cawgijoe
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Post by cawgijoe on Jul 22, 2020 11:38:03 GMT -5
I know very little about this stuff, but I can give you my experience. The original black box I received had a loose (broken) memory card holder. In order to get it to work, I had to tape is using electrical tape. Emotiva sent a a second box to me, without the memory card and it appeared the EDNIB was never removed from the cardboard box. This tells me that the "brains" reside in the memory card. I agree completely with the idea that the company doesn't want people to use or build their own Raspberry Pi's for this function because they really won't be able to support a box or solution they are not familiar with. How have you found the improvements with DIRAC? I have used Auddussy in the past but never DIRAC. The XMC-2 already sounds great so wondering if it made a big difference with DIRAC. I had Dirac with the XMC-1. My previous units included Audessey with Denon and the proprietary room correction system with Pioneer Elite. Dirac is an improvement over Audessey. Audessey is good, but Dirac is a step above in terms of both sound quality and customization. It does make a big difference especially since all I did originally with the XMC-2 prior to Dirac was set the speaker distances and levels. Night and day difference once Dirac room correction was implemented. |
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Post by megash0n on Jul 22, 2020 12:08:59 GMT -5
think about that for a minute... The EDNIB is what is talking to Dirac. True but they would need the hardware on the EDNIB matched to your processor most likely if this was the case and they send out boxes without having people's mac addresses from their processor... I honestly think it is more of a they don't want to deal with supporting boxes people build themselves and I can't say I blame them if that is the case. I'm impatient and have hardware so would like to build my own but I do see Emotiva's side also... That's actually good to know. I thought they were shipping after retrieving the MAC and pairing with an EDNIB. I guess my theory is debunked. Or, maybe there is some code in the EDNIB that retrieves your G3P MAC and "spoofs" it for licensing requirements. Or, Dirac just also licensed all the MACs of the PIs purchased by Emotiva. All in all, it is pretty irrelevant unless someone wants or needs to use a different Pi. |
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ttocs
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Post by ttocs on Jul 22, 2020 12:24:49 GMT -5
The EDNIB has nothing to do with License and is not associated with a particular processor. It's just a translator between the computer and processor. The processor MAC address is associated with the Dirac License.
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 22, 2020 14:52:45 GMT -5
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Lonnie
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Post by Lonnie on Jul 22, 2020 15:15:58 GMT -5
Anybody in the know, Keith, anyone. When will the next batch of Dirac kits go out? Mine is saying unfulfilled. I got the email but it hasn't shipped yet apparently. Just wondering how long I may have to wait. I am losing my mind over here. I actually got out of the hobby all together for a while because of this. I didn't want to complain like a lot of others so I sold everything and mostly lost interest. Then I bought everything again and have been waiting patiently. I am about out of patients. Please help me. Ron Dirac kits going out every day. Shipping is a bit backed up trying to get them out as quickly as possible. So you may get a notification of the shipment but it might take a day or two for it to actually leave due to the volume. Thanks for your understanding. Lonnie |
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Lonnie
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Post by Lonnie on Jul 22, 2020 15:22:12 GMT -5
think about that for a minute... The EDNIB is what is talking to Dirac. I believe only the Laptop running Dirac Live is talking to the Dirac servers, but am not sure of that. In any case, if the EDNIB was part of the license key it would be a logistical nightmare, like geebo I’m pretty sure only the MAC is involved in the license key. The license key is held inside of the processor and on the Dirac servers. The EDNIB is simply a gateway between the Dirac software and our hardware transferring data back and forth.  Lonnie |
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Post by okjazz on Jul 22, 2020 15:59:38 GMT -5
Do speakers distances need to be configured/set in the processor before running the new Dirac Live 3 or do they need to be left at zero (0) then Dirac Live will correct them after all measurements/filters are completed?
