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Dirac Live LE™ / Dirac Live™ User Manual

1. Playback Device Emotiva Audio Corporation XMC 1 System Config B System Config Speaker System 5 0 Your Emotiva XMC 1 should be shown as the Playback Device If not please ensure that your computer and XMC 1 are ke Microphone Microphone C Media USB Headphone Set on your Rescan devices at r The Speaker System field should show the configuration you entered in the Dirac Speaker Preset on your AMC if these settings are o se DI N a If you make any corrections click Rescan Devices to update the device list on if all of the information shown is correct click Proceed to proceed to the Output and Levels screen Load Save s gt Provost Upgrade 1 1 0 Build 5467 The Dirac Live Calibration Tool DLCT is used to measure your system and your room analyze the results and create the Correction Curves that will be used by the Dirac Preset module in your XMC 1 to perfect the sound of your room speaker system Version Note Dirac Live LE for Emotiva offers the full power of Dirac Live s room correction capabilities but utilizes a simplified workflow with few opportunities for user to customize settings along the way Dirac Live Full for Emotiva adds several advanced configuration options that allow the user to customize the results to suit their personal preferences Before running the Dirac Live Calibration Tool confirm that your computer and XMC 1 are connected to your network
2. Dirac Live for Emotiva Dirac Live takes the correction process a step further than other more basic room correction systems Because Dirac Live uses mixed phase filters it is able to calculate filters that not only correct the frequency response but also compensate for errors in time response This allows Dirac Live to correct more of the differences between how your speakers perform in your room and how ideal speakers in an ideal room would sound and enables Dirac Live to correct both frequency response and transient response In simplest terms because Dirac Live is not limited to correcting only problems related to frequency response it does a better job of making your room sound more like it theoretically should In addition to its extensive set of manual adjustment and calibration tools the XMC 1 includes Dirac Live for Emotiva a powerful version of Dirac Live Room Correction optimized to run on the XMC 1 hardware platform Dirac Live is comprised of two modules the Dirac Live Calibration Tool DLCT which takes the measurements analyzes them and calculates the correction filters and the audio processing module that applies the correction filters to your music Every XMC 1 purchase includes a license for a single user copy of Dirac Live LE for Emotiva which provides all the powerful room correction capabilities of Dirac Live but offers limited options for the user to customize the results Users who require the ability to fur
3. 24 dB mark on the Level Meters If the noise level remains below 24 dB even when the Input Gain is set at its highest then just leave it set there Now click the Test Button for the first speaker channel and GRADUALLY turn the Output Volume up until the Level Meter reads towards the center of the green area when the test tone is at its loudest Click the Test Button again to stop the test tone when you re done Repeat this process with each of the remaining speaker channels For each turn the Output Volume TAIN if tha tant tana ee tha Feedback 1 0 5 Build 5357 The Input Gain control is used to set the gain of the microphone preamp and input circuitry to work optimally with the level of background noise in your listening room Note The test microphone should be positioned vertically with the point aimed straight towards the ceiling Note You should be as quiet as possible while the tests are being run e With no test tones being output the Level Meters are showing the actual level of background noise in your listening room all the meters will read the same at this point e Use the Input Gain control to adjust the levels so that the readings on the Level Meter are as close as you can get to 24 dB while remaining below it the tick mark indicated by the red arrow e Ifthe Level Meters read below 24 dB even with the Input Gain all the way up then simply leave the Input Gain set at 20 dB Not
4. Auto Target Button instructs Dirac Live to create a default Target Curve based on the results of its measurements When you first enter this screen default Target Curves will be calculated and displayed and those will be used until you edit them or load different ones Note You will notice that the Target Curve is only shown for the area where the corrections will be applied the area between the shaded curtains You may also notice that the Target Curve turns up or down somewhat sharply near the ends This is normal and occurs because the Target Curve inside the frequency range to be calibrated is constrained to match the levels of the uncorrected measured response where the two meet at the edges of the corrected frequency range If you click the Impulse Button you will be taken to another screen which will show the measured impulse response of your speakers and room before Dirac Live s corrections and the calculated impulse response after the corrections are applied When you are viewing the impulse response the label on the button will switch to Spectrum and you can click it to return to the frequency response display The Save and Load buttons at the bottom left allow you to save and load a complete Dirac Live Project which includes the current set of test measurements the settings of the limit curtains and the current Target Curves This allows you to save the results of multiple sets of calibration measurements and
5. Running Dirac Live for Emotiva Overview There are two basic steps involved in using Dirac Live for Emotiva 1 Creating a set of Correction Filters and transferring them to your XMC 1 2 Applying the Correction Filters to the audio source you re listening to The Dirac Live Calibration Tool which is a software program that you run on your computer is used to run the calibration tests calculate the Correction Filters and transfer them to your XMC 1 1 Install the Dirac Live Calibration Tool DLCT on your computer 2 Connect your computer and your XMC 1 to your home network and the Internet 3 Connect the calibrated measurement microphone to your computer 4 Run DLCT and allow it to measure your room and your speakers using the microphone 5 Allow DLCT to analyze the test results calculate a set of Correction Filters and transfer the Correction Filters to your XMC 1 6 Once the Filters are transferred you may disconnect the XMC 1 from your network Note Your XMC 1 can only store one set of Correction Filters at any given time To CREATE a different set of Correction Filters and transfer them to your XMC 1 you will need to re connect your XMC 1 your computer and your microphone and run DLCT again However DLCT can store any number of sets of test results on your computer If you have saved multiple sets of test results on your computer you can connect your XMC 1 and DLCT together via your network load a saved set of tes
6. While your particular listening room may limit your options the closer you can get to this goal the better Ideally your room itself should also be as symmetrical as possible acoustically For example if you have a large window on your left wall and a large tapestry on the right wall you should consider adding heavy curtains over the window Listening positions directly against the rear wall or in corners should be avoided Your speakers should be positioned and angled so they produce the best imaging and the smoothest sound before you run Dirac Live By avoiding obvious major problems you will enable Dirac Live to better focus on the smaller issues and will end up with a more precise room correction It is especially important that your subwoofer or subwoofers be properly positioned before using any type of room correction While Dirac Live will do a great job of evening out response issues caused by room effects it may not be possible for even the best room correction to entirely eliminate strong nulls or room modes and attempting to do so may cause other issues Some locations in some rooms are just plain bad spots to locate a sub and no amount of room correction can correct them entirely Page 4 Dirac Live for Emotiva easurement and Microphone Positions Note Dirac Live relies on having multiple sets of measurements taken at different physical locations to produce the most accurate room corrections Therefore
7. your microphone is connected your XMC 1 is turned On not Standby and your computer is booted up Also make sure that you have disabled AGC for the C Media USB headset microphone on your computer and confirm that you have configured the Dirac Preset on your XMC 1 with the Speaker Size settings you plan to use Note The microphone must be plugged into the digitizer cable which is then plugged into a USB port ON YOUR COMPUTER DO NOT plug the microphone into one of the USB ports on your XMC 1 Note You MUST set the Speaker Size settings in the Dirac Speaker Preset on your XMC 1 to match your room and speaker configuration BEFORE starting DLCT You will NOT be able to change these settings once DLCT is running Note When the Dirac Live Calibration Tool connects to your XMC 1 it will override all of the XMC 1 s controls Both the front panel and remote control will be locked out until DLCT has finished taking measurements and downloaded the resulting Correction Filters Page 12 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva You do NOT have to set your XMC 1 into any special mode before running Dirac Live As soon as you run the Dirac Live Calibration Tool and it connects to your XMC 1 the XMC 1 will display a Connected message on its front panel display any audio that was playing through it will be muted and all front panel controls and the remote control for the XMC 1 will be locked out until the calibration process
8. Design Screen E Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject 1 fe es ania 2 il VA EJDiracLie EE i dI3H IMPULSE Filter Design a System Config 1 You may inspect the frequency Output amp Levels response of each channel by clicking on the channel tabs top VH Left Surr right Click the Impulse Button to Measurements N YW Right Si view impulse response when 5 y d Iw N ight Surr viewing impulse response click z m Filter Design di the Spectrum Button to return to i ig Hu a Mie il l WI the frequency response graphs DI Vd Ip WA 0 7 j 2 After analyzing all of b lyzing all of the d WW 7 W t measurement results Dirac Live W will determine the range of frequencies over which your speakers can be accurately calibrated and corrected The shaded curtains at the left and right edges of the frequency response graph indicate these limits the range of frequencies between the curtains will be corrected The bright orange line indicates the Target Curve which is the frequency response result that Dirac Live will aim for with its corrections NOTE With Dirac Live LE for Frequency Hz w Emotiva this version the frequency range to which corrections will be applied is automatically calculated by Dirac e Back Live and the Target Curve has i beer to provide the best sou ite ior tho maicii ot Create filters Load Save 0 Buld 5467 O
