Great video, guys. I got my first Dirac Live processor last fall, and watched a ton of videos to try and get up to speed. I wish this one had been available back then, as it would have saved me a ton of time, confusion, and uncertainty. This should really help somebody get great results in the shortest amount of time, with the least frustration.
Great guide for Dirac. I really appreciate how the video breaks down the different parts, especially the volume calibration where some people get stuck.
Thank you. Another helpful video from Audio Advice. The reminder that Dirac does not auto update is a great one - need to periodically check for updates. I also find the auto generated Dirac curves to be pretty good. One quirk i run into occasionally is that i can't raise the global volume to correct a low signal to noise ratio. I raise the global volume bar in the Dirac volume screen, but i can hear in testing that the actual volume has not changed and when i go back to the Dirac volume screen the global volume is back to the default level.
Yes, I just bought a new sound processor and I'm new to Dirac, how did you know? 😁 Seriously, this has to be the best tutorial for the Dirac software! I just did set up my new NAD M10 V3 a few hours ago and the Dirac app is....... well...... not very intuitive. So now after watching this video I do have way more clue what is going on. Well done! 😎👍
Great tutorial! Do you mind clarifying the statement that " speakers have different response curves at different volume levels"? Speaker frequency response should not change unless it is driven so loud that it starts to compress.
Every speaker has a slightly different response curve as you change the volume. It usually changes more at higher levels, but changing from a low volume to mid volume, the response will change. Manufacturers try to use drives to make it as smooth as possible across volume levels, but given that your woofer and tweeter are made of physical materials, the response has to change some as the volume changes. You are right that the is to minimize those changes. I think his point was that if you are striving for the best calibration, then you would set it at the volume you listen at to be as close to that volume level impact as possible. Hope that helps.
This is the best dirac live tutorial up to date I've seen and I've watched them all. Lot of great information especially in regards to setting your recording levels and mic placement. Is there a place to get and try out the curves you guys have?
Glad you enjoyed it. We hope you will consider Audio Advice for your future home theater and home audio needs. Supporting our small business enables us to provide content and help like this. www.audioadvice.com/audio-advice-dirac-target-curves
Probably the best tutorial on this software. Not least because it is short and concise but explained in detail. I still have one question: If I adjust something in Dirac Live® and then make adjustments in Bass Control™, the previous settings are reset. Does that mean that I cannot adjust anything in Dirac Live® if I want to use Bass Control™ for adjustments?
We've done testing with the Umik vs the mics that come with the JBL SDP58 and have found very minor differences. If you have the extra budget, go for it. But you can still get extremely close results without it.
Thanks for helping simplify what seems like a very complex process. Out of interest, the Onkyo RZ50 has 2 subwoofer out but they are not controlled discretely. Would that require the single sub or multi sub upgrade?
I have the Onkyo RZ50 in a 5.1.2 system(sorry I purchased this AVR a couple years ago before I knew of Audio Advice). I have run Dirac Live, but did so using the Onkyo Controller app. Does running it from the website make a difference compared to the app? And is there any other way to obtain the Audio Advice target curves? I can only imagine they are leaps and bounds better than what I was able to achieve on my own.
The PC and Mac Dirac apps have become much more powerful so we would recommend you use it on a computer if possible. Email us at video@audioadvice.com and we'll take care of you!
@@AudioAdvice Also on the measuring circles that are above the couch on on the dirac app are those to measure behind the couch or high above the couch? I have no back rows.
This video makes all of this so much more clear. I never really understood where to the put the microphone. In fact, I did it wrong looking the image in the program. I am excited to go fix it and follow your guide. Nice guide!
Thank you , this is a great tutorial. I wish we could have in Europe such a level of knowledge and support. I'm currently building 5.2.4 system for cinema and stereo based on Cinema 40 and Sonus Faber Sonetto. I love the high tones of SF and hope that subwoofers will improve the bass. Should I ran two different calibrations , one for home cinema and one for music? Should I in the second case limit the Dirac to 1-5 kHz?
@@AudioAdvice a foot? That is a lot ,in the Video you say the opposite or it seems that you show only little distance🤔😁do you make different distances with Tight , Focussed and Wide imaging?
@@texxhexxmm It really depends on your definition of tight or focused If you always sit in the exact same spot, with the exact same recline, imagine a sphere as wide as your ears and measure there. But if you are like most people who may sit not perfectly centered and with different reclines, you need a wider area. For more technical questions, if you purchased your Dirac unit from Audio Advice, please feel free to reach out to our tech support team.
I couldn’t keep up with your directions on volume calibration…. Even after pausing and going back. Is the gain the blue line? I have two Focal 936 towers. How do we decide what to set the gains at relative to the black lines or the noise floor? My normal listening master output is -50 db. My left and right towers played at -19. Db respectively. My sub put out at -3.8 db. My noise floor was -58. Db. Any further recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
It’s can be a complicated process. You can set YT to a slower playback speed to make it easier to follow. If you purchased your gear from Audio Advice we are happy to help you with more extended tech support. Thanks for watching.
They are both extremely powerful tools and will get you a very similar result. We've tested both extensively and don't favor one over the other. And honestly, the software for both has become very user friendly and we have guides for both so they are about the same! Thanks for watching!
It has a bit better resolution, but whether you will notice the difference depends on how good your system is. If you already have the 1, you are probably ok, but if starting out, and the difference is $$ is not significant to you, then we suggest people start with the 2. Hope that helps
I hear some reviewers say that Dirac is the best sounding calibration, I also hear some reviewers say Sony’s 3D mapping is the most immersive sound best sounding receiver at the moment. Which one sounds the best to you guys?
Thanks for the reply! I’m very interested in auto calibrations as I feel like that’s probably the most important aspect of a receiver when it comes to delivering the most accurate and articulate sound quality. That would def be a video I would watch! I’ve also recently learned that Sony’s calibration doesn’t do any EQ in the subwoofer department, which is very disappointing! From everything I’ve been learning, it seems that Dirac is the best on the market at the moment…
Hey guys! Incredible video thank you for the great content! I have a question, i have calibrated my setup multiple times correctly, but after calibration the phantom center is gone, imaging all over the place. Have not had this problem before but now I cant solve it. You have any ideas?
Great setup video, thanks. For DLBC, do you recommend leaving the suggested crossover or changing it to 80 hz? It always recommends 70 hz for the LR pair in my system.
