Digital Room Correction (DRC) Stereo Calibration Service
Fee Includes:
- Up to 6 custom designed DSP FIR filters tailored to your personal preference for tonal response while taking care of room effects for one system. The process is incremental and iterative.
- All design artifacts including target design, frequency dependent windowing settings, etc. are delivered at the end of the process.
- A short video using your measurements to walk through the analysis, design and filter generation process so that you can replicate was what done. Includes tips and tricks for further experimentation.
More About the Calibration Service
We were first to offer remote Digital Signal Processing (DSP) calibration services for tuning commercial and consumer audio sound systems to industry standards. We make it easy.
Here’s the Process:
- Measure your loudspeakers in your room – we can help!
- Send us your measurement file, room dimensions and pics.
- We design the best FIR DRC filter possible.
- Load the FIR correction filter into your music player.
- We fine tune the tonal response to your preference.
- Kick back and enjoy the music.
Terms and Conditions for Service Engagement
DRC Calibration Service Terms and Conditions
Digital Room Correction (DRC) Calibration – Info
Digital Room Correction (DRC) Calibration
Douglas Arensberg (verified owner) –
Prior to working with Mitch Barnett I had a very simple “old-school” audio system. It consisted of a pair of stock Altec Model 19’s, an upgraded stereo Hafler DH-500 amplifier, plus the usual compliment of other up-stream components.
Part of the way I enjoy audio is to occasionally swap out equipment. A while back, a pair of pre-owned JBL M2’s became available at an attractive price and I bought them.
I quickly realized that successfully integrating the M2’s into a complete sound system required additional equipment that I did not fully understand. Plus, that new equipment operated with software that required knowledge I did not have.
Realizing that it was time to move into audio’s twenty-first century, I went looking for someone who could provide guidance and advice. The name “mitchco” and “Mitch Barnett” kept cropping up in my searches. I noticed that Mitch’s comments on “Audio Science Review” were always through, detailed and polite. I watched his YouTube video “Understanding the state of the art of Digital Room Correction”.
I reached out to Mitch, describing my situation and asking for his help. He responded quickly and positively. He had worked with other clients who used the JBL M2’s, so was familiar with the task at hand. Mitch said that he’d be happy for us to work together to get the M2’s operational. In addition, I asked Mitch to please include creating a DRC program for my system. I forwarded a retainer payment.
Mitch was a delight to work with. He’s highly knowledgable, but never tried to impress by talking “over my head”. He is patient. He is personable. He provided a detailed list of hardware and software that I needed to acquire (amps, cables, audio interface, microphone, laptop PC, software programs, etc.)
Finally, after a number of ZOOM sessions, Mitch and I got the system put together and running. He carefully described to me how it all works and even provided a printable tutorial guide for future reference.
Up until now, I had never had any room correction, let alone speakers that needed outboard digital crossovers. However, my system sounds terrific! The M2’s are phenomenal. And, thanks to Mitch, I am very, very pleased at the results.
In closing, I can only express the fullest satisfaction with the experience of working with Mitch Barnett. I am very pleased to write this positive review, and if you think his expertise might be useful to you, I encourage you to contact him. You will be happy you did!
Stewart Williams (verified owner) –
First of all, let me say that Mitch is patient, an expert in his field, and eager and willing to help! Working with him has been a total pleasure and I would recommend Mitch and his services without reservation. DRC is a game changer, and Mitch is the right guy to help.
My starting point is that I have used Dirac for a number of years, implemented through a standalone hardware box. It truly helped elevate my system and converted me to a fan of DRC. But I later discovered practical limitations to Dirac’s approach (it can’t solve everything!) which made me realize it was not the end-game DRC for my system.
I discovered Mitch through online articles and videos that he and others have done. The DRC capabilities that Mitch leverages are far more powerful, sophisticated, and precise than Dirac. He explained everything before I ordered, and then guided me through the measurement process which is very easy to do. My primary goal was to replicate my Dirac frequency curve but correct phase mismatches in the bass region. For Mitch, this was easily accomplished. After that, we spent iterations tweaking and adjusting based on our conversations. Finally, we arrived at the one for me… a modified version of my original frequency curve, with all bass phase issues resolved and very precise timing with no pre-ringing. I’ve been enjoying this for many weeks now and I haven’t looked back. My system is far more dynamic, focused, “even” across the frequency range, and with a wide, deep soundstage and a very stable placement of voices and instruments within it.
I’ll close my review with two recommendations. First, DRC is a *must* IMHO… arguably, for every audiophile who wishes to elevate their system beyond what they thought possible. Second, work with Mitch.
