When it comes to audio gear, we have an insane amount of choice. From entry-level soundbars that can be had for under $500 to multi-thousand-dollar systems with discrete components for amplification and a dozen wired speakers, the sky’s the limit.
But for many of us, our listening room — its shape, size, construction, and furniture — isn’t nearly as customizable. In short, we have the room we have.
And that’s a problem. Because it doesn’t matter how many $5,000 interconnect cables you use or that you’ve banished all errant electrical noise from your setup, your room’s acoustic properties will have the last word on your perceived sound quality.
The sound you hear isn’t just coming directly from your speakers. It’s also reflecting off dozens of surfaces, some of which will absorb specific frequencies. Within your room’s “modes”, sound waves can interfere with one another — canceling, amplifying, and pooling unpredictably.
Then there’s the question of speaker type and placement. Ideally, our speakers should sit away from nearby walls and be toed-in to create a perfect listening triangle. But again, some rooms just don’t afford us this flexibility, and our compromises on placement also affect what we hear.
The solution for these space-based audio ills is room correction. And for this year's TechRadar Home Theater Week, we're looking at one of the most popular room correction systems: Dirac Live.
What is Dirac Live?
Like other room correction software, Dirac Live uses a calibrated mic to measure how sound propagates from your audio system around your room, and makes tailored adjustments to that sound to mitigate the negative effects so that what you hear is a truer representation of your music and movies.
Dirac Live Room Correction comes in two versions: a limited bandwidth edition and a full bandwidth version. The limited bandwidth version is considered the entry level — perfect for those with no previous experience with room correction — and focuses on common lower frequency issues like bass boominess and midrange muddiness in the 20Hz-500Hz range. The full bandwidth option (20Hz-20,000Hz) is targeted toward anyone who wants even more control over their systems.
Both versions can be augmented with Dirac Live Bass Control, an expansion of the room correction software that addresses the specific needs of folks who use one or more subwoofers, and Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (ART), a more comprehensive approach to room correction designed to achieve results that previously would have required physical interventions like panels or diffusers.
How does it work?
Dirac Live solves room acoustic challenges by placing a measurement microphone in various listening positions throughout the room. It then records both frequency response and impulse response at each position, building a picture of how sound waves interact with your walls, floors, and furniture.
With that data, Dirac Live generates correction filters designed to tackle anomalies across both frequency and time domains. The frequency-based filters address those boomy/muddy concerns, but the time adjustments are no less important. By ensuring that sounds from each speaker arrive at the same time, distortions in both the width and depth of the soundstage can be corrected.
These filters are applied independently to each speaker channel, whether you have a simple left/right stereo setup or a multispeaker surround configuration.
The result? Enhanced spatial imaging, minimized coloration, and a natural tonal balance that holds up across the entire listening area.
What do I need to use Dirac Live?
The most common way to use Dirac Live is via a compatible AV receiver, preamp/processor, or even one of the best soundbars.
They include models from Marantz, Denon, Klipsch, Onkyo, Pioneer, NAD, Bluesound, Rotel, Arcam, and many other brands. However, each device has its own level of support for Dirac Live. Some, like the Klipsch Flexus Core 300 soundbar, only support the limited bandwidth version of Room Correction, while others are compatible with the full bandwidth edition.
Adding to the complexity, some models come with a limited bandwidth license and can be upgraded to full bandwidth for a fee, while others aren’t upgradeable. Each device has further compatibility rules regarding Bass Control and ART, so be sure to check the specs carefully.
Most devices are Dirac Live compatible — meaning they can apply the Dirac algorithms, but can’t help you perform and adjust the actual room correction measurements. Less common are models (like Onkyo’s TX-RZ70) that have Dirac Live built in, letting you measure, calibrate, and adjust room correction, typically with the help of a mobile app and an included mic.
If a device is compatible, you’ll need to download the Dirac Live software onto a Windows or Mac laptop to perform room measurements and create the resulting EQ adjustments. Your device and your computer will need to be connected to the same home network during the calibration process, but the computer isn’t required once the final settings have been transferred to your audio component.
Dirac Live compatible models often come with an included room correction mic, but you’ll need to make sure it’s Dirac compatible — sometimes they’re only intended for other room correction services like Audyssey. Compatible USB mics can be purchased for about $80.
It’s also possible to get the benefits of Dirac Live even if you don’t own a compatible or built-in audio device. If you’re willing to add a computer to your audio setup, it can be used to take the necessary measurements, perform the room correction, and apply these new settings to your audio signal before it reaches your speakers.
How difficult is it to use?
If you’re reasonably confident using a computer, most folks who have used Dirac Live say it’s very straightforward. However, it can be time-consuming. The trickiest portion is taking measurements with the microphone.
The software recommends as many as nine different positions for the best results, and getting absolute silence during these measurements is key.
You can use a small tripod to mount the mic, but a boom stand is preferable as it lets you position the mic closer to your actual listening height and away from reflective surfaces like tabletops.
How much does Dirac Live cost?
Licenses start at $99 (around £75 / AU$150) and can run up to $499 (around £375 / AU$750), depending on the gear you intend to use it with and whether you want the limited or full-bandwidth version.
However, as noted earlier, many Dirac Live compatible devices (and all built-in devices) come with at least a limited bandwidth license, which gives you the basic level of room correction included in the price of the audio component. Upgrades, when available, are also priced based on your equipment.
So far, Bass Control and Active Room Treatment licenses haven’t been included on any Dirac Live devices. These add-ons are $299 (around £225 / AU$460) each, regardless of the device.
Can I transfer my license?
If you’re planning to sell your Dirac Live compatible device, you can transfer your license to the new owner. Likewise, if you need to replace your broken device with an identical unit, you won’t need to pay again.
However, licenses are not transferable between different devices. So if you swap your Pioneer receiver for an Onkyo model, you’ll need to buy a new license if one wasn’t included with the purchase.
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