How to adjust with full-range speakers and no subwoofer(s) on Onkyo TX-RZ50? I also have a second zone in my bathroom with the internal amplifiers and a third zone on preamp control with a separate amp for the kitchen and dining room. Do I have to calibrate each zone independently?
For serious systems yes, it is a lower distortion, more accurate mic. However the 1 is still miles ahead of all of the ones included with units. Thanks for watching
Hi, thanks for the very helpful video. My 2.1 system's measurements are between -40 to -60 dB. The software said they were successful. However, your measurements are mostly louder (-20 to -40). Was mine too quiet?
If DLBC sets the crossovers below the ones recommended by the manufacturer, should we keep them or set them to the manufacturer minimum recommended frequency?
I am using Dirac for stereo. My 3 sub are connected to a MiniDSP 2x4 HD. And the MiniDSP is connected to my pre-amp. My stereo am are also connected to my pre-amp. The prea-amp has balanced and unbalanced output. How can I use Dirac Bass Control?
The hardware needs to support it. Mini DSP has some devices that support Dirac Live, but we do not know of any that support Live Bass. One of the few pieces we know of that is stereo and does Live Bass is the brand new NAD M66 streamer/preamp www.audioadvice.com/nad-master-series-m66 We also did a video overview of it
Nicely done. BUT, you had the infamous "Resample" and blew right by it. Are you suggesting it's not important to re-do? This is a common error I'm getting and its really annoying. But thanks for this very informative video. By the way, why not make the curves available to all? I use the Harmon Kardon curves at present and they seem to work pretty well. Are yours better perhaps?
I have 4 subs 2 are 18” and the other 2 are 15”. How do I limit the lower end HZ for the smaller subs without limiting the larger subs. I haven’t been able to figure it out yet. Unless it does it automatically?
It was a great video but you never mentioned converting shelves to control points and individually adjusting control points. I think this is important because what if Dirac doesn't do a great job of adjusting a specific frequency and you need to make some manual adjustments. Do you know if there is anyway in Dirac to actually see the filters. Dirac shows what the corrected response will look like but doesn't show how it got there, seems this would be helpful to understand when making individual control point adjustments. REW and the minidsp software actually shows you the equalizing filter so you know what it's doing. Thanks,
Thank you, this was aimed more at people just getting into this and we tried not to get extremely technical like you can with REW. We do not know a way to see the filters
thank you for sharing all this info, this is great. thank you. question, is it better to plug the mic to the AVR or on the computer ? when plugged on the computer, figured that properties setting affect dirac. inside device properties, advanced tab, change default format. my UMIK2 is on "2 channels, 32 bits, 48000 Hz". is dirac as prefered one ?
Amazing video. RZ50 here. Dirac live full bass control is about to drop according to Dirac’s website to add to the Dirac Live Room Correction Full Bandwidth preinstalled. Wondering if I should get a UMIK-1 or if the 2 has benefits for a home theater calibration.
In the same camp as you (UMIK shows up tomorrow). Note that our AVR (RZ50) treats the two sub outputs as one channel, I'm not sure if the $300 I spent on DLBC was worth it or not yet. Your thoughts?
@@Shereika1 I finally made the calibration a few days ago without Bass Control (still don't know if it's worth it). I have one RSLSpeaker Speedwoofer 10S sub and Focal Chora 826-D + 806 in the back and the central speaker. The calibration took longer than I wanted but definitely worth it. I think I should have rewatched this video again before starting. Not sure if the Dirac Live's Bass Control is worth it for me. I've got 70Hz crossover set for all speakers and as stated here I got a lot less bass despite adjusting bass up. My RZ50 did have a -15dB level offset applied to the sub which I bumped to -5dB and made things much better. It's like I have new speakers!
I’ve always had this one question before I can even get started. How do I use this if I don’t have a receiver on the Dirac website? I have a McIntosh C8 preamp.
No that happens in the beginning and is more about getting the level correct for calibration. If you are trying to raise the volume of a speaker afterwards, you can either go in and raise the whole target curve for that speaker and rerun the calcs (better) or just go into your AVR/processor and raise the level. For more technical questions, if you purchased your unit from Audio Advice please feel free to reach out to our tech support team. Thanks for watching
I have an Onkyo RZ50, which has only one subwoofer output, but I have 2 subwoofers in my home theater. If I upgrade to Dirac Bass Control, I assume that the processor will send the same exact signal to both subwoofers. Is this correct? Would the use of a MiniDsp 2x4HD help this issue?
I have a denon 4700 and i just upgraded to denon 4800 . I ran audessey with 4 subs and it sounds great . However , idid have to go back and change the crossovers and chamge speakers to small and used spl meter to change all my speakers to run 75 db . Ot sounds amazing so the question is should i try dirac live or just be satisfied with what audessey did . Is it a bog change from audessey to dirac? If not then ill keep what i have, thank u.
@@AudioAdvicemore or less. i uninstalled the latest Driver because Line is Not correct(?) .In generell the gain /Input with Umik 2 is lower compared to Umik 1. And i get failure Always on Front Up left meassurement.I tricked IT by unplug mic.But Buggy Dirac in general.
I want my centre channel to be louder. Would I just set the gain higher for the centre in the volume calibration menu? Like if my mains were -30dB, have the centre sit around -33dB and the end result will be 3dB higher?
Am I correct in that I place my subwoofer dB in volume calibration to match the loudest speaker and then adjust the volume knob on my subwoofer to match with the rest of my speakers dB levels?
Does it make a significant difference ,If i Run stereo music via my 5.2.4 Bass Control Configuration Set stereo/native Input on my Marantz Cinema 50 compared to make a 2.2 stereo Configuration with Umik 2 pointed at speaker? Then i also have to make decision if i Run 2.0 or 2.2 😮😅
That is personal preference. Some people like the sound all around them and others prefer the mix as it was in the studio. But your mic should point up, not at the speaker
@@AudioAdvice i meant for Stereo only! Better do a separate Configuration and calibration or Just leave the 5.2.4 Configuration and select stereo (native) in that Configuration on AVR;)
Maybe still unclear to you: i have one Setup 5.2.4 and for Stereo source i play native, No upmixing etc .But calibration is still based on the 5.2.4. I Wonder If a seperate stereo calibration/Configuration Sounds Superior due to mic dorection 0° degree with stereo.
