Room Correction Software

What is room correction? 

Room correction is all about tweaking your audio settings to get the best sound specifically for the given space you’re in.

https://www.dirac.com/blog/whats-room-correction-understanding-audio-vol-2/

The room has by far, the biggest influence on sound quality, much more than SnakeOil, yet ignored by many. Ideally, a room should be treated before using room correction software, but this is not always possible, especially in a shared environment.  

Room correction software uses digital signal processing (DSP) to analyse the room's impact on sound and then adjust the audio output of speakers using filters. Done properly, room correction has the potential to improve sound quality up a notch or two.  The converse is true that poorly implemented, room correction can reduce sound quality.  Caveat emptor!  In other words, please use with care!

What to use in SnakeOil ?

Some of the SnakeOil players have their own extensive DSP tools. Roon developed their own MUSE software. MUSE is easy to use, has comprehensive documentation and extensive capabilities. HQPlayer provides its own room correction tools described briefly here.  JRMC has DSP Studio with its extensive capabilities.

If you have a UPnP setup, look at BubbleUPnP Server with its DSP filters, including convolution. Minimserver has convolution filtering in its paid version.

LMS with SqueezeDSP plugin is still under development. MPD and  upmpdcli do not have room correction capabilities but instead rely on external software such as CamillaDSP.

Unlike the above, CamillaDSP is not a music player but a DSP engine which has been installed manually by a number of users.  CamillaDSP will available in a future version of SnakeOil for use with LMS, MPD and upmpdcli. 

Useful links

While there are many tools available, here are some that are used by SnakeOil users:

Room Equalisation Wizard (REW):  https://www.roomeqwizard.com/ to measure the room and provide DSP filter settings.

miniDSP: https://www.minidsp.com/ hardware (including calibrated USB microphones) and software tools

DRC (Digital Room Correction),: https://drc-fir.sourceforge.net/

Acourate: https://www.audiovero.de/en/acourate.php comprehensive advanced tool

Audiolense: https://juicehifi.com/ advanced, but simpler to use

Calibration service for Acourate, Audiolense:  https://accuratesound.ca/

Tips

Room correction software and digital signal processing (DSP) are huge topics that cannot be covered in detail here.  

SnakeOil limited role

SnakeOil downloads and installs the various software.  While there is some knowledge of room correction software within the SnakeOil Squad, we can only provide basic advice on using the tools, but not troubleshoot your DSP setup nor help you learn DSP.  If all of this is new to you, it is better that you engage a professional.