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ttocs
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I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with. (Elwood P Dowd)
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Post by ttocs on Jul 22, 2020 16:14:35 GMT -5
Do speakers distances need to be configured/set in the processor before running the new Dirac Live 3 or do they need to be left at zero (0) then Dirac Live will correct them after all measurements/filters are completed? You can set distances if you want, but Dirac doesn't need nor care about them. So if you plan to only use Dirac filters then no need to bother. My Speaker Distance and Levels are all at zero. |
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Post by skiman1 on Jul 22, 2020 16:54:34 GMT -5
I have an HP Chromebook which doesn't run Windows 10. However, I found a website www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-install-windows-chromebook/#:~:text=Method%201%3A%20Free%20Online%20Apps.%201%20Step%201,to%20start%20using%20it.%20Take%20note%20...%20 that allows my desktop PC (which does have windows 10 ) to 'share' with my Chromebook laptop. I have installed the app and now share the 2 computers. I must use my Chromebook to connect to the microphone in my home theater, located 75' away on another level from my office PC. Should I go ahead and download the Dirac to this shared system? Presently the 2 computers are connected via WiFy, but I have an ethernet cable ordered to use when the Dirac is run. I’ll echo ttocs sentiment, not likely. If it were something like Remote Desktop and the Windows machine saw the microphone...maybe. Installing won’t hurt, you can always uninstall. Another possibility would be a 75’ XLR cable to extend the mic to the Windows machine, and then you’re Remote Desktop thing might work. For others, several questions about the EDNIB/LBB have been answered in the FAQ, found in the 3rd post. |
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Post by skiman1 on Jul 22, 2020 17:00:49 GMT -5
After thinking some more about it, I think AudioHTIT has the right idea. Now I intend to go with a 75' XLR cable, in addition to a 75' ethernet cable, both connected to my office PC, thereby not using my chromebook at all.
I just got an email stating my EDNIB has shipped!
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Post by davidl81 on Jul 22, 2020 17:42:38 GMT -5
Do speakers distances need to be configured/set in the processor before running the new Dirac Live 3 or do they need to be left at zero (0) then Dirac Live will correct them after all measurements/filters are completed? You can set distances if you want, but Dirac doesn't need nor care about them. So if you plan to only use Dirac filters then no need to bother. My Speaker Distance and Levels are all at zero. What about levels? Should I set those before Dirac or will Dirac take care of them? |
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 22, 2020 17:49:33 GMT -5
You can set distances if you want, but Dirac doesn't need nor care about them. So if you plan to only use Dirac filters then no need to bother. My Speaker Distance and Levels are all at zero. What about levels? Should I set those before Dirac or will Dirac take care of them? I would also recommend leaving them at 0, then when Dirac is done, you can use the levels to ‘tweak’ the settings from everything being level at 0. If you’ve already set them, you might want to record the levels for future use, then set them to 0. |
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 22, 2020 17:52:13 GMT -5
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Post by davidl81 on Jul 22, 2020 22:31:43 GMT -5
Questions about target curves. I have never messed with this before. I’m assuming that Dirac has a “house” curve that it tries to make your speakers fit into? And are these Harmon curves just a different sound profile that some people like better? And what is the differences with the dB levels on those Harmon curves?
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 22, 2020 23:37:10 GMT -5
You are basically correct.
In a real room, rather than an anechoic chamber, the sound bounces around and builds up over time. The result is that you hear a mix of direct and reflected sound that will vary depending on the acoustics of your room. And it also depends on the directional characteristics of your speakers. (If you put tapestries on your side walls they will obviously make more of a difference if the speakers you have direct more of their output towards those side walls.)
This is why "a measurement taken with a short window"- which attempts to eliminate room reflections, and measure only the output of the speaker... Gives you a very different graph than you would get with a test disc and an SPL meter - which is a very long term averaged response.
And there are lots of different ways of measuring frequency response and other room characteristics.
The catch is that, because our human ears and brains are so complex, none of those measurements can be relied upon to agree exactly with what we HEAR.
(What we hear is something in-between... after it's been analyzed by our brains.)
As you surmise... the Dirac house Curve is essentially a response curve that the folks at Dirac have found will result in a system that SOUND FLAT. (Meaning that "when measured the way they do it, it will sound flat, to most home listeners, in most typical home listening rooms, with most speakers, and most music".)
The Harman Curve is the response curve that Harman International developed when they did the same sort of research. (It is well documented - and you can Google all the details - but still wasn't measured using Dirac Live, in your living room,with your speakers.)
And "The Dolby X-Curve" is the response curve that Dolby believes sounds best, to most theater listeners, in most large movie theaters, with typical theater systems.