@@AudioAdvice I mean with my Dirac I have the option for Dirac Live Bass Management (not control). I saw your video on DLBM but I don't understand it much. Under DLBC do I for example set all speakers to 80hz including the subs or just the speakers?
You can certainly spread your measurements out over a larger area. Our some AVRs and processors allow for two Dirac slots where you can do one for a single seat and one for all the seats. Thanks for watching
An excellent video. However, I am still unable to apply Dirac Live on my Arcam AVR-11 receiver. I have tried everything to get rid of the error Ireceive when I run my first position. Doing everything you and others have suggested I still gt an rror indicating the room is too noisy. I don't hear any noise in the room and I raised the mic levels aaaaaand other levels to counteract what ever noise the mic is picking up. I would like to know if you can refer me to someone in north New Jersey who could do the setup for me.
Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry you are having trouble. If you purchased your Arcam from Audio Advice, please reach out to our team for tech help. Otherwise you should contact the dealer you purchased it from to get help.
Hi @BarbaraGreenberg, I have the Arcam AVR11 and fought this exact battle. What finally fixed it for me was to move the main mic gain up into the red zone. I use the Umik1 microphone, if that helps. The AVR11 is sure a challenging AVR to get properly setup, but boy does it sound lovely once you manage it. Good luck!
Just ran Direc Live on my IPAD through the App after adding a subwoofer to 2 channel system. Unfortunately I don’t have the option to select a recording Device, volume calibration, and select arrangement. Any assistance would be appreciated to troubleshoot this matter. Thank you.
You said not to adjust the left curtain? Bass control had the default curtain at 20hz on my subs, but my subs can play down to 14hz. Should I leave it at 20 or bring it down to 14hz?
I used the Onkyo app and it transferred the calibration to the receiver however, when I go on the Onkyo app or Dirac app download I do not have any calibrations to be able to look at or modify. Is this because it didn't take to begin with?
That is hard to diagnose without having more details. If you purchased your Onkyo from Audio Advice, please reach out to our team for tech support. If not, please contact the dealer you purchased it from.
Some units will come with a version of Dirac for free. It may include full bandwidth with the option to add bass control or come with both. Some units, will be Dirac-enabled which means it is capable of running Dirac, but you will have to buy your own licenses at full price to use it. I hope that helps. If you have more questions, chat or call us at audioadvice.com!
If you have or ever plan to get 2 subs, the 805 has independent sub control, the 505 does not. We hope you will purchase your 805 from Audio Advice to support our channel and small business. Thanks for watching
@AudioAdvice I have the lx505 bought from Best Buy. I plan on getting the lx805 directly from your store or your store through Amazon, but only if you think it will be a great upgrade since I have only 2 subs, not more, where dlbc may be better.
@@arielstereo5484 Yes, there will be no way to adjust each sub separately on the 505, plus the amp section on the 805 is more robust. www.audioadvice.com/home-theater/home-theater-components/home-theater-receivers/pioneer-vsx-lx805-11-4-channel-av-receiver
@@arielstereo5484 With two sub outs Dirac can do so much more. Each sub will be in a different part of your room thus having different acoustic characteristics. Dirac LB will then be able to adjust each one independently for the very best performance, especially how well they blend with your mains. Please feel free to reach out to our team for a conversation, we live and breathe this stuff.
I have the rz 50 and on the app looks like I can save 3 different settings and also take it off as well haven't really messed with it tho. I will say that I have watched this video a few times and been trying to get this right but this last try I did a couple hours ago really improved the sound a lot
@@AudioAdvice I asked,because dirac said once,adjust the master volume to your normal lstening level- i listen at around +60db (so i think dirac master is turned around like reference setting.So it should be around -20 db i think ;)
I have a separate RZ50 hooked up to my heights and rear surrounds with no way of connecting my other channels to the pre outs of the avr. Is it possible to run Dirac for just these channels or will the software fail and error out since the mic won't detect a signal from the rest of the channels that are not run off this avr....
If you're using DBC (and ART if you have it) aren't you supposed to leave all your speakers set to large with no crossover and let DBC decide how it wants to manage them together? Edit: must remember to watch full videos before commenting lol. They have now changed it though right? Or is that just an ART thing?
I have one question. I built my own 3 way speakers at a pretty good level. I love the sound of them without any eq. But they are only built to handle the area of 80-20k hertz. So I built 2 subs that take care off 15-80 hz. If I drag the curtain to say 300 hz it still does alot of impact on the imaging on higher frequencys. Have you experienced that also? I want to keep my great 2ch sound and still use dirac power to controll the bass and crossover. But this is bothering me alot!
Thank you for watching our video. You should try lower. If you purchased your gear from Audio Advice we are happy to provide more extensive technical assistance.
@@AudioAdvice Thanks for answear. I did drag the curtins to 150hz and that made it. Now I can have one filter for enjoying 2.1ch sound without messing to much with the sound above the bass. Thanks again.
Do I need to load a microphone calibration file if I’m using the basic puck microphone that came with the my Onkyo RZ50? This mic plugs directly into my receiver, not a usb mic. If so where can I find that calibration file?
Hey, i have the rz50 and if you buy the umik 1, your will not hear much of a difference after calibration. The puck that comes with the receiver does a pretty good job, i have both and i made dozens of measurements and compare them. My conclusion is the umik 1 makes you look cooler while measuring.. It makes you feel like you are a PRO. But the results are similar. And the results from the software on the computer for some reason sound better than the results from the app. Bass was always louder when calibrating dirac app on my phone. Bass was tighter and cleaner when calibrating dirac on my laptop. I kept the umik 1 because i bought a minidsp 2x4 for my subs. If you have the cash go for it.
@@cizcalodiablopanzonthanks for your input. I’ve been content with just the puck mic for now. Perhaps if I ever get another subwoofer I’ll spring for it. Thanks!
Any idea why Dirac on my laptop keeps telling me position measured but I imprecise? I'm using a laptop and a umik microphone. The main position, very first measurement.
Sorry, we do not know why you are seeing that. If you purchased your product from Audio Advice, we are happy to help. Please reach out to our tech support if you did.
