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Room measurement comparisons with Dspeaker Antimode and MiniDSP/Dirac

KxDx

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This is just some quick and dirty testing to compare the results of using a MiniDSP DDRC-22D w/ Dirac 3, and a Dspeaker Antimode 2.0, since I currently have both units in my possession. All measurements are taken with UMIK/REW and variable smoothing. No sub, just 2 large speakers. I have GIK corner bass traps in 2 corners, thick curtains over the windows, 2x2 panels behind those curtains, and 4x2 panels at first reflection points.

1.jpg


My room is a disaster right now. It's basically in a "put shit wherever it can fit" state, at least until summer. To make room for our temporary guests My wife had to move her computer and desk up there, and "things" are just accumulating. Once I have my room back, I'm going to get a new computer desk without the side risers (currently have Ikea Fredde desk), and move the audio to a short wall instead of the long wall. For right now, I just play the hand I'm dealt.

I only did a single MLP measurement with Antimode. The Dirac calibration is based on the "tightly focused" measurement since I use an office chair at the computer desk. I didn't do a lot of advanced tweaking because I just wanted to show the basic response corrections these products create.

To keep from losing my mind with disconnecting and reconnecting, I have the system routed as such: PC (SPDIF) > MiniDSP > DAC > Antimode (Analog in/out) > Amp. I just put the MiniDSP in bypass mode to calibrate/use the Antimode, and vice versa.

2.jpg


This is initial room measurement with no processing. The 40Hz peak dominates, and the primary dips of concern are at 63Hz, 100Hz, and 130Hz:

3.jpg


Here's the default antimode curve (I used Advanced Calibration to extend the processing up to 300Hz):

4.jpg


It's rather flat, so I bumped up the bass to +6 with the remote (close to same LF boost I use on my Dirac filter). Here's the +6 overlaid with the 0dB so you can see the bass boost range (it lifts the whole range you choose for calibration):

5.jpg


Dirac's original calculated curve had a 5.5dB LF boost but I made a filter with +7dB that my ears preferred (shown here):

6.jpg


Here are all 4 measurements overlaid- no processing, Antimode "flat," Antimode Bass +6, and Dirac:

7.jpg


You can see that Dirac holds a plateau up to 45Hz, whereas Antimode has a more linear slope in the low end. In my limited comparative listening I really couldn't hear one sounding much different from the other. Mind you, I have a lot of people living in the house right now so I can't really enjoy my system as intended anyway. Both still offer smoother low end than the one-note bass I was originally living with.

Antimode is a little more aggressive with that 145Hz bump than Dirac. Not sure why that's there in the first place, but until I clear and rearrange my room, I won't bother investigating it.

Dirac flattens that hump between 2.5-5KHz. The Antimode 2.0 doesn’t tweak frequencies that high.

If using a PC, I'd recommend the MiniDSP/Dirac route because the GUI makes tweaks so much easier. On a standalone system with no computer involved, the Antimode 2.0 is still more than capable.
 

tw99

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Interesting comparison, thanks for sharing. Similar to my experience with the Antimode and now SHD.
 

zakazak

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I would be very curious how the DSPeaker X2 compares to that.
I will get mine in a few days but I have no Dirac device to compare.
Also, the only mic that I have is the one that comes with DSPeaker X2.
 

Soundstage

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thanks for the effort. Could you please also present the effects on phase correction and / or group delay?
 

sigbergaudio

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Could you share a 20-20k version of the graph with the corrected Dirac vs corrected Antimode including your bass tilt? So just two graphs, Dirac vs Antimode.
 
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KxDx

KxDx

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Could you share a 20-20k version of the graph with the corrected Dirac vs corrected Antimode including your bass tilt? So just two graphs, Dirac vs Antimode.
I'll do that tonight or tomorrow. I also want to make a house curve on the Antimode to approximate the Dirac filter and see how close I can get. I took it out of the chain because I plan to move it to the living room system, but it won't take long to get it back in place.
 

sigbergaudio

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Nice to see that even the Antimode 2.0 Dual Core (which is actually a decade old at this point) looks to be pretty close to Dirac.
 
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KxDx

KxDx

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So the Antimode House Curve is more or less the Bass control but with more fine tuning of the slope. Here's Bass +6 versus house curve with Tilt 9 (max) Lift 6:

126a.jpg


Indistinguishable.

This is the Dirac +7 filter against the Antimode +6 bass, full range.

126b.jpg
 
OP
KxDx

KxDx

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So I bought a DDRC-22A (keeping the chain digital would have been unnecessarily complex) for my 2.0 living room system, and did the measurements and calibration yesterday.

I was even more impressed with what Dirac did with that setup! I will make a new thread in the next day or so.
 

zakazak

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So I bought a DDRC-22A (keeping the chain digital would have been unnecessarily complex) for my 2.0 living room system, and did the measurements and calibration yesterday.

I was even more impressed with what Dirac did with that setup! I will make a new thread in the next day or so.

You mean DDRC-22A compared to X2?
 
OP
KxDx

KxDx

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You mean DDRC-22A compared to X2?
I have the Antimode 2.0, not the X2 unfortunately. X2 isn't available for sale in the US. If I have time this coming weekend and the house is quiet (AKA they take the grandkids somewhere for a few hours) I might calibrate the living room with the Dualcore and measure, but no guarantees there. For now I only have living room measurements with the MiniDSP. I plan to post that in a new thread tonight or tomorrow night.
 

Kegemusha

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Interesting, and after these calibration, which one sounded better? Music with Dirac or Antimode one?
 
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KxDx

KxDx

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Interesting, and after these calibration, which one sounded better? Music with Dirac or Antimode one?
My subjective bias preferred the Dirac. Their algorithm corrects in the time domain as well as frequency, and I definitely perceive an improved soundstage in both the upstairs and downstairs systems.

In either case, the improved bass response make these devices easily worth the money.
 
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