TOPIC:

Hello,

Dirac released version 3.0.0 today. Can I use it with my current SHD or will need to wait for firmware update?

Added
Official Dirac Live Bass Control support
Updated user interface
Keyboard input for text fields
User feedback during Bass Control calculations
Ability to view measured spread
Unofficial support for MacOS 10.11, 10.12 and 10.13
Fixes
Installation/Uninstallation is fixed for Windows
Improved stability

Thank you!

It seems to work fine. Although I haven't measured it yet, Dirac live recognizes SHD as normal. In addition, Dirac Live also revealed that the minidsp is compatible with Dirac 3.0.

>>Official Dirac Live Bass Control support

So this would mean the dirac filter in the SHD is using 4 output channels (L R Lsub Rsub) instead of now only L and R?
If so it seems this would at least need new firmware for the SHD...

I ran Dirac Live 3.0 today. It works fine.
But, It doesn't seem to support Bass Control yet. It is no different from 2.0.

As discussed in another thread I think that DLBC support on the SHD would take some MAJOR software integration changes between the plugin and DL, and my guess is its extremely unlikely to ever happen (and may essentially be impossible). It would be great if @devteam could comment though.

Hm I hope it is not that hard and it does happen. Dirac 3 with the bass control optimizes 4 channels it seems; 2 speakers and 2 subs. And isn’t the SHD already a 4 channel device? I use the studio in 2 channel mode but would love to split out subs.

If anything, it looks like the MiniDSP software could be greatly simplified or eliminated, leaving a pure Dirac processor. I only use the Dirac software, none of the MiniDSP functionality.

Nieuwro wrote:

Hm I hope it is not that hard and it does happen. Dirac 3 with the bass control optimizes 4 channels it seems; 2 speakers and 2 subs. And isn’t the SHD already a 4 channel device? I use the studio in 2 channel mode but would love to split out subs.

If anything, it looks like the MiniDSP software could be greatly simplified or eliminated, leaving a pure Dirac processor. I only use the Dirac software, none of the MiniDSP functionality.

For optimal subwoofer integration you need the additional miniDSP funcitonality, specifically the time delay and crossover options.

For DLBC I think the crucial point is that the SHD is a 2 input device.

I and many others use miniDSPs specifically because of their capability to properly integrate subwoofers. You don't need DLBC to do this, although it does take a bit of time and effort.

Whilst it would be good if SHD firmware could be modified to use Dirac Bass Control I would not want it to be at the expense of PEQ and Crossover functionality.

At the moment I have a 2.2 setup and use SHD to do (a) crossover (b) PEQ to ensure that measured (acoustic) response of each main and subwoofer combination closely fits 24dB/Octave low and high pass (c) PEQ to fit overall response to desired room curve. I then apply Dirac after this - makes a small but worthwhile difference, particularly to transient performance.

I'd go the other way and hope that miniDSP would enable Dirac to be switched off - so that I had the choice of using either Dirac or my own FIR filters generated using rePhase.

Interesting to see the different setups. Also have 2.2. I run SHD studio just for Dirac room correction between streamer and DAC, in the digital domain. I can only split out the subwoofers after my pre-amp, as that does the volume control. DAC and PreAmp are two channel. So I am not sure how to leverage the 4 channel control that Dirac 3 and the native SHD software offers. I guess I’d have to use the SHD as a preamp including its volume control. But then I lose benefit of higher-end stand alone DAC and PreAmp. Decision decisions.

I would expect the improvement from a correctly integrated sub would far outweigh any difference you may hear between DACs.

Nieuwro wrote:

Interesting to see the different setups. Also have 2.2. I run SHD studio just for Dirac room correction between streamer and DAC, in the digital domain. I can only split out the subwoofers after my pre-amp, as that does the volume control. DAC and PreAmp are two channel. So I am not sure how to leverage the 4 channel control that Dirac 3 and the native SHD software offers. I guess I’d have to use the SHD as a preamp including its volume control. But then I lose benefit of higher-end stand alone DAC and PreAmp. Decision decisions.

With the SHD Studio you'd still use your existing DAC but would need to buy a second DAC for your sub (which could be different to your existing DAC).

Nieuwro wrote:

Interesting to see the different setups. Also have 2.2. I run SHD studio just for Dirac room correction between streamer and DAC, in the digital domain. I can only split out the subwoofers after my pre-amp, as that does the volume control. DAC and PreAmp are two channel. So I am not sure how to leverage the 4 channel control that Dirac 3 and the native SHD software offers. I guess I’d have to use the SHD as a preamp including its volume control. But then I lose benefit of higher-end stand alone DAC and PreAmp. Decision decisions.

I've been very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the DAC in the SHD. Did a blind test comparing to Benchmark DAC3 - my partner and I listened to 10 tracks which we knew well and each of which was revealing in different ways. I ensured that levels were matched. Randomly varied which DAC was first. I knew which was which, she didn't.

For each track we recorded whether we preferred A or B - or no difference. We agreed on 6 tracks. On the other 4, one of us had put no difference and one had not. Overall, SHD was slightly preffered by both of us but, in reality, not much difference. Given that DAC3 costs more than SHD, is ver well regarded but doesn't have 4 output channels, PEQ or Dirac I think that this makes SHD very good value!

Sorry about the thread necro but did miniDSP just release DL3 for the SHD on the 21st of this month?

www.minidsp.com/forum/shd-series/20110-s...ac-3-x-21-march-2022

From memory I think the SHD has supported Dirac Live v3 from day one. It certainly has for ages.