Umik1 w/90 calibration + RZ50 + klipsch R115SW subwoofer: Everytime I try to calibrate, it sets my sub DB to -13ish. With that config, while watching a movie, the sub doesnt even turn on (its so low). I set it the same as the other speakers during volume calib. I figured maybe it finds it too loud while doing the tests, so I clear the points, set the sub 10DB lower volume in the volume calib, try again... same result. Ive found tons of comments with people having same issue, but have not found a solution. Any ideas?
Sorry you are having trouble. It could be a number of things. If you purchased your RZ50 from Audio Advice we will be happy to help troubleshoot with you.
If you have many seats then yes you will want to move it to the other seats. If you only have one seat then you will want it to be a tighter focus. We've done a lot of testing and the best results are the way we do it in this video. Hope that helps!
@@AudioAdvice and the order of meassurements is really Not important?? When a Project is done can i re-measure? I think i only can do this while the Project is running, meaning not beiing saved.
Ok. you got to go into Marantz and turn off speakers not in use. That will get rid of signal noise issue. Kept getting issues about lost signal or stuff preventing balanced levels but loaded it to Cinema 50 and John Wick sounded even better then ever.
Yes, Dirac is not needed to get great results! However, with their latest update, they've worked hard to minimize the bugs in the software. It's been working much better for us recently!
We are not hearing that at all on any of the playback systems we have tested it on. Glad you liked to guide.
18 часов назад
Dirac Live is temperamental, a pain in the ass, and riddled with error mssgs. What should take 15 mins usually takes an hour and 15 mins due to the incessant "Noise to Sound" error messages. Be prepared to have 12 of your 20 attempts to calibrate come back with errors. Hard enough to find silence without dogs barking and planes flying overhead to then get constant errors.
Great video, guys. I got my first Dirac Live processor last fall, and watched a ton of videos to try and get up to speed. I wish this one had been available back then, as it would have saved me a ton of time, confusion, and uncertainty. This should really help somebody get great results in the shortest amount of time, with the least frustration.
Thanks for the kind words!
Great guide for Dirac. I really appreciate how the video breaks down the different parts, especially the volume calibration where some people get stuck.
Glad it was helpful!
I sure wish I had this guide when I set my Marantz up. Its the little details you all seem to always get that make your advice great. Thanks.
Thanks!
Several years ago i became the proud owner of a processor with dirac. Today im getting to it.
Glad we could be helpful
great video , thank you. Dirac should be putting out content like this.
Thanks so much!
Finally, some clarity on setting levels!
Thanks for watching, glad we could help!
Yes! That was also the advice I took home.
I struggled getting my levels right. Watched your video and followed it exactly, and its so much easier. Thank you!
Thank you! We hope you will consider Audio Advice for your future home theater or home audio needs.
The detail here is welcomed. Thorough and easy to follow. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Thank you. Another helpful video from Audio Advice. The reminder that Dirac does not auto update is a great one - need to periodically check for updates. I also find the auto generated Dirac curves to be pretty good. One quirk i run into occasionally is that i can't raise the global volume to correct a low signal to noise ratio. I raise the global volume bar in the Dirac volume screen, but i can hear in testing that the actual volume has not changed and when i go back to the Dirac volume screen the global volume is back to the default level.
Thanks for the feedback. We have been working with Dirac and it's helpful to hear issues customers may have. Thanks for watching!
What a guide to help me setup my new receiver, perfect timing!
Great to hear!
Listening to what Dirac Bass Control can do to a 3 or 4 subwoofer system is really impressive. So much smoother and cleaner.
Totally agreed! Thanks for watching 😁
Thank you so much for making this process easier! Wonderful customer service!
Thanks so much!
Great info. And rest assured, if you are not technically into this, you can count on the Audio Advice team to do this for you!
You got that right!
Nice informative video. Hope people take advantage of having this guidance available to them!
Us too!
Yes, I just bought a new sound processor and I'm new to Dirac, how did you know? 😁
Seriously, this has to be the best tutorial for the Dirac software! I just did set up my new NAD M10 V3 a few hours ago and the Dirac app is....... well...... not very intuitive. So now after watching this video I do have way more clue what is going on. Well done! 😎👍
Great to hear!
Great tutorial! Do you mind clarifying the statement that " speakers have different response curves at different volume levels"? Speaker frequency response should not change unless it is driven so loud that it starts to compress.
Every speaker has a slightly different response curve as you change the volume. It usually changes more at higher levels, but changing from a low volume to mid volume, the response will change. Manufacturers try to use drives to make it as smooth as possible across volume levels, but given that your woofer and tweeter are made of physical materials, the response has to change some as the volume changes. You are right that the is to minimize those changes. I think his point was that if you are striving for the best calibration, then you would set it at the volume you listen at to be as close to that volume level impact as possible. Hope that helps.
Looks like Drake has you covered!
This is the best dirac live tutorial up to date I've seen and I've watched them all. Lot of great information especially in regards to setting your recording levels and mic placement. Is there a place to get and try out the curves you guys have?
Glad you enjoyed it. We hope you will consider Audio Advice for your future home theater and home audio needs. Supporting our small business enables us to provide content and help like this. www.audioadvice.com/audio-advice-dirac-target-curves
Should I apply Harmann target curve to all groups after bass control calculation or before? Thanks for the helpful video
Imteresting with the analog Input advice.I Had it on Blu Ray all the time and therer where little noises Like clicks after the sinus sweep was done😅
Glad we could help! Thanks for sharing
@@AudioAdvice no noises anymore.
@@texxhexxmm Glad we could be helpful, we hope you will consider supporting Audio Advice for your future home theater needs.
Probably the best tutorial on this software. Not least because it is short and concise but explained in detail. I still have one question: If I adjust something in Dirac Live® and then make adjustments in Bass Control™, the previous settings are reset. Does that mean that I cannot adjust anything in Dirac Live® if I want to use Bass Control™ for adjustments?
How much better is the Umik you used vs the mic that comes with it? Is it necessary to get the better mic to make Dirac work well?
We've done testing with the Umik vs the mics that come with the JBL SDP58 and have found very minor differences. If you have the extra budget, go for it. But you can still get extremely close results without it.
Excellent tutorial
I was waiting for long time very useful information
Glad to hear that! 😁
Is there any Feedback about the newest Firmware from Dirac?
Thanks for helping simplify what seems like a very complex process. Out of interest, the Onkyo RZ50 has 2 subwoofer out but they are not controlled discretely. Would that require the single sub or multi sub upgrade?
