My miniDSP and UMIK-1 mic just arrived a few hours ago. Thank you Devteam!
Most of the folks here at diyAudio (99%) have way more knowledge and expertise at all things audio so keep that in mind when I give my noob opinions about this product.
My world has changed forever. Going active has opened up a whole new world to me. I almost feel like I'm cheating using the miniDSP 4x10. I've never built a passive crossover but feel I could after sifting through a ton of how-to's and at least be in the ballpark. Going active with the 4x10 tonight I was up and running in about 25 minutes and what I heard sounded better than the passives I just replaced.
Granted, the drivers I've got in my old Cerwins are a terrible mismatch but I was able to make them sound good with just some basics. Before it arrived I entered beseline crossover points base on the driver manufacturers specs and at least as far as crossover points go it got me pretty close.
I did adjust from 800hz and 5khz to 750hz and 4.5khz which seemed to sound better. I haven't deviated from the default settings of 8th order LW all the way around yet but I'm guessing that won't be optimal. I still have a great deal to learn.
Tomorrow I'll fire up the mic and REW and make frequent stops at the tutorials. I realize what I've got now is only a crude "rough in" and I've got a lot more to adjust/learn etc.
So far the 4x10 has met all of my hopeful expectations and has worked exactly as advertised. The hardware and software is extremely easy to use. I know every set-up is different, but in my tri-amp system I was unable to detect any unwanted noise or other audible anomalies using the 4x10.It sounded very clean and clear to my ears. I have not used the mic yet so I don't know if anything would be detected that way.
Even though the threads often go over my head,thanks for all the great input in this forum.
Most of the folks here at diyAudio (99%) have way more knowledge and expertise at all things audio so keep that in mind when I give my noob opinions about this product.
My world has changed forever. Going active has opened up a whole new world to me. I almost feel like I'm cheating using the miniDSP 4x10. I've never built a passive crossover but feel I could after sifting through a ton of how-to's and at least be in the ballpark. Going active with the 4x10 tonight I was up and running in about 25 minutes and what I heard sounded better than the passives I just replaced.
Granted, the drivers I've got in my old Cerwins are a terrible mismatch but I was able to make them sound good with just some basics. Before it arrived I entered beseline crossover points base on the driver manufacturers specs and at least as far as crossover points go it got me pretty close.
I did adjust from 800hz and 5khz to 750hz and 4.5khz which seemed to sound better. I haven't deviated from the default settings of 8th order LW all the way around yet but I'm guessing that won't be optimal. I still have a great deal to learn.
Tomorrow I'll fire up the mic and REW and make frequent stops at the tutorials. I realize what I've got now is only a crude "rough in" and I've got a lot more to adjust/learn etc.
So far the 4x10 has met all of my hopeful expectations and has worked exactly as advertised. The hardware and software is extremely easy to use. I know every set-up is different, but in my tri-amp system I was unable to detect any unwanted noise or other audible anomalies using the 4x10.It sounded very clean and clear to my ears. I have not used the mic yet so I don't know if anything would be detected that way.
Even though the threads often go over my head,thanks for all the great input in this forum.
This cannot be said enough, it's feels like cheating when you use it
A thing about such steep filters though: If I remember correctly such steep filters will exhibit ringing off axis where both drivers don't have matching dispersion, Bruno Putzeys has written some on this forum about this. Because of this they recommend that no steeper than 24db / oct or 4th order filters are used. 4th order quite steep already though, the difference from 8th order in driver strain is very marginal in most cases.
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This cannot be said enough, it's feels like cheating when you use it
A thing about such steep filters though: If I remember correctly such steep filters will exhibit ringing off axis where both drivers don't have matching dispersion, Bruno Putzeys has written some on this forum about this. Because of this they recommend that no steeper than 24db / oct or 4th order filters are used. 4th order quite steep already though, the difference from 8th order in driver strain is very marginal in most cases.
Thanks for the heads up on that. Tomorrow I'll have to try out some filters that aren't as steep. I don't have the best drivers to work with right now but at least I'll be able to learn more as I go and in the process try to make the most of what I've got now.
Sounds about right. Maximizing dispersion characteristics of the drivers you did there, while possibly reducing distortion at the same time. Your ears have proved to be a great asset.
Echo OllBoll sentiment on the higher order filters. LR4 should be plenty
Discovering what is happening is the best place to start. Doesn't matter what you have, a single driver from an old boombox or high end multiway there is always room for improvement. Learning what and how sound is affected by reality will put you on the fast track to acoustic nirvana
Back when I started down this road had a mentor who imparted a few bits of his grand wisdom. One of which was listen to the music, not the speaker, your ears will tell you what is wrong. Another is to listen to each driver first and then to listen to that assembled speaker by its singular self in mono, noting response and on/off axis dispersion. If you can get that right, most everything else falls into place. With the tools you now possess this education will blur a bit due to the high influx of mental feedback
Cheating? Fast tracking is more like it! Sure beats boxes and boxes and boxes of crossover parts and endless hours doing calculations on a HP41 or TI59 with burnt fingers, or taking measurements with an old Simpson analog meter. Measurement mic let alone calibrated was beyond most people budgets and spectrum analyzers were non existent outside of Pro sound, CSD waterfall didn't exist at all... Ahh but those were the days of myth, magic and marketing
Ahh but those were the days of myth, magic and marketing
Lol, I feel like my eyes have finally opened up for the first time.
