miniDSP 12V trigger (miniDC, "x8" boards) and home audio gear

[Pallas]

I realize for the EE's this question is probably so elementary as to be completely ignorant. However, I'm not an EE, and my last academic exposure to such things was AP e-mag in high school way back in the late 1990s. Installing a miniDSP board in a box is about the most ambitious DIY electronics (as opposed to DIY loudspeaker) project I'm competent to consider. So please bear with me.

This question applies to both the miniDSP "times 8" boards (both of which have 12V trigger functionality built-in) and the miniDC Isolator unit for the 2x4 boards, because they all have the same remote connection scheme. Though in my case it is specifically about the 8x8 board.

I'd like to turn on my miniDSP 8x8 with a 12V trigger input from my AVR, and then use the miniDSP's delayed REM-out to provided a delayed turn-on for my amplifiers.

However, the 8x8 (like the miniDC isolator) has a single-wire connector for REM in, and another for REM out. While single-pole 12V trigger is the norm in car audio, in home audio two-pole connectors are usually used for 12VDC triggers. For example, here is a representative 12V trigger input on a pro audio amplifier (ElectroVoice CPS 8.5) that I have verified to turn on/off from a standard consumer home audio AVR's 12V trigger.


(The words obscured by the Phoenix terminal, if it was not obvious, are "POWER REMOTE")

(NOTE: if I were just using this amp, I'd not worry about turn-on thumps and the like, because of the provided power-on delay. But I'm using two amps, and the other doesn't have a variable turn-on delay.)

Perhaps the difference because there is already a 12V ground connection in car-fi gear, but not in home gear? And if so, does that mean that I should simply tie the grounds for REM-in and REM-out to the 12V neg lead of the PS?

[Pallas]

FWIW, answered on the miniDSP forum. Reposted here in case someone else asks:

Originally Posted by devteam

Your setup is just similar just at the difference that you need to add a ground wire between the unit (i.e. ground is ground.. :-)

So the Hot Lead is the REM in or out. The G is the Ground to be connected to the ground of the green header (i.e. pin next to the REM i/o on the green 4 pin connector.

Makes sense?

DevTeam