Siggie's Journey (and personal stupid question zone)

[siggie]

I’m getting ready to step up my home theater game now that my Sherbourn SR-120 started to fail. I have an XMC-1 Refurb arriving tonight and an Outlaw 7000x coming soon.
I’m not great with computers, so I am intimidated by Dirac, but I would very much like to give it a go and see if I can get the most out of my system. I already have some questions and likely will have many more to follow.

Here is a list of the components in my system with some key specs:

Emotiva XMC-1 (HDMI 2.0b Video Upgrade Board)
Outlaw Audio 7000x Amplifier (7 x 135 8 Ohms, 7 x 200 4 Ohms, Input Impedance 40K Ohms, Input Sensitivity 1.2 Volts)
Snell E.5mk2 mains (4 Ohms)
Snell CR.5mk2 center (8 Ohms)
XRS 4.1 surround sides (4 Ohms)
XRM 4.1 surround rears (4 Ohms)
Dual Dayton Audio RSS390HO-4 15" Reference HO Subwoofers in 3 cubic foot sealed cabinets
Dual Dayton Audio SA-1000 subwoofer amplifiers (950 watts 4 Ohms, Input Impedance 12K Ohms, RCA inputs only)
Epson Home Cinema 3500 projector
Darbee DVP-5000S
Music Hall MMF-2.2 turntable/Schiit Mani preamp
XBox One
Echodot

I also have an abundance of acoustic panels and bass traps, and my pair of subs have been equalized so they work well together (someone helped me use REW and the controls on the SA10000 amps to get them dialed in).

I am going to make a set of XLR cables to connect the XMC-1 to the Outlaw 7000x.

See below for my room layout. [it seems to show as a link to download the picture--not sure how to get it to show in the post]


Now, let the stupid questions begin:

1. What are the best DIRAC video tutorials for me to watch (from Emo or from others)? The XMC-1 videos are six years old and based on an old version of DIRAC, but I’m not sure if the videos for the XMC-2 and RMC are applicable to the XMC-1.

2. I already have a UMIK-1 microphone. Is it better to use the Emotiva mic or the UMIK-1?

3. I’m a Mac person, but my computers are all running newer operating system versions that don’t work with DIRAC. Am I better off finding a Mac with a suitable OS or getting a Windows PC? If the answer is Mac, then what OS is most likely to work without a hitch? If Windows, same question.

4. Given the input specs of the Outlaw and the output specs of the XMC-1, are there any adjustments I should make to the XMC-1 to start out?

5. It looks like the XMC-1 has 7.2 outputs, which I understand to be stereo subs, but DIRAC appears to work only for mono subs. Am I understanding this correctly and is there anything I special I should do during setup to address this issue?

6. I have enough acoustic panels to put some on the ceiling, but they are black (the ceiling is white). Is it worth the effort and aesthetic drawbacks to install panels on the ceiling?

7. Am I opening myself to a world of frustration such that I should abort this mission and get a simpler processor?

Thanks in advance,

siggie

Attachments:

Basement Layout Picture.pdf (109.31 KB)

[cawgijoe]

I can't answer all of these but....

2. I've used both the UMIK-1 and the Emotiva mic with my XMC-2. I think the UMIK-1 is more "accurate", but I don't have anything to base that on. They both do the job. I would use the UMIK-1 since you have one.

3. I have an Apple Macbook Air (2020) with the latest operating system and it works fine with Dirac. At least with the XMC-2. I never used a Mac with the XMC-1.

Sorry i can't contribute more.

Once you get Dirac figured out, you will really like it.

[KeithL]

1.

The XMC-1 uses a customized version of Dirac Live 1.0 which was the current version five years ago.

Our new processors use the current version - which is 3.0 .

The software itself hasn't changed much - although a few of the smaller details have changed...

So videos about things like how to adjust the Target Curves are still applicable.

However, the way the software is licensed, and the details about how you connect everything to the network, and how you use the filters, are VERY different.

(So, if you watch that part of the new videos, you're going to get confused...)

2.

The calibrated microphone we include is pretty good... but some people prefer the results they get with the Umik.

3.

I am personally not at all a fan of Apple computers... and an older one, with an older O/S, is going to continually pester you to upgrade it.

(And, if it sneaks an upgrade in on you, it will stop working, and may not let you revert back to the version that works.)

You can probably get a nice new Windows laptop for the price of a used Apple... so I don't see any reason not to.

Windows 10, which has been the current version for several years, works fine.

So does Windows 7 if you get an older machine.

4.

There are no specific adjustments to get things to work between the XMC-1 and the Outlaw amp.

(You do need to tell the processor which speakers you have and things like that... but they are not at all specific to any particular amp.)

5.

The information you have is incorrect.

