What could be causing this spike at 60Hz?

[FargateOne]

So is the issue fixed now with the current sound setting?

This is certainly a bizarre issue, but as others have alluded to, a 60Hz spike could be caused by any number of electrical items on that same circuit. Possibly something trivial that you wouldn't think about.

All I know is the new mic solved the spike appeared all of a suddden without any reason with the old one. (Iremind that the peak appered even with the laptop outside by night in a quiete neighberhood) But I am cursed. The new mic Umik-1 reads all impulses in reverse (all positive satellites are now negative polarity and sub negative are now positive polarity....shi....I think I will ask for a replacement becaus I don't think that Dirac DLBC will like it (even if all is in reverse)

 

[Todd Anderson]

What?!?! Now THAT's weird!

You're not in a boat floating around in the Bermuda Triangle, are you?

 

[Sonnie Parker]

May need to throw everything out, move to a new neighborhood, and start fresh.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I’ve been in your situation, @FargateOne… not this same exact one, obviously, but it’s never fun when a process like this keeps backfiring. Super easy to watch the hours tick by while you trouble shoot

 

[FargateOne]

I’ve been in your situation, @FargateOne… not this same exact one, obviously, but it’s never fun when a process like this keeps backfiring. Super easy to watch the hours tick by while you trouble shoot

After reading posts of members here and elsewhere saying that they he had new Umik-1 and new Umik-2 reversing impulses in their system I decided:
1- keep the Lenovo laptop with Win11
2-return the new Umik-1 to retailor
3- replace it by Umik-2 and will keep it even if it reverses impulses, I won't be happy but at least I will have more accurate timing and delays for DLBC due to the internal clock.

@Sonnie Parker ..my wife suggested that we move in a galaxy far far away witth Eewoks...an no more HT...

 

[ddude003]

@Sonnie Parker ..my wife suggested that we move in a galaxy far far away witth Eewoks...an no more HT...

Might be time to upgrade the wife along with the rest of your kit...

 

[FargateOne]

Might be time to upgrade the wife along with the rest of your kit...

! .. If you have ba...come here to tell her yourself! Good luck !

 

[ddude003]

@FargateOne, I guess another idea might be for you to learn Shibari...

I hear duct tape is the new jute... Lol...

 

[FargateOne]

the retailor tested it . It seems fine. I must conclude that the old mic was inverting impulses and the new one is the right one. In any case, I've decided to buy a Umik-2. We'll see if it has the same cap connections. If it is good I will keep it even if it reverses the impulses

 

[FargateOne]

Final report. Umik-2 with Dirac DLBC (and REW) reads the impulse like the new Umik-1. So my old Umik-1 was different. About measurements with the old Umik-1 DLBC trimed the 2 subs by -4dB, all other things being equal, Umik-2 trimed only one sub by -1dB and the other is set to 0dB. Dealys for all satellites and subs remained quite the same.

 

[FargateOne]

One bizar consequence of using Umik-2 with Arcam AVR-21 and DLBC. All others things being equal, DLBC changed the trims of my 2 subs by raising them of 3 dB each. I insist: all others variables or settings where strictly exactly the same in the chain, mlp, mic level settings in Dirac, etc. Umik_2 doesn't make a difference in the delays calculated by DLBC only the subs trims. I have no explanation. The difference in the bass was very easy to notice, more present, stronger etc.
Red is old mic DLBC on
Yellow the new Umik-2 with the same target , DLBC etc. I was expecting to see a 3dB difference in the bass response 20Hz-200Hz which is not there.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I guess some of those measurement differences could be due to the capsule being aged.

What an interesting journey you've been on. Props for sticking out to the bitter end!

 

[JStewart]

One bizar consequence of using Umik-2 with Arcam AVR-21 and DLBC. All others things being equal, DLBC changed the trims of my 2 subs by raising them of 3 dB each. I insist: all others variables or settings where strictly exactly the same in the chain, mlp, mic level settings in Dirac, etc. Umik_2 doesn't make a difference in the delays calculated by DLBC only the subs trims. I have no explanation. The difference in the bass was very easy to notice, more present, stronger etc.
Red is old mic DLBC on
Yellow the new Umik-2 with the same target , DLBC etc. I was expecting to see a 3dB difference in the bass response 20Hz-200Hz which is not there.
View attachment 88080

Perhaps I’m not understanding what was measured… is this the same calibration using the two different mics?

If so, is there a difference in the bass SPL response between an older UMIK-1 Dirac calibration and the new UMIK-2 calibration? I read where you said you can hear it. Still curious to see the measured difference.

 

[FargateOne]

Perhaps I’m not understanding what was measured… is this the same calibration using the two different mics?

If so, is there a difference in the bass SPL response between an older UMIK-1 Dirac calibration and the new UMIK-2 calibration? I read where you said you can hear it. Still curious to see the measured difference.

