Magic Beans Audio

Acoustic calibration with Magic Beans Audio's True Target: The trigger for a digital obsession

Acoustics is the most underestimated, misunderstood, and conflict-ridden component of any high-fidelity audio chain. We can spend fortunes on ultra-transparent electronics with ridiculously low distortion rates, or on exquisitely designed loudspeakers. However, the moment we place those components in a real room, physics takes over. Walls, corners, windows, and furniture interact with the sound waves, blurring the soundstage, altering the timbre, and generating annoying resonances in the bass frequencies.

Traditionally, solving these problems involved two equally complex paths: filling the room with passive acoustic panels, which can result in a visual setup or implementation that feels invasive, or fighting with professional software interfaces that required a master's degree in acoustic engineering.

A few weeks ago, coinciding with the renewal of my reference system for the website's reviews, I found myself in the ideal scenario to experiment. With a system so clinical and resolving, any change in the room would be perceived instantly. It was at that moment that the opportunity arose to collaborate with Magic Beans Audio, a platform that promises to democratize room correction through the True Target software. What began as a simple technical test ended up becoming the start of a deep obsession.

What makes True Target different?

Most generic room correction systems apply standardized target curves that do not take into account the particularities of each speaker. Magic Beans Audio's proposal stands apart from this through a much more sophisticated approach that respects the character of our equipment.

The software uses a proprietary algorithm called Unified Sound Field EQ (Unified Sound Field Equalization). This system divides the spectrum based on the room's transition zone:

• Above the transition zone: It applies a correction by analyzing the pseudo-anechoic response of each channel individually, optimizing the direct sound of the speaker without drastically altering its natural timbral profile.

• Below the transition zone: It applies a global equalization at the listening point to unify the bass response, where the room truly dictates the performance.

In addition, it features a function called Directivity Detect, which detects the directivity mismatches inherent in the speaker's physical design to avoid digital over-correction that causes ear fatigue. In other words, the proposed solution is an "a la carte" curve for our speakers, preventing them from losing their character and, solely, applying a curve that "tames" them so they perform at their highest capacity in our listening room.

Associated hardware and preparations

To carry out a rigorous measurement, I opted for an amateur industry standard: the miniDSP UMIK-1 calibrated USB microphone. What I will explain to you next is relevant:

The True Target ecosystem stands out for its multi-platform flexibility, being natively compatible with Mac, PC, Android, and iOS. In my case, I chose to connect the UMIK-1 directly to the computer using a long USB cable to move around the room with total freedom. But, thanks to this multi-platform orientation, I can also perform the necessary measurement from my mobile phone, without having to carry or deal with the computer and excessively long cables. This is another one of Magic Beans' strong points.

A fundamental technical detail provided by the platform is that the package includes its own signal bank, the Periodic Pink Noise Pack (a pack of periodic pink noise at 48 kHz). This type of noise is indispensable for the software to analyze the real-time response quickly and ultra-precisely without phase lags.

The calibration process step by step

Faced with the grueling days of manual measurement that other environments usually require, the implementation of the app was surprisingly agile, completing the process in just 20 minutes thanks to a guided interface with very clear video tutorials.

1. Input Configuration: After launching True Target, the unique calibration file for the UMIK-1 is selected to ensure the microphone's linearity.

2. Moving Mic Method: Instead of taking static captures at rigid points, the software takes advantage of the moving microphone method. Once the playback of the periodic pink noise is started, slow and constant sweeps are performed, drawing an imaginary grid around the main listening area. This allows the capture of a very realistic spatial average of how the sound interacts within the physical space.

3. Analysis and Curve Generation: In less than one minute per channel, the system processes the information and generates a fully customized corrective profile based on the listening distance and the actual detected response, even showing a post-EQ analysis to verify the performance of the correction before saving.

Roon Export and System Configuration

Once satisfied with the response obtained in the software, it was time to bring the results to the digital heart of my system. True Target offers an immense range of export options (from traditional parametric formats to files compatible with Dirac or MiniDSP processors). Since I use Roon as the brain of my digital front end, I exported the results as a WAV convolution filter file.

The configuration in Roon was immediate:

• I accessed the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) menu of my listening zone.

• I activated the Convolution module and loaded the ZIP file generated by True Target, which contains the impulse responses for the left and right channels.

• I secured Roon's headroom level at a preventative setting of -6 dB to avoid any hint of digital clipping due to the gain peaks corrected by the filter. Later, during listening, I kept adjusting until I noticed that, even in the most demanding musical passages with high dynamic range, a prominent bass presence, or treble peaks, there was no clipping.

The Listening Verdict: The Birth of a Necessity

Activating and deactivating the convolution filter in Roon with just a single click allows for an instantaneous evaluation of performance. The difference is not subtle; it is an absolute revelation.

The first sensation is one of overwhelming control and cleanliness in the low frequencies. Those double bass or bass drum notes that previously became dense and blurred due to my room's own modes suddenly regained their articulation, punch, and real texture. By freeing the midrange from the pressure of uncontrolled bass, vocals gained a physical presence and clarity that placed the performer right in the center of the room. The soundstage expanded in both width and depth, with a surgical instrumental separation where each element occupied a precise three-dimensional spot.

Experiencing this transformation on the digital front end was a wonderful experience, but it immediately raised a question that threatened the peace of my listening corner: if the Roon audio engine and Magic Beans Audio's convolution filters have been able to unlock the potential of my digital files and streaming platforms... what will happen now with my analog front end? How am I going to endure listening to the turntable knowing the true performance my loudspeakers can deliver when the room's defects are corrected?

That dilemma, dear readers, was what pushed me headfirst into the next and ultimate black hole: the odyssey of digitizing the signal from my turntable to force Roon to process my vinyl records in real time. But that story, with its secondhand sound cards and Unix commands, I will tell you in the next installment.

In the meantime, I can tell you that the software is available on the company's website, Magic Beans Audio, and costs around €218 euros. The microphone usually costs around €100.