I know some people poo poo on DSP and I get it for analog purists. But within the realm of digital, poo poo’ing on DSP is like refusing to use post-processing on your digital pics. The Micromega M-One offers the optional M.A.R.S. (Micromega Acoustic Room System) Room EQ system and to my mind if you’re going to get an M-One, you want M.A.R.S.. Let’s face it, most of us need correcting.
The review M-150 came with M.A.R.S. which adds a microphone and cable to the package. Setup and customization, M.A.R.S. measures your in -room response and corrects for sonic anomalies, took me all of a few minutes.
Here are the steps:
- Plug in the microphone cable into the amp and microphone
- Place the microphone at the center listening position, ear-height
- Tap the lower left menu button on the amp so it reads “USB” then use the up or down button until you see REQ on the display
- Press the “OK” button twice. The second press gives you 5 seconds to get out of the way
- The amp will play some tones while the mic listens
- Follow the same process for “Left” and “Right” positions, moving the mic 20 CM to the left and right of center
- You’re done
There are two M.A.R.S. post-calibration listen settings:
- AUTO : limit resonances of your room and keep the general shape of your loudspeakers frequency response. This is the default setting.
- FLAT : limit resonances of your room and flatten the frequency response in the bass regions.
You can also disable M.A.R.S so you hear what it does that your un-DSP’d sound sounds like. Here’s what I can say about the M.A.R.S. default setting after listening through it for a few songsāit works.
More detail to follow in the review proper. Stay tuned.