Quick Comparison between Dirac and WiiM mini RC

merifon

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Oct 25, 2022
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Usually I run Dirac on LS50 meta, a B&W ASW610 subwoofer with a Nad C3050LE and the results are so impressive and satisfying to make me find at last even at home the kind of sound I was used to ear many years ago in some well suited recording studios.
I tried to do RC with my WiiM mini, separated channel, multiple takes, 30Hz-20KHz, calibrated IMM 6 microphone.
I was surprised by large holes and peaks shown in the measured response, very different from those taken by Dirac in the same site, nevertheless the listening sensations were not far from those with Dirac, except for the integration of subwoofer time and level response. This is obviously due to specific multiple test routine that Dirac takes for the subwoofer, missing with WiiM mini.
If I don't give importance to strange measurements variations and keep focus on the listening only, I have to say that WiiM RC does a good job, not so precise and focused as Dirac does but anyway satisfactory.
Keep in mind that after years of bad rooms listening, some people could get used to bad listening and not appreciate more regular situations, my-fi vs hi-fi...
Due to one of too much frequent nad/Bluos bugs, I couldn't test what RC measures with Dirac inserted, since the mdc2 card of Nad freezes anytime I send a 44.1KHz signal to toslink input, when Dirac is on. It's a last firmware new bug, they are aware but after a month, no correction yet. They should take example from WiiM...
 
I've just made the step up to DIRAC Live using my MacBook Air M1 and frankly, despite using a calibrated UMIK-1 for WiiM RoomFit, I am finding that DIRAC Live absolutely stomps RoomFit, sadly. Significant improvement in instrument separation and dynamics/slam with DIRAC over RoomFit.

Granted, RoomFit is free (with purchase of WiiM streamer) whereas DIRAC is an expensive add-on, so one could argue that, from a price standpoint, this is to be expected.

-Ed
 
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