TOPIC:

Hi,

Is it possible to add Support for other microphones?
UMIK-1 is great and if I would start to measure I would definitly buy it, but now I already own a good microphone with USB soundcard and calibration file.

Did I really have to buy a UMIK-1 just for miniDSP Dirac Series?
I understand you want to make sure that Users get good results with your product, but for experienced Users with good Equipment imho this is not necassary.

Greetings,

Nuts

Unfortunately the software won't recognize any other generic mic.
The Dirac Live software is proprietary and their platform seems rather close. Look on the bright side, the additional cost of yet one more calibrated microphone is just a fraction of the overall value you get.

Yeah I know, but I think this is a design decision by miniDSP?
Dirac Software for PC supports all microphones, Doesn't it?

I am using this System (calibration Files for 0 and 90): www.xtzsound.us/shop-en/measurement-syst...oom-correction-suite

It works fine with Dirac PC Software and should work with Dirac MiniDSP as well.

So, eventually let us know if it works, my Dayton Audio EMM-6 did not, although quite similar one.

It doesn't work because the Software is not allowing me to choose any other microphone.
I hope this can be changed ...

Too sad that there is no answer from miniDSP team, so I guess you won't add Support for other microphones?

I don't think they will: www.minidsp.com/forum/dirac-series-suppo...cted-to-umik-1#15944

I wholly endorse MiniDSP's policy of restricting supported mics to the UMIK-1. It is critical to the consistency of a Dirac Live calibration to use a microphone with known and controllable specifications. If other mics were allowed, their quality could conceivably affect the quality of Dirac calibrations, and that would be undesirable. The UMIK-1 is reasonably priced, so anyone wanting to take advantage of Dirac Live and the wonderful little 88A should factor the cost of the mic in their decisions.

Just back from Easter break but AustinJerry is dead on for the explanation.

Before doing Dirac, we learned enough (from our close contacts) of the countless tech support issues some Dirac Customers would have using random, unknown mics, some using even voice microphone (e.g. SM58) thinking a mic is a mic. Well, the results would be most of the time problematic, with endless tech support requests. miniDSP also doesn't feel like getting into tech support of too many 3rd party products (e.g. 3rd party USB sound card). It would just complicate things a lot more for us... For that reason, quite unlikely at this point of time we would add support for 3rd party mics.. As much as we know there are knowledgeable users our there, the risk on us and bad rap from bad measurements isn't worth it..

DevTeam

The Dev Team provides excellent technical support as it is, and we would not want to introduce an additional complexity that would detract the team from what they are doing well.

Ok ... I bought an UMIK-1.
After installing and the first steps I realized that your Dirac calibration Tool includes a calibration file for the XTZMic I was already own.
usa.xtz.se/measurement-system/xtz-microp...rection-suite?stat=1

I agree that you can't allow all third party mic's, but you could add Hardware which is recommended by Dirac ...

nuts wrote:

I agree that you can't allow all third party mic's, but you could add Hardware which is recommended by Dirac ...

As far as I can understand, the leading idea here - purportedly by both Minidsp and Dirac - is to ensure quality and cost effectiveness. If you think about, just for a little while, you see that such a goal could be easily achieved through supporting a straight and controlled environment, as it is now. Nothing against the XTZ or whatever else.
Trying to explain it in my own words, I think that the use of the UMIK-MiniDSP binomial, is nothing but an effective means to keep costs low and quality high.
I agree that you think it as "a one more purchase", but also try to think it as a cost saving while getting the best quality possible in a development effort.

nuts wrote:

Ok ... I bought an UMIK-1.
After installing and the first steps I realized that your Dirac calibration Tool includes a calibration file for the XTZMic I was already own.
usa.xtz.se/measurement-system/xtz-microp...rection-suite?stat=1

I agree that you can't allow all third party mic's, but you could add Hardware which is recommended by Dirac ...

I understand your point, hoping you can understand ours in having to support this product. We "really" have our hands full with the 1000's of questions we get about Dirac already. For that reason, we're really not enthused about the idea of adding questions about 3rd party microphones and the potential issues this key variable would bring along...

DevTeam