Phantom Premiere and Dante

[njaiswal]

@mingfang I noticed you updated the path for your Center channel... With the reactor custom you're able to get 1ms latency using Dante?

[mingfang]

@mingfang I noticed you updated the path for your Center channel... With the reactor custom you're able to get 1ms latency using Dante?

Yes, the Reactor Custom has Dante built in and can support 1ms latency.
I tried to compensate for 60ms latency with the regular Reactor by faking the distance.
The distance limit for the SDP-55 was only 46ft so that was not enough and I was able to hear a slight echo.
Now with the Custom I'm able to remove the distance hack and no more echos.

[njaiswal]

@mingfang That's great news! Now its time to convince the wife we need an audio upgrade. Wish me luck! :-)

[mingfang]

@mingfang That's great news!  Now its time to convince the wife we need an audio upgrade.  Wish me luck! :-)

@njaiswal
Good luck.

Also I googled and found next to no info on the Custom so I figure I share what I know here.
With Ethernet and power plugged in, the power button/light combo will light up for a few minutes and then go off.
It appears the power button doesn't actually do anything; Pressing and holding the button seems to have no effect.

Using DHCP it will result in two IP addresses. One for Dante and another for the web interface.
You can use the Dante Controller to figure out which one is Dante.
Dante Controller app also runs Dante Updater to automatically update the Custom's Dante firmware.

The other IP has the web configuration screen.
It looks like the regular web interface but with fewer tabs.
The Custom does not have Wifi and will not function as a "smart" speaker(no Airplay, bluetooth, toslink, etc).

My configuration is:

Max dB SPL: 96
Channel mix: Mono Mix
Startup source: Dante
Current source: Dante
Startup volume: 85
Current volume: 85

With this volume, Direc calibration will set the Reactor Custom at 0db and my two Silvers to -6db.

Hope this helps.

[njaiswal]

So I made the plunge! I upgraded my family room home theater with the SDP-55. I'm totally blown away with how much more detail I get with the phantoms vs the old setup using the AVIO dongles. I've been spending way too much time listening to music and finding thing I haven't heard before. I am having issues with controlling the new processor with my Savant remote and am fighting with Harmon to send me a new mic to replace the defective one that came with the unit.

I am surprised that the JBL doesn't offer any video processing capabilities at all vs what my old Anthem provided.

@mingfang Did you find that after running Dirac that the bass was substantially reduced?

[mingfang]

So I made the plunge!  I upgraded my family room home theater with the SDP-55.  I'm totally blown away with how much more detail I get with the phantoms vs the old setup using the AVIO dongles.  I've been spending way too much time listening to music and finding thing I haven't heard before.  I am having issues with controlling the new processor with my Savant remote and am fighting with Harmon to send me a new mic to replace the defective one that came with the unit. 

I am surprised that the JBL doesn't offer any video processing capabilities at all vs what my old Anthem provided. 

@mingfang Did you find that after running Dirac that the bass was substantially reduced?

@njaiswal 
Congrats on SDP-55 (But now we trade Devialet problems for JBL problems).
I use the Logitech Harmony remote without any problems.

The settings for movies that works for me are 
1-Decode Mode to "Dolby Surround"
2-Dolby Audio Processing to "Movie" which will also enable Dolby Volume, other volume is too low
3-Room EQ to enable Dirac. I used Full Bass Optimization.  I use a MartinLogin Descent-i for bass

For music I set the 2-CH Mode to "Stereo Direct" to bypass Dirac.  Be sure to set the Speaker Type to Large for the Devialet.
I'm attaching a screenshot of my Dirac Live screen with new Gold curve and the target curve.
It doesn't seem like it's trying to reduce bass.

[Snoopy8]

I am surprised that the JBL doesn't offer any video processing capabilities at all vs what my old Anthem provided. 

@mingfang Did you find that after running Dirac that the bass was substantially reduced?

Congrats! 

Seems to be the trend these days for pre-processors to not do video processing, just pass through.  Dirac Live does reduce bass.  Suggest using a target curve from here
https://mehlau.net/audio/dirac-live-2/

[mingfang]

@njaiswal
You're right; Bass is not good with Dirac.
I've been running with Dirac off for the last couple of hours and I think I'll leave it off from now on.
The Dirac process is still useful for adjusting the volume differences and distance between the speakers.

[Snoopy8]

@njaiswal
You're right; Bass is not good with Dirac. 
I've been running with Dirac off for the last couple of hours and I think I'll leave it off from now on.
The Dirac process is still useful for adjusting the volume differences and distance between the speakers.

Suggest you re-run Dirac with the target curves in this article
https://mehlau.net/audio/dirac-live-2/

[njaiswal]

I'm going to re-run dirac once I get my new mic. The one that came with the processor suddenly stopped working. I'll post my results when I get the new mic.