Home Theater 7.1 Preamp > DIRAC HTPC via 8 input USB I/O > 8-channel amp for home theater?

[roe12605]

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At this juncture I would only advise a HTPC for true geeks with specific needs. Anyone who wants something the family can use, then that is a pre-pro/AVR!

 

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Thank you, Nyal. That's very helpful advice! I came here to see if an HTPC with DIRAC is feasible for my application and I'm seeing that it is not, so, good to know. I will be looking for new products (from AudioControl, Emotiva, others?) around the first of the year to see what's new!

thanks,

David

[roe12605]

Or I agree with Fitzcarldo...get a music quality HT Receiver.. Marantz have a few new HDCP 2.2 compliant models coming out that still have 7.1 analog in. As does the top of the range Denon. Though 7.1 Analog is becoming rarer these days, grab a new one of these HT Receivers (while you can) before it disappears entirely I am currently looking at upgrading to the Marantz SR 6010. At $1399 it's pretty darn good value IMHO...

 

Hi wappinghigh,

I'm using a Yamaha HT receiver RX-A3040 with analog outs to external power amp, and it meets all my needs - except YPAO is not doing it for me. DIRAC may potentially be significantly better, so that's where this journey started, ways to go about implementing DIRAC with or without scrapping current gear. Thanks, David

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Hi wappinghigh,

I'm using a Yamaha HT receiver RX-A3040 with analog outs to external power amp, and it meets all my needs - except YPAO is not doing it for me. DIRAC may potentially be significantly better, so that's where this journey started, ways to go about implementing DIRAC with or without scrapping current gear. Thanks, David

 

As a long term Audyssey user, including the Audyssey Pro kit upgrade, I can tell you that Dirac is much, much better. And, personally, I think YPAO is inferior to Audyssey, no offense intended.

 

I used and compared Audyssey in my prepro to Dirac in my PC using HDMI from the PC for both. The listening choice was quite easy, a slam dunk. I moved on from there to eliminating my prepro via USB PC to DAC (Exasound e28). That was actually even more dramatic. I do not think you get the very best DAC performance from a prepro, unless it has an outrageous price tag. You have to spend big bucks.

 

But, a friend was not convinced about the Exasound for reasons I still fail totally to understand. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the superiority of Dirac-prepro in my system, then in his. He is very, very happy with PC playback with Mch Dirac via HDMI into his Marantz 8801. He had previously been a strong Audyssey w. Pro calibration fan.

 

Dirac Live Mch for the PC is not exactly cheap. But, it is not outrageous either, even including the cost of a calibration mike. So, I think it is probably one of the biggest improvements you can possibly make for PC source material without spending a big bundle on a new prepro.

[wappinghigh]

Hi wappinghigh,

I'm using a Yamaha HT receiver RX-A3040 with analog outs to external power amp, and it meets all my needs - except YPAO is not doing it for me. DIRAC may potentially be significantly better, so that's where this journey started, ways to go about implementing DIRAC with or without scrapping current gear. Thanks, David

 

Sorry, but I am still not sure why you need this "DIRAC" or whatever it is... I also have a Yamaha HT ATM... one that is not dissimilar to yours. What am I missing? All you do is pre-out straight to power amps, sit in your main central listening position and manually set up the surround speakers in the Yamaha using the remote... Why do you need processing??? By just shooting the pure Digital>analog output from the e28 DAC Or an SACD player or whatever other source you plug into those 5.1 inputs, you are hearing each individual channel of the original sound recording just how the engineers laid it down.. What am I missing here? Cheers

[Kal Rubinson]

Sorry, but I am still not sure why you need this "DIRAC" or whatever it is... I also have a Yamaha HT ATM... one that is not dissimilar to yours. What am I missing? All you do is pre-out straight to power amps, sit in your main central listening position and manually set up the surround speakers in the Yamaha using the remote... Why do you need processing??? By just shooting the pure Digital>analog output from the e28 DAC Or an SACD player or whatever other source you plug into those 5.1 inputs, you are hearing each individual channel of the original sound recording just how the engineers laid it down.. What am I missing here? Cheers

What you are missing is compensation for the acoustic filtering imposed by your room's dimensions and construction.

[wappinghigh]

^ Oh. Ok.. Thanks for that...I kinda like playing with the channels manually as I here 'em then and there...

[Audio_ELF]

A new option for Dirac with Multi-channel is the newly announced Arcam AVR850 and AVR550 receivers.

[wappinghigh]

^ Way cool..will check these out! Thanks

[Fitzcaraldo215]

A new option for Dirac with Multi-channel is the newly announced Arcam AVR850 and AVR550 receivers.

 

That is quite an endorsement for Dirac. Arcam had been resisting Room EQ since day 1. And, they are a very quality conscious organization. I am sure their due diligence was quite thorough. Ease of use was probably an important part of their considerations. Sound quality and target curve flexibility also greatly exceed the Audyssey MultEQ/XT 32 on Denon, Marantz and NAD AVRs and prepros, based on my experience.

 

Probably, Arcam's version of Dirac will be limited to 48k sampling, like the Emotiva prepro (and also Audyssey and Anthem ARC AVRs), but that is likely good enough for an AVR and handles most popular source material, like CD and BD. To get higher sampling rates with Dirac, you have to go to the $20k Datasat prepro or use the PC/Mac version. I have been quite happy with the PC version for over a year in Mch.