9. Dirac Live for Emotiva software must be installed on a personal computer Use your web browser to go to the Dirac Live for Emotiva activation page https emotiva com xmc 1 dirac live download On the activation page you will be asked to enter your activation key enter your e mail address and choose a password for yourself your password must include a combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers This information will be used to create your Dirac account WE STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU WRITE DOWN THIS INFORMATION AS YOU WILL NEED IT LATER Note If you are activating Dirac Live Full for Emotiva and you have already activated Dirac Live LE for Emotiva using the same e mail address you should select the EXISTING ACCOUNT link and enter your new Activation Key there You will then be able to use the same e mail address and password for both licenses Once you do that you will be given a link where you can download the Mac or PC version of the Dirac Live for Emotiva software Download the appropriate version of the DLCT software and run the installer program to install it on your computer When you do so you will be asked to enter the credentials from your Dirac account the e mail and password you entered Whenever you run the Dirac Live software on your computer it will use this information to confirm that you are a licensed user DO NOT share this information with other users You should keep a copy of your e mail address password
10. Speaker System this should show the configuration you set in the Dirac Preset Microphone Microphone C Media USB Headphone Set Note If you see the wrong Playback Device or none check your network connections and confirm that your XMC 1 is turned On if you don t see the Microphone confirm that your microphone is connected if the Speaker System entry is incorrect close the Dirac Live Calibration Tool program and use the Setup Menu on your XMC 1 to correct the configuration you have set in the Dirac Speaker Preset If all of the information is correct click the Proceed button to proceed to the Output and Levels screen Page 13 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva 2 Configuring the Microphone Gain and Test Levels Output and Levels Screen E Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject_1 IS sl litical e Weg mm em SS aie VVA B Live LE Ww Input gain el Output amp Levels a System Config Output volume a 1 WARNING Playing test tones at e Output amp Levels excessively loud levels may damage your speakers Always e Channel name Test Level start with Input Gain at is e HIGHEST setting and Output Left gt DEER Volume at its LOWEST setting a 2 Start with your room as quiet as Right WW TT y possible and with your microphone in the center sweet ERR gt spot listening position B 3 Gradually move the Input Gain 17 down until the background noise Left Sum KH level is just below th
11. and activation key in a safe place there are places to record them on the Notes page at the back of this manual If you ever need to download a new copy of the software you will need to log in to your account with your e mail address and password and you will be asked for your activation key think of the activation key like a receipt that you can use to prove that you are a licensed owner of the software Your Dirac Live for Emotiva software is licensed to be installed on one computer The licensing mechanism will usually allow you to install the software on a second computer but will prevent you from installing it on more computers If you attempt to install the software on more computers it may refuse to activate or versions you have previously installed on other computers may stop working IF YOU NEED TO REINSTALL DIRAC LIVE FOR EMOTIVA ON ANOTHER COMPUTER AND YOU RECEIVE AN ERROR THAT YOUR LICENSE DOESN T ALLOW ANY MORE ACTIVATIONS PLEASE CONTACT EMOTIVA TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND WE WILL RESET YOUR LICENSE FOR YOU Note Please refer to the Dirac Live FAQ for specific details about computer system requirements You may access the FAQ from the References tab at the bottom of the XMC 1 product page on our website Page 7 Preparing to Run Dirac Live for Emotiva Note While you may install the Dirac Live software on any computer that meets the minimum requirements many people find it easier to install it on a laptop computer w
12. even if you only have one critical listening position you will still get the most accurate room correction results if you allow Dirac Live to take the full recommended series of nine measurements at different locations Although Dirac Live can be run with fewer measurements and measurements may be deleted or skipped we STRONGLY recommend that you complete the full set of measurements for the best results The Dirac Calibration Kit that you received with your XMC 1 or which you received later if you were a VIP Early Adopter includes a convenient tabletop microphone stand which will allow you to position the microphone in many locations However you may find it easier to position the microphone accurately at all of the recommended locations if you purchase your own fully adjustable microphone stand If it isn t convenient to take measurements at the positions shown by DLCT do your best to take the full set of measurements in the relative pattern of locations shown even if the individual locations must be closer together For example if your preferred seating position is on a recliner instead of the couch shown in the diagrams you should still try to move the microphone to different positions even if the sweet spot position is in the center of the back the far left and far right positions are at each end of the chair back and the intermediate positions are halfway in between it s better to move the microphone even a little between each re
13. for g Emotiva this version the frequency range to which gein corrections will be applied is automatically calculated by Dirac So Se A Back Live and the Target Curve has been chosen to provide the best Output amp Levels Measurements i s Filter Design 1 1 0 Bulla 5467 Page 1 Dirac Live for Emotiva Automatic Room Correction Audio recordings themselves and modern audio playback and amplification equipment both achieve very high levels of accuracy the weakest links in a modern audio system are the speakers and the room The limitations of speakers themselves and the complex ways in which they interact with various characteristics of the listening room can cause the way music sounds in your listening room or home theater to be quite different from what you expect Simple variations in frequency response as experienced at your listening position can make the music you re listening to sound bright or dull or change the tonal balance in more subtle ways and errors in timing and phase can transform the sound stage from a precise recreation of the original recording venue to a blurry and jumbled mess In the early days of audio you could use a test disc and a sound pressure level SPL meter to graph the frequency response of your audio system then manually adjust the gain at various frequencies using some sort of equalizer to produce a relatively flat frequency response While this pro
14. have a narrow white space between them Channels with tabs that are touching are part of a group which means that they share limit curtains and a single Target Curve Page 34 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva By default Dirac Live will group speakers by set front left and front right surround left and surround right etc You can break a group by clicking on the small chain symbol that appears on the edge of linked tabs You can create groups by first selecting one tab then dragging other tabs onto it with your mouse To move the limit curtains drag the small handles in the center of the inside edge of each curtain Note You cannot move the limit curtains past the orange adjustment points on the Target Curve line If you want to move the limit curtains inwards but they are blocked by one or more adjustment points you must move or delete the adjustment point first To adjust the current Target Curve simply drag one or more of the adjustment points the orange balls to a new location You can add new adjustment points by double clicking on the Target Curve line and you can delete an existing adjustment point by double clicking on it You can create a different Target Curve for each group of speakers The Save Target and Load Target buttons allow you to save the current Target Curve to a file and to read a previously saved Target Curve from a file Target Curves you Load are applied to the current group The
15. is completed Note IT DOESN T MATTER WHERE THE VOLUME CONTROL ON YOUR XMC 1 IS SET WHEN YOU PERFORM MEASUREMENTS USING DIRAC LIVE DIRAC LIVE OVERRIDES ALL CONTROLS ON THE XMC 1 AND WILL IGNORE THE PREVIOUS VOLUME SETTING Double click on the Dirac Live LE for Emotiva icon or select Dirac Live for Emotiva from your Start Menu to run the program Dirac Live will indicate that it is Scanning for Devices Within a few seconds you will see a dialog box that shows the Friendly Name and IP address for your XMC 1 asking Do you want to use this server If you only have one XMC 1 then you should respond with Yes Note If you re lucky enough to have more than one XMC 1 confirm that the unit shown in the dialog box is the one you wish to calibrate If not respond No and DLCT will continue to scan your network showing each XMC 1 you have in turn until you respond Yes to one of them This is one reason why if you DO have multiple XMC 1 s you should assign each a unique Friendly Name Note If you see the Scanning for Devices message in the DLCT program but don t see the dialog box eventually check and see if it has popped up behind another window The program will not proceed until you respond to the dialog box Once you respond to the initial dialog box you will be presented with the System Configuration screen shown above Confirm that DLCT shows the following Playback Device Emotiva Audio Corporation XMC 1
16. set the Output Volume to its LOWEST setting BEFORE proceeding with this step Failure to do so may result in the test tones playing at an excessively loud level which may damage your speakers Note At this point the individual Channel Volume sliders should all be set to the TOP of their setting range Starting from their default positions the individual Channel Volume sliders can be used to lower the level of the test signal for each individual channel but not to raise it WARNING Excessively loud test tones can damage your speakers Unlike music the test tones used by Dirac Live contain significant amounts of energy at a wide range of frequencies Because the energy distribution of the test tones is far different than that of typical music playing the test tones at excessively high levels may result in damage to your speakers EVEN IF YOU NORMALLY PLAY MUSIC AT THESE SAME LOUD LEVELS WARNING If the test tones seem excessively loud but the meters fail to indicate at all or don t seem to indicate properly check your connections before proceeding IF THE TEST TONES SEEM EXCESSIVELY LOUD you should abort the test and contact Emotiva Technical Support for further assistance Note The radio buttons in the Subwoofer column are for informational purposes only and should agree with the speaker configuration in the Dirac Speaker Preset on your XMC 1 If not please close Dirac Live and confirm that the Dirac Speaker Preset in your XMC 1
