DAC, and most music is played from my PC in my office. I would rather not buy more hardware and do not need the streaming features of the SHD.
Vasr
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Interesting. Isn't this what they had before they switched to the VST implementation? I guess the VST experiment didn't work out as well. Especially for multi-channel Dirac.
It is harder for them to maintain the specialized driver version (certify it, handle if any Windows update breaks it, etc) but definitely much more friendly to end-users.
However, there is one problem I can see if you are doing your own bass management and/or crossovers in the PC (as opposed to purchasing the bass management from Dirac itself assuming it is supported by the DLP).
If you are doing the BM/Xover upstream (with Roon/JRiver/..), the Dirac measurement won't use that and so filters won't be optimal.
You would need to a way to plumb the output of the virtual driver to your bass management/crossover software. If this can be set up inside Roon/JRiver as downstream of virtual driver, then other applications on the PC won't be able to use it.
Any insights into the above problem from your beta testing?
vavan
Senior Member
Never used multichannel dirac but what's the difference?
Vasr
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Windows (after XP) has a restriction that input sound devices (available through the Windows Audio Engine as record devices) can only be stereo, not multi-channel.
So virtual cable solutions (with a virtual "record" and "play" device ends) will not work to plumb the VST host into a multi-channel audio chain as you can't get a multi-channel "record" device (which is where the output from the VST Host would be available via the virtual cable).
You had to use something like Voicemeeter and go through a bunch of contortions to make it available systemwide. Or you have to depend on individual apps handling it themselves which wouldn't make it systemwide and in addition there were some VST version issues. Some of the apps that could use the VST had no ability to display the settings panel of the DLP which could limit the functionality which is a problem for 2 channel use too.
In other words, too much dependency on third party software to make it work which probably increased their support requests. With a virtual driver they have full control, easier integration for the end user but at additional development/maintenance costs for them.
@jerome , i already have the SHD studio, but if dirac mange to bring a good implementation in roon that will be something pretty interesting.
Few questions tough ...
Is there a resampling in the standalone version? SHD studio resamples everything to 96k ...
Does it works with DSD?
Is there a easy way to switch dirac on/off on the fly or you have to change the roon output? (not really a big deal but interesting)
Few questions tough ...
Is there a resampling in the standalone version? SHD studio resamples everything to 96k ...
Does it works with DSD?
Is there a easy way to switch dirac on/off on the fly or you have to change the roon output? (not really a big deal but interesting)
No. Dirac only works with PCM and the same can be said for almost all DSP.
Ok, yes ... question wasn't put right. Should be "what happens when you play DSD with dirac in the chain?". Just stops, or there is a DSD to PCM converter ?
I do not know about their latest stand-alone app but all the iterations I have used must be fed PCM by whatever is the source. Not a problem in most environments.
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Hi,
with regards to sampling rates, I noticed in Roon that the DSP sample rate converter does not allow me to set different target sample rates for each source sample rate, once I set the output device to Dirac virtual audio device. The only conversion possible is in Dira'c DLP where you can set a constant target conversion, e.g. to 192kHz. Roon then sets it's output to this rate for compatibility reasons (can be seen when looking at Roon's signal path).
I am not sure whether this sampling rate is the rate which DLP uses internally for DSP, or whether it is first downsampled to 96kHz, then DSP is performed and then it is upsampled again to the target sample rate. I will try to get the answer from developers, once they are back from holidays.
Reg. DSD, I believe this was answered already.
Reg. Switching Dirac ON/OFF - this can be performed either in the DLP directly or by changing the output device in Roon. Note that by switching the filter OFF in DLP you will not get a bit-perfect playback (I conducted RME's bit test with filter OFF and Gain @0.0dB in DLP (sample rate in DLP was set to the sample rate of the source material) with no success).
Best,
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