Peter Stolt –
I have been using DRC for many years and learnt how to create filters by reading Mitch’s book and other sources.
For most, with a somewhat decent system DRC using a capable software is most likely the best improvement vs cost you can get – and the same goes for Mitch filter creation service!
Having already a good setup with my own filters this was another step change. In addition, since the process is fully transparent and Mitch a good teacher, you learn a lot.
I warmly recommend this service even to seasoned Acourate users.
Danny –
I can measure and make DRC filters on my own with Audiolense, but what Mitch does exceeds anything I can do on my own.
He will help you measure, create a filter and convolution files, and then work on iterations till you get the sound you want.
Mitch is easy to work with and responds quickly to emails.
His work will improve the sound of your system more than any tweak or HW upgrade.
Erick Mendoza (verified owner) –
I have a DIY active audio system at home, and like many audiophiles, I’m always on the lookout for that elusive perfect sound. I had heard about digital room correction and started researching, which led me to Audiolense and then to Mitch, an expert in the field of DRC.
From the moment I contacted him, I knew I was dealing with a professional who takes his work very seriously. The measurement process was smooth and, in fact, quite enjoyable, thanks to the guidance and advice that Mitch provided throughout. The filters he created completely transformed my listening experience. The bass is now firm and defined, and the overall soundstage feels much wider and more immersive.
The most noticeable change was in the detail and clarity of the music. It was as if someone had removed a veil from the sound that I didn’t even know was there. Instruments and vocals now have a brightness and presence that wasn’t there before. I can now pinpoint every sound with precision, and everything seems to be in its right place, like at a live concert.
Beyond his technical expertise, Mitch’s service has a personal touch. He took the time to understand my setup and personal preferences, then customized the filters to get the best performance from my system. He even gave me tips and suggestions for future improvements after analyzing the measurements. His ability to understand and apply measurement data left me impressed.
If you’re serious about audio and want to take your system to a completely new level without spending a fortune, Mitch is the person to call. His digital room correction isn’t just another tweak; it’s a radical change. You don’t need to spend thousands on equipment to get a great result; you just need to know where the key to improving audio quality lies. Mitch’s work might be the most significant improvement I’ve made to my system. This is pure science applied with a masterful touch, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Antony S (verified owner) –
I was never a fan of room correction. I tried Dirac and ARC in the past, which I found messed quite a bit with the character of my speakers. Even though I have invested in room treatments and my system already measures pretty well, Mitch managed to build filters that resulted in a substantial sonic improvements. Using a quick and easy measurement, the results with his filters are nothing short of astonishing. Bass is tighter and punchier, vocals have incredible clarity and the soundstage is now wider and taller. The benefits did not stop there as Mitch is a great teacher and has armed me with enough knowledge to fine tune by myself, and also regenerate filters in the future if I swap components or change speaker placement. IMHO this is the single most impactful upgrade you can make to your system for the outlay. Incredible value and wholeheartedly recommended.
Howard Kaye (verified owner) –
After learning of Mitch’s services through Audiophile Style and watching his video on “Understanding the ‘state of the art’ of Digital Room Correction,” I decided to contact Mitch and take the plunge, despite my minimal technical knowledge and my 72 year-old ears. I have a purely 2 channel system (Aesthetix Atlas Eclipse amp, Zesto Leto 1.5 preamp, Bricasti M3 streaming dac, and Magneplanar 3.7i speakers) and have the good fortune to have a listening room that is free of bass issues or early reflection issues that needed to be corrected. And yet, even my unproblematic setup and excellent system was dramatically improved by the filter sets Mitch created.
The process of taking sweeps of my room proved to be much easier than I expected (after Mitch helped me to troubleshoot a minor problem with the Bricasti’s ethernet input), as was the installation of the filter sets in Roon. The first 2 filter sets he generated helped him to get a sense of my listening preferences and then the next 2 filter sets further refined the sound. His familiarity with Maggies also helped as he tweaked one of the filter sets to best take advantage of the ribbon tweeter. The end result has greatly enhanced the musical experience for my wife and me. In particular, there is a significant increase in clarity and depth of field, like a photo or video coming into proper focus. Front to back layering of the soundstage has dramatically improved–this is particularly noticeable with orchestral works–as has timbral accuracy. The best way to describe the improvements is to say that Mitch’s work has greatly enhanced the illusion of being transported into a performance space, rather than listening to an electronic reproduction of a musical event. I’m sure there is a good scientific explanation for this, but to me, it seems like magic.
After experiencing what Mitch has been able to accomplish with my system, I wouldn’t dream of listening without his DRC.