17. so simply removing it from this list may restore proper operation Page 10 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva There are two versions of Dirac Live for Emotiva This section contains the instructions for running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva the version that comes free with the XMC 1 If you purchased your XMC 1 directly from Emotiva then you received a complementary license for Dirac Live LE for Emotiva with your purchase This version offers a simplified workflow and produces high quality room correction results that will meet the needs of most users However if you require more extensive customization options including the ability to edit Speaker Groups and Target Curves and the ability to use third party calibrated microphones you may wish to consider purchasing Dirac Live Full for Emotiva You may purchase a license for Dirac Live Full for Emotiva by contacting our sales department If you purchased your XMC 1 on the used market and so did not receive a license for Dirac Live for Emotiva with it you may also purchase a new license for Dirac Live Full for Emotiva from our sales department Dirac Live LE for Emotiva is only available to owners who purchased their XMC 1 directly from Emotiva If you already have a copy of Dirac Live Full for Emotiva please skip to the next section E Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject 1 ole fs Ae BJ DiracLive LE eS SS E a 5 en Eier Filt
18. to save the results of a single set of measurements with different limit curtains and Target Curves applied to them The Save button allows you to save the current set of measurements and Target Curves as a Project file on your computer the Load button allows you to read a previously saved set of measurements from your computer Now that the calibration process is complete click Create Filters to instruct Dirac Live to create the Correction Filters and transfer them to your XMC 1 You will see a status message on the XMC 1 front panel display and OSD while the filters are being transferred Once the transfer has been completed and verified the XMC 1 will indicate that the process has completed then control of the XMC 1 will be returned to the user If you modify your limit curtains or Target Curve or Load new Target Curves after the transfer is completed you ll probably want to save them then simply click Create Filters again to create your new Correction Filters and transfer them to your XMC 1 Page 35 Using Dirac Live Room Correction With Your XMC 1 Congratulations You have successfully calibrated your listening room and speakers using Dirac Live for Emotiva The Dirac Live Room Correction filters you have created are activated simply by selecting the Dirac Speaker Preset By default when you complete the Dirac Live calibration process the Dirac Speaker Preset will be assigned to all inputs on your XMC 1 You can select whic
19. EMOTIVA T Avg fipectnen iere S Target rue nb Measurements e D Filter Design ee ak 2 les J S Ay ET Hodia Conte a J d d 5 D gt rt V Lo rts gt gt Dr ee 5 zm TA BE P Se a E XMC xme xlwc 3 Dirac Live LE for Emotiva Dirac Live Full for Emotiva User Manual Dirac Live for Emotiva irac Live for Emotiva EMOTIVA gt erotva P Differential Reference Medin Entella A oo oo e MENU AUDIO INFO STANDBY E Dira Live LE for Emotiva Disco fae R CN BDDiractive LE ST IV aen wus x Filter Design System Contig 1 You may inspect the frequency response of each channel by clicking on the channel tabs top right Click the Impulse Button to view impulse response when viewing impulse response click the Spectrum Button to return to the frequency response graphs 2 After analyzing all of the measurement results Dirac Live will determine the range of frequencies over which your speakers can be accurately calibrated and corrected The shaded curtains at the left and Tight edges of the frequency response graph indicate these limits the range of frequencies between the curtains will be corrected The bright orange line indicates the Target Curve which is the frequency response result that Dirac Live will aim for with its corrections Eas 3 NOTE With Dirac Live LE
20. Gain and Output Volume You will then be able to proceed to complete the rest of the test measurements you won t have to start over Note When moving from one measurement location to another you must use the Start Button to start each test If you use the Proceed Button by mistake the test sequence will be aborted and you will move on the final phase of the calibration without completing all the recommended measurements Dirac Live for Emotiva will not prevent you from calculating your Correction Filters with an incomplete set of measurements but the results will be less accurate Note If you receive a device connection failure error it usually means that your WiFi connection is weak or intermittent If this happens you may be able to relocate your laptop to a location with a more reliable signal If that doesn t work you may have to use a direct wired network connection to your router or switch If you do so you may be able to continue the test without restarting it by using the Back Button to return to the previous screen then clicking Proceed If you do you will have to readjust your Input Gain and Output Volume which will reset to their default values when you press the Back Button e Once you ve completed all nine recommended sets of test measurements click Proceed to proceed to the Filter Design screen Page 20 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva 6 Creating the Dirac Live Correction Filters The Filter
21. IGHEST setting and Output Volume at its LOWEST setting Start with your room as quiet as possible and with your microphone in the center sweet spot listening position N w Gradually move the Input Gain down until the background noise level is just below the 24 dB mark on the Level Meters If the noise level remains below 24 dB even when the Input Gain is set at its highest then just leave it set there NOTE The Output Volume adjustment process will begin with the individual Channel Volume sliders in their center positions Now click the Test Button for the first speaker channel and GRADUALLY tum the Output Volume up until the Level Meter reads towards the center of the green area when the test tone is at its loudest Click the Test Button again to stop the test tone when Karen D Di 1 1 0 Build 5841 work optimally with the level of background noise in your listening room Note The test microphone should be positioned vertically with the point aimed straight towards the ceiling Note You should be as quiet as possible while the tests are being run e With no test tones being output the Level Meters are showing the actual level of background noise in your listening room all the meters will read the same at this point e Use the Input Gain control to adjust the levels so that the readings on the Level Meter are as close as you can get to 24 dB while remaining below it the tick mark indicate
22. TE It is CRITICAL that the first measurement is taken at the center of the sweet spot which is nominally the center of the listening area Even if your normal listening position is off center b Start Dirac Live will produce the best overall results if you choose a location that is centered between left and right as your sweet spot N S 3 Make sure that the room remains Oblique View Y _ t quiet that nothing and nobody is located directly between the microphone and any of the speakers and that you avoid standing close to the microphone or moving around the room while measurements are being taken Avoid placing the microphone directly on the seat of a couch or in other locations where furniture may block the microphone from Back p Proceed hearing certain speakers If your f subwoofer has an auto shut off Eeer Upgrade 1 1 0 Build 5467 The Measurements Screen is where you instruct Dirac Live for Emotiva to take the series of measurements that will be used to calculate the Correction Filters On this screen you will see a picture of a couch decorated with several dots Each dot shows the location of a position for the calibrated measurement microphone and the red arrow points to the current recommended microphone position Note It is important to switch the viewing angle of the image to get a better idea of the location of each recommended test position in three dimensions Not
23. You will NOT be able to change these settings once DLCT is running Note When the Dirac Live Calibration Tool connects to your XMC 1 it will override all of the XMC 1 s controls Both the front panel and remote control will be locked out until DLCT has finished taking measurements and downloaded the resulting Correction Filters You do NOT have to set your XMC 1 into any special mode before running Dirac Live As soon as you run the Dirac Live Calibration Tool and it connects to your XMC 1 the XMC 1 will display a Connected message on its front panel display any audio that was playing through it will be muted and all front panel controls and the remote control for the XMC 1 will be locked out until the calibration process is completed Page 24 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva Note IT DOESN T MATTER WHERE THE VOLUME CONTROL ON YOUR XMC 1 IS SET WHEN YOU PERFORM MEASUREMENTS USING DIRAC LIVE DIRAC LIVE OVERRIDES ALL CONTROLS ON THE XMC 1 AND WILL IGNORE THE PREVIOUS VOLUME SETTING Double click on the Dirac Live Full for Emotiva icon or select Dirac Live for Emotiva from your Start Menu to run the program Dirac Live will indicate that it is Scanning for Devices Within a few seconds you will see a dialog box that shows the Friendly Name and IP address for your XMC 1 asking Do you want to use this server If you only have one XMC 1 then you should respond with Yes Note If you re luck
24. ad to walk you through the entire process For More Information For more information please check out the Dirac Live FAQ which you can access from the XMC 1 product page on our website and look for discussions about the XMC 1 and Dirac Live for Emotiva on our Forums You may want to record your Dirac Live for Emotiva license information here so you can keep track of it My Dirac account User Name is My Dirac account password is My Dirac Live LE for Emotiva activation code is My Dirac Live Full for Emotiva activation code is All information contained in this manual is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication In keeping with our policy of ongoing product improvement we reserve the right to make changes to the design and features of our products without prior notice Dirac Dirac Live Dirac Live for Emotiva and Audyssey are all trademarked They and any other trademarks mentioned in this manual are the property of their respective owners Dirac Live Manual Addendum Revision 3 1 April 7 2015 Page 37