You are most welcome, glad you enjoyed it. Just the single sub.
I have the Onkyo RZ50 in a 5.1.2 system(sorry I purchased this AVR a couple years ago before I knew of Audio Advice). I have run Dirac Live, but did so using the Onkyo Controller app. Does running it from the website make a difference compared to the app? And is there any other way to obtain the Audio Advice target curves? I can only imagine they are leaps and bounds better than what I was able to achieve on my own.
The PC and Mac Dirac apps have become much more powerful so we would recommend you use it on a computer if possible. Email us at video@audioadvice.com and we'll take care of you!
@@AudioAdvice Thank you for the feedback and I'll shoot you an email now. Much appreciated.
The app sucks compared to the pc program.
I have a sectional couch. Should I do focused imaging or wide imaging?
Depends on what you want. If it is mostly just you and you and another, focused, but if a crowd, wide. Thanks for watching
@@AudioAdvice Also on the measuring circles that are above the couch on on the dirac app are those to measure behind the couch or high above the couch? I have no back rows.
This video makes all of this so much more clear. I never really understood where to the put the microphone. In fact, I did it wrong looking the image in the program. I am excited to go fix it and follow your guide. Nice guide!
Thanks! Yes, if you follow this video, your calibration is likely to be much better! Have fun!
Does the sub gain need to be on low prior to the calibration?
Before you start to adjust levels, yes, then you can play with things
Another Excellent instructional video by AA! Greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much! Glad it was helpful
Great info! Would you say DLBC is more necessary if you have more than two subs?
Thank you and yes, the more subs you have the more you benefit. Thanks for watching
Excellent tutorial!
Thank you! Cheers!
Thank you , this is a great tutorial. I wish we could have in Europe such a level of knowledge and support. I'm currently building 5.2.4 system for cinema and stereo based on Cinema 40 and Sonus Faber Sonetto. I love the high tones of SF and hope that subwoofers will improve the bass. Should I ran two different calibrations , one for home cinema and one for music? Should I in the second case limit the Dirac to 1-5 kHz?
Great questions! Feel free to call or chat with our team of experts at audioadvice.com and they can help you out with this!
I also have SF Sonetto's, just wondering what subs you're using..
What is your recommendation for distance left right,Up down in Inches?
Did you mean if you are doing a focused cal?
@@AudioAdvice yes,i use focussed but actually tight
@@texxhexxmm We would still go up and down about a foot and left and right about the same from the first point. But feel free to experiment.
@@AudioAdvice a foot? That is a lot ,in the Video you say the opposite or it seems that you show only little distance🤔😁do you make different distances with Tight , Focussed and Wide imaging?
@@texxhexxmm It really depends on your definition of tight or focused If you always sit in the exact same spot, with the exact same recline, imagine a sphere as wide as your ears and measure there. But if you are like most people who may sit not perfectly centered and with different reclines, you need a wider area. For more technical questions, if you purchased your Dirac unit from Audio Advice, please feel free to reach out to our tech support team.
I couldn’t keep up with your directions on volume calibration…. Even after pausing and going back. Is the gain the blue line? I have two Focal 936 towers. How do we decide what to set the gains at relative to the black lines or the noise floor? My normal listening master output is -50 db. My left and right towers played at -19. Db respectively. My sub put out at -3.8 db. My noise floor was -58. Db. Any further recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
It’s can be a complicated process. You can set YT to a slower playback speed to make it easier to follow. If you purchased your gear from Audio Advice we are happy to help you with more extended tech support. Thanks for watching.
Hey team, which one would you say is better and more easier to use, Dirac live bass, or Anthem arc gennis?? 🤔
They are both extremely powerful tools and will get you a very similar result. We've tested both extensively and don't favor one over the other. And honestly, the software for both has become very user friendly and we have guides for both so they are about the same! Thanks for watching!
if I have UMIK 1, will there be any (better) difference if I buy UMIK 2?
It has a bit better resolution, but whether you will notice the difference depends on how good your system is. If you already have the 1, you are probably ok, but if starting out, and the difference is $$ is not significant to you, then we suggest people start with the 2. Hope that helps
I hear some reviewers say that Dirac is the best sounding calibration, I also hear some reviewers say Sony’s 3D mapping is the most immersive sound best sounding receiver at the moment. Which one sounds the best to you guys?
Sony's is very good! We are big fans of Dirac, Sony and Arc Genesis. They are all pretty comparable. Maybe it's time we do a head to head of them all!
Thanks for the reply! I’m very interested in auto calibrations as I feel like that’s probably the most important aspect of a receiver when it comes to delivering the most accurate and articulate sound quality. That would def be a video I would watch! I’ve also recently learned that Sony’s calibration doesn’t do any EQ in the subwoofer department, which is very disappointing! From everything I’ve been learning, it seems that Dirac is the best on the market at the moment…
How far Up and down /distance inbetween the Positions you Go.I Go 10cm Up down compared to MLP.
30-40cm from point to Point.
Excellent tutorial. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Hey guys! Incredible video thank you for the great content! I have a question, i have calibrated my setup multiple times correctly, but after calibration the phantom center is gone, imaging all over the place. Have not had this problem before but now I cant solve it. You have any ideas?
Interesting. You will be best to reach out to our experts at audioadvice.com to see if they can look into this for you!
Unless I missed it, Dirac Live on Onkyo TX-RZ50 has different software/ control screens. Can’t make adjustments as shown in this video.
Thanks for the feedback. We will look into it.
Great setup video, thanks. For DLBC, do you recommend leaving the suggested crossover or changing it to 80 hz? It always recommends 70 hz for the LR pair in my system.
Thanks, you should just try both ways and see which one you prefer.
How to adjust with full-range speakers and no subwoofer(s) on Onkyo TX-RZ50? I also have a second zone in my bathroom with the internal amplifiers and a third zone on preamp control with a separate amp for the kitchen and dining room. Do I have to calibrate each zone independently?
You just tell it your speakers are full range and that you have no subs. Dirac only applies to your main zone.
Umik 2 recommend/Upgrade to umik 1?
For serious systems yes, it is a lower distortion, more accurate mic. However the 1 is still miles ahead of all of the ones included with units. Thanks for watching
Compared to Umik 1 with Dirac Volume calibration,the Umik 2 is at -30 db on the Speaker faders,whereas Umik 1 was at -19db..