Tobias Trinks –
I have been using Mitch’s services several times over the years and I am one very happy customer. All of us strive to take our audio system to the next level and there is a myriad of mods and tweaks available for purchase. A large number of them are just snake oil or influence the sound of one’s system in a subtle and hard to detect way. Let me tell you one thing: Mitch’s DRC filters are in a completely different category. And I couldn’t think of any other way of significantly improving one’s audio system without having to spend thousands of dollars on component and speaker upgrades.
I am not very good with putting my listening experiences into words but Mitch’s filters perfectly balance out the sound. Everything sits in the mix where it is supposed to sit and there is great coherence. I recently bought a pair of subwoofers. They perform great in my system but I could hear that the bass was coming from several sources. So I remeasured my room and Mitch modified the filters for me. Now the subwoofers integrate perfectly into the mix. The bass now appears to come just from one source and there is great synergy between my speakers and my subs. Seamless integration.
I am sure I could make DRC filters myself but I would have to spend a significant amount of time on reading up about the whole topic. But there is no way that those filters would sound anything like Mitch’s filters sound like. One is not just paying for Mitch’s technical expertise in making the filter but mainly for his experience which he acquired over many years. And for that, the price Mitch charges is indeed very reasonable and great value.
Apart from all of the above, Mitch is a great and generous guy who goes above and beyond to achieve a great result and communication is top notch. So do yourself a favor and let Mitch elevate your system to the next level.
Jim Fahey (verified owner) –
My condo living room is my listening room. I have bass traps and acoustic treatment but could never eliminate or tame some prominent bass standing waves in my room. On my own I tried speaker placement and seating position changes but only was able to just make it better. Decided it was a real detraction to the music and found Mitch doing DSP correction which was probably the only way to fix it. It was. I was not familiar with REW or taking measurements but Mitch guided me perfectly which I did need. I got some correction filters to try based on my room measurements and loaded them into Roon. Problem was solved and I had been living with it for over 20 years! Mitch asked for feedback on the first filter such as high and low frequency balance and took that feedback to make any adjustments and sent another one to listen to. End result was on all types of music genre from all types of artists, all sound great. I just listen to music now at all volume levels with no issues. I can honestly say there is no downside to DSP if done correctly which Mitch does very well. Communication was great. Every question I asked was answered and explained. Highly recommended.
Al Vara (verified owner) –
With my electrical engineering education I did not think this was possible but great technological tools in the hands of someone that knows how to use them has produced an amazing result. My system has never sounded like this and I saved the room treatment hassles which is a bit of gamble. Mitch gave me 2 to 4 extra “tweaks” even after I told him I was happy but he wanted to further improve the measurements and I could hear the difference. This is not mystery snake oil. This is science, you can measure it and hear it. I did both.
John Smith (verified owner) –
I used Mitch’s service to help me learn how to develop FIR filters on my own. He of course also provided filters along the way to help guide me. My listening room is also our living room and seems to change configuration every 6 months so I wanted to learn the process so I could update the filters as the room is modified. I was already a user of the Audiolense software but with Mitch’s guidance we ended up switching to Acourate since it was more accommodating of my unusually asymmetric room setup – both s/w packages are excellent. Mitch consults with the creators of both Acourate and Audiolense (and others) so you get not only his experience but that of the top DSP software developers. Over the course of a few months we exchanged several dozen emails. Mitch was always quick to reply to questions and I can’t imagine that I would be able to run Acourate (as I am now) without someone like Mitch to guide me. The best product Mitch gave me was a narrated video recording of his computer screen showing each step of the Acourate filter development process for my setup – priceless.
If you’re not interested in deep diving into how to develop filters on your own, I’m sure Mitch will provide a multitude of sample filters to choose from. I think this is what most users do. I also ended up purchasing Mitch’s Hang Loose Convolver since the quick switching between filters really helps illustrate how one filter differs from another. Mitch’s service is well worth the investment and has my highest recommendation.
Fabio (Seattle, WA) –
Getting a SOTA digital room correction (DRC) software is the single best investment to improve an audio system, in terms of “audio quality improvement per dollar spent”. These DRC are far more powerful than systems like Audyssey or Dirac, however they are not easy to use. On my own, I got decent results for 2.0 and 5.4.2
Accurate Sound calibration service brought my system to the next level, with an incredible bass tightness, clarity, and overall sound quality; all of this despite a small, complicated room. A/B test with my previous filters was like lifting a veil on my speakers. Mitch is great to work with, and his suggestions are insightful and pragmatic. With hindsight, I should have invested in this way earlier (definitely before spending on room treatment). Super value!