User manual

miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and speci fi cations subject to change without prior noti ce 18
3.3 A/V RECEIVER CONFIGURATION
The AVR connected to the nanoAVR DL output needs to be set appropriately for best results from Dirac Live. This
must be done prior to performing the Dirac Live calibration.
3.3.1 Speaker distance (delay)
Set the speaker distance (or equivalently, delays) in your AVR using the procedure recommended by your AVR
manufacturer. While Dirac Live calculates the relative delays between all channels and corrects for any
differences, correct delays in the AVR are necessary for bass management to function correctly.
3.3.2 Level trims
Set the level trims in the AVR using the procedure recommended by your AVR manufacturer. While Dirac Live
aligns the gain of all channels, correct level settings in the AVR will avoid potential issues with reduced dynamic
range and errors in bass management.
In the case of the subwoofer channel, if more output is required from the subwoofer, it preferable to increase
the gain control on the subwoofer itself instead of raising the subwoofer trim in the AVR.
3.3.3 Bass management
Set up bass management in the AVR using the procedure recommended by your AVR manufacturer. Advanced
users can use an acoustic measurement program such as Room EQ Wizard (REW) together with the UMIK -1 for
more precise setting. This ensures that Dirac Live is able to correctly optimize the full frequency range on each
HDMI Audio channel.
3.3.4 Room correction
Turn off any room correction in the AVR. Dirac Live performs a full set of sophisticated room correction
optimization algorithms, and “adding” additional room correction in the AVR will not improve the result, and
quite possibly make it worse.
3.3.5 Channel count/down-mixing
Set the AVR for the number of speakers that you have. In some cases, this will result in the AVR performing
"down mixing." Dirac Live will still generate correct equalization for each HDMI source channel.
3.3.6 Other processing
While performing a Dirac Live calibration, all other processing must be turned off. In particular, be sure to turn
off:
 Up-mixing such as surround-sound simulators
 Surround decoders such as Dolby Pro Logic
 “Effects” such as hall or ambience simulators
After calibration is complete, these effects can be judiciously turned back on, with the understanding that the
Dirac Live equalization may no longer be as effective when content is sent "across" channels.