I have tried Audyssey and number of times and recently Dirac. Audyssey (non-professional) always made the Salons sound thin and reduced the sound-stage.
Dirac Full has the ability to limit the frequency range adjustments for low and high frequencies. This is a must in my view.
My room is unusual in that the ceiling is sloped and has 5 large beams. It is 30 feet long with opening on the back (for another 16 feet) and one side. There seems to be effect on REW's ability (and possibly Dirac) measurements.
Thus far, Dirac, while configurable, seems to have an effect on the sound-stage. Spreading out the image across the main channels. It also boosts the 100 to 300 range making the sound chesty. Placing a high-frequency curtain in places solved the midrange problem. However, engaging curtains did not change the effect on the sound-stage. PEQ did not have as great an impact sound-stage when applying REQ to the same low-frequency range.
For me REQ should:
- First do no harm - There should be no discernible change in the detail and sound-stage when enraged with all settings flat.
- Have adjustable ranges
- Be capable of before and after measurement (predictions don't count)
So far, I have not gotten past step 1)
I have had 3 mic's calibrated by Cross-Spectrum Acoustics: miniDSP UMIK-1, Dayton Audio Omni-Mic2, and Dayton Audio UMM-6. When I get some free time, I plan on measuring (REW) my room from the 9 Dirac positions (high and low <18" apart) and plotting them and utilizing PEQ and Dirac again.
Sound-stage remains a major concern because once it is degraded, I have found that tweaking cannot restore it. At this time, I remain a purist.
- Rich