Dirac Live Troubleshooting: Common Fixes

Find your problem below. Each fix comes from Dirac’s own help centre or your receiver’s Dirac manual, and is written in the order to try things.

Jump to: Licence · Connecting · App won’t start · Measuring · After calibration · ART · Advanced

Common problems

Beginner

Licence problems

I’ve bought a licence but can’t use it

Log out of Dirac Live and log back in. This updates your account with the new licence. In current versions you can also use the main menu and choose Refresh licenses.

Filter Design only goes up to 500 Hz

If you bought Full Bandwidth, you’re not logged in. Log in with the account you bought the licence on and the full range appears.

ART isn’t showing up

Update your receiver’s firmware to the latest version and make sure you’re running the latest Dirac Live. ART also needs Room Correction, Bass Control if you have subs, and the ART licence.

Can’t find or connect to the receiver

Measure request timed out, or network errors

Make sure the computer and receiver are on the same network, and that the network has full internet access.
Turn off any VPN and avoid guest Wi-Fi.
Try entering the receiver’s IP address manually.
Restart the receiver properly: switch it off at the mains, wait two or three minutes, then switch it back on and reconnect. Standby isn’t enough.
As a last resort, Dirac suggest a factory reset of the receiver can clear network problems.

My Denon or Marantz TV is stuck on the “woman on the sofa” picture

That picture is only a status screen the receiver shows while Dirac Live is connected. The calibration runs entirely from the Dirac Live app on your computer or phone, so a frozen TV picture doesn’t affect it. Carry on in the app. If the picture is still there after you’ve finished, press BACK on the receiver’s remote, or turn the receiver off and on again.

It dropped out halfway through

Press BACK on the receiver’s remote to return it to normal, then restart Dirac Live. If you saved your project, load it and carry on.

Dirac Live won’t start or keeps crashing

Dirac Live crashes when it starts

Reinstall Dirac Live, but untick the option to start it after installing.
Restart the computer, then start Dirac Live.
Check Dirac Live is allowed to use the microphone (Windows: Privacy and Security, Microphone. Mac: System Settings, Privacy and Security, Microphone).

Measuring problems

“Imprecise measurements”, sound cutting out or very low gain

Mac: check Dirac Live has microphone permission. This is the most common cause.
Close other heavy programs and plug the laptop into its charger. Turn off power saving.
Turn off any sound enhancements in Windows or macOS. On a Mac, set the microphone mode to Standard, not Voice Isolation.
Retry the position a few times.
Try another USB port. Connect the mic directly or with a powered USB extension, never through a hub or adaptor. Over 5 m, use an active cable.
Try a different USB cable.
Try measuring without the calibration file loaded, to rule out the file.
If your receiver came with a Dirac-compatible mic, try that instead. (Not Denon or Marantz: their mic is Audyssey only.)
Restart the receiver. A factory reset may be needed.
Try another mic or another computer.

The sweep pops or only plays part of the way

Abort and measure that position again until the sweep plays cleanly. Close other apps and reduce network activity, as low memory on the computer can cause it.

There’s a red lock on the Master Output

It’s a safety limit to protect your speakers and hearing. If you’re sure you need more level, click the red lock to unlock it (it turns green).

The volume dropped when I went back to Measurement Levels

That’s deliberate. Dirac turns the volume down every time you return to that step, so nothing gets damaged.

All speakers show a gain and delay of 0

Dirac decided the recording wasn’t accurate enough and switched off gain and delay compensation. This can be caused by dropped audio during recording. Try a different USB port for the mic and measure again.

A speaker shows as “Fullrange” when it’s set to Small on the receiver

That’s normal. In Dirac, Fullrange only means it’s a speaker rather than a subwoofer. It has nothing to do with the Small or Large setting.

After calibration

Everything is much quieter with Dirac on

That’s normal and expected. Dirac reduces the output level to leave headroom, so its boosts never clip. Turn the volume up higher than you used to. Make sure you measured at, or slightly above, your normal listening level.

The stereo image pulls to one side

Make sure Dirac is the last thing in the chain. Any balance or tone adjustments must be set before you measure.
Dirac’s own fix: on Measurement Levels, set mic gain to 100% (or +18 dB from version 3.13.2).
Play all speakers and raise the Master Output to a comfortable level, around −20 dB.
Find the quietest speaker and turn the others down to match it, within about 0.2 dB.
Raise the Master Output a little, then measure again, design and export.

Popping or crackling with the filter on

Power-cycle the receiver: switch it off at the mains, wait, and switch it back on.

The receiver sits on “Saving” during export

Don’t close Dirac Live, even if it says the export finished. It can take 5 to 10 minutes.
If nothing has happened after 15 minutes, switch the receiver off and on, reconnect Dirac Live and load your saved project.
Export the filter again, to a different slot if you can.

Bass Control or ART doesn’t seem to work in Multi Channel Stereo

On Denon and Marantz, Multi Channel Stereo applies its own bass management, so Bass Control and ART don’t work in that mode. The receiver still applies Dirac’s levels, crossovers and delays. Use a different sound mode.

ART

My subwoofers seem to be missing on Filter Design

That’s normal. Only the first sub shows the curve, because the target curve represents all the subs combined. Subs in their own groups don’t get their own target curve. They help the groups they support.

