New second generation Dirac Live

[shinyc]

Hi Flavio,

 

Please put me on the beta tester list (if not totally public^^).

 

Yong

[shinyc]

There is a beta program running? Can I just ask Flavio for it?

[shinyc]

are you saying there is no beta program running or it takes more than just ask to paticipate in one?

[shinyc]

Sorry I had to dig it. I get the idea. Thanks for the positive note. ^^

[shinyc]

did you try to reset your license count at:

 

https://www.dirac.com/online-store/

 

 

 

[shinyc]

I am also trying the beta software out on a windows machine under ws2016 core mode with AO and dual pc, jplay config. Mine gets stuck when I push the "proceed to filter design" button. Maybe there is a network issue while Dirac trying to reach their license authentication server. It was working fine on 1.X of Dirac. Exact error message is "License Error". Dirac is looking into this matter but it is taking some time. BTW the same error occurs even without jplay (that is, bypassing jplay and using single PC config). The same is true after restoring all drivers (i.e. without AO). I guess it has  something to do with ws2016 core mode. 

[shinyc]

In 1.x, I did my filter creation in a stock windows machine. Then, copy filter files to ws2016 machine and all were fine. I hope I can still do that in 2.x. Yes, I will certainly try the stock windows on my control PC if that is a must. Thanks for the info.

[shinyc]

Hi Flavio,

 

Please check my request as well.

[shinyc]

I just got it. Thank you. 

[shinyc]

My setup and measurement experience was a much more pleasant one. I installed the Dirac Live Calibration Tool and Processor on my Windows 10 laptop. Measurement was made without a single hiccup. I used "chair" mode (9 measuring points). Then, I save the result to a dirac project file. Next, I installed the same tools on a WS2019 core machine (control PC). I had to install v++ redistribution files before I can run the tools. I copied the save project file to the WS2019 machine and created a few filters with different target curves. I created 3 filters with no ill or side effects. I installed both 32bit and 64bit version of the Dirac Live Processor. I used foobar2000 to host the Dirac VST (all 32bits) on the WS2019 machine. One hiccup (finally). If I touch or change any control on the Dirac VST while hosted by foobar2000, it gets easily crashed. Many times I had to reinstall foobar2000 again because foobar also crashes when launched. I could have reset the config for the VST component to recover from it. So if I want to change filter, I launch standalone version of the Dirac Live Processor and make the change so I do not have to touch the VST control while being hosted by foobar. When I am creating new filters, I need the 64bit version of both Dirac Live Calibration Tool AND Processor (That's why I installed both 32bit and 64 bit DLP).

 

My playback chain looks like this:

 

Roon(LMS) => squeeze2upnp bridge => foobar2000 => jplay femto (control PC) => jplay femto (audio pc) => dac

 

I think I am into my sencond week. I must say SQ change is similar to that of v1.1's. I am trying with a speaker pair which exhibits rather flat feq characteristics to begin with so the dirac effect is not so pronounce. Vocal is quite 3d. HF is better tamed. Transparency is much improved. Compare to femto server, though, dirac seems missing some vitality, less dynamic, calmer. Jplay femto server is really vivid, pristine sounding. But I doubt femto server is as neutral as dirac corrected sound. I immediately notice instrument sounds right (neutral) when dirac is in place especially in orchestral music but excitement is something else. Let's wait for the higher sample rate version and see if finesse improves if not the excitement.

[shinyc]

Good question. During the measurement I just used dac provided USB driver (Yggy USB Gen 5 drv) probably via WASAPI. Sampling rate is fixed at 48khz for this alpha version, I think. It was a quick and dirty way to measure. More right way would be to use the same or as close a setup for both measure and playback chain. If VST done right, the calibration tool should be able to send test tone to the VST while hosted by its host program (foobar in my case). I hope Dirac manages that somehow and make it into the production version.

[shinyc]

Hi @flak,

 

I am hearing what appears to be clipping distortion. In v1.x, there was a slider control where you can control attenuation level with default value of -8dB if I recall correctly. I thought the new version was doing it automatically but apparently not.

