Dirac Live room correction provides the final SS&I polish.Each subwoofer’s signal can be given custom delay and EQ treatment as needed for further evening out of combined sub frequency response.
A small point-source two-way speaker, for instance, can be unbeatable for imaging, but might have a low end that needs some boost above 80 Hz. But for those who are obsessively perfectionistic about soundstage and imaging (SS&I) for their 2-channel listening, the foundation of imaging starts with the lowest tones localizable, around 80 Hz. The DBBM approach is not likely to find its way into use for many applications because applications with full-range speakers will not benefit from it, and for those that do benefit, the improvement is subtle. When I first built the LXmini pair, I ended up with a hacked-together version of the more refined solution described in this article, a Dual Band Bass Management (DBBM) approach which solves the localization issues with a single pair of subs, allows Dirac Live to work with the DDRC-88BM’s bass management features, and allows the 88BM to pitch in with delay and pre-EQ (before calibrating and activating Dirac Live room correction) on a per-sub basis where needed. Non-modal LF reflections can mess with frequency response, for one thing (sometimes called Speaker Boundary Interference Response, or SBIR, although any strong early reflection can cause problems), and the range from 80 Hz on up can be localized by our hearing and must be handled with SS&I goodness in mind, for another. We are shown from Schroeder’s acoustical research that the average listening room is primarily a modal environment below 200 Hz, and are oft forgetful of the exceptions and complications to be dealt with in that modal region. Solving the problem without messing up the LXmini’s pinpoint imaging would mean running two subs, one located next to each LXmini, handling the spectrum below 120 Hz, but doing so would not allow the two subs to be run together from a single channel as is commonly recommended for multiple subwoofers in a system.
#Dirac live dual subs driver#
Why use stereo subs? The limiting factor for volume from the LXmini is the amount of DSP boost the LF driver receives to achieve flat response, a 6 dB/oct boost that rises from 120 Hz as the frequency decreases to 50 Hz.
#Dirac live dual subs how to#
Even while finishing the build process, I was figuring out how to give them an effective boost in volume by using stereo subwoofers. They can deliver bass down to 50 Hz, but not with much volume. This post was inspired by my dealings with a number of different listening room challenges, starting with the setup of the LXmini speakers which I built, reviewed, and now own.