What you need to calibrate with Dirac Live.
To optimise your sound system with Dirac Live, you’ll need a calibration microphone. This device captures a test signal, known as a sweep, which is used to create a virtual acoustic model of your room. The software then analyses this sweep to understand the unique acoustic characteristics of your space.
For these precise calibrations, it’s essential that the microphone is omnidirectional, allowing it to listen in multiple directions simultaneously.
Minidsp umik-1.
We recommend using miniDSP UMIK-1 microphone. It is easy to use and comes equipped with universal drivers.
Frequently asked questions
An omnidirectional microphone is equally sensitive to sound from every angle. An omnidirectional microphone’s polar pattern is a circle, indicating that gain is equal for any inclining angle relative to the microphone. In contrast to a bi-directional microphone, the omnidirectional microphone has only one side open to sound pressure.
Dirac Live requires that sound pressure from the room’s reflections and the speakers’ lines-of-sight are measured with equal gain. A cardioid or bi- directional microphone will measure the sound with different gain depending on sound waves’ inclining angles to the microphone. Measuring a surround system with a cardioid microphone pointing at the front speaker will measure lower gains for the speakers behind the microphone, preventing the system calibration from being robust.
If the Dirac Live-enabled device comes with a calibration microphone, we recommend connecting the included calibration microphone to the device and not the computer, as Dirac Live fetches the calibration file from the device automatically. If you are using a third-party omnidirectional microphone, or if your Hi-Fi device is placed far away from your listening area, connect the microphone to your computer and ensure it is accessible. Download the relevant calibration file provided by your microphone manufacturer and load it into Dirac Live. Applying proper calibration to your microphone is crucial to creating a reliable measurement.
