Room correction is crucial for getting maximum performance out of a surround-sound system. The recently released MultEQ-X software ($199) by Audyssey gives enthusiasts and professional installers a comprehensive tool for achieving the best results, but the one missing ingredient to achieving the highest level of accuracy is the microphone. Now, Audyssey offers the ACM1-X, an individually profiled calibration mic that works exclusively with MultEQ-X and is priced at $79.99 (an introductory price, says Audyssey) and is available from Amazon.

I spoke with Audyssey briefly about what this new microphone has to offer. According to the company, the calibration profile provides that last bit of accuracy beyond what is already a highly accurate microphone. Although there is some variation in response, the uncalibrated microphones are typically accurate within +/-1 dB when it comes to frequency response and similarly, they deviate by up to 1 dB in amplitude response—the latter being the more common issue with the uncalibrated mics. The calibration profile takes care of this last little bit of variation. The code is used by MultEQ-X to apply the correction is printed directly on the mic.

MultEQ-X represents an important step forward in room correction in that it decouples the delivery of technology from the delivery of hardware. This new app-based platform ensures that MultEQ-X users will be the first to experience many of the improvements and advancements to the MultEQ suite of software/firmware room correction tools that are currently under development.

Audyssey

Since I have MultEQ-X to use with my Denon AVR-X8500H, I immediately requested a calibrated mic to replace the one that came with the AVR. Not only do I appreciate the audible benefit of MultEQ XT32 when properly applied to a speaker system, but I also enjoy seeing how each speaker and the subwoofer measures from the main listening position, and other spots. This system allows you to take up to 32 individual measurements per calibration!

I have several multi-channel speaker systems to review and I intend to create a standalone hands-on article about that experience, from the perspective of using the MultEQ-X software. The upshot is that I can now have high confidence in the accuracy of the microphone used to perform those measurements.