DIRAC Live + ROON - Click/dropouts

Support
1

How is this issue fixed in the current version of Roon? I cannot find “Mark poet-of-2 Hardware Buffer Size” anywhere.

EDIT: I see its ASIO only. But I’m on a Macbook, and I have the same clicks/dropouts when using Dirac Live.

Thanks.

3

Hello @Simon_Madsen,

Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to solve issues with Dirac Live.

  1. In the Device Setup screen for the Dirac zone, make sure you have limited the Mac Bit Depth to 24 bits.
  2. Open Roon’s DSP Engine and enable the “Headroom Management” DSP stage. The default value of “-3” should suffice for eliminating issues with Dirac if this is what’s causing your issue.
  3. Try playback with “Exlusive mode” enabled and disabled in Device Setup. Exclusive mode may cause issues with the Dirac Live driver.

-John

4

Hi John,

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, but unfortunately, the issue is still there.

  1. I set the Max bit depth to 24 for the Dirac zone. When I look in my Mac sound settings, on the other hand, I see that Dirac live virtual sound card is set to 32 bit. There is no option to change this.

  2. Exclusive mode doesn’t change anything for me. I see that I get the option to “Use power-of-2 buffer sizes”, but the issue persists whether or not I use this option.

  3. If I enable “Integer mode” it is as if the clicks/pops/“zipper noise” gets a little bit better, but it is still there pretty hard.

  4. The best I can do is to use the main “System output” zone, and then set my main system output on the Mac to be the Dirac virtual soundcard. If I then start Roon first, and start Dirac sound processor after, then I get clean sound and everything is working. But if I then stop the music for a minute or two and start again, the issue is back and I have to restart Dirac to get rid of it.

It’s a shame since I’m really enjoying Roon on my trial period, and I plan to purchase full membership IF this issue can somehow be resolved (I know it may be a Dirac issue).

Thanks.

EDIT: my system chain is:

Macbook Pro (late 2013) High Sierra OS
running Roon Core and Dirac Live
Primare DAC30 via USB
Feliks Audio Williams tube amp
Dynaudio Focus 220 II speakers

5

Hi Simon,

we are going to release a completely new Dirac Live 2.0 where the new algorithm and plugins produce even better listening results and of course avoid any eventual issues caused by the DAP (the virtual audiocard)

Courtesy of RoonLabs I’ve tested it with Roon as follows:
http://diracdocs.com/Roon_&_Dirac_Live_2.0.pdf

A public beta test is running now, we already have as many beta testers as our developers can follow but, if interested, in a couple of weeks we should be able to add more.

Flavio

6

I am interested! Prev used Dirac w/Amarra and would love to beta test a new version of Dirac that would be compatible with Roon!
Thanks
Doug

7

Thanks Flavio.

That sounds good. Sure, I will be up for beta testing. I’m currently running both Dirac 1.2 for Mac and testing against manual correction filters made with REW and rePhase (starting from the Swissbear tutorial).

I’m looking forward to the new version.

8

I am also heavily affected by static noise with Roon and Dirac. Audirvana and Jriver show no issues. I am volunteering as a beta tester.