Ongoing Beta Beta Test: Precision Room Correction with FDW (Frequency-Dependent Windowing)

[jiaxin.li]

I tried precision RC 20-20000Hz and this is the evaluation result. I assume this must be using FDW as well judging by the big dips at higher frequencies.

View attachment 18977

FDW narrows at higher frequencies, making information that was previously 'filled in' by reflections become visible. If multiple speakers are playing sound simultaneously during the measurement, severe phase interference can occur in the combined response, leading to noticeable attenuation peaks in the frequency response (these attenuations typically appear as deep frequency notches).

 

[C0mbat]

This thread is such a great example of a manufacter crowd sourcing subject matter expertise to improve their products. A huge pat on the back to to everyone here. I doubt this thread, or the intended feature improvement, has run it's course so I'll be keeping a close eye on it.

Just one thing, someone on YouTube commented that you can plug the UMIK-1 in to your phone and do room correction in the WiiM app with that. Can someone confirm that please? Also, does it work with Android? And has anyone seen better/preferable results with the WiiM App than with REW?

 

[dominikz]

Just one thing, someone on YouTube commented that you can plug the UMIK-1 in to your phone and do room correction in the WiiM app with that. Can someone confirm that please?

I personally don't own a UMIK-1, but I tested
1) a USB-C headset mic,
2) a USB large diaphragm condenser mic, and
3) my RME USB audio interface (in class-compliant mode) + XLR measurement mic
All with the WiiM home app on my phone and all 3 worked without any issue.

The UMIK-1 should be no different, and I saw examples of other people using it on this forum.

Also, does it work with Android?

Yes, I test exclusively with the Android version of the WiiM Home app, on a Samsung S23+ device.

 

[dominikz]

And has anyone seen better/preferable results with the WiiM App than with REW?

IMHO you can always get equivalent results to WiiM RC with REW by using similar settings, but REW gives you additional flexibility that doesn't exist in the WiiM RC.

However, WiiM RC is much simpler to use and works pretty well already. And I have a feeling it will get even better as time goes by!

 

[Maurizio]

This thread is such a great example of a manufacter crowd sourcing subject matter expertise to improve their products. A huge pat on the back to to everyone here. I doubt this thread, or the intended feature improvement, has run it's course so I'll be keeping a close eye on it.

Just one thing, someone on YouTube commented that you can plug the UMIK-1 in to your phone and do room correction in the WiiM app with that. Can someone confirm that please? Also, does it work with Android? And has anyone seen better/preferable results with the WiiM App than with REW?

I use a Dayton, not the Umik, but I think it's the same.
If you connect an external microphone to your phone or tablet, the WHA App sees it. You can then select it and import the relative calibration file.
This is valid for both Android and IOS. Tested personally because I have 2 different tablets

 

[m_sherzod]

This thread is such a great example of a manufacter crowd sourcing subject matter expertise to improve their products. A huge pat on the back to to everyone here. I doubt this thread, or the intended feature improvement, has run it's course so I'll be keeping a close eye on it.

Just one thing, someone on YouTube commented that you can plug the UMIK-1 in to your phone and do room correction in the WiiM app with that. Can someone confirm that please? Also, does it work with Android? And has anyone seen better/preferable results with the WiiM App than with REW?

Agreed! The Wiim community and the team are so ahead of others in terms of collaboration, just keep it up guys!

I wonder, at this pace of updates and improvements the Wiim RC will reach the hailed DIRAC on other devices, or are there any hardware limitations for that to ever happen?

 

[Wiimer]

, or are there any hardware limitations for that to ever happen?

Since the WiiM RC runs in the cloud, hardware limitations should hardly be an issue (given the added of the RC to the Mini).

 

[dominikz]

I wonder, at this pace of updates and improvements the Wiim RC will reach the hailed DIRAC on other devices, or are there any hardware limitations for that to ever happen?

