Sorry to bother you with this but I am a bit confused, and I believe it’s better to ask for help.
My confusion is as follows: I have successfully created filters for the Dirac Live DAP. I noticed that Dirac Audio Processing was added as a Zone. My other two Zones I intend to use for roon with Dirac Live are my main system, W4S Dac2 DSDse setup accordingly in Audio and KEFX300A in another room also set up properly.
When I clicked on the DAP icon on the desktop of my Mac Mini with roon already loaded, the DAP reads on and streaming with the W4S Dac2 DSDse selected and the filter made for it. In roon, I have selected W4S Dac2 DSDse. The first listening experience I did not discern that Dirac Live though on and streaming was actually engaged with roon. Also, only one track played and then play stopped. No gapless either. So I checked the new Zone I named DAP (short for Dirac Audio Processor and immediately heard the SQ changed. But the botton line of roon where the back/forward/pause/play and time line disappeared; and if queried, roon indicated nothing was playing though the selected album was playing and gaplessly (CSNY 1974) and sequentially playing track after track. But no controls and no time line. So I changed the Zone from DAP back to W4S Dac2 DSDse; and, of course, the controls and time line returned.
My confusion and the question is what should be checked in roon to enable Dirac Live to play in roon through my device of choice, e.g., W4S Dac2 DSDse or KEFX300A, which roon accomplishes to send the music to without incident. In Audio Midi Setup in OSX 10.10.4, Dirac Audio Processing is indicated as the output. Is Dirac Live enabled and working if I select Zone W4S Dac2 DSDse? What is the purpose for having a Dirac Audio Processor Zone? Can not check both. When would I check Zone DAP? Hope I am making myself understood. My Mac Mini is a mid 2011 i7/16GB ram/2.70 processor.
Perhaps I could have written one sentence but I’d rather demonstrate my confusion and learn. It would appear that no one else is confused about enabling Dirac Live with roon as I have done my due diligence and read the forum topics.
Sorry for the wordy support request. Any clarity will be appreciated.
I’m using Roon with Dirac Live and have worked out the confusion you are encountering.
The Dirac Zone allows you to use Dirac in exclusive mode, which I recommend. Choosing the zone of your particular dac will bypass Dirac. The only zone I have active on my Mac mini core is the Dirac zone, I disabled the rest. If Dirac has more than one dac it can output to, it has to be chosen through the Dirac interface.
What you are seeing with your audio playback is because of how Roon treats zones. If you are playing an album in one zone and then select another zone, Roon will not playback what you were listening to in the new zone, which is why your timeline and controls disappeared. This allows you to play something completely different in the new zone. If you want to continue listening to your album/playlist in a new zone, you have to go to the playlist screen (click on the song title that is currently playing at the bottom of the screen). You will see a pulldown menu that says transfer… at the top of the playlist. Click on this button and select your new zone.
Pro tip: if your new zone has variable output (as in my case, an Airplay speaker), make sure you pause your music before you transfer zones for the first time and make sure your volume is adjusted properly before pressing play. The initial default volume is 100%.
Your direct and concise and clear reply is a gift to me. I completely understand your strategy for the best configuration. I looked for some “guidance” but missed finding the big picture, which is what I perceive you just provided me. And for that I am grateful. This is not to say I am finding fault with roon or support. Merely describing what I attempted to first resolve the matter on my own before I capitulated and asked for help.
I hope Danny, Brian and their staff appreciate your help to me. I love the product and own a life-time license. I am just finding my way and sometimes I need a helping hand. You provided both (hands) so I feel well-served. And you have my gratitude.
Apologies for resurecting this thread, but I’m hoping that you can advise.
I’m considering using DIRAC with Roon, and can see that for yourselves, that you’ve got DIRAC selected as an output zone.
My setup includes an Meridian “end point”, and that is my existing output zone. I certainly don’t want to output via say USB from my PC.
Is there a way to integrate DIRAC (e.g. using a filter), such that I can have DIRAC room correction, yet still output to a zone?
I responding to your query, I hope my reply is accurate, and it is based on my system and OS. Just to be clear, my OS is OSX10.10.5/Mac Mini. Dirac Live is the Full program. And you have not identified what OS, etc. you employ. Also I am not familiar with your components. Now that I have covered what I don’t know, from my experience, roon and Dirac Live (Full) works as Patrick and I exchanged in our posts with the setup that allows roon to function as intended. Change the conventional results in a different operational UI, i.e., the controls and timeline etc disappears and thus I am unable to stop start backward forward etc. You need only set your system as you want and then determine whether or not you can do so and still control roon’s operation. The salient point is that when employing Dirac Live, for me, Dirac Live must be the Zone selected or I can not control playback. AND in the actual Dirac Live program that is where I direct Dirac Live to the device I wish to play through. AND it is not roon but Dirac Live’s program where I regulate the Filter Gain, and other parameters. For me, doing other does NOT work.
I realize I am stating what is obvious for me based on my system and not specifically addressing your system (hardware/software) and your specific question.
What happens if you employ Dirac and select a Zone other than Dirac? The proof is in the pudding. What pudding is on the menu when you set your system to operate as you prefer? Let us know, if you care to.