Hi, thanks for the very helpful video. My 2.1 system's measurements are between -40 to -60 dB. The software said they were successful. However, your measurements are mostly louder (-20 to -40). Was mine too quiet?
You should be ok, glad you liked the video
If DLBC sets the crossovers below the ones recommended by the manufacturer, should we keep them or set them to the manufacturer minimum recommended frequency?
Chat or call with our experts at audioadvice.com and they will look into this for you!
I am using Dirac for stereo. My 3 sub are connected to a MiniDSP 2x4 HD. And the MiniDSP is connected to my pre-amp. My stereo am are also connected to my pre-amp. The prea-amp has balanced and unbalanced output.
How can I use Dirac Bass Control?
The hardware needs to support it. Mini DSP has some devices that support Dirac Live, but we do not know of any that support Live Bass. One of the few pieces we know of that is stereo and does Live Bass is the brand new NAD M66 streamer/preamp www.audioadvice.com/nad-master-series-m66 We also did a video overview of it
Nicely done. BUT, you had the infamous "Resample" and blew right by it. Are you suggesting it's not important to re-do? This is a common error I'm getting and its really annoying. But thanks for this very informative video. By the way, why not make the curves available to all? I use the Harmon Kardon curves at present and they seem to work pretty well. Are yours better perhaps?
Glad you enjoyed it. The curves are on our site.
I have 4 subs 2 are 18” and the other 2 are 15”. How do I limit the lower end HZ for the smaller subs without limiting the larger subs. I haven’t been able to figure it out yet. Unless it does it automatically?
You would need an AVR or processor with independent sub outs and Dirac Live Bass. Thanks for watching
dirac says in their manual that you should even with tight setting,you should go out of cocuh and have at least 30cm between spots.
Feel free to experiment. We are simply sharing what we’ve found to work best. Thanks for watching
It was a great video but you never mentioned converting shelves to control points and individually adjusting control points. I think this is important because what if Dirac doesn't do a great job of adjusting a specific frequency and you need to make some manual adjustments. Do you know if there is anyway in Dirac to actually see the filters. Dirac shows what the corrected response will look like but doesn't show how it got there, seems this would be helpful to understand when making individual control point adjustments. REW and the minidsp software actually shows you the equalizing filter so you know what it's doing. Thanks,
Thank you, this was aimed more at people just getting into this and we tried not to get extremely technical like you can with REW. We do not know a way to see the filters
Thanks for the reply@@AudioAdvice
Excellent guide, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Super Helpful video indeed!
Thanks so much! Glad it was helpful!
thank you for sharing all this info, this is great. thank you. question, is it better to plug the mic to the AVR or on the computer ? when plugged on the computer, figured that properties setting affect dirac. inside device properties, advanced tab, change default format. my UMIK2 is on "2 channels, 32 bits, 48000 Hz". is dirac as prefered one ?
We prefer it plugged into the computer. Thanks for watching
Once you calibrate and save can you upload a file with dlbm and another one with dlbc for comparison?
We have not tried that, but your processor AVR would need to support more than one file to do that, some do
Amazing video. RZ50 here. Dirac live full bass control is about to drop according to Dirac’s website to add to the Dirac Live Room Correction Full Bandwidth preinstalled.
Wondering if I should get a UMIK-1 or if the 2 has benefits for a home theater calibration.
Thank you! That is good news. The UMIK-1 is the best value.
In the same camp as you (UMIK shows up tomorrow). Note that our AVR (RZ50) treats the two sub outputs as one channel, I'm not sure if the $300 I spent on DLBC was worth it or not yet. Your thoughts?
@@Shereika1 I finally made the calibration a few days ago without Bass Control (still don't know if it's worth it). I have one RSLSpeaker Speedwoofer 10S sub and Focal Chora 826-D + 806 in the back and the central speaker. The calibration took longer than I wanted but definitely worth it. I think I should have rewatched this video again before starting.
Not sure if the Dirac Live's Bass Control is worth it for me. I've got 70Hz crossover set for all speakers and as stated here I got a lot less bass despite adjusting bass up. My RZ50 did have a -15dB level offset applied to the sub which I bumped to -5dB and made things much better.
It's like I have new speakers!
I’ve always had this one question before I can even get started. How do I use this if I don’t have a receiver on the Dirac website? I have a McIntosh C8 preamp.
Unless your unit supports Dirac, it is not possible. But you have a darn good sounding stereo preamp there!
@@AudioAdvice someone said I could use a minidsp. Is that a viable option, or do you not recommend that?
Did you use the latest mimi dsp Firmware with umik 2 ?
We used the matching calibration file and all of the current firmware at the time.
Can you go back after Dirac and change the speaker trims or no?
No that happens in the beginning and is more about getting the level correct for calibration. If you are trying to raise the volume of a speaker afterwards, you can either go in and raise the whole target curve for that speaker and rerun the calcs (better) or just go into your AVR/processor and raise the level. For more technical questions, if you purchased your unit from Audio Advice please feel free to reach out to our tech support team. Thanks for watching
I have an Onkyo RZ50, which has only one subwoofer output, but I have 2 subwoofers in my home theater. If I upgrade to Dirac Bass Control, I assume that the processor will send the same exact signal to both subwoofers. Is this correct? Would the use of a MiniDsp 2x4HD help this issue?
You are correct on all points. Thanks for watching
I have a denon 4700 and i just upgraded to denon 4800 . I ran audessey with 4 subs and it sounds great . However , idid have to go back and change the crossovers and chamge speakers to small and used spl meter to change all my speakers to run 75 db . Ot sounds amazing so the question is should i try dirac live or just be satisfied with what audessey did . Is it a bog change from audessey to dirac? If not then ill keep what i have, thank u.
We think you will like Dirac. Unfortunately Dirac does not let you try before you buy.
After Umik 2 Firmware Update my Umik 2 with Dirac is shown as Line Umik 2 on Screen Dirac live Microphone choice now .
Did everything still work ok when you ran Dirac?
@@AudioAdvicemore or less. i uninstalled the latest Driver because Line is Not correct(?) .In generell the gain /Input with Umik 2 is lower compared to Umik 1. And i get failure Always on Front Up left meassurement.I tricked IT by unplug mic.But Buggy Dirac in general.