25. ading and to maintain the relative positions between readings rather than to take multiple readings at precisely the same position Note The calibrated microphone provided with Dirac Live for Emotiva is intended to be used vertically with the point facing vertically towards the ceiling regardless of how many speakers you have The frequency response of the microphone has been calibrated to be correct in this orientation DO NOT position the microphone facing the front speakers for two channel systems and DO NOT try to reposition the microphone to face each individual speaker as it is measured Target Curves The measured frequency response of a given room and set of speakers will vary depending on which measurement method you use Because of this the Target Curve used by Dirac Live LE for Emotiva is not flat instead it has been carefully chosen to produce a perceived neutral frequency response in a typical listening room with typical speakers If you prefer a different Target Curve and so a different resulting sound Dirac Live Full for Emotiva offers you the option of adjusting the Target Curve to suit your personal preferences Page 5 Preparing to Run Dirac Live for Emotiva Preparing to Run the Dirac Live Calibration Tool Version Note Most of these instructions apply to both Dirac Live LE for Emotiva and Dirac Live Full for Emotiva Differences between the two versions are noted in the instructions as they o
26. and calibration process The controls on this screen include Input Gain which sets the sensitivity of the microphone Output Volume which sets the volume of the test tones Level Meters which show the level of the audio being measured by the microphone the channels you see listed will depend on how many speakers you have at this point they will all show the same reading Test Buttons which are used to start playing the test sweep through each speaker when the tone is playing the test button will change to a Stop button Page 14 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva 3 Setting the Microphone Gain Input Gain E Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject_1 Load Save Ges Rm CSR AZA Input gain a a System Config Output volume Ki Output amp Levels E Channel name Test Level ei W s FEI Right gt Also in the full version Adjust the volume for each channel Left Sur gt Ez CID separately Lear more Right Sur gt m eps T BJ DiracLive LE gt Proceed N w D Output amp Levels WARNING Playing test tones at excessively loud levels may damage your speakers Always start with Input Gain at its HIGHEST setting and Output Volume at its LOWEST setting Start with your room as quiet as possible and with your microphone in the center sweet spot listening position Gradually move the Input Gain down until the background noise level is just below the
27. at you have set the Output Volume to its LOWEST setting BEFORE proceeding with this step Failure to do so may result in the test tones playing at an excessively loud level which may damage your speakers WARNING Excessively loud test tones can damage your speakers Unlike music the test tones used by Dirac Live contain significant amounts of energy at a wide range of frequencies Because the energy distribution of the test tones is far different than that of typical music playing the test tones at excessively high levels may result in damage to your speakers EVEN IF YOU NORMALLY PLAY MUSIC AT THESE SAME LOUD LEVELS WARNING If the test tones seem excessively loud but the meters fail to indicate at all or don t seem to indicate properly check your connections before proceeding IF THE TEST TONES SEEM EXCESSIVELY LOUD you should abort the test and contact Emotiva Technical Support for further assistance e Confirm that the Output Volume control is set to its lowest setting e Click the Test button next to the first speaker channel The Dirac Live test sweep tone is now playing you can t hear it because the Output Volume is all the way down Page 16 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva Note When there are no test tones playing the Test Button will be shown with a triangle icon the play symbol in each speaker channel and pressing one of the Test Buttons will start the test tone playing in that channel When there
28. ccur Before starting the Dirac Live Calibration Tool on your computer you must set the Sizes of your speakers in the Dirac Preset on your XMC 1 To do so use the Setup Menu on your XMC 1 Menu Setup Speakers Dirac Size Note While nothing will prevent you from changing these settings after you run Dirac Live we STRONGLY recommend that you configure them correctly before running Dirac Live and avoid changing them after Dirac Live has been run DIRAC LIVE WILL NOT CALCULATE CORRECTION FILTERS FOR ANY SPEAKERS THAT ARE SET TO NONE IN THE DIRAC SPEAKER PRESET WHEN DLCT IS RUN Setting a speaker to Large or Small afterwards that was set to None when DLCT was run will result in a stale correction filter being assigned to that speaker which will produce unpredictable results Note You MUST set the Speaker Size settings in the Dirac Speaker Preset on your XMC 1 to match your room and speaker configuration BEFORE starting DLCT You will NOT be able to change these settings once DLCT is running because the controls on your XMC 1 will not be available while DLCT is running Page 6 Preparing to Run Dirac Live for Emotiva Installing Dirac Live for Emotiva on Your Computer The audio processing module for Dirac Live for Emotiva is included in the XMC 1 firmware and requires no additional installation or configuration We do suggest that you make sure that your XMC 1 is running the latest current firmware version The
29. cess was usually carried out by experts who had the necessary equipment and expertise the basic principle was really quite simple Most modern pre pros incorporate automatic room correction systems like Audyssey and our own EmoQ which will perform the entire process for you If you prefer the manual approach our XMC 1 includes powerful parametric equalization controls and built in programs that generate the required precision calibrated test tones Together they give you far more accuracy and control than even the most experienced expert had at his or her disposal a few years ago Unfortunately while correcting the frequency response of the audio signal at the listening position can often produce a marked improvement in sound quality because of the complex ways in which speakers and rooms interact simple frequency response correction may not be enough Even if the measured frequency response is quite accurate differences in the precise times at which different frequencies reach the listener can interfere with proper imaging resulting in vocalists and instruments seeming to be spread out and blurred or shifting location when different notes are played Timing and phase errors can also cause transients to be rendered incorrectly which may result in drumbeats and other transients sounding blurred in time or other similar errors which can make your music sound slow or lacking in liveliness Page 2 Dirac Live for Emotiva
30. d by the red arrow e If the Level Meters read below 24 dB even with the Input Gain all the way up then simply leave the Input Gain set at 20 dB Note The Level Meters will probably bounce around considerably The goal is to set the Input Gain so that the readings displayed by the Level Meters are as close to 24 dB as possible while remaining below 24 aB Page 28 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 5 Setting the Test Tone Levels Output Volume DI Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject 1 C faa mo VA B Dirac ive Input gain ro Output amp Levels 1 WARNING Playing test ton 8 Mic config 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 g excessive ly loud levels er Channel name Output channel Subwoofer Channel volume eee your mpat p z SS SR HIGHEST s L Left Output amp Levels E ei Volume at is EE ZS a Right Center Left Sur Right St Right Sun sli 5 Row elick the Test sition for the speaker channel and GRADU ALLY tun m the Outpt Ka until A el Meter E the er of the sara ioe too CA udest Click the Test Button n to stop the e test tone when reads ees Load Save Back Proceed its lot on 1 1 0 Build 5841 Now that we ve adjusted the microphone s gain to its optimum setting we will use the Output Volume control and Channel Volume sliders to set the level at which the calibration tones will be played WARNING Confirm that you have
31. e 24 dB mark i on the Level Meters if the noise Right Sur gt I level remains below 24 dB even when the Input Gain is set at its highest then just leave it set there Now click the Test Button for the first speaker channel and GRADUALLY tum the Output Volume up until the Level Meter reads towards the center of the green area when the test tone is at D its loudest Click the Test Button again to stop the test tone when you re done Di Repeat this process with each of een ees amp Back gt Proceed the remaining speaker channels For each turn the Output Volume NONN if the tact tane avraade tha Upgrade 1 1 0 Build 5467 The Output and Levels Screen is used to adjust the sensitivity of the test microphone used to take measurements and to set the level at which the test tones will be played WARNING Test tones may have a significantly higher energy content at some frequencies than music Playing test tones at excessively loud levels can damage your speakers Please read and follow the instructions CAREFULLY to avoid the possibility of damaging your speakers and ALWAYS EXERCISE COMMON SENSE when performing any audio tests using test tones If at any point the test tones seem excessively loud or you hear obvious distortion from any of your components then turn down the levels If you have any doubts please contact Emotiva Technical Support and we ll be glad to help you understand the entire measurement
32. e The Level Meters will probably bounce around considerably The goal is to set the Input Gain so that the readings displayed by the Level Meters are as close to 24 dB as possible while remaining below 24 aB Page 15 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva 4 Setting the Test Tone Levels Output Volume E Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject_1 econ fa AT VV BJ Dirac Live LE Gg Input gain GH e Output amp Levels WARNING Playing test tones at excessively loud lev els may damage y akers Always start with Input Gain at its HIGHEST setting and Output at its LOWEST setting juiet as ra ni spot listening position Gradually move the Input Gain down until the background noise level is just below the 24 dB mark on the Level Meters Ifthe noise level remains below 24 dB even when the Input Gain is set at its highest then just leave it set there w D ee a i eis Test Oe EN for the first ch annel GRADUALLY turn oi Output Volume up until the Len val Met er esis oasis ie canker a ie green area when the test tone Bis at its loudest Click the Test Buti a nto Ss the test tone SS e don pe Load Save Back gt Proceed the Ke Feedback 1 0 5 Build 5357 Now that we ve adjusted the microphone s gain to its optimum setting we will use the Output Volume control to set the level at which the calibration tones will be played WARNING Confirm th
