PC based digital crossover with dolby digital live

[Studio Au]

I started a similar thread using the Asus Xonar as the main DAC and ION motherboard as the base: Perhaps a moderator can join them together?

nVidia ION, Asus Xonar as active XO, DAC and source

Wouldn't it be better to invest in a good sound card to process the D/A signal than a receivers built in DAC as would happen if HDMI was used?

[mikaljones21]

It should work as long as your soundcard allows you to assign the input and outputs. The latency issue can be overcome with a pci e soundcard or a firewire card. But I know that there can be issues depending on the units you choose. you should be able to assign the inputs and outputs and hook up a sacrificial driver to the amp just to see if you are getting the correct output signal. Try using a HiVi B3n driver. They only cost about 12 bucks and will play enough of the full signal to tell you if you are getting bass, mid, or treble signal. What do you think?

What about dts and ac3 decoding? How are you accomplishing that?

[oublie]

haven't got as far as ac3 or dts as yet,

initially just need to get crossovers etc working.

[sxr71]

Originally Posted by oublie

I've been working on this sort of setup for some time now.

I initially started by using an audigy zs card, i now have two of these on standby just in case and have currently installed an Audiotrak prodigy 7.1 hifi.

Has anyone been able to set up an active crossover system using two internally rewireable cards for 7.1 surround sound but using one card to run the mids and another for the tweeters?

My reasoning behind this is its is a lot cheaper to buy two 7.1 cards than it is to go all out with a high end firewire sound setup with a squillion outputs.

also I'd like to point out that so far this is probably not the best way to do things if you are a gamer. I've found that there is quite a bit of sound delay while gaming. This of course can be corrected for video by introducing a video delay in media player classic or similar products, for music it doesn't matter but for games there is no way to delay the video which of course you wouldn't want to anyway.

I would also say be careful of windows 7 I've found that in some instances e.g. with the prodigy cards that windows 7 does no play well as the manufacturer has messed up the drivers.

This is not really for gamers at all. In fact any audio or video processing is bad news if you are an online gamer. Your scores will go down if you are playing at that "twitch" level. I have a friend who notices a difference based on who's hosting.

[mikaljones21]

If you have an extra pc you can pipe the audio into it with a digital input then assign and manipulate the signal on that machine. Use the gaming on a different computer with a better video card.

I've heard of people using one PC strictly for audio. It seems a cleaner approach as far as audio related crashes are concerned. It works for me just fine.

I do gaming and use completely active crossovers on my speakers. I just have not finished the system out with surround though. My specs say it will work just fine when I