A guided, step-by-step walkthrough for anyone new to Dirac Live or still learning it. Follow the steps in order. Every page starts with the Beginner steps and ends with a Next step button. The Advanced section on each page goes deeper when you’re ready.
Buying hardware
Compatible receivers and processors
Current models from 10 brands that support Dirac Live, from entry level to flagship, with the Dirac features each one supports.
Dirac Live is available on processors and receivers from
Part 1: Get ready
Step 1 · about 10 minutes
Choose and buy your licence
Which licence you actually need, how to buy it for your exact device and how to get it onto your receiver.
Step 2 · about 5 minutes
Choose your microphone
UMIK-1, UMIK-2 or another USB mic. What works, what doesn’t and where to plug it in.
Step 3 · about 15 minutes
Install Dirac Live and connect
Download the app, log in and get your computer or phone talking to your receiver.
Part 2: Measure
Step 4 · about 10 minutes
Set your measurement levels
Mic gain, output level, and speaker and subwoofer levels.
Step 5 · about 5 minutes
Choose your mic arrangement
Which arrangement to pick and exactly where the mic goes.
Step 6 · 20 to 60 minutes
Take the measurements
Run the sweeps at every position, and what to do about warnings.
Part 3: Correct. Choose your path
Once the measurements are done, the path depends on your licence. Not sure which to use? Read Room Correction, Bass Management, Bass Control and ART explained.
Room Correction
Step 7: Design filters and apply a target curve
Group your speakers, set the correction range and choose a target curve.
Bass Control
Bass Control setup
Crossovers, multiple subwoofers and getting speakers and subs to blend.
Active Room Treatment
ART setup
Groups, support levels and frequency ranges, starting from Dirac’s defaults.
Part 4: Finish
Step 8 · about 10 minutes
Export, save and check
Send the filter to your receiver, save it to a slot and check the result.
If something goes wrong
Dirac Live troubleshooting covers imprecise measurements, missing licences, low volume and the other problems that come up most often on the forums. The Dirac Live FAQ answers the questions asked most in Dirac user groups.
Advanced deep dives
Advanced
Already calibrated and want to tune further? Go straight to the Advanced section of each page.
| Topic | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Licences in detail | Limited or Full Bandwidth, and upgrading later |
| Microphones in detail | Calibration files, gain and why the mic matters |
| Levels in detail | What the level screen is really doing |
| Mic arrangements and measurement patterns | Why multiple positions, spacing and patterns |
| Measurements in detail | What Dirac records and how to read it |
| Target curves and curtains | Shaping curves and setting correction ranges |
| Bass Control in depth | Crossovers, multiple subs and phase |
| ART support settings in depth | Groups, support levels, curtains and Fsiso |
| ART deep dive | Grouping, support priorities, StormAudio settings, an example matrix and the spread graph |
| The ART Infra bass tick box | Which groups to tick, and why |
| The ART filters used counter | What the count means near the limit |
| How Dirac Live works | Impulse response correction and its limits |
| Target curves compared | The popular curves, with downloads |
| Reading your Dirac graphs | What each graph shows, what good looks like, and why some dips stay |
| Multiple subwoofers | Wiring, placement, levels and grouping for two or more subs |
| Dirac Live FAQ | Licences, support, ART brands, stereo and other common questions |
Compatible hardware
Current models from each brand that supports Dirac Live, from entry level to flagship. Check the exact model name on Dirac’s website before you buy, as support varies within a range. “Paid” means you buy the licence separately.
Denon
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | AVR-X2900H | Room Correction (paid) |
| Mid | AVC-X3900H | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART (paid) |
| High | AVC-A1H | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART (paid) |
Marantz
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | CINEMA 70s Series 2 | Room Correction (paid) |
| Mid | CINEMA 30 | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART (paid) |
| High | AV 10 (processor) | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART (paid) |
Arcam
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | AVA15 | Room Correction included; Bass Control and ART paid |
| Mid | AVA25 | Room Correction included; Bass Control and ART paid |
| High | AVA35 | Room Correction included; Bass Control and ART paid |
Onkyo
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | TX-NR7100 | Room Correction included |
| Mid | TX-RZ30 | Room Correction included; Bass Control paid |
| High | TX-RZ70 | Room Correction included; Bass Control paid |
Integra
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | DRX-3.4 | Room Correction included |
| Mid | DRX-5.4 | Room Correction included; Bass Control paid |
| High | DRX-8.4 | Room Correction included; Bass Control paid |
Pioneer
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | VSX-LX305 | Room Correction included |
| Mid | VSX-LX505 | Room Correction included |
| High | VSA-LX805 | Room Correction included; Bass Control paid |
Pioneer stopped developing new receivers in 2025, so these are remaining stock.
NAD
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | T 758 V3i | Room Correction included |
| Mid | T 778 | Room Correction (limited bandwidth included, full bandwidth paid) |
| High | M17 V2i (processor) | Room Correction included |
JBL Synthesis
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | SDR-40 | Room Correction and Bass Control included; ART paid |
| Mid | SDP-60 (processor) | Room Correction and Bass Control included; ART paid |
| High | SDP-70 (processor) | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART included |
StormAudio
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | ISP Core 16 (processor) | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART included |
| Mid | ISR Fusion 20 (receiver) | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART included |
| High | ISP Elite MK3 (processor) | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART included |
miniDSP
| Tier | Model | Dirac support |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Flex (stereo) | Room Correction (paid) |
| Mid | Flex HTx (8 channel) | Room Correction (paid) |
| High | Tide16 (16 channel processor) | Room Correction, Bass Control and ART included |
Sources: Dirac: compatible brands and each manufacturer’s product pages. StormAudio lists ART as included on every current model; Dirac’s own pages show it as a paid option on the ISP Core 16 and ISP Elite MK3, so check with your dealer.