I calibrate Dirac with the old and did it again with the Umik-2. All others settings (mlp etc. ) are equal. Now I took a closer look at the subs measurements at MLP by both mics in Dirac. NOTICE: vol of the right sub (purple line) was 1,0dB lower with UMIK-2 so be carefull. Despite this little vol difference we see that between 19Hz and 30issh Hz Umik -2 gives a different result:
OLD Umik-1

NEW Umik-2

OLD mic MLP + 4 positions

NEW Umik-2 MLP + 4 positions ( the same as before more or less 1cm)

REW DLBC exact same House curve Front right at MLP: NEW UMIK-2 = Yellow. OLD Umik-1 = purple

 

[JStewart]

I calibrate Dirac with the old and did it again with the Umik-2. All others settings (mlp etc. ) are equal. Now I took a closer look at the subs measurements at MLP by both mics in Dirac. NOTICE: vol of the right sub (purple line) was 1,0dB lower with UMIK-2 so be carefull. Despite this little vol difference we see that between 19Hz and 30issh Hz Umik -2 gives a different result:
OLD Umik-1
View attachment 88122

NEW Umik-2
View attachment 88123


OLD mic MLP + 4 positions
View attachment 88128


NEW Umik-2 MLP + 4 positions ( the same as before more or less 1cm)
View attachment 88129

REW DLBC exact same House curve Front right at MLP: NEW UMIK-2 = Yellow. OLD Umik-1 = purple
View attachment 88130

So your sub trims are different by about 3dB with the Umik1&2, yet the adherence to the target curve is pretty much the same? That’s a hard one to figure.

 

[FargateOne]

So your sub trims are different by about 3dB with the Umik1&2, yet the adherence to the target curve is pretty much the same? That’s a hard one to figure.

Yes . I moved 1 sub to please my wife so only the last Umik-1 DLBC measurements are reliable with those I take with the new mic...and I find it.
Here the trims in my last Umik-1 DLBC project

Here the trim of this morning measurements with Umik-2 for the same target curve and the same xo at 92Hz

I decided tonight to un install and re install Dirac and the miniDSP Umik-2 drivers for Win11 in my laptop. We'll see...

 

[FargateOne]

After reinstalled Dirac and drivers for Umik-2 and super quiet room
For those mice levels

I got those trims.

I need to raise the AVR main volume of 3-4dB to get the same spl I'm used to for movies. Will check with REW soon. It seems that now, DLBC with Umik-2 fixes gain in subs and then adjust gains in satellite channels!!??

 

[JStewart]

After reinstalled Dirac and drivers for Umik-2 and super quiet room
For those mice levels
View attachment 88137

I got those trims.

View attachment 88136
I need to raise the AVR main volume of 3-4dB to get the same spl I'm used to for movies. Will check with REW soon. It seems that now, DLBC with Umik-2 fixes gain in subs and then adjust gains in satellite channels!!??

On the set levels screen shot the subs are the loudest speakers and should have negative gain when calibrated. Every other speaker should have higher (less negative) gain. This looks like a Dirac problem. You might try good old V3.4.4. You’ll only need a MLP measurement to check.

 

[FargateOne]

You might try good old V3.4.4.

I will not. Not after all effort done to get DLBC above 3.4.4 to work finally with Arcam receivers.

I just received infos from Dirac. The new Umik-2 seems to be fine. The main reason is that the subs delays are the same between the 2 mics even if Dirac choose channel 15 instead of 16 to 0 ms and change all others delays and trims. Related to each others the delays are quite the same relativly speaking one with each others.
So I checked with REW the 3 DLBC filters previously calculated and I got pretty much the same SPL results that I had with the old mic except for one thing.

With the old mic in REW and Dirac off in order to get 75dB spl I put the main vol in the AVR21 at 61issh.With a DLBC filter on I must lower the AVR21 main volume at 56issh to get 75dB.
With the Umik-2 in REW DLBC off AVR21 main vol is still the same at 61issh. With DLBC ON I must put the main volume in the AVR21 at 61issh too in order to get a 75dB SPL graph of the DLBC filter response.

 

[JStewart]

I’d agree with Dirac the Umik-2 is fine.

What I see in your screen shots above for the most recent cal is the subs are loudest but have the least negative gain (or trim if you prefer) and because of this the mains and other speakers have negative gain applied where in your prior cal the subs had negative gain and the mains which are not as loud didn’t have negative gains applied. The old cal gains look correct where the current cal doesn’t because the loudest speakers, in this case the subs, should have the most negative gain.

The suggestion of 3.4.4 was only to test if it was a Dirac version problem.

Also just a hunch, if you still have an older cal on your arcam, you might check the LFE channel output with for the old and new cals using REW. Based on your old and new screenshots of the trims, the new should be approximately 5dB higher. I’d personally be curious to see if it’s other than that.

You’ve had more than your fair share of Dirac problems and I sincerely hope I’m not wasting your time.

Tagging @makus too. Haven’t seen him here in a while but maybe he’ll see it and have a look.