KxDx
Senior Member
This is just some quick and dirty testing to compare the results of using a MiniDSP DDRC-22D w/ Dirac 3, and a Dspeaker Antimode 2.0, since I currently have both units in my possession. All measurements are taken with UMIK/REW and variable smoothing. No sub, just 2 large speakers. I have GIK corner bass traps in 2 corners, thick curtains over the windows, 2x2 panels behind those curtains, and 4x2 panels at first reflection points.
My room is a disaster right now. It's basically in a "put shit wherever it can fit" state, at least until summer. To make room for our temporary guests My wife had to move her computer and desk up there, and "things" are just accumulating. Once I have my room back, I'm going to get a new computer desk without the side risers (currently have Ikea Fredde desk), and move the audio to a short wall instead of the long wall. For right now, I just play the hand I'm dealt.
I only did a single MLP measurement with Antimode. The Dirac calibration is based on the "tightly focused" measurement since I use an office chair at the computer desk. I didn't do a lot of advanced tweaking because I just wanted to show the basic response corrections these products create.
To keep from losing my mind with disconnecting and reconnecting, I have the system routed as such: PC (SPDIF) > MiniDSP > DAC > Antimode (Analog in/out) > Amp. I just put the MiniDSP in bypass mode to calibrate/use the Antimode, and vice versa.
This is initial room measurement with no processing. The 40Hz peak dominates, and the primary dips of concern are at 63Hz, 100Hz, and 130Hz:
Here's the default antimode curve (I used Advanced Calibration to extend the processing up to 300Hz):
It's rather flat, so I bumped up the bass to +6 with the remote (close to same LF boost I use on my Dirac filter). Here's the +6 overlaid with the 0dB so you can see the bass boost range (it lifts the whole range you choose for calibration):
Dirac's original calculated curve had a 5.5dB LF boost but I made a filter with +7dB that my ears preferred (shown here):
Here are all 4 measurements overlaid- no processing, Antimode "flat," Antimode Bass +6, and Dirac:
You can see that Dirac holds a plateau up to 45Hz, whereas Antimode has a more linear slope in the low end. In my limited comparative listening I really couldn't hear one sounding much different from the other. Mind you, I have a lot of people living in the house right now so I can't really enjoy my system as intended anyway. Both still offer smoother low end than the one-note bass I was originally living with.
Antimode is a little more aggressive with that 145Hz bump than Dirac. Not sure why that's there in the first place, but until I clear and rearrange my room, I won't bother investigating it.
Dirac flattens that hump between 2.5-5KHz. The Antimode 2.0 doesn’t tweak frequencies that high.
If using a PC, I'd recommend the MiniDSP/Dirac route because the GUI makes tweaks so much easier. On a standalone system with no computer involved, the Antimode 2.0 is still more than capable.
My room is a disaster right now. It's basically in a "put shit wherever it can fit" state, at least until summer. To make room for our temporary guests My wife had to move her computer and desk up there, and "things" are just accumulating. Once I have my room back, I'm going to get a new computer desk without the side risers (currently have Ikea Fredde desk), and move the audio to a short wall instead of the long wall. For right now, I just play the hand I'm dealt.
I only did a single MLP measurement with Antimode. The Dirac calibration is based on the "tightly focused" measurement since I use an office chair at the computer desk. I didn't do a lot of advanced tweaking because I just wanted to show the basic response corrections these products create.
To keep from losing my mind with disconnecting and reconnecting, I have the system routed as such: PC (SPDIF) > MiniDSP > DAC > Antimode (Analog in/out) > Amp. I just put the MiniDSP in bypass mode to calibrate/use the Antimode, and vice versa.
This is initial room measurement with no processing. The 40Hz peak dominates, and the primary dips of concern are at 63Hz, 100Hz, and 130Hz:
Here's the default antimode curve (I used Advanced Calibration to extend the processing up to 300Hz):
It's rather flat, so I bumped up the bass to +6 with the remote (close to same LF boost I use on my Dirac filter). Here's the +6 overlaid with the 0dB so you can see the bass boost range (it lifts the whole range you choose for calibration):
Dirac's original calculated curve had a 5.5dB LF boost but I made a filter with +7dB that my ears preferred (shown here):
Here are all 4 measurements overlaid- no processing, Antimode "flat," Antimode Bass +6, and Dirac:
You can see that Dirac holds a plateau up to 45Hz, whereas Antimode has a more linear slope in the low end. In my limited comparative listening I really couldn't hear one sounding much different from the other. Mind you, I have a lot of people living in the house right now so I can't really enjoy my system as intended anyway. Both still offer smoother low end than the one-note bass I was originally living with.
Antimode is a little more aggressive with that 145Hz bump than Dirac. Not sure why that's there in the first place, but until I clear and rearrange my room, I won't bother investigating it.
Dirac flattens that hump between 2.5-5KHz. The Antimode 2.0 doesn’t tweak frequencies that high.
If using a PC, I'd recommend the MiniDSP/Dirac route because the GUI makes tweaks so much easier. On a standalone system with no computer involved, the Antimode 2.0 is still more than capable.