Dirac is a Swedish audio brand that works with phone manufacturers to optimize the audio quality on smartphones from the likes of Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, OnePlus, and others. The company is now introducing an audio tuning app that optimizes the sound quality of your existing headphones, delivering a more immersive soundstage.
Dirac's audio app uses custom algorithms to "boost every detail of the music," and it works regardless of the codec used to encode the audio file. I've been using the beta version of the app for over two weeks, and it is incredible what Dirac has managed to achieve here. All you need to get going is a compatible headphone model (the full list is down below), select the toggle to optimize the audio quality, and pick your streaming service. I tested the service with a Sony WH-1000XM3 and a Beats Solo 3 and streamed hundreds of tunes over Spotify.
Dirac's app provides an immeasurable gain in sound quality, and the best part is that it works with headphones you already own.
Dirac's app has a correction filter, adjusts the highs and lows, and sets up a spaciousness mode. In doing so it manages to deliver boomier bass and clearer highs, with a soundstage that's warmer and much more inviting. The difference is immediately noticeable — and you can see for yourself by toggling the service. You get a more immediate bass response that sounds rich, and the vocals also come across brighter. The soundstage is akin to that of a live performance, and Dirac says it set out to deliver a "spacious listening experience" with its audio solution.
The best part about the Dirac app is that it works with your existing headphones. Dirac says over 40 models are officially compatible with the app, with more models added weekly. Here's the full list:
- 1MORE EO320
- 1MORE E1003
- AKG K374BT
- Amoi F9
- Apple AirPods Pro
- Apple AirPods 2
- Apple Earpods
- Audio Technica CKB50
- Audio Technica CLR100is
- Audio Technica CK200BT
- Audio Technica CK350iS
- Audio Technica CKL220iS
- Bang & Olufsen H9i
- Beats Solo3 Wireless
- Bose QuietComfort 35-II
- Edifier H185P
- Edifier H230P
- Edifier W800BT
- Edifier H270P
- Edifier W280BT
- Huawei AM13
- Huawei AM60
- Huawei AM61
- JBL Endurance Jump
- JBL Reflect Mini BT
- JBL Tune 205BT
- JBL T205
- JBL Tune 110BT
- JBL C100SI
- JBL T280BT
- JBL T180A
- JBL T280A
- JBL Tune 110
- Kugou M1
- Langsdom L5B
- Langsdom D4C
- Meizu EP52
- Meizu EP2
- Monster Clarity HD
- Philips SHE6000
- QCY T1
- QCY QY19
- Samsung EG920
- Sennheiser MX170
- Sennheiser Momentum 3
- Sennheiser CX300S
- Sony WH-1000XM3
- Sony MDR-XB50BS
- Sony MDR-XB55AP
- Sony MDR-XB75AP
- Vivo XE710
- Xiaomi Redmi AirDots
- Xiaomi Mi Earphones Neckband Basic
- Xiaomi MI Bluetooth Neckband
Dirac says it is looking to partner with leading streaming music services and phone makers to embed its audio solution into phones and other devices. Given the brand's history, it is possible we could see a collaboration announced with a Chinese manufacturer sometime later this quarter. Furthermore, considering Dirac is based out of Sweden, we could also see a partnership with Spotify in the offing.
Oh, and Dirac regularly partners with DJs and music producers, so here's a quote from Axwell (of Swedish House Mafia fame) on the new service:
In the studio, you feel every beat, tone, and drop – every detail is present and nothing is lost. The challenge for the industry is recreating that studio energy through consumer headphones that strip sound of quality and detail. Dirac is changing the game with its new digital audio solution that enriches sound with the detail, clarity, and immersion that could once only be felt by artists and producers in a studio environment.
Dirac is kicking off the public beta of its audio optimization app starting this week, and the app should make its way to the Play Store at a later date.
Sony WH-1000XM3
If you want the best sound quality, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are the headphones to get. With a comfortable fit for all-day listening, AptX HD audio codecs, and excellent noise isolation, there really isn't anything missing here. Combined with Dirac's audio tuning solution, the WH-1000XM3 become an even better option.