I can’t set a target curve for a subwoofer in its own group

That’s by design. In ART, target curves belong to the main channels. A subwoofer moved out of the main LFE group has no target curve of its own. Instead it helps each group it supports reach that group’s target. To change the bass it produces, adjust the curve on the groups it supports, or move it back into the LFE group. Source: Dirac Help Centre: ART channel group and support settings.

My separately grouped sub isn’t filling a bass dip

Dirac recommends separate groups for subs of different capability, but users often find the subs work better as a team in one group. If a dip in the combined sub response stays after calculating, move all the subs into one group, calculate again and compare. Keep whichever layout measures better.

The centre is too quiet or dialogue is muffled with ART

Make sure the centre isn’t supporting any other groups.
Select the centre group, right-click the target curve and choose Convert shelves to control points.
Drag the whole curve up by a couple of dB.
Optionally lift the 2 to 5 kHz area slightly for dialogue clarity.
Calculate and export to a spare slot as a dialogue preset.

There’s a dip around 20 Hz with Infra bass ticked

Normal. The infra bass isn’t phase corrected, so the join around 20 Hz may not add up perfectly. It’s felt rather than heard. See the Infra bass tick box.

ART support levels won’t save

Press Enter after changing any value in the support parameters box. Otherwise it reverts.

More problems from the Dirac community

These come up again and again in Dirac user groups. Where a fix is from the community rather than Dirac, it’s labelled.

The app still asks me to buy a licence I already own

Log out of Dirac Live and back in, or use Refresh licenses in the main menu.
Sign in at live.dirac.com and check the licence is on the same account you’re using in the app.
Update the receiver’s firmware and the Dirac Live app.
Still stuck: open a Licensing and billing ticket with Dirac support. They can check the licence against your receiver’s serial number.

Error 106 or “low signal to noise”

Dirac doesn’t document code 106. Arcam and Onkyo-family owners report it when the test signal isn’t loud enough above the room’s background noise. Fixes that worked for them: a quieter room, setting speaker levels properly before measuring (Step 4), and turning off unused zones on the receiver. Then work through the imprecise measurement fixes above. Community-sourced.

Onkyo, Integra and Pioneer error codes

Code	Meaning	Fix
DU1001	Network problem during measurement	Check the network connection, then measure again
DU1003, DU1004	Can’t reach the Dirac Live server	Check the network has full internet access; contact the manufacturer if it persists
DU9999	Can’t reach the Dirac Live server	As above
DC1001	General network connection error	Check both the network and the receiver’s connection

From Onkyo’s TX-RZ70 and TX-RZ50 support pages. Other brands use different codes.

Settings are greyed out on my receiver

That’s by design while a Bass Control or ART filter is active, because Dirac calculated those settings. On Denon and Marantz, locked: Distances, speaker levels (test tones), crossovers, subwoofer mode, subwoofer layout and LFE settings. Subwoofer Level Adjust is locked, IMAX audio settings are forced to Auto, and Dialog Enhancer and the tone controls are unavailable. With an ART filter, Channel Level Adjust is also locked. Switch Dirac off or choose a Room Correction slot to change them, then measure again if you change anything that affects the calibration.

My old project won’t open after updating

Projects from Dirac Live 2 and 3 open in the current app when you’re signed in. Projects from the original version 1 calibration tool don’t, and you’ll need to measure again.

The Bass Control option is missing or my subs aren’t detected

Dirac needs a connected subwoofer and a Bass Control licence on your account. Check the sub is enabled in the receiver’s speaker setup, then unplug the receiver from the mains for two or three minutes and log out of Dirac Live and back in. See Bass Control setup.

How do I contact Dirac?

Through the support request form on Dirac’s help centre. Pick the right category (technical support, Licensing and billing, or Other) so it reaches the right team. For receiver faults, contact the receiver’s manufacturer.

My NAD subwoofer is silent or not corrected

Dirac’s fix: unplug the receiver for two or three minutes. On NAD, make sure the subwoofer and its crossover are switched on in the BluOS app before calibrating. NAD also advises setting the sub level with the sub’s own volume control, and not applying the NAD target curve to the sub group. Update Dirac Live too: version 3.9.7 fixed NAD sub filters only being filled in on older versions.

Onkyo, Integra or Pioneer: large delays, crossover or noise problems with Bass Control

Several Bass Control problems on these receivers were fixed by firmware. An early limit on Dirac’s delay values was raised, a crossover being applied incorrectly was fixed, and the March 2026 firmware improved noise with Bass Control on. Update the receiver’s firmware, then export your filters again to every slot. Recalibrate if the notes for your firmware say so.

Back to the guided setup

Fixed it? Pick up the guide where you left off.

Dirac Live guide

Windows and network fixes

Advanced

“Error during measurement (Not Ready)” on Windows

Open Windows Environment Variables.
Set DAUDIO_WASAPI_NON_EXCLUSIVE to OFF, or add it if it isn’t there.
If the error persists, delete that variable, restart the computer and measure again.

Dirac Live still crashes on Windows after reinstalling

Dirac’s third fix is to delete the bundled MSVCP140.dll from C:\Users\your username\AppData\Local\Dirac\Live, so Dirac uses the system copy. Restart the computer, then start Dirac Live.

Which ports need to be open?

UDP 8801 and 8802: Dirac Live to receiver during calibration and filter transfer.
TCP 5000: general communication with the receiver during setup.
TCP 443 and 80: Dirac Live to Dirac’s servers (login and licences).

Only change firewall rules or environment variables if you’re comfortable doing so.

Dirac Live Troubleshooting