Both fix your room's effect on the sound - but they go about it differently, and not every receiver has both. Here is the plain-English difference, which Denon and Marantz models support each, and how to switch and control them live from your phone.
Included on almost every modern Denon and Marantz receiver. Measures your room with the supplied mic from several seats and flattens the frequency response to a target curve. The top tier, MultEQ XT32, uses the highest filter resolution and corrects each speaker and the subs individually. Adds Dynamic EQ (keeps the balance right at low volume), Dynamic Volume and LFC.
A paid upgrade offered on step-up and flagship models. Corrects not just frequency response but the time domain (impulse response), which tightens imaging and bass. You calibrate from a computer or phone with full custom target curves, then load the result onto the receiver. Higher tiers add Dirac Live Bass Control and, on flagships, Active Room Treatment (ART).
| Audyssey MultEQ XT32 | Dirac Live | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Included on the receiver | Paid license (per receiver) |
| Corrects frequency response | Yes | Yes |
| Corrects time / impulse response | Limited | Yes |
| Custom target curves | Via the paid MultEQ Editor app | Yes, built in |
| Calibration mic | Included mic, up to 8 positions | Any UMIK-style mic, more positions |
| Extras | Dynamic EQ, Dynamic Volume, LFC | Bass Control, ART (flagships) |
| Ease of setup | Simpler, on-screen | More involved, computer/phone app |
Audyssey is on nearly every current model. Dirac Live is a paid add-on on the higher ones.
Denon AVR-X4800H, AVR-X6800H, AVR-A1H; Marantz Cinema 30, Cinema 40 / 50. Dirac Live is a paid license you add.
Entry and mid models such as the Denon AVR-S770H run Audyssey MultEQ and do not offer Dirac Live. That is a hardware/licensing limit of the model, not of any app.
AVR Maestro does not run the calibration - the mic and the Audyssey or Dirac Live app do that. What it does is put the day-to-day control in your pocket.
If your receiver holds Audyssey on one Speaker Preset and Dirac Live on another, AVR Maestro lists them by name and switches between them in a tap.
On an Audyssey preset it exposes the MultEQ reference curve plus Dynamic EQ, Dynamic Volume and LFC - the toggles you actually change between movies and music.
On a Dirac Live preset it lists your saved Dirac filter slots by name and switches the active one, so you can flip between calibrations from the couch.
Want the in-app detail? See the Audyssey & Dirac control guide for how it looks on your receiver.
One-time purchase, no ads, no subscriptions. Talks to your Denon or Marantz receiver directly over your network.
AVR Maestro