33. e When the measurements are being taken you should position yourself such that your body isn t between the microphone and any of the speakers and you should avoid moving about or making any unnecessary noise Note Refer to the section entitled Measurement and Microphone Positions for more details about where to place the calibrated measurement microphone e Position the calibrated test microphone at the first measurement location the sweet spot center position e Press Start to take the first set of measurements Dirac Live will play a series of sweep tones out of your speakers and display the results on the lower portion of the screen e If the measurements are successful Dirac Live will perform some calculations and then the screen will be replaced by a new screen showing the next test position Page 19 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva e Position the calibrated test microphone at the next indicated measurement location e Press Start to take the next set of measurements e Repeat this sequence until you ve taken measurements at all nine recommended test positions Note If ameasurement FAILS you will receive an error message indicating the cause of the failure which is almost always a level setting which is either too high causing clipping or too low If this happens you may click the Back Button to return to the Levels and Output Screen and re set your levels you may have to re set both Input
34. e Output Volume if the Level Meter goes above the top of the green zone at any point during the test tone sweep then adjust the Output Volume DOWNWARDS until the test tone remains in or below the green zone Repeat this process for the remaining speaker channels always adjusting the level DOWNWARDS if a channel is too loud but NOT adjusting it upwards if a channel is too quiet You may go back and use the Level Meters to check the levels for each channel Note If your subwoofer has its own Volume Control on the subwoofer itself you should use it to adjust the Output Level for your sub or subs RATHER THAN using the on screen adjustment in DLCT If your sub has a Volume Control with limited range please use it to get as close as possible to the optimum levels THEN adjust the Output Volume level in Dirac Live if necessary Note If you move or readjust your sub after running Dirac Live then you will need to run DLCT again so that your Correction Filters can be adjusted to account for the changes You should ensure that your subwoofer is positioned in its optimum location before running DLCT If your subwoofer has a phase control or any other internal calibration controls that you wish to use you should do so before running DLCT Page 17 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva Note The Output Volume control tracks for all the channels Your goal is to set an Output Volume such that the test tone reaches into the green zone between
35. er Design Mone a System Config HE Kees Ed a 14 You may inspect the frequency Output amp Levels 3 response of each channel by H clicking on the channel tabs top 8 Left Surr right Click the Impulse Button to Measurements view impulse response when S a Fige Sur viewing impulse response click i A d WW N d N D i i T mA Mesh MLA VA H ll UA a the Spectrum Button to return to the frequency response graphs Filter Design N After analyzing all of the measurement results Dirac Live will determine the range of frequencies over which your speakers can be accurately calibrated and corrected The shaded curtains at the left and right edges of the frequency response graph indicate these limits the range of frequencies between the curtains will be corrected The bright orange line indicates the Target Curve which is the frequency response result that Dirac Live will aim for with its SSG obs corrections ee NOTE With Dirac Live LE for Emotiva this version the frequency range to which corrections will be applied is w Create filters automatically calculated by Dirac e Back Live and the Target Curve has Load Save L JL been chosen to provide the best peace palin Upgrade 1 1 0 Build 5467 Page 11 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva 1 Running the Dirac Live Calibration Tool DLCT E Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject 1 a a AV Bp Diraclive LE
36. h Speaker Preset to use on your XMC 1 manually by using the Speaker Preset button on your remote control or by selecting Main Zone Speaker Preset Dirac from the XMC 1 Setup Menu You can also individually associate the Dirac Speaker Preset with one or more inputs on your XMC 1 Note Your XMC 1 stores a single set of Dirac Live Correction Filters Each time you transfer a new set of Correction Filters the previous set is deleted from the XMC 1 s memory To restore a previous set of Correction Filters you must run DLCT again and either load a previously saved project or run the calibration tests and filter creation again Page 36 Dirac Live for Emotiva Troubleshooting If the DLCT software experiences a fault during normal operation or your computer crashes for some other reason while DLCT is running or your XMC 1 continues to show Connected after DLCT is no longer connected or running switch your XMC 1 Off and On again using the rear panel power switch to clear the connection status and restore normal operation After your XMC 1 returns to normal operation simply run Dirac Live again to complete the calibration process If you experience a software error after the Correction Filters have been successfully transferred you may simply close the DLCT program using the Task Manager or even reboot your computer if necessary Of course if you need more help feel free to call Emotiva Technical Support and we ll be gl
37. he levels exceeds the top of the green zone Note If your subwoofer has its own Volume Control on the subwoofer itself you should use it to adjust the Output Level for your sub or subs RATHER THAN using the on screen adjustment in DLCT If your sub has a Volume Control with limited range please use it to get as close as possible to the optimum levels THEN adjust the Output Volume level in Dirac Live if necessary If your speakers are all of similar efficiency and your amplifier channels have similar gain this procedure is the easiest way to set the correct test levels Click the Test Button for the first speaker channel Now GRADUALLY increase the Output Volume level until the test tone registers in the green zone on the Level Meter for most of its duration Ideally you want the test tone to be in the center of the green zone You may not be able to choose a level where the test tone remains in the green zone for its entire duration but do the best you can If the test tone goes above the green zone lower the Output Volume until the test tone remains in or below the green zone If the level of the test tone is too low even with the Output Volume all the way up then leave the Output Volume all the way up Once you have set the correct level for the first speaker channel click the Test Button to stop the test tone from playing on that channel Now click the Test Button for the second speaker channel Adjust the individual Channel V
38. he same Target Curve and frequency range Now that the calibration process is complete click Create Filters to instruct Dirac Live to create the Correction Filters and transfer them to your XMC 1 You will see a status message on the XMC 1 front panel display and OSD while the filters are being transferred Once the transfer has been completed and verified the XMC 1 will indicate that the process has completed then control of the XMC 1 will be returned to the user Note If you receive an error indicating that the export has failed it usually means that your WiFi connection is weak or intermittent If this happens try relocating your laptop to a location with a more reliable signal and click Create Filters again If the export fails again you may have to use a direct wired network connection to your router or switch Page 22 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva There are two versions of Dirac Live for Emotiva This section contains the instructions for running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva the Full version which includes several features not found in Dirac Live LE for Emotiva If you have Dirac Live LE for Emotiva please refer to the previous section E Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject 1 E Ne ooo D K EJ Dirac Live nA A V gt Vi a 5 Ee Filter Design a Sound system W Al after 1 You may inspect the frequency A t d Cher 8 Mic config S re
39. hich can then be operated from a location within reach of the microphone cable yet which doesn t place the operator between the microphone and any of your speakers Note You will want to have your Dirac credentials user name and password handy when installing the Dirac Live software When the software installer prompts you to enter them you will have a limited amount of time to do so before the software times out IMPORTANT NOTE Most Microsoft Windows computers have an AGC automatic gain control feature which automatically adjusts the gain of any microphones that you connect YOU MUST DISABLE AGC FOR THE MICROPHONE INPUT ON YOUR COMPUTER FOR ACCURATE RESULTS Please refer to the Dirac Live FAQ for details about how to disable AGC on your computer Note Your computer must have an active Internet connection available when you are installing the Dirac Live software the software MUST be able to connect with the servers at Dirac over the Internet to validate its license when you first install it You must also have an active Internet connection available whenever you run the Dirac Live computer software You do NOT need to have an active Internet connection simply for running the Dirac Speaker Preset on your XMC 1 once the computer software has calculated your Correction Curves and transferred them to your XMC 1 Page 8 Preparing to Run Dirac Live for Emotiva Hooking Things Up In order to run the Dirac Live Calibration Tool
40. is configured correctly Page 29 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva Confirm that the Output Volume control is set to its lowest setting Click the Test Button next to the first speaker channel The Dirac Live test sweep tone is now playing you can t hear it because the Output Volume is all the way down Note When there are no test tones playing the Test Button will be shown with a triangle icon the play symbol in each speaker channel and pressing one of the Test Buttons will start the test tone playing in that channel When there is a test tone playing in one channel the Test Button for the active channel will be shown with a square block icon the stop symbol and the Test Buttons for the other speaker channels will be greyed out Pressing the Test Button for the active channel will then stop the test tone Your goal is to set the Output Volume of each channel such that the test tone reaches into the green zone between the red arrows for all the speaker channels but DOES NOT go above the top of the green zone for any of them at any time Start with the Output Volume set all the way down and the calibrated microphone in the center sweet spot position Note Ideally the level of each speaker channel should remain in the green zone for the entire time the tone is playing and every channel should be adjusted so it plays at the same level However the precise levels aren t critical as long as none of t