I want my centre channel to be louder. Would I just set the gain higher for the centre in the volume calibration menu? Like if my mains were -30dB, have the centre sit around -33dB and the end result will be 3dB higher?
Can you change the trim, sub gain afterwards if you aren't happy with the results despite using the dirac slider for more dB?
Yes, feel free to try.
Umik-2…any better than the umik-1?
We think so yes, especially in a serious system
Am I correct in that I place my subwoofer dB in volume calibration to match the loudest speaker and then adjust the volume knob on my subwoofer to match with the rest of my speakers dB levels?
Have you tried Dayton audio dsp-lf before?
I believe a few members of our team have used that before.
@@AudioAdvice Let's hope they share their experiences! It looks decent
Did you use the gain tool from Mini DSP for Umik 2 here?
No, we just used it as a microphone with its individual calibration file. Thanks for watching
Does it make a significant difference ,If i Run stereo music via my 5.2.4 Bass Control Configuration Set stereo/native Input on my Marantz Cinema 50 compared to make a 2.2 stereo Configuration with Umik 2 pointed at speaker? Then i also have to make decision if i Run 2.0 or 2.2 😮😅
That is personal preference. Some people like the sound all around them and others prefer the mix as it was in the studio. But your mic should point up, not at the speaker
@@AudioAdvice i meant for Stereo only! Better do a separate Configuration and calibration or Just leave the 5.2.4 Configuration and select stereo (native) in that Configuration on AVR;)
@@texxhexxmm Ahh, ok, if both have the same subs you can just use the 5.2.4, but if you wanted 2.0, do another
@@AudioAdvice maybe 2.2 so i can use Bass Control and mic Pointed at Main speaker
Maybe still unclear to you: i have one Setup 5.2.4 and for Stereo source i play native, No upmixing etc .But calibration is still based on the 5.2.4.
I Wonder If a seperate stereo calibration/Configuration Sounds Superior due to mic dorection 0° degree with stereo.
I have Dirac Bass Management only. What can I do with this before and after calibration?
Not sure what you mean or the product you have.
@@AudioAdvice I mean with my Dirac I have the option for Dirac Live Bass Management (not control). I saw your video on DLBM but I don't understand it much. Under DLBC do I for example set all speakers to 80hz including the subs or just the speakers?
Hello can i set two different focus points?
You can certainly spread your measurements out over a larger area. Our some AVRs and processors allow for two Dirac slots where you can do one for a single seat and one for all the seats. Thanks for watching
An excellent video. However, I am still unable to apply Dirac Live on my Arcam AVR-11 receiver. I have tried everything to get rid of the error Ireceive when I run my first position. Doing everything you and others have suggested I still gt an rror indicating the room is too noisy. I don't hear any noise in the room and I raised the mic levels aaaaaand other levels to counteract what ever noise the mic is picking up. I would like to know if you can refer me to someone in north New Jersey who could do the setup for me.
Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry you are having trouble. If you purchased your Arcam from Audio Advice, please reach out to our team for tech help. Otherwise you should contact the dealer you purchased it from to get help.
Hi @BarbaraGreenberg, I have the Arcam AVR11 and fought this exact battle. What finally fixed it for me was to move the main mic gain up into the red zone. I use the Umik1 microphone, if that helps. The AVR11 is sure a challenging AVR to get properly setup, but boy does it sound lovely once you manage it. Good luck!
Just ran Direc Live on my IPAD through the App after adding a subwoofer to 2 channel system. Unfortunately I don’t have the option to select a recording Device, volume calibration, and select arrangement. Any assistance would be appreciated to troubleshoot this matter. Thank you.
If you purchased your Dirac piece from Audio Advice, please reach out to our team for assistance.
What causes Dirac on the volume calibration page to give different levels each time?
Call or chat with our team of experts at audioadvice.com and they can help you with this!
I am debating 2 processors 1has arc and 1 dis Dirac and wonder which system is better
That is a big question. You can reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to go over options. Thanks for watching
How does it compare to anthem ARC?
They are both head to head and extremely powerful!
You said not to adjust the left curtain? Bass control had the default curtain at 20hz on my subs, but my subs can play down to 14hz. Should I leave it at 20 or bring it down to 14hz?
Feel free to experiment.
I used the Onkyo app and it transferred the calibration to the receiver however, when I go on the Onkyo app or Dirac app download I do not have any calibrations to be able to look at or modify. Is this because it didn't take to begin with?
That is hard to diagnose without having more details. If you purchased your Onkyo from Audio Advice, please reach out to our team for tech support. If not, please contact the dealer you purchased it from.
A little confusing. Is the highest tier of Dirac dependant on hardware or the purchase?
Some units will come with a version of Dirac for free. It may include full bandwidth with the option to add bass control or come with both. Some units, will be Dirac-enabled which means it is capable of running Dirac, but you will have to buy your own licenses at full price to use it. I hope that helps. If you have more questions, chat or call us at audioadvice.com!
Should I get the lx805 vs lx505 for dlbc? I have two subs next to each other.
If you have or ever plan to get 2 subs, the 805 has independent sub control, the 505 does not. We hope you will purchase your 805 from Audio Advice to support our channel and small business. Thanks for watching
@AudioAdvice
I have the lx505 bought from Best Buy. I plan on getting the lx805 directly from your store or your store through Amazon, but only if you think it will be a great upgrade since I have only 2 subs, not more, where dlbc may be better.
@@arielstereo5484 Yes, there will be no way to adjust each sub separately on the 505, plus the amp section on the 805 is more robust. www.audioadvice.com/home-theater/home-theater-components/home-theater-receivers/pioneer-vsx-lx805-11-4-channel-av-receiver
@AudioAdvice Is having independent sub outputs like having xt32 subeq ht from audyssey?
@@arielstereo5484 With two sub outs Dirac can do so much more. Each sub will be in a different part of your room thus having different acoustic characteristics. Dirac LB will then be able to adjust each one independently for the very best performance, especially how well they blend with your mains. Please feel free to reach out to our team for a conversation, we live and breathe this stuff.
Can they be easily enabled and disabled on the fly?
You will have to open up the software to enable and disable them
I have the rz 50 and on the app looks like I can save 3 different settings and also take it off as well haven't really messed with it tho. I will say that I have watched this video a few times and been trying to get this right but this last try I did a couple hours ago really improved the sound a lot
How are the curves saved??