I guess that depends on what Dirac Live functionality you are considering. There are the following packages:

• Dirac Live Room Correction (DL RC)
  • DL RC performs frequency response correction using IIR filters (very important and a very audible SQ improvement) and impulse response/phase correction using FIR filters (IMHO not important in most cases and debatable SQ improvement).
  • WiiM is currently using only IIR filters so should be able to reach the same level of correction quality as Dirac Live in this sense, and IMHO can even exceed it if a few more features are introduced / improved.
  • WiiM doesn't currently do phase correction using FIR and I'm not sure if this is feasible as it would consume more HW resources on the WiiM devices. However, I don't believe this is really that important in most cases.
• Dirac Live Bass Control (DLBC)
  • DLBC optimizes subwoofer and mains integration, and optimizes responses of multiple subs to achieve a smooth response below the crossover (similar to MSO).
  • WiiM with the current HW might be able to automate subwoofer integration, but can't handle multiple-subs automatically because WiiM devices have at most a single subwoofer output. So DLBC functionality cannot be fully matched by WiiM at the moment.
• Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (DL ART)
  • DL ART uses multiple loudspeakers in a multi-channel system to smooth-out the bass and mid-bass response (usually 80-300Hz) by playing adjusted signals from supporting loudspeakers to a main loudspeaker signal.
  • WiiM with the current HW might be able to match this with a lot of R&D and if multiple speakers are grouped for the purpose of this kind of active room correction.

To be honest, I'd say it would be quite difficult to match all of this functionality in WiiM devices - I guess it might be easier to support Dirac directly (if there's sufficient HW processing capacity).

 

[m_sherzod]

I guess that depends on what Dirac Live functionality you are considering. There are the following packages:

• Dirac Live Room Correction (DL RC)
  • DL RC performs frequency response correction using IIR filters (very important and a very audible SQ improvement) and impulse response/phase correction using FIR filters (IMHO not important in most cases and debatable SQ improvement).
  • WiiM is currently using only IIR filters so should be able to reach the same level of correction quality as Dirac Live in this sense, and IMHO can even exceed it if a few more features are introduced / improved.
  • WiiM doesn't currently do phase correction using FIR and I'm not sure if this is feasible as it would consume more HW resources on the WiiM devices. However, I don't believe this is really that important in most cases.
• Dirac Live Bass Control (DLBC)
  • DLBC optimizes subwoofer and mains integration, and optimizes responses of multiple subs to achieve a smooth response below the crossover (similar to MSO).
  • WiiM with the current HW might be able to automate subwoofer integration, but can't handle multiple-subs automatically because WiiM devices have at most a single subwoofer output. So DLBC functionality cannot be fully matched by WiiM at the moment.
• Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (DL ART)
  • DL ART uses multiple loudspeakers in a multi-channel system to smooth-out the bass and mid-bass response (usually 80-300Hz) by playing adjusted signals from supporting loudspeakers to a main loudspeaker signal.
  • WiiM with the current HW might be able to match this with a lot of R&D and if multiple speakers are grouped for the purpose of this kind of active room correction.

To be honest, I'd say it would be quite difficult to match all of this functionality in WiiM devices - I guess it might be easier to support Dirac directly (if there's sufficient HW processing capacity).

Thank you for taking your time to make such a detailed and comprehensive explanation! I am planning to have a room treatment next week, will do the RC according to your recommendations afterwards.

 

[Maurizio]

Many of us, including myself, have commented on the new RC- FDW feature, noting some critical issues.
WiiM itself had responded to @dominikz "
Hi dominike,

Thanks very much for your testing. From your in-room response in REW, the result of 'FDW' RC is abnormal. Our engineers will check this today."

Generally what was noticed was excessive bass reduction and a narrowing of the center of the soundstage.
There has been no further news on this new feature, FDW, I would be curious to have some updates.
Are they trying to improve it?
Have they abandoned the project?
Is it staying as it is?
Any information on the status of things would be appreciated

 

[slartibartfast]

This thread has gone very quiet lately. You can almost see the tumbleweed.

 

[whitewave]

Just one thing, someone on YouTube commented that you can plug the UMIK-1 in to your phone and do room correction in the WiiM app with that. Can someone confirm that please? Also, does it work with Android? And has anyone seen better/preferable results with the WiiM App than with REW?

yes you can. It's very easy. You have to doanload the calibration file for your specific serial number from minidsp website, having it on your phone, cause wiim app ask for it.
It works really well.

Even if with the FDW function discussed in this thread, I have the same huge dip some are complaining about.

 

[whitewave]

I tried precision RC 20-20000Hz and this is the evaluation result. I assume this must be using FDW as well judging by the big dips at higher frequencies.

View attachment 18977

Yesterday I got comparable results, using a Umik-1 mic.
Very far for the target curve, and cannot say I enjoyed the results.