Both the version of Dirac Live that goes with the XMC-1, and the current version, work with as many subs as the processor itself supports.

(That's up to two subs on the XMC-1 and up to three subs on our newer processors.)

6.

Acoustic panels, as well as other room treatments, are used to adjust the acoustical properties of your room.

Whether you need any at all, and if so where they should be installed, will depend on your room acoustics and the properties of your speakers.

(And it is also possible to over-treat a room and end up with it sounding worse.)

7.

The XMC-1 is a very nice sounding processor... with lots of useful features.

However you don't HAVE to use all the features... right away or ever...

(Although the XMC-1 does lack the simpler "one button" room correction option that you will find on most lower end processors.)

Jan 6, 2021 10:07:00 GMT -5 siggie said:

I’m getting ready to step up my home theater game now that my Sherbourn SR-120 started to fail. I have an XMC-1 Refurb arriving tonight and an Outlaw 7000x coming soon.
I’m not great with computers, so I am intimidated by Dirac, but I would very much like to give it a go and see if I can get the most out of my system. I already have some questions and likely will have many more to follow.

Here is a list of the components in my system with some key specs:

Emotiva XMC-1 (HDMI 2.0b Video Upgrade Board)
Outlaw Audio 7000x Amplifier (7 x 135 8 Ohms, 7 x 200 4 Ohms, Input Impedance 40K Ohms, Input Sensitivity 1.2 Volts)
Snell E.5mk2 mains (4 Ohms)
Snell CR.5mk2 center (8 Ohms)
XRS 4.1 surround sides (4 Ohms)
XRM 4.1 surround rears (4 Ohms)
Dual Dayton Audio RSS390HO-4 15" Reference HO Subwoofers in 3 cubic foot sealed cabinets
Dual Dayton Audio SA-1000 subwoofer amplifiers (950 watts 4 Ohms, Input Impedance 12K Ohms, RCA inputs only)
Epson Home Cinema 3500 projector
Darbee DVP-5000S
Music Hall MMF-2.2 turntable/Schiit Mani preamp
XBox One
Echodot

I also have an abundance of acoustic panels and bass traps, and my pair of subs have been equalized so they work well together (someone helped me use REW and the controls on the SA10000 amps to get them dialed in).

I am going to make a set of XLR cables to connect the XMC-1 to the Outlaw 7000x.

See below for my room layout. [it seems to show as a link to download the picture--not sure how to get it to show in the post]


Now, let the stupid questions begin:

1. What are the best DIRAC video tutorials for me to watch (from Emo or from others)? The XMC-1 videos are six years old and based on an old version of DIRAC, but I’m not sure if the videos for the XMC-2 and RMC are applicable to the XMC-1.

2. I already have a UMIK-1 microphone. Is it better to use the Emotiva mic or the UMIK-1?

3. I’m a Mac person, but my computers are all running newer operating system versions that don’t work with DIRAC. Am I better off finding a Mac with a suitable OS or getting a Windows PC? If the answer is Mac, then what OS is most likely to work without a hitch? If Windows, same question.

4. Given the input specs of the Outlaw and the output specs of the XMC-1, are there any adjustments I should make to the XMC-1 to start out?

5. It looks like the XMC-1 has 7.2 outputs, which I understand to be stereo subs, but DIRAC appears to work only for mono subs. Am I understanding this correctly and is there anything I special I should do during setup to address this issue?

6. I have enough acoustic panels to put some on the ceiling, but they are black (the ceiling is white). Is it worth the effort and aesthetic drawbacks to install panels on the ceiling?

7. Am I opening myself to a world of frustration such that I should abort this mission and get a simpler processor?

Thanks in advance,

siggie

[siggie]

Making some progress. The XMC-1 has arrived, but is still sitting in the box. A buddy gave me an old laptop running Windows 10. It is a gaming laptop with some serious specs, so it should get the job done without a problem. Alienware 17 - 17.3" - Core i7 4700MQ - 16 GB RAM - 750 GB HDD | ALW17-6877sLV

Keith is right about the difficulty of downgrading the OS on a Mac! I have aborted my attempt.

I'm getting the wires and connectors for the XLR cables from btpa.com/ , which a friend in the pro audio industry recommended. Definitely check them out if you need RCA cables.

siggie

[siggie]

I would appreciate some advice on how to power my system from the wall.

I have a 20a circuit dedicated to my home theater, and the room also has another 15a circuit.

I have a 20a surge protector and a Furman PL-PRO C power conditioner.

My projector is on the 15a and can’t conveniently be plugged into the 20a circuit.

Should all my amps use the 20a? That’s one Outlaw 7000x and two Dayton SA1000s.

What about sources and my XMC-1?

Thanks in advance,

siggie