Dirac Integration

About integrating other software I would add Dirac on my wish list.
Then Roon would be the ultimate software.
Next step would be to sell a specialized box… Bref, it would the be the real next gen Sooloos…

7 Likes

Haven’t heard about plans for Dirac Serge, but did you see that HQP has a convolution engine ? It can do real time EQ room correction too.

Specialised boxes will probably be left to third parties. Elac showed it’s Discovery Roon Streamer at Rocky Mountain Audio Festival this year.

I agree with Andy.
HQPlayer has a multi-channel convolution engine.
One can make a DRC filter for free (lots of people do with DRC by Denis Sbragion and there is a DRC Interface) or with Acourate or Audiolense and be set.

DIRAC is particularly good for its interface.

I just posted about Dirac in the AU/VST plugins thread here: Does Roon support/will support VST plugins?

HQ player means adding another new product to Roon, which if you don’t want its features is a bit overkill for Room Correction.

It also means you can’t use Dirac, and would rule out RoonSpeakers.

I’m sure there are other ways to shoe-horn Dirac in, including hardware boxes, but generally they would rule out RoonSpeakers too.

It would be so much nicer to have plugin options in Roon, that way the user has a lot of flexibility, whether they use HQ player or not. :wink:

3 Likes

I also miss very much DRC support You can do in the JRiver MC and Amarra audiophile players. Without that it’s really half baked product quality vice. The best non hardware DRC filter creation tool by far is Acourate Digital Room and Loudspeaker Correction Software done by Dr. Uli Brueggemann. If You would really like to serve also audiophile market talk to him and integrate Acourate filters with the best 64bit internal convolution engine You can find. If You can also improve on UI experience producing filters many will be ready to throw away Amarra, JRiver, Audirvana or Pure Music and really appreciate Your metadata and browsing experience and accept Your premium price model.

2 Likes

AU/VST plugins would be the best way by far to integrate Dirac.
+1 for this to happen…

I think Roon (Server) is a good place to add support for a convolution engine, with filter sets per Audio Zone. Leaving convolution for later in the audio path (e.g. before DAC) is somewhat silly as centralising make more sense / more cost effective (does not require multiple devices per audio zone).

Convolution does introduce a noticeable delay which can be irritating, but it’s currently worse if you add a convolution device into the audio pipeline as what Roon says is playing is out of whack with the Speakers by a few seconds (or more depending on the length of the filters and power of the device doing convolution).

For example, I am running BruteFIR & Shairport on a RPI2 fitted with a I2S DAC. The overall time delay between Roon (Player) and this “speaker” setup is about 3-4sec.

Dirac unfortunately is a closed solution - they don’t support exporting of filters and so you’re tied into using their software for convolution or license hardware vendor (e.g.: MiniDSP).

Other software let’s you generate filters and supports translation to other filter formats.

Another +1 for adding support for FIR convolution. I have not had much luck playing roon through JRiver’s virtual ASIO or WDM drivers. Considering AcourateConvolver, but I’d much rather configure roon to use my Acourate filter files directly and avoid having to run another process. This one feature may be enough for me to justify a second roon license for the listening room at home (I’m currently just using roon at the office). Thanks.

Roon integration of HQPlayer multichannel player which include convolver could be the way to go. The best DRC available is Acourate Digital Room and Loudspeaker Correction Software which is crucial part of the puzzle. Check HOME THEATER GEEKS podcast where Bob Katz, ex mastering enginner for Reference Recording label commet on DRC options https://twit.tv/shows/home-theater-geeks/episodes/284?autostart=f\

1 Like