Copland DRC205 digital room correction

This morning I received a response from Copland to my question of microphone orientaion during analysis. The instruction manual is not clear as to how the mic is to be oriented during the analysis measurement. I assumed it to be an omni mic and held it in the verticle position. Copland states it should be held/placed so the mic is pointed directly at the stereo center of the speaker system. I will repeat my measurements using this setup and report on the difference.

Rhljazz,

I have a Tact 2.2 XP and interestingly have the same issues regarding what the unit does in the midrange on up. I have been nagging Tact about putting in a frequency correction cutoff for some time, and they supposedly have actually put that in a software update coming soon. Like what you mentioned, the correction in the bass (up to about 400Hz or so) seems very good, and the unit is consistent with the measurements in this range, but above that, it does some weird stuff. I also can't get very consistent measurements when I take them at different times. The corrected response seems kind of hollow to me. What does the corrected response sound like to you?

Smeyers, I find that the corrected response does have a hollow sound. I think the problem is due to the extended flat response at the top end that does not have a balancing increase at the bottom end. One of the filters I made slopes the top end response to closely approximate the curves depicted in Stereophiles more favorable speaker reviews and measurements. I left the rest of the spectrum untouched. I think this curve sounds better than the totally flat curve and does not have the hollow sound. Most of the highly rated speakers have a decreasing "in room" response at the top. Those that do not, have an elevated/exaggerated bottom end to compensate for the extension at the top.
I used the DRC205 quite a bit this weekend measuring results for different speaker positions. New speakers are sometimes difficult to get just right. I also hooked up the REL sub and found the curves from the DRC205 made setting the crossover to the sub very easy. I don't have a lot of hours on it and one set of cables (Nordost Blue Heaven) were new and not broken in. The remainder of my cabling is Audio Magic so the difference in cabling may have some effect also. I'm planning to use the DRC205 more and see if it opens up a bit and becomes more transparent. I will also experiment a bit more with another different filter and hear what happens.

I've owned the DRC 205 now for several months. I do think it is quite an incredible piece of audio tech. It won me over inside the dealer's shop when he switched a Bryston BCD-1 on a Macintosh amp to a pair of 3A speakers. What went from a small, somewhat lifeless soundstage caught between the speakers, to a grand, room filling, slamming soundscape that defied the speakers entirely. And it was still musical! In fact even more so! One of the attributes I find lovely to this piece is it really brings out what the bass response SHOULD be a la anachoic chamber. Really full, vibrant, and fully linear top to bottom frequency. If i were to fault this device I'd have to say it does sometimes quash some of the depth of the soundstaging or maybe a bit of super detailed transients you'd find coming out of a top end expensive player. This is a picky faulting and one that seems to change if I reset the mic placement. I'm sure it's also what my old DAC does vs the newer DAC's in the Copland. But it's not bad for it. Just different. But for it's price point ($3000) it will match up quite fairly and symbiotically to equipment in the same ball park or lower and really make your system shine fantastic. And I've found myself constantly wanting to recallibrate the signal everytime I move or change anything to the point of obssessiveness. And let's face it, in this hobby I don't need anything more to obsess about. Although that can be half the fun! I can say it has done very nicely for just getting more into the music, no if's-ands-or-but's. Purists need not apply as there is always something that can be disected and discredited via numbers, and (I am a victim here too) pure anal overanalysis . Music lovers though "all aboard". Great: yes indeed. Perfect: what is?

I can also say whole-heartedly: put a Virtual Dynamics power cable on it to get some great energy from it and use it on A1 (flat). Using Acoustic Zen Matrix II IC's and they're excellent!