miniDSP kits, our answers to your technical questions

[Rob41]

Very informative thread and subject. I've been looking for the best active crossover to use in my 3-way system, and as a tool for future speaker systems. I pretty much decided to go for the Behringer DCX 2496. Then I kept reading references to the miniDSP. Well my original decision has gone to shi*!

It looks like that's a good thing after sifting through all of the miniDSP information here and at the website. This will be my first venture into active and the user interface appears very well laid out and easy to use. I'm planning to go with the 4 x 10 hd which will be well suited to my goals.

I do have a few questions though.

1. Is a remote included or do I need to get a learning remote for it?
2. Is this unit capable of automatically adjusting channels for time alignment?
3. Does the 4x10 Crossover V1plug-in allow for displaying measurements with a microphone?

There are no deal breakers regarding my questions, just want a little heads up.

[IMSTOOPID]

I want to know how the volume control works(if it just lowers the digital input that is bad!.. with a modded dcx you don't lose the resolution when u run the output down since it's in in the analog domain with the 3318 chipset..( ie rowland, coda, and other use this in their high end preamps) iuse a mix of high and low gain pro amps and consumer amps the dcx let me marry those easily enuff. until i see a noise test of a mixed minidsp with the volume control im gonna hold off replacing my behringer..

[Davey]

A digital control is not necessarily bad.....if gain structure in the rest of the systems is understood and well considered. There's a good article by "pano" right here on DIYaudio.com that will probably help to baseline your knowledge on these issues.

If only gadgets with an analog volume control are within your consideration, then you've narrowed the field considerably.

Cheers,

Dave.

[IMSTOOPID]

I Understand gain structure quite well. I have been doing pro audio for 20+ yrs..
but if the digital volume control drops bits..or is pre dac the you lose resolution..
remember the first digtial tascam mixing consoles?

the digital volume control shoud be done in the CPU (ie foobar, Jmedia or any of the other aftermarket media players) or after the dac, in the analog section to maintain the maximum 24 bit word depth input into the dac.
again lowering the digital input is BAD!
lowering the bit level in the processor is good!

so how does the mini dsp work?>

[IMSTOOPID]

I Understand gain structure quite well. I have been doing pro audio for 20+ yrs..
but if the digital volume control drops bits..or is pre dac the you lose resolution..
remember the first digtial tascam mixing consoles?

the digital volume control shoud be done in the CPU (ie foobar, Jmedia or any of the other aftermarket media players) or after the dac, in the analog section to maintain the maximum 24 bit word depth input into the dac.
again lowering the digital input is BAD!
lowering the bit level in the processor is good!

so how does the mini dsp work?>

[curryman]

miniDSP master volume control works in the digital domain. It is done after all the processing in the DSP (depending on the DSP 28/56bit int or 32bit float). I did some measurements and at -60dB THD+N isn't seriously affected. If you need more attenuation for normal listening levels your gain structure should be improved.

[jmorrison]

Hello.. Maybe I need the idiots guide to miniDSP integration because for some reason I can not wrap my head around how to integrate the mini DSP in my home theatre / audio setup. I can't even figure out the best unit to use. I have read the entire miniDSP manual and then the entire REW manual referred to by the miniDSP, which only made my confusion worse as the REW manual doesn't even mention the DSP anywhere in the manual !!
My main goal is to balance out the frequency response of the main speakers and possibly the center. I have tried using the program built into the yamaha as well as the denon before it but it ends up sounding like someone threw a wet blanket over the sound. Kind of like it is forcing everything down to the least common denominator.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me:
1. The best unit to use for my application
2. what other equipment I will need. mic, plug in, 3rd party like REW ?
3. Where in line to hook it up.

Thank you for your input

Here is a diagram of my equipment layout

[IMSTOOPID]

OK DEFINE SERIOUS..
MY ANALOG SYSTEYM DOESN'T TRUNCATE BITS OR REDUCE THE S/N RATION

THAT IS MY POINT

I JUST WANT A STRAIGHT FORWARD ANSWER

[OllBoll]

Originally Posted by IMSTOOPID

I Understand gain structure quite well. I have been doing pro audio for 20+ yrs..
but if the digital volume control drops bits..or is pre dac the you lose resolution..
remember the first digtial tascam mixing consoles?

the digital volume control shoud be done in the CPU (ie foobar, Jmedia or any of the other aftermarket media players) or after the dac, in the analog section to maintain the maximum 24 bit word depth input into the dac.
again lowering the digital input is BAD!
lowering the bit level in the processor is good!

so how does the mini dsp work?>

I don't see how doing the calculations in a general purpose CPU is different from doing them in a digital signal tailored processor in the MiniDSP. Reducing volume digitally before the DAC equals chopping away bits and it doesn't matter where it is done, the only thing that matters is what appears at the DAC input.

And using all 24 bits on input to the DAC is redundant anyway, the reason why 24 bit is nice is because you can freely chop away lots of bits without loosing information and not that you need them all at full signal.

[IMSTOOPID]

DUH FULL VOLUME.. WE ARE TALKING AT LESS THAN FULL OUTPUT LEVELS
I CAN INPUT 24/96 BUT IS YOU ARE PROCESSING 32 BIT YOU HAVE 8 MORE BITS TO USE

: doing it 1st thing in teh DSP makes no sense at all
scaling juts before I2S out is the logical thing to do

if not, you might lose dynamic ramge within the DSP, as you have to do all kinds of up.down scaling for filters etc