I'm using a 15" pro woofer, a cheap pro selenium compression driver mid, and a pretty good Dayton planar tweeter. All of which are terribly mismatched in every regard, and yet with the miniDSP I'm able to make them sound very good to me. I can only imagine what it will be like when I select very good drivers in a properly executed enclosure.
I've turned a corner and will never go back. I see no pre-made speakers in my future ever again. IMO, listening tastes are so subjective that it's unlikely I would prefer pre-built speakers with passive crossovers to ones that I can build for active use.
I started with a small two way Foster speaker. Can't think of the model, but had a 5" midwoofer (very nice driver). Tweeter foam rot so replaced them w/ domes. Started playing with the crossover and I was hooked. Bought a few retail speakers when I couldn't build things and shortly tossed / sold off when I could build again... that was 35 years ago
Funny wife almost bought me a pair of ML Motion 12's recently, that was until I pointed out a few flaws in the design wanting to (WOULD) correct and started tallying up the cost. She said forgetaboutit, build what YOU want.
Funny wife almost bought me a pair of ML Motion 12's recently, that was until I pointed out a few flaws in the design wanting to (WOULD) correct and started tallying up the cost. She said forgetaboutit, build what YOU want.
I started with a small two way Foster speaker. Can't think of the model, but had a 5" midwoofer (very nice driver). Tweeter foam rot so replaced them w/ domes. Started playing with the crossover and I was hooked. Bought a few retail speakers when I couldn't build things and shortly tossed / sold off when I could build again... that was 35 years ago
Funny wife almost bought me a pair of ML Motion 12's recently, that was until I pointed out a few flaws in the design wanting to (WOULD) correct and started tallying up the cost. She said forgetaboutit, build what YOU want.
I think it's kind of like the Matrix. Do you want the red pill or the blue pill? Once your eyes are opened you can't ever go back.
Hello, since this post was from December 2010, may I ask if there is any progress on that?A comp/lim is indeed something that we'd like to implement as well.. Maybe in a future plug-in... We'll have to see if that fits in the DSP processing left...
I do this all the time without any problems on my 2x4 units. Not sure what the DevTeam would advise on this officially...
-Charlie
Don't consider this as an official answer to your question, but theoretically it doesn't matter. A power supply does not 'force' current into the unit, it just provides it, when needed. (F.e. it doesn't destroy your computer if you plug the power supply to an active USB-hub either.)
Another thought: If this could damage the unit, I guess MiniDSP would have put a warning in bold red letters on it…
Modeling with MiniDsp ?
I would ask the developer of minidsp . Is it possible to use the minidsp for modeling amps or instruments pickups or magnets ? I want to simulate (equalising basically) the sound of piezo pickup of acoustic instrument with a sound of reference mic to which recorded before I did it comparing the spectrum analysis of two recording ( piezo and mic) and then adjust +/- the appropriate frequencies with the minidsp Yes but i want to recall my saves with a jog dial from an embedded table of memories defined by user and a small LCD display of course
without PC. Or to recall a user settings memory from my tablet or phone with Android Is it possible ? I want an application with minidsp standalone with 100 user preset memories finally
Of course I'll use PC to define the parameters before and then I'll load the presets to the minidsp
Thanks
I would ask the developer of minidsp . Is it possible to use the minidsp for modeling amps or instruments pickups or magnets ? I want to simulate (equalising basically) the sound of piezo pickup of acoustic instrument with a sound of reference mic to which recorded before I did it comparing the spectrum analysis of two recording ( piezo and mic) and then adjust +/- the appropriate frequencies with the minidsp Yes but i want to recall my saves with a jog dial from an embedded table of memories defined by user and a small LCD display of course
without PC. Or to recall a user settings memory from my tablet or phone with Android Is it possible ? I want an application with minidsp standalone with 100 user preset memories finally
Of course I'll use PC to define the parameters before and then I'll load the presets to the minidsp
Thanks
Are you using very high sensitivity drivers, like pro drivers or compression drivers, in your speakers?
Are you using consumer amps with RCA jacks or pro amps with XLR jacks for inputs?
How high is the gain turned up on your amplifiers?
You can try to disconnect the miniDSP and ground the inputs to the amp. If the noise is still there, the problem is with the amp.
drivers are scan speak d3004/660000 92db audio technology 15h52 89db and woofer is eminence alpha 10a 96db.
amps are first one by lazy cat and and gain is about 26db.
i am using the + and gnd from the phoinix connector to rca because it outputs 4volts because 2 volts from rca outputs is not always enough.
when i disconnect mini dsp the amps are dead silent even without grounding the inputs and even if i stack my ear on the tweeter.
the noise contains hum and hiss.it can be heard from all the drivers and is very low.
i can here it from listening chair barely but i can here it clearly if i go closer to the speaker.
amps are first one by lazy cat and and gain is about 26db.
i am using the + and gnd from the phoinix connector to rca because it outputs 4volts because 2 volts from rca outputs is not always enough.
when i disconnect mini dsp the amps are dead silent even without grounding the inputs and even if i stack my ear on the tweeter.
the noise contains hum and hiss.it can be heard from all the drivers and is very low.
i can here it from listening chair barely but i can here it clearly if i go closer to the speaker.
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