41. is a test tone playing in one channel the Test Button for the active channel will be shown with a square block icon the stop symbol and the Test Buttons for the other speaker channels will be greyed out Pressing the Test Button for the active channel will then stop the test tone There is only a single Output Volume control for all the channels Your goal is to set an Output Volume such that the test tone reaches into the green zone between the red arrows for all the speaker channels but DOES NOT go above the top of the green zone for any of them at any time Start with the Output Volume set all the way down and the calibrated microphone in the center sweet spot position Click the Test button for the first speaker channel Now GRADUALLY increase the Output Volume level until the test tone registers in the green zone on the Level Meter for most of its duration You may not be able to choose a level where the test tone remains in the green zone for its entire duration but do the best you can If the test tone goes above the green zone lower the Output Volume until the test tone remains in or below the green zone Once you have selected an appropriate level for the first speaker channel click the Test Button to stop the test tone from playing on that channel Now click the Test Button for the second speaker channel If at the loudest point in the test tone the Level Meter remains in or below the green zone then don t adjust th
42. k bk s 3 the curve by dragging the adjustment points and you may add more adjustment points by double clicking on the line S 1 1 0 Build 5841 Load Save e Bak j gt Proceed On the Filter Design Screen you will see the results of the measurements Dirac Live has taken along with the Target Curve which is simply the goal for Dirac Live s correction process By checking various boxes on the frequency response graph shown you can see and compare the frequency response before Dirac Live s corrections the Target Curve and the frequency response with the Correction Filters applied calculated The orange line shows the Target Curve that has been chosen by Dirac Live for your speakers and room As part of the process of analyzing the results of your measurements Dirac Live has determined the frequency range over which your speakers can be expected to operate accurately The two dark shaded areas at the left and right edges of the graph show the limits of this frequency range Dirac Live will only calibrate your speakers inside the range of frequencies between these two curtains With Dirac Live Full for Emotiva you can adjust both the Target Curve and the adjustment range curtains for each group of speaker channels Toward the top right of the graph under the Channels Tab you will see a set of tabs for each channel Some of these tabs will appear to be touching each other while others will
43. location to another you must use the Start Button to start each test If you use the Proceed Button by mistake the test sequence will be aborted and you will move on the final phase of the calibration without completing all the recommended measurements Dirac Live for Emotiva will not prevent you from calculating your Correction Filters with an incomplete set of measurements but the results will be less accurate Note If you receive a device connection failure error it usually means that your WiFi connection is weak or intermittent If this happens you may be able to relocate your laptop to a location with a more reliable signal If that doesn t work you may have to use a direct wired network connection to your router or switch If you do so you may be able to continue the test without restarting it by using the Back Button to return to the previous screen then clicking Proceed If you do you will have to readjust your Input Gain and Output Volume which will reset to their default values when you press the Back Button e Once you ve completed all nine recommended sets of test measurements click Proceed to proceed to the Filter Design screen Page 33 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 7 Customizing the Dirac Live Correction Filters Filter Design Screen Version Note The adjustment options in this section are only available with Dirac Live Full for Emotiva If you find that you want or need the control over yo
44. lp you understand the entire measurement and calibration process The controls on this screen include Input Gain which sets the sensitivity of the microphone Output Volume which sets the overall volume of the test tones Level Meters which show the level of the audio being measured by the microphone the channels you see listed will depend on how many speakers you have at this point they will all show the same reading Channel Volume sliders used to individually adjust the gain of each channel used to fine tune each channel separately after setting the main Output Volume setting Test Buttons which are used to start playing the test sweep through each speaker when the tone is playing the test button will change to a Stop button Page 27 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 4 Setting the Microphone Gain Input Gain Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject 1 nina Qin AZA Input gain i i a Sound system Output volume Caf E Mic config Channel name Output channel Test output amp Levels gt Left gt E e Right gt Center gt Left Sur gt jl Right Sun gt Load Save ibe The Input Gain control is used to set the gain of the microphone preamp and input circuitry to Level Subwoofer Channel volume ui gt Proceed Output amp Levels WARNING Playing test tones at excessively loud levels may damage your speakers Always start with Input Gain at its H
45. n the Filter Design Screen you will see the results of the measurements Dirac Live has taken along with the Target Curve which is simply the goal for Dirac Live s correction process By checking various boxes on the frequency response graph shown you can see and compare the frequency response before Dirac Live s corrections the Target Curve and the frequency response with the Correction Filters applied calculated The orange line shows the Target Curve that has been chosen by Dirac Live for your speakers and room If you click the Impulse Button you will be taken to another screen which will show the measured impulse response of your speakers and room before Dirac Live s corrections and the calculated impulse response after the corrections are applied When you are viewing the impulse response the label on the button will switch to Spectrum and you can click it to return to the frequency response display As part of the process of analyzing the results of your measurements Dirac Live has determined the frequency range over which your speakers can be expected to operate accurately and will design Correction Filters that work optimally over that range The two dark shaded areas at the left and right edges of the graph show the limits of this frequency range Dirac Live will only calibrate your speakers inside the range of frequencies between these two curtains The Save Button allows you to save a complete set of measuremen
46. nfiguration Sound system configuration B Sound system i 1 Your Emotiva XMC 1 should be Test signal playback device Rescan listed in Test signal playback jevice If not pleas XMC 1 Emotiva Audio Corporation Y your computer and XMC 1 are connected to your network and that the network settings on your XMC 1 are configured correctly N Select your XMC 1 device from the list DiraclO Details Manufacturer Emotiva Audio Corporation Version 2 0 6 Date 2014 06 09 Load Save L2 Procesa 1 1 0 Build 5841 The Dirac Live Calibration Tool DLCT is used to measure your system and your room analyze the results and create the Correction Curves that will be used by the Dirac Preset module in your XMC 1 to perfect the sound of your room speaker system Before running the Dirac Live Calibration Tool confirm that your computer and XMC 1 are connected to your network your microphone is connected your XMC 1 is turned On not Standby and your computer is booted up Also confirm that you have configured the Dirac Preset on your XMC 1 with the Speaker Size settings you plan to use Note The microphone must be plugged into the digitizer cable which is then plugged into a USB port ON YOUR COMPUTER DO NOT plug the microphone into one of the USB ports on your XMC 1 Note You MUST set the Speaker Size settings in the Dirac Speaker Preset on your XMC 1 to match your room and speaker configuration BEFORE starting DLCT
47. nually configure the network information on your XMC 1 be sure to choose a network address and other parameters that are appropriate for your network Note Although Dirac Live doesn t have any special bandwidth requirements you will minimize the possibility of connectivity problems if you avoid downloading large files or streaming video while performing your room measurements No special configuration settings are required to run Dirac Live on most typical home networks if you experience connectivity problems and suspect that you may need to change settings on your router or cable modem you may need to consult an expert familiar with your particular network equipment and configuration such as your cable company or service provider Connect the calibrated test microphone to the XLR connector on the cable end of the USB microphone preamp and digitizer and plug the USB connector on the other end into the computer where you have the Dirac Live software installed When you connect the microphone digitizer to your computer the computer will automatically download and install drivers for it Note The USB connector on the digitizer cable which is attached to the microphone MUST BE plugged into a USB port on the computer where you have Dirac Live for Emotiva installed DO NOT PLUG THE MICROPHONE CABLE INTO THE USB CONNECTORS ON THE FRONT OR REAR OF YOUR XMC 1 Page 9 Running Dirac Live for Emotiva Running Dirac Live for Emotiva
48. o connect the calibrated microphone directly to a USB port on your computer e A desktop microphone stand The Dirac Live Full for Emotiva upgrade package includes e A single user license for the Dirac Live Full for Emotiva DLCT computer software Page 3 Dirac Live for Emotiva Your Listening Room Even though Dirac Live is the most powerful automatic room correction system available today and it will produce a dramatic improvement in your listening experience in virtually every room you will still get the best results if you optimize your room and system configuration before you run Dirac Live We will be releasing several instructional videos covering this subject in detail but here are a few guidelines you can follow that will help you achieve the best results In order to achieve a focused sound stage and proper imaging it is very helpful if your room and seating arrangements are as symmetrical as possible from right to left Ideally your front speakers should be the same distance from the wall behind them the same distance from their respective side walls and at the same height The ideal listening position will be located along a line drawn from the center of the front of the listening room to the center of the rear and about one third to one half of the way back Likewise ideally the surrounds and rear surrounds will be located symmetrically and your center will actually be located in the center of the front wall