 

I am also noticing I get no response when I register anomalies found while running this alpha program to your support site. Should I keep registering these findings to your support site? Or just post them here.

 

 

[shinyc]

Sure I will open a new ticket.

[shinyc]

Is anyone successful running the new beta? Mine(windows version) says "The Dirac Live Processor cannot be used as a recording device". 

[shinyc]

10 minutes ago, michael123 said:

 

You need to launch processor first, and from there create a new filter.

 

Yes, sounds fantastic.

 

Found 4 minor bugs though.

 

Dirac added also attenuation to VST as I asked, however clipping indicator still missing 😞

 

Great. Were you able (if you tried) to run VST version of Dirac Live Processor (vs Standalone version of DLP)? 

[shinyc]

21 minutes ago, michael123 said:

 

Yes, that's what I am talking about.

It is running as a VST inside JRiver 25 (version 1, version 3 is not supported) . Not sure there is a standalone version anymore (and I don't miss it)

 

Oh, I meant "did you invoke dirac live (measurement program) from jriver hosted vst (rather than first running "diracliveprocessor.exe").

[shinyc]

3 minutes ago, michael123 said:

 

Not, that's not how it is supposed to work.

Run Dirac Processor from Windows Explorer, then click on Audio Settings and define devices. After that - create a new filter, which will spawn DiracLive

According to the instruction (per below) that came with the latest beta, I seems one can do the measurement inline while plugged in inside the host.

 

 

This way, I do not have to select an output manually. DLP output is natually routed to the host and to the host's output, whatever that may be. That was true in Dirac Studio version (1.0 vst).

 

[shinyc]

That’s cool. Too bad my beta(dlp v0.9.23) does not work on my machines. 

[shinyc]

7 hours ago, shinyc said:

Is anyone successful running the new beta? Mine(windows version) says "The Dirac Live Processor cannot be used as a recording device". 

 

I opened a support ticket on this.  

[shinyc]

4 hours ago, michael123 said:

 

You you need to downsample everything higher than 96Khz to 96Khz, rates lower stay the same - and pass it to Dirac processor

 

Do you know this by trial or through Dirac’s official announcement? 

 

6 hours ago, michael123 said:

 

Did you select your microphone as a recording device?

 

Yes. When I revert back to previous version of DLP, the issue goes away. 

[shinyc]

On 7/20/2019 at 1:02 PM, michael123 said:

@shinycDirac wrote this beta supports 96 KHz (previous didn't)

 

Thank you for your kind info. Out of curiosity, I tried 192khz source and my dac processes at 192khz. Strange to say the least. 

[shinyc]

I am using VST 2.4 adapter v0.9.0.3 (foo_vst). It is working fine except that if one opens the vst using the DSP manager of fb2k, fb2k crashes. @flak Can you fix this issue? I already posted this at your support site. 

 

This only supports 32bit version. 

[shinyc]

I am also trying the new version to work, in my case, with foobar2000. Mine also comes up with blank screen. When I try to connect to the DAP through DiracLive from another computer, DAP crashes immediately. Hmmmm. Help, anybody, Flak??

[shinyc]

10 minutes ago, shinyc said:

I am also trying the new version to work, in my case, with foobar2000. Mine also comes up with blank screen. When I try to connect to the DAP through DiracLive from another computer, DAP crashes immediately.

 

Now, DiracLive crashes after a pause of 10s of seconds while trying to connect to DAP. More listening to my turntable for now.

[shinyc]

3 hours ago, shinyc said:

Now, DiracLive crashes after a pause of 10s of seconds while trying to connect to DAP. More listening to my turntable for now.

 

I managed to have it work. Music must be playing before DL's connecting to DAP (I think something similar is mentioned in the setup instruction) Now I can create filters. Still two things bug me.

1. Attenuation setting does not always survive.
2. When on/off switch for each filter is clicked, DAP and its host freezes.