I posted the response below at Emotiva's website, but I thought I'd post here as I'm looking for more technical experience for my learning benefit (I'm an EE although audio isn't my concentration). I am interested in improving my system even more, but I suspect I crossed the diminishing returns threshold a long time ago and this is the last improvement I'll see for a very long time! It was very neat to get the improvement I did.
Dirac Live full software ($750) versus Emotiva XMC-1 Dirac Live "Full" upgrade ($99): Dirac Live $750 software wins?
What I did: I used the XMC-1's Preset 1 speaker preset and manually set level and time aligned my subs (prior to using Dirac Live trial software on my PC). This involved taking 20 measurements and picking the best front speaker/sub time alignment (see REW Preset 1 file at link above) by adjusting crossover slope in the XMC-1 and subwoofer distance. I then used HDMI to connect my HTPC to the XMC-1 and let Dirac calibrate the left channel (left speaker crossed at 80Hz to dual mono subs), right channel (right speaker crossed at 80Hz to dual mono subs), etc... I used an Steinberg UR22 mkII and an Earthworks M30 mic for REW and for Dirac. However, the XMC-1's on-board Dirac was calibrated using an UMIK-1 USB mic (which I no longer have).
System details: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1J0a4OV_WGLUVZBNUJBR29LTEU
All speakers crossed at 80Hz with 12dB slope to dual JL Audio F212 subs. REW files are also available for download above. Note there is a 200Hz room issue that I've never been able to fix (causes the one phase shift on right channel and a dip on the left channel with no phase issue). My room is very well treated though, just a FROG with short sloped ceilings.
It's crazy how one algorithm is targeting the low end more (PC Dirac Live trial software), while the XMC-1 Dirac Live "Full" software targets the high end more. One would definitely want the low-end targeted more, and the high-end left alone as much as possible, so I think the PC version of Dirac is actually better. For the low frequencies better phase coherence, lower 3dB point and a sweeter looking waterfall is a nice improvement!
Really makes one wonder how perfect the XMC-1 would be if we could adjust the sub channel delay following calibration (like the $750 Dirac software will do) or if the XMC-1 applied the crossover upstream of Dirac...
Potentially, I could try to tackle the 200Hz issue in REW by exporting filters to the XMC-1's Preset 1, then rerun Dirac on my PC. I could also setup the optimum gain structure for levels (e.g. speaker trim) prior to running Dirac on the PC. I don't think I've seen a better waterfall plot anywhere though, so I'm tempted to enjoy the bass and leave things alone for a while.
I'll have to enjoy my Dirac trial (and even better bass) since I'm unsure of paying the $750 for the software!?! Plus I'd have to let my PC software decode HD audio formats instead of using bitstreamed output to the XMC-1. I'm using KODI now to do this and it sounds excellent, but when atmos/dts-x comes to the XMC-1, I will have to figure out something else... It is neat that the software version doesn't downsample HD audio tracks to 48kHz (like the XMC-1 does when Dirac speaker preset is selected), and it even uses 32 bits to do the math (and my PC's processor) so there's less truncation. This bass improvement, while minor, was probably worth the $750, and I think it subjectively sounds clearer (but I think it's my mind playing tricks on me although it could be the gain structure too as one would think the XMC-1 would have more headroom with Dirac disengaged).
OLD Results (blue) using Dirac speaker mode on the XMC-1 Versus using Preset 1 on the XMC-1 with Dirac software (purple) are attached.
Dirac Live full software ($750) versus Emotiva XMC-1 Dirac Live "Full" upgrade ($99): Dirac Live $750 software wins?
What I did: I used the XMC-1's Preset 1 speaker preset and manually set level and time aligned my subs (prior to using Dirac Live trial software on my PC). This involved taking 20 measurements and picking the best front speaker/sub time alignment (see REW Preset 1 file at link above) by adjusting crossover slope in the XMC-1 and subwoofer distance. I then used HDMI to connect my HTPC to the XMC-1 and let Dirac calibrate the left channel (left speaker crossed at 80Hz to dual mono subs), right channel (right speaker crossed at 80Hz to dual mono subs), etc... I used an Steinberg UR22 mkII and an Earthworks M30 mic for REW and for Dirac. However, the XMC-1's on-board Dirac was calibrated using an UMIK-1 USB mic (which I no longer have).
System details: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1J0a4OV_WGLUVZBNUJBR29LTEU
All speakers crossed at 80Hz with 12dB slope to dual JL Audio F212 subs. REW files are also available for download above. Note there is a 200Hz room issue that I've never been able to fix (causes the one phase shift on right channel and a dip on the left channel with no phase issue). My room is very well treated though, just a FROG with short sloped ceilings.
It's crazy how one algorithm is targeting the low end more (PC Dirac Live trial software), while the XMC-1 Dirac Live "Full" software targets the high end more. One would definitely want the low-end targeted more, and the high-end left alone as much as possible, so I think the PC version of Dirac is actually better. For the low frequencies better phase coherence, lower 3dB point and a sweeter looking waterfall is a nice improvement!
Really makes one wonder how perfect the XMC-1 would be if we could adjust the sub channel delay following calibration (like the $750 Dirac software will do) or if the XMC-1 applied the crossover upstream of Dirac...
Potentially, I could try to tackle the 200Hz issue in REW by exporting filters to the XMC-1's Preset 1, then rerun Dirac on my PC. I could also setup the optimum gain structure for levels (e.g. speaker trim) prior to running Dirac on the PC. I don't think I've seen a better waterfall plot anywhere though, so I'm tempted to enjoy the bass and leave things alone for a while.
I'll have to enjoy my Dirac trial (and even better bass) since I'm unsure of paying the $750 for the software!?! Plus I'd have to let my PC software decode HD audio formats instead of using bitstreamed output to the XMC-1. I'm using KODI now to do this and it sounds excellent, but when atmos/dts-x comes to the XMC-1, I will have to figure out something else... It is neat that the software version doesn't downsample HD audio tracks to 48kHz (like the XMC-1 does when Dirac speaker preset is selected), and it even uses 32 bits to do the math (and my PC's processor) so there's less truncation. This bass improvement, while minor, was probably worth the $750, and I think it subjectively sounds clearer (but I think it's my mind playing tricks on me although it could be the gain structure too as one would think the XMC-1 would have more headroom with Dirac disengaged).
OLD Results (blue) using Dirac speaker mode on the XMC-1 Versus using Preset 1 on the XMC-1 with Dirac software (purple) are attached.