But remember that all of those target curves are their creator's idea of "what will result in a system that perceptually sounds right to the listener". (They are not merely "the way we like it to sound".)
And, of course, you may simply not prefer to have your system sound exactly like I, or the guys at Dirac, or the guys at Dolby Labs, want their system to sound. That's why it's nice to be able to edit that target curve.
Questions about target curves. I have never messed with this before. I’m assuming that Dirac has a “house” curve that it tries to make your speakers fit into? And are these Harmon curves just a different sound profile that some people like better? And what is the differences with the dB levels on those Harmon curves? |
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Post by bblv on Jul 22, 2020 23:59:33 GMT -5
Most people will be surprised at how much lower frequency boost they will prefer when dialing in their house curve. I know I sure was - to the tune of about 12db under 200Hz.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 23, 2020 0:38:40 GMT -5
Questions about target curves. I have never messed with this before. I’m assuming that Dirac has a “house” curve that it tries to make your speakers fit into? And are these Harmon curves just a different sound profile that some people like better? And what is the differences with the dB levels on those Harmon curves? To add to what Keith said, as the Harmon curve numbers increase, there is generally more bass boost. Once you’ve taken your measurements, you choose a target curve, if you download the Harmons and keep them in your Dirac directory (I suggest where in the outline post), you can load the different curves and compare them before choosing which one you want to build filters for. After uploading a filter, you can come back to this page and (using the same measurements) build another set of filters based on a different target curve. So in the end, with one set of measurements, you could load all three slots with maybe Dirac-House, Harmon-4dB, and Harmon-8dB. |
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Post by marcl on Jul 23, 2020 1:01:52 GMT -5
Most people will be surprised at how much lower frequency boost they will prefer when dialing in their house curve. I know I sure was - to the tune of about 12db under 200Hz. And at the other end of preferences, I found myself (with XMC-1 Dirac for a couple years) always going back to the flattest curve possible. It has a lot to do with the room, as Keith says, and my room is heavily treated with bass traps and diffusion. Also mostly planar speakers. And at 65 years old, I sure don't need to droop the high frequencies as is usually part of the curve. :-) The Harman research is very well documented in AES papers as well as by Sean Olive and Floyd Toole individually. Toole's book Sound Reproduction (3rd edition) is a great resource for understanding most aspects of speaker behavior in a room. Toole's work is backed up with lots of listening studies as well as theoretical research. He corroborates the general preference for a rise in bass, as well as a preference for wide dispersion. Comments on target curves from Toole: www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/some-comments-from-floyd-toole-about-room-curve-targets-room-eq-and-more.10950/Info on the X Curve: www.smpte.org/sites/default/files/files/X-Curve%20Is%20Not%20An%20EQ%20Curve.pdfAnd of course there's the subwoofer work by Todd Welti: www.harman.com/documents/multsubs_0.pdf |
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errtu
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Post by errtu on Jul 23, 2020 3:04:03 GMT -5
What about levels? Should I set those before Dirac or will Dirac take care of them? I would also recommend leaving them at 0, then when Dirac is done, you can use the levels to ‘tweak’ the settings from everything being level at 0. If you’ve already set them, you might want to record the levels for future use, then set them to 0. I was wondering the same thing, but videos that Emotiva shares say otherwise. In Dirac Guide, Nick says here youtu.be/pLJYPuwKRmg?t=129 to do a basic setup of the processor, which includes levels and distances, also speaker sizes: youtu.be/bw72eXiDnMM?t=182So I'm still unsure, also about whether or not crossover settings will impact Dirac measurement... I've watched other video guides (admittedly, for Arcam) that say to set all speakers to Large for the duration of Dirac setup, so that they're measured full-range. Emotiva, it may be a good idea to clear it up in the Dirac Manual PDF, please |
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Post by hytram on Jul 23, 2020 3:59:01 GMT -5
A new range of headphones out called Nuraphones and Nuraloops(I have) actually audio map your inner ear and adjust the sound accordingly and creates a profile, this would be similar to a flat target curve
People are listening to other people's profile are commenting on how others profile are all bass, no top end, to much top end etc etc.
So it's just not the room or the speakers, we all hear differently and just because the system has been calibrated to 'flat', one person might hear it bright and another hear it warm..
So don't pay to much attention to what the graph says.. More to how it sounds to your ears.
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