MiniDSP good? bad! or just ugly.

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OllBoll

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Joined 2010
It's exactly what it is cracked up to be, the problem is the ones who doesn't understand what it is not and thus are disappointed.

It's not magic, but what you already want to do with active analogue crossovers & EQ it can probably do in a more simple way. If you get a FIR capable device you can also linearize phase which you cant do with analogue circuits.
 
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CharlieLaub

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Joined 2007
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I happen to think that the MiniDSP 2x4 is a great bargain, provided you understand what you are getting, its limitations in output voltage and internal gain, etc., etc. You can implement up to something on the order of a total of 60 biquad (second order) filters and each unit can be reconfigured in several ways (stereo 2-way, mono 4-way, etc.). There is a free crossover design tool set that I created just for the MiniDSP units, and I use this in combination with the MiniDSP crossovers almost exclusively now:
http://audio.claub.net/software/ACD/ACD.html

Other MiniDSP products offer enhancements like higher sample rates (2x8, 4x10, etc.) or all digital (SHARK or nanoDIGI), etc. but the 2x4 is still the best bang for your buck.
 
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Freecrowder

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Joined 2007
What I am wanting to do is active biamp a set of SMGa maggies. I have read and seen some testing results showing noise that is always at the output. Has anyone had experience with this? Is the application I'm describing make sense? I'm thinking that it would go between output of tube pre and input of amp. Will it have enough dynamic range to work without adding noise?
 
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CharlieLaub

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Freecrowder said:
What I am wanting to do is active biamp a set of SMGa maggies. I have read and seen some testing results showing noise that is always at the output. Has anyone had experience with this? Is the application I'm describing make sense? I'm thinking that it would go between output of tube pre and input of amp. Will it have enough dynamic range to work without adding noise?
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What is the input sensitivity (input voltage to reach full power) of your amplifier(s)? This is important to know before choosing a MiniDSP product.

Every active (and passive) component has noise at its output compared to its input. With that said, I have seen some people who are using very high sensitivity compression driver tweeters saying that they can hear the noise floor of the MiniDSP. This depends on several factors and gains in the signal chain. I do not think this will be an issue for your particular application.
 
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Davey

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Joined 2001
If you're using low efficiency speakers like Maggies I very much doubt you'll experience noise problems. However, as Charlie mentioned, your amplifier voltage would need to be such that it could drive your speakers to your maximum comfortable volume without exceeding the 0.9VRMS output limitation of the miniDSP 2x4 units.

Dave.
 
gmarsh

gmarsh

Member
Joined 2004
The basic MiniDSP uses an Analog Devices ADAU1701 all-in-one processor/codec. The ADC/DAC's built into it aren't high end, they're both clocked by a PLL inside the chip, and both of those analog bits sit next to a DSP core on the same chunk of silicon. I don't know much about the surrounding circuitry on the card so I can't comment on the rest.

I don't think it's really meant to be a high end processor, but it's dirt cheap for what it is and what it's capable of.
 
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OllBoll

Member
Joined 2010
gmarsh said:
The basic MiniDSP uses an Analog Devices ADAU1701 all-in-one processor/codec. The ADC/DAC's built into it aren't high end, they're both clocked by a PLL inside the chip, and both of those analog bits sit next to a DSP core on the same chunk of silicon. I don't know much about the surrounding circuitry on the card so I can't comment on the rest.

I don't think it's really meant to be a high end processor, but it's dirt cheap for what it is and what it's capable of.
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*2

If you need higher quality get the 4x10, it has much better specs.

Or if you want something even better for about the same price get the Hypex DLCP. It has 6 instead of 8+2 channels and the GUI isn't as easy to use but the analogue implementation is much better than the MiniDSPs. ( I currently have one of those, but I haven't hooked it up yet )

Or you could use a digital IO DSP like the NanoDIGI / NanoAVR / MiniSHARC / OpenDRC and use your own DACs. ( I also have one of those, a MiniSHARC that I will use before the DLCP for FIR phase correction )
 
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momomo67890

Member
Joined 2010
Freecrowder said:
What I am wanting to do is active biamp a set of SMGa maggies. I have read and seen some testing results showing noise that is always at the output. Has anyone had experience with this? Is the application I'm describing make sense? I'm thinking that it would go between output of tube pre and input of amp. Will it have enough dynamic range to work without adding noise?
Click to expand...

the noise only happens on high spl cd your maggies are very low spl speakers. i can remember hearing it when useing beyma tpl which is 103db / 1 watt. i use a L Pad and just bring w/e cd im using down to the woofers level
 
Juhazi

Juhazi

Member
Joined 2007
x8 board or box is worth every penny! I chose 4x10Hd, it accepts analog and digital input, has switchable input sensitivity and output, balanced and unbalanced. Chip runs in 24bit 96kHz.

With low output voltage you must drive the power amp hig, and you will most likely hear the amp's noise during silence!
 
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schmutziger

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Joined 2009
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john k...

Member
Joined 2004
The 2x4 units I have are dead quiet. My early 2x8 board had a very little bit of noise if I put my ear close to the speaker. But still less than some high end preamps I have used. I don't know if that carries over to the current generation or to the 4x10 HD. I have no received any complaints that the units are noisy from and NaO Note II builders.
 
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AudioLapDance

Member
Joined 2003
I love it!

miniDSP screen.jpg
2x4 plugin running on old Aspire netbook (atom 1G cpu, 1G ram, 10G SSHD-no updates on W XP SP3!); turntable; 3-way: Beta 15 / Alpha 8 / Vifa DX25 (~Wayne's 2Pi on top)

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/mult...-tool-real-time-dsp-crossover-adjustment.html

Awesome bang-for-buck and ...
from-the-listening-seat, click-click, real-time xover changes are a whole different world from changing a component. :eek:
 
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Eldam

Banned
Joined 2012
Can it be a final solution or just a development tool ? Swap with passive components after if not too much EQ peaks ?

IMHO I think all must be done with embeded measurement mic tools & soft (with phase) in digital domain before a "normal" DAC. So only between the streaming source and multiple "normal" DACS or alone multiDAC à la ES9018.

I say more : it should be embeded in the source. The source should have network possibilities for the librairy and for the remote pc to work on the curves both ! Also for the volume control : before the DAC if possible or analog after the DACs !

IHMO, little MINIDSPs stay a development tool which is cheaper for the final result than tests&try with bulk filters ! Finally the only way to have a luck to success in a DIY speaker.

But the DAC power which can have all embeded (with an embeded DSP: i'm not aware of such a product yet?), I am to have just one SOTA Digital to analog before the amps if multi amps with active after the devolepment phase for the every day listening. Or at Least just for the bass filter !

Just my 2 cents beliving todays... opinions can change of course.
 
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