49. o the Measurements Screen Note If you move or readjust your sub after running Dirac Live then you will need to run DLCT again so that your Correction Filters can be adjusted to account for the changes You should ensure that your subwoofer is positioned in its optimum location before running DLCT If your subwoofer has a phase control or any other internal calibration controls that you wish to use you should do so before running DLCT Page 31 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 6 Measuring Your Room and System Measurements Screen DI Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject 1 fa VS B Diraclive bey 1 Select your 2 Place microphone in 3 Press start to begin Measurements a Sound system listening area the highlighted position taking a measurement Chair 4 Select the scenario that best 8 Mic config matches your listening area Chair Sofa or Auditorium e 2 Place the microphone in the z position marked with an arrow The microphone should be positioned as indicated in the diagram with the front of the microphone the Ka 2 pointed end facing straight up s e Output amp Levels towards the ceiling 3 NOTE It is CRITICAL that the first Bai Auditorium measurement is taken at the p Stat center of the sweet spot which is nominally the center of your listening areal A Make sure that the room remains quiet that nothing and nobody is located directly between the micr
50. olume slider for that channel downwards if necessary to ensure that the test tone remains in the green zone Once you have set the correct level for this speaker channel click the Test Button to stop the test tone from playing Repeat this process for the remaining speaker channels Page 30 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva You may go back and use the Level Meters to check the levels for each channel Once you have adjusted all speaker channels so their levels fall into the green zone click the Proceed button to proceed to the Measurements Screen If your speakers have very different efficiencies or your amplifier channels DON T have similar gain this procedure is the easiest way to set the correct test levels Your goal is to set the Output Volume of each channel such that the test tone reaches into the green zone between the red arrows for all the speaker channels but DOES NOT go above the top of the green zone for any of them at any time You will use the individual Channel Volume sliders to adjust all the channels to play at an approximately equal level Click the Test Button for the first speaker channel Now GRADUALLY increase the Output Volume level until the test tone registers near the bottom of the green zone Click the Test Button to stop the test tone from playing on that channel then click the Test Button on each of the other channels one after the other to determine which channels are the loudest and
51. ophone and any of the speakers and that you avoid standing close to the microphone or moving around the room while measurements are being taken Avoid placing the microphone directly on the seat of a couch or chair or in other locations where furniture may block the microphone from hearing certain speakers If your subwoofer has an auto shut off mechanism please make sure the subwoofer is ON throughout ee DH Oblique View e Load Save Back gt Proceed 1 1 0 Build 5841 The Measurements Screen is where you instruct Dirac Live for Emotiva to take the series of measurements that will be used to calculate the Correction Filters On this screen you will see a picture of either a chair a couch or a section of auditorium seats decorated with several dots Each dot shows the location of a position for the calibrated measurement microphone and the red arrow points to the current recommended microphone position Note It is important to switch the viewing angle of the image to get a better idea of the location of each recommended test position in three dimensions Note When the measurements are being taken you should position yourself such that your body isn t between the microphone and any of the speakers and you should avoid moving about or making any unnecessary noise Note Refer to the section entitled Measurement and Microphone Positions for more details about where to place the calibrated measu
52. rement microphone e Click on one of the pictures to select either the Chair the Couch or the Auditorium seating choose whichever is most representative of your listening situation e Position the calibrated test microphone at the first measurement location the sweet spot center position e Press Start to take the first set of measurements Dirac Live will play a series of sweep tones out of your speakers and display the results on the lower portion of the screen Page 32 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva If the measurements are successful Dirac Live will perform some calculations and then the screen will be replaced by a new screen showing the next test position e Position the calibrated test microphone at the next indicated measurement location e Press Start to take the next set of measurements e Repeat this sequence until you ve taken measurements at all nine recommended test positions Note If ameasurement FAILS you will receive an error message indicating the cause of the failure which is almost always a level setting which is either too high causing clipping or too low If this happens you may click the Back Button to return to the Levels and Output Screen and re set your levels you may have to re set both Input Gain and Output Volume You will then be able to proceed to complete the rest of the test measurements you won t have to start over Note When moving from one measurement
53. sponse of each channel by clicking on the channel tabs top 8 Left Sur right Click the Impulse Button to e Output amp Levels ons view impulse response when S DS ight Sur viewing impulse response click E Measurements II the Spectrum Button to return to the frequency response graphs FS Filter Design Di After analyzing all of the measurement results Dirac Live will set default values for several parameters which control the range of corrections that will be calculated The shaded curtains at the left and right edges of the frequency response graph indicate the limits of the range of frequencies over which your speakers will be corrected you may adjust these limits The bright orange line indicates the Target Curve which is the Frequency Hz frequency response result that Dirac Live will aim for with its corrections The orange balls are w a Auto Target Load Target Save Target Create filters adjustment points you may adjust i g lt n d the curve by dragging the F td J adjustment points and you may Load Save ER E Ai add more adjustment points by double clicking on the line Se 1 1 0 Build 5841 Page 23 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 1 Running the Dirac Live Calibration Tool DLCT irac Live for Emotiva DiracProject_1 eer en E Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject 1 ka TS NT AZA B Live Ge Choose system co
54. t Recording channel 1 Microphone Calibration File EmotivaMicCalOA txt e Ifyou plan to use a third party calibrated microphone Make sure that your microphone is connected to your computer Make sure that any special drivers required for your microphone have been installed Make sure that the calibration file for your microphone has been copied to your computer Select your microphone Select the calibration file that goes with your microphone e Confirm that any AGC or automatic level control options for your microphone on your computer have been disabled e Once all of the information is correct click the Proceed button to proceed to the Output and Levels Screen Page 26 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 3 Configuring the Microphone Gain and Test Levels Output and Levels Screen E Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject_1 elle ET AZG B Live VY Input gain eo Output amp Levels 2 Sound system Output volume ca 1 WARNING Playing test tones at 8 Mic config excessively loud levels may Channel name Output channel Test Level Subwoofer Channel volume damage your speakers Always 5 start with Input Gain at its EI Output amp Levels e a HIGHEST setting and Output Lot gt Volume at its LOWEST setting P 5 2 Start with your room as quiet as e I yi q ot Right 5j C possible and with your microphone in the center sweet Center BD mm r Treogan 3 Gradually move the Input Gain I I do
55. t measurements into DLCT create anew set of Correction Filters from them and transfer them to the XMC 1 without running a new set of tests Target Curves are stored in the project along with the test results If you have purchased Dirac Live Full for Emotiva which allows you to create customized Target Curves these individual Target Curves may also be stored and retrieved separately Note In order to run DLCT to open test results and settings you have previously saved you will be required to connect the USB microphone to your computer Once the Correction Filters have been successfully transferred to your XMC 1 they can be accessed simply by configuring your XMC 1 to use the Dirac Speaker Preset which can be selected from the Setup Menu or the remote control or associated with one or more specific inputs on your XMC 1 Note Once you have completed a set of measurements and transferred the resulting Correction Filters to your XMC 1 it is a good idea to save the test results as a Project on your computer That way if you want to you can easily go back to a previous set of test results Note Some firewall and antivirus programs interfere with the Dirac Live software If Dirac Live fails to recognize your XMC 1 or your microphone try disabling any firewall or antivirus programs you have running on your computer With some security programs you may find that Dirac Live or DLCT EXE has been added to a block list if
56. t results as a file on your computer The Load Button allows you to read a previously saved set of measurements from your computer This allows you to save the results of multiple sets of measurements and to reload the resulting Correction Filters to your XMC 1 without having to re run the measurements Page 21 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva Note You will notice that the Target Curve is only shown for the area where the corrections will be applied the area between the shaded curtains You may also notice that the Target Curve turns up or down somewhat sharply near the ends This is normal and occurs because the Target Curve inside the frequency range to be calibrated is constrained to match the levels of the uncorrected measured response where the two meet at the edges of the corrected frequency range Note At the top right of the graph you will notice that there are separate tabs for each speaker Click on each tab to see the information for that particular speaker Version Note In Dirac Live LE for Emotiva the frequency range that will be corrected the locations of the curtains and the Target Curve are chosen by Dirac Live to produce excellent results with most typical speakers and rooms and cannot be changed by the user In Dirac Live Full for Emotiva both may be adjusted by the user Dirac Live Full for Emotiva also allows you to change the grouping of individual channels into groups that share t
