Dirac Live RC Suite Stereo PC version

[PENG]

You can easily toggle the Pure Direct Button while you have the Room Correction on. Pure Direct will turn off the RC. Turning off the Pure Direct will turn the RC back on.

It’s Extremely simple to test any Room Correction On vs Off.

I don’t know if it BIAS or not, but I was never able to tell if Dirac or any other RC I’ve listened to made an improvement in ACTUAL SOUND, although I can easily see the improvement in the graphs.

So yes, I have toggled between Pure Direct vs Room Correction.

You are right, it is easy to use the pure direct button. I should have just emphasized the time delay issue. I don't know about Yamaha's but I am sure you know for Denon and Marantz, when you press the button, it went silent first for a short moment. For my X4400H, it would be about 1.5 to 2.5 seconds (just my own estimate), and obviously the spl would change too, but to me the delay is the what makes the comparison difficult to do.

 

[gib]

Using a PC for room correction sound very interesting to me, not quite sure I understand how Dirac would work to process different sources. As example, using Foobar as the player/source, or bringing in other sources such an FM tuner or turntable into the PC via a soundcard or audio interface. For FM or turntable, what do you use as a player? I would want the output directed to my DAC via USB, DAC connects to PreAmp>Amp.

 

[PENG]

I would want the output directed to my DAC via USB, DAC connects to PreAmp>Amp.

Me too, and that's what I have been doing. Any source should be okay as long as the inputs go through your pc, windows or IOS. I haven't tried any other sources than windows/Mac IOS software such as Foobar, JRivers etc., Amazon Music etc.

 

[gib]

Thanks, I use Foobar because it supports so many formats, FLAC, SCAD, MP#, DSD, APE etc. As I have close to 1.9TB of music on my PC, having a player that would take advantage of Dirac is critical for me.

 

[gib]

After looking around a bit, I have found a solution that works for me.

First, I found a plugin for Foobar that does room correction/EQ. Mathaudio offers a free plugin for Foobar, you need a calibrated microphone, (I bought a MK-1) and it does a really nice job. Looking more into it, Mathaudio also works with Reaper, a full DAW. This combination allowed me to connect an FM tuner or my Turntable, into the line-in of a PC and apply the Mathaudio Room EQ, output it through my DAC into my Preamp. I will have to buy a Mathaudio and Reaper license to continue to use it (total of $166), but the reults so far are amazing.

If I do plan on keeping this in place, I may get an USB Audio Interface rather than using the PC line-in. Even with using the line-in, FM audio is amazing, playing digital files with Foobar is definitely improved. I have played a few tracks using Reaper/Mathsuiod and there is something happening there that improves soundstage, instrument separation and overall audio quality that even my wife noticed. Having her say anything about an improvement, she usually rolls her eyes up, is significant.

More to figure out, Reaper is a steep learning curve for an old fart like me, especially never having used a DAW or anything like it.

I also sent a question to Dirac re. a plugin for Foobar, they responded that they had a VST plugin that would work with Foobar, sent some instructions and link for a 2 week trial. I will take a look at it when I get some time.

 

[PENG]

After looking around a bit, I have found a solution that works for me.

First, I found a plugin for Foobar that does room correction/EQ. Mathaudio offers a free plugin for Foobar, you need a calibrated microphone, (I bought a MK-1) and it does a really nice job. Looking more into it, Mathaudio also works with Reaper, a full DAW. This combination allowed me to connect an FM tuner or my Turntable, into the line-in of a PC and apply the Mathaudio Room EQ, output it through my DAC into my Preamp. I will have to buy a Mathaudio and Reaper license to continue to use it (total of $166), but the reults so far are amazing.

If I do plan on keeping this in place, I may get an USB Audio Interface rather than using the PC line-in. Even with using the line-in, FM audio is amazing, playing digital files with Foobar is definitely improved. I have played a few tracks using Reaper/Mathsuiod and there is something happening there that improves soundstage, instrument separation and overall audio quality that even my wife noticed. Having her say anything about an improvement, she usually rolls her eyes up, is significant.

More to figure out, Reaper is a steep learning curve for an old fart like me, especially never having used a DAW or anything like it.

I also sent a question to Dirac re. a plugin for Foobar, they responded that they had a VST plugin that would work with Foobar, sent some instructions and link for a 2 week trial. I will take a look at it when I get some time.

I tried the plug in for jriver before, worked well but now with the new version, I don't see the need to use the plug in version. The standard version works on anything as long as you use windows or ios, maybe even Linux. Why do you need "plug in" with Foobar?

 

[gib]

I believe that Foobar is setup to bypass all internal "Windows OS" audio process settings to avoid any influence on the output. Basically, Windows audio has not influence on the audio stream of foobar, which is why the Plugin is used for Mathaudio. Same as for Dirac.

With Reaper, AISO drivers are used to do the same, prevent Windows audio from impacting the audio stream.

That is my understanding.

 

[PENG]

I believe that Foobar is setup to bypass all internal "Windows OS" audio process settings to avoid any influence on the output. Basically, Windows audio has not influence on the audio stream of foobar, which is why the Plugin is used for Mathaudio. Same as for Dirac.

With Reaper, AISO drivers are used to do the same, prevent Windows audio from impacting the audio stream.

That is my understanding.

I don't think that is possible. Have you actually tried? I had used Foobar before I installed Dirac and JRiver. I can tried Foobar again easily and see if it can in fact bypass windows, but it is just as easy for you to try if you aleady have Dirac.

Just tried it, it worked:

Unless you have a specific reason, there is no need to use plug in that is restricted to the specific application.

 

[gib]

Hi, worked on this last night a bit. I did find out, as you said, that Foobar will work with a system wide EQ when it runs on WASABI, WASABI will utilize the system EQ process. If AISO is used as the driver, as how I am using Reaper, it will bypass the system EQ and you would have to use the plug-in. Still a lot to learn!!

When working through this, used a program called Equalizer APO that is a system wide EQ, allows the use of VST plug-in. That is what I used with the Mathaudio VST for a system EQ. It worked with all inputs and audio programs (except Reaper running AISO).