We show this in the video briefly. For more help, contact our experts at audioadvice.com
I have to bring the master up to about -15db to get a reading on speakers from about - 27db with umik 2. Is that master ouput voulme ok?
Yes, whatever results get you in the zone. Thanks for watching
@@AudioAdvice I asked,because dirac said once,adjust the master volume to your normal lstening level- i listen at around +60db (so i think dirac master is turned around like reference setting.So it should be around -20 db i think ;)
I have a separate RZ50 hooked up to my heights and rear surrounds with no way of connecting my other channels to the pre outs of the avr. Is it possible to run Dirac for just these channels or will the software fail and error out since the mic won't detect a signal from the rest of the channels that are not run off this avr....
Sorry, that will not work. Thanks for watching
If you're using DBC (and ART if you have it) aren't you supposed to leave all your speakers set to large with no crossover and let DBC decide how it wants to manage them together?
Edit: must remember to watch full videos before commenting lol. They have now changed it though right? Or is that just an ART thing?
My subs are pretty much same Position in room(mid wall) dirac sets one to -1,5dB ,the other -4,5dB.
Thanks for sharing
@@AudioAdvice is that normal,these differences in Volume with subs?
I have one question. I built my own 3 way speakers at a pretty good level. I love the sound of them without any eq. But they are only built to handle the area of 80-20k hertz. So I built 2 subs that take care off 15-80 hz. If I drag the curtain to say 300 hz it still does alot of impact on the imaging on higher frequencys. Have you experienced that also? I want to keep my great 2ch sound and still use dirac power to controll the bass and crossover. But this is bothering me alot!
Thank you for watching our video. You should try lower. If you purchased your gear from Audio Advice we are happy to provide more extensive technical assistance.
@@AudioAdvice Thanks for answear. I did drag the curtins to 150hz and that made it. Now I can have one filter for enjoying 2.1ch sound without messing to much with the sound above the bass. Thanks again.
Do I need to load a microphone calibration file if I’m using the basic puck microphone that came with the my Onkyo RZ50? This mic plugs directly into my receiver, not a usb mic. If so where can I find that calibration file?
You do not, it does not come with one. We do highly recommend getting at least the UMK1 from Mini DSP though. Thanks for watching
@@AudioAdviceYour reply was greatly appreciated, thank you!
kalibrační soubor je nahraný v přijímači onkyo RZ50,po zapojení puk mic do onkyo se zobrazí na na stránce výběru microfonu@@Ryan_Butterfield
Hey, i have the rz50 and if you buy the umik 1, your will not hear much of a difference after calibration. The puck that comes with the receiver does a pretty good job, i have both and i made dozens of measurements and compare them. My conclusion is the umik 1 makes you look cooler while measuring.. It makes you feel like you are a PRO. But the results are similar. And the results from the software on the computer for some reason sound better than the results from the app.
Bass was always louder when calibrating dirac app on my phone.
Bass was tighter and cleaner when calibrating dirac on my laptop.
I kept the umik 1 because i bought a minidsp 2x4 for my subs.
If you have the cash go for it.
@@cizcalodiablopanzonthanks for your input. I’ve been content with just the puck mic for now. Perhaps if I ever get another subwoofer I’ll spring for it. Thanks!
Any idea why Dirac on my laptop keeps telling me position measured but I imprecise? I'm using a laptop and a umik microphone. The main position, very first measurement.
Sorry, we do not know why you are seeing that. If you purchased your product from Audio Advice, we are happy to help. Please reach out to our tech support if you did.
Umik1 w/90 calibration + RZ50 + klipsch R115SW subwoofer: Everytime I try to calibrate, it sets my sub DB to -13ish. With that config, while watching a movie, the sub doesnt even turn on (its so low). I set it the same as the other speakers during volume calib. I figured maybe it finds it too loud while doing the tests, so I clear the points, set the sub 10DB lower volume in the volume calib, try again... same result. Ive found tons of comments with people having same issue, but have not found a solution. Any ideas?
Sorry you are having trouble. It could be a number of things. If you purchased your RZ50 from Audio Advice we will be happy to help troubleshoot with you.
No mention of Dirac ART?
We are currently working on testing and evaluating Dirac ART. For now, it's limited to a small amount of products. We hope to make a video on it soon!
Dirac Said to me that you should do meassurements also far away from MLP ..Like 1m outwards 🤔
If you have many seats then yes you will want to move it to the other seats. If you only have one seat then you will want it to be a tighter focus. We've done a lot of testing and the best results are the way we do it in this video. Hope that helps!
@@AudioAdvice and the order of meassurements is really Not important??
When a Project is done can i re-measure?
I think i only can do this while the Project is running, meaning not beiing saved.
Keeps saying low signal to noise ratio. Your a program should be able to figure that out. why am I? its as quiet as it gets. what am i supposed to do?
is there a way to turn off speakers not used/plugged in. 5.1 on 7.1 system
Ok. you got to go into Marantz and turn off speakers not in use. That will get rid of signal noise issue. Kept getting issues about lost signal or stuff preventing balanced levels but loaded it to Cinema 50 and John Wick sounded even better then ever.
Thanks for sharing and glad you were able to get it figured out! Enjoy!
-60 noise floor! Must be nice. I'm around -45.
Yes, that is really quiet. Thanks for watching
Man my next door neighbor is running her loud AC which brings the noise floor up to -49 db..
Time to wait till its off!
If your calibration works, do not upgrade unless you have to. Dirac has been a buggy mess since day one.
Yes, Dirac is not needed to get great results! However, with their latest update, they've worked hard to minimize the bugs in the software. It's been working much better for us recently!
U work at mit it
?
Using an ARC tripod is going to totally throw off your measurements 😂
Haha!
Great guide, thanks! But why is the voice in this video from a channel called "Audio Advice" so extremly muffled?! 😜
We are not hearing that at all on any of the playback systems we have tested it on. Glad you liked to guide.
Dirac Live is temperamental, a pain in the ass, and riddled with error mssgs. What should take 15 mins usually takes an hour and 15 mins due to the incessant "Noise to Sound" error messages. Be prepared to have 12 of your 20 attempts to calibrate come back with errors. Hard enough to find silence without dogs barking and planes flying overhead to then get constant errors.
You do need a quiet environment.