57. the red arrows for all channels if possible but DOES NOT go above the top of the green zone for any of them at any time The most effective way to accomplish this is to start the test tone playing in the first channel adjust the Output Volume so that it reads inside the green area and NEVER exceeds the top edge of the green area Once you ve made this adjustment for the first channel play the test tone through each of the other channels adjusting the Output Volume only if necessary As you work your way through all the channels you may find that you have to LOWER the Output Volume to prevent a later channel from going above the green zone but you should NEVER raise the Output Volume on subsequent channels Once you have the Output Level set to its optimum position click the Proceed button to proceed to the Measurements Screen Page 18 Running Dirac Live LE for Emotiva 5 Measuring Your Room and System Measurements Screen DI Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DiracProject_1 ski We e lane B Jirac Live LE SA Extracting system response parameters 1 Place microphone in 2 Press start to begin j Measurements e the highlighted position taking a measurement 1 Place the microphone in the D I position marked with an arrow The microphone should be positioned L eg as indicated in the diagram with the front of the microphone the pointed end facing straight up towards the ceiling NO
58. ther customize Dirac s operation and Target Curves will have the option of upgrading to Dirac Live Full for Emotiva which offers the user more control over the calibration results for a small additional charge Both Emotiva versions of Dirac Live use the same custom programmed audio processing module which runs on the DSP hardware in the XMC 1 and is included as a module in the XMC 1 firmware The Dirac Live Calibration Tool is a computer program which can be installed and run on any relatively current personal computer Please refer to the FAQ for specific details about computer system requirements You may access the FAQ from the References tab at the bottom of the XMC 1 product page on our website Once the Dirac Live correction filters have been transferred to your XMC 1 they are accessed by simply selecting the Dirac Speaker Preset on your XMC 1 the Dirac Preset like the other two Speaker Presets can be selected manually from the Setup Menu or the remote control or associated with specific inputs in the Setup Menu The Dirac Live LE for Emotiva package that comes with your XMC 1 includes the following e A single user license for the Dirac Live LE for Emotiva DLCT computer software e The Dirac Live audio processing module which is part of the XMC 1 firmware e A calibrated test microphone designed specifically to work with Dirac Live for Emotiva e A precision USB microphone preamplifier and digitizer module which enables you t
59. ur Target Curves and Correction Filters described in this section you will probably want to upgrade your Dirac Live LE for Emotiva license to Dirac Live Full for Emotiva B Dirac Live for Emotiva DiracProject 1 e _ eea pe a Dirac Live ZNAN a mo SCH JIH amp Avg Spectrum before Y Target LETCE IMPULSE Filter Design a Sound system 1 You may inspect the frequency response of each channel by clicking on the channel tabs top Left Surr right Click the Impulse Button to Output amp Levels RS view impulse response when 5 d ight Sur viewing impulse response click E Measurements H Jg Pal ti II the Spectrum Button to return to o AJB d the frequency response graphs 2 After analyzing all of the Filter Design measurement results Dirac Live will set default values for several E parameters which control the range of corrections that will be calculated The shaded curtains at the left and right edges of the frequency response graph indicate the limits of the range of frequencies over which your speakers will be corrected you may adjust these limits w gt The bright orange line indicates the K 7K 10K 20K Target Curve which is the Frequency Hz frequency response result that Dirac Live will aim for with its F g 7 x 4 corrections The orange balls are Auto Target Load Target Save Target Create filters adjustment points you may adjust s d
60. va DiracProject 1 Ee N BE B DiracLive aT I Recording device Recording channel Microphone Input Configuration Microphone C Media USB Headphone Set Y 1 a Sound system By default the Recording Device 8 Mic config Microphone calibration file EmotivaMicCalOA txt ee GE amp Load file Clear Channel should be set to 1 and the Microphone Calibration File should be set to EmotivaMicCalOA txt N If you plan to use the microphone that was shipped with your Dirac Live kit simply click Proceed to proceed to the Output amp Levels screen w If you wish to use a different calibrated microphone and you have already connected it select it from the Recording Device list then Load the calibration file that goes with it and click Proceed gt If you wish to use a different calibrated microphone and it doesnt show on the list please exit DLCT and verify that your microphone is properly connected and that you have installed any drivers that are necessary to use it Load mope Back gt Proceed 1 1 0 Build 5841 The Mic Config Screen is used to select the calibrated test microphone you wish to use and load the calibration file that goes with it The default choice is the Emotiva calibrated microphone you received in your XMC 1 Dirac Kit e If you plan to use the Emotiva calibrated microphone confirm that DLCT shows the following Recording Device Microphone C Media USB Headphone Se
61. which are the quietest Once you have determined which channel plays the most quietly press the Test Button for THAT CHANNEL and GRADUALLY increase the Output Volume level until the test tone registers in the green zone on the Level Meter for most of its duration Ideally you want the test tone to be in the center of the green zone You may not be able to choose a level where the test tone remains in the green zone for its entire duration but do the best you can If the test tone goes above the green zone lower the Output Volume until the test tone remains in or below the green zone Once you have set the correct level for that speaker channel click the Test Button to stop the test tone from playing on that channel e BEFORE PROCEEDING LEAVE THE CHANNEL VOLUME SLIDER FOR THE CHANNEL YOU JUST SET WHERE IT IS AND SET THE CHANNEL SLIDERS FOR THE REMAINING CHANNELS ALL THE WAY DOWN Now click the Test Button for the first of the remaining speaker channels Adjust THE INDIVIDUAL CHANNEL VOLUME SLIDER FOR THAT CHANNEL upwards until the test tone remains in the green zone Once you have set the correct level for this speaker channel click the Test Button to stop the test tone from playing Repeat this process for the remaining speaker channels You may go back and use the Level Meters to check the levels for each channel Once you have adjusted all speaker channels so their levels fall into the green zone click the Proceed button to proceed t
62. with your XMC 1 you must have the software installed on a computer and both your computer and your XMC 1 must be connected to a home network which has access to the Internet Connect your XMC 1 to your home network The XMC 1 has a standard 10 100 base t Ethernet port RJ 45 which you can connect to any standard Ethernet hub switch or router Although the XMC 1 does not have built in WiFi connectivity you can connect it using a WiFi access point if you prefer By default the XMC 1 is configured to obtain its network address and other connection parameters via DHCP but you may disable DHCP and enter your network information manually if you prefer Connect the computer on which you have installed the Dirac Live Calibration Tool to your home network This connection may be wired or wireless Most people find a laptop computer with a WiFi connection to be ideal for this Note Dirac Live requires a stable reliable network connection While Dirac Live usually works well with a WiFi connection if you experience excessive time outs or errors you may havea weak WiFi signal and should consider using a direct wired Ethernet connection to your router or switch Note Some home routers and cable modems only support a limited number of network devices and addresses If your router supports DHCP but doesn t assign a network address to your XMC 1 try disconnecting some network devices you aren t using and resetting the router If you choose to ma
63. wn until the background noise eft Sur Left Surr gt oT level is just below the 24 dB mark SS on the Level Meters If the noise Das gt H ee level remains below 24 dB even et Su 5 quent when the Input Gain is set at its highest then just leave it set there 4 NOTE The Output Volume adjustment process will begin with the individual Channel Volume sliders in their center positions 5 Now click the Test Button for the first speaker channel and GRADUALLY tum the Output Volume up until the Level Meter reads towards the center of the green area when the test tone is at See ees amp Back gt Proceed its loudest Click the Test Button S again to stop the test tone when Kaes 1 1 0 Build 5841 The Output and Levels Screen is used to adjust the sensitivity of the calibrated test microphone and to set the level at which the test tones will be played WARNING Test tones may have a significantly higher energy content at some frequencies than music Playing test tones at excessively loud levels can damage your speakers Please read and follow the instructions CAREFULLY to avoid the possibility of damaging your speakers and ALWAYS EXERCISE COMMON SENSE when performing any audio tests using test tones If at any point the test tones seem excessively loud or you hear obvious distortion from any of your components then turn down the levels If you have any doubts please contact Emotiva Technical Support and we ll be glad to he
64. y enough to have more than one XMC 1 confirm that the unit shown in the dialog box is the one you wish to calibrate If not respond No and DLCT will continue to scan your network showing each XMC 1 you have in turn until you respond Yes to one of them This is one reason why if you DO have multiple XMC 1 s you should assign each a unique Friendly Name Note If you see the Scanning for Devices message in the DLCT program but don t see the dialog box eventually check and see if it has popped up behind another window The program will not proceed until you respond to the dialog box Once you respond to the initial dialog box you will be presented with the System Configuration screen shown above Confirm that DLCT shows the following Playback Device Emotiva Audio Corporation XMC 1 Speaker System this should show the configuration you set in the Dirac Preset Note If you see the wrong Playback Device or none check your network connections and confirm that your XMC 1 is turned On if the Speaker System entry is incorrect close the Dirac Live Calibration Tool program and use the Setup Menu on your XMC 1 to correct the configuration you have set in the Dirac Speaker Preset If all of the information is correct click the Proceed button to proceed to the Mic Config screen Page 25 Running Dirac Live Full for Emotiva 2 Selecting the Test and Calibration Microphone Mic Config Screen E Dirac Live for Emoti

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