Dirac Live and Polk SDA speakers
SelvagemKC
Posts: 5
in Speakers
Before I drop some money on Dirac Live, I've been reading about whether or not to use the interconnect cable before measuring. Responses seem equally split; this thread from this forum is a very good example. Both answers make sense (distortion vs. failure to incorporate the extra set of drivers). Does anyone have hands-on experience doing this? https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/186229/sda-and-room-correction
A related question, though not exactly Polk-specific: I've read about setting up different filters in Dirac (regular vs. bass heavy for example), but it seems like all filters are based on the same measurement. Is it possible to set up different filters based on different measurements? In this case, a filter when using the interconnect cable and another without it?
A related question, though not exactly Polk-specific: I've read about setting up different filters in Dirac (regular vs. bass heavy for example), but it seems like all filters are based on the same measurement. Is it possible to set up different filters based on different measurements? In this case, a filter when using the interconnect cable and another without it?
Answers
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With decent gear and half a brain you don't need stuff like Dirac.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Dirac has its place
The problem with Dirac however it's that equalization can cause massive power requirements and excursion capabilities.
If you listen at any higher volume level I caution using Dirac on anything but subwoofers- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Haha; simple ol me; I had to google dirac. From it's description it doesn't sound like anything I'll ever need.
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My best recommendation is to run room correction (Dirac is just one of a few available) two times with the cable connected and then disconnected and see how each sounds to you in your own room. You can also compare the setting results in the receiver for yourself to see if there are differences.
Dirac is intended to treat all of the speakers in a home theater system as one integrated system in terms of distance, timing and phase correction within a listening room. It's intended to address room interactions with the output of all of the speakers when they're used together. Given that, it doesn't make sense to me to disconnect the SDA drivers and then run the Dirac setup since the system's balance will be thrown off when connecting the SDA drivers to use the speakers in a cohesive system.
A Dirac setup procedure uses multiple microphone placements to analyze the acoustic properties within the room and how each speaker interacts in the room and with the other speakers. SDA crosstalk cancellation works optimally within only a narrow range. Although not exactly the same, it would be somewhat analogous to having a 9 speaker home theater system and running Dirac with only 7 of them working by disconnecting the SDA cable during setup.
When listening to two channel, which I assume is what the SDA speakers are mainly there for, Dirac may be taken out of the equation entirely by switching to a "pure direct" mode.
What SDA model is to be used? -
My best recommendation is to run room correction (Dirac is just one of a few available) two times with the cable connected and then disconnected and see how each sounds to you in your own room. You can also compare the setting results in the receiver for yourself to see if there are differences.
Dirac is intended to treat all of the speakers in a home theater system as one integrated system in terms of distance, timing and phase correction within a listening room. It's intended to address room interactions with the output of all of the speakers when they're used together. Given that, it doesn't make sense to me to disconnect the SDA drivers and then run the Dirac setup since the system's balance will be thrown off when connecting the SDA drivers to use the speakers in a cohesive system.
A Dirac setup procedure uses multiple microphone placements to analyze the acoustic properties within the room and how each speaker interacts in the room and with the other speakers. SDA crosstalk cancellation works optimally within only a narrow range. Although not exactly the same, it would be somewhat analogous to having a 9 speaker home theater system and running Dirac with only 7 of them working by disconnecting the SDA cable during setup.
When listening to two channel, which I assume is what the SDA speakers are mainly there for, Dirac may be taken out of the equation entirely by switching to a "pure direct" mode.
What SDA model is to be used?
Thanks! They are SDA SRS 1.2. I have not yet upgraded the tweeters and crossovers . Dirac is only for room correction when all speakers and both subwoofers are in use, which is typically for movies and games. I haven't been able to get things quite right just trying to dial in distances and levels manually, especially the surrounds and bass. Dirac would not apply for music, since I run that in two channel, pure direct mode, which as I understand it turns off those adjustments anyway. -
You're on the right path! I usually use an internal calibration system to set acoustic distances first for a home theater system then tweak manually with an SPL meter to get the speaker levels where I want them. Sometimes the calibration will have the distance to a subwoofer two or three times where it really is although the systems have got better about that over the years.
Marantz and Denon appear to have incorporated Dirac in their latest models.
https://www.dirac.com/press-releases/art-available-on-denon-and-marantz/
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Yes, Dirac ART is now available for Marantz and Denon, for purchase. But it's a $300 add-on that requires the already steep basic Dirac Live room correction ($350) + Dirac Bass Control ($300). Those also require a decent omnidirectional microphone. I picked up a UMIK-1 for $50 on FB Marketplace figuring I could use it whether I buy Dirac or try a different solution. I don't quite get what ART is supposed to offer on top of room control + bass control. Maybe I'll see about an SPL meter app that will work with the UMIK mic. I tried the free Audyssey app + hockey puck mic, but it wants you to use Dynamic EQ--and when I turn that on the bass gets better but the surrounds start shouting. Trying to adjust manually from where Audyssey sets everything has been kind of a guessing game--like it sounds right until a certain action scene, etc. comes up in a movie, and then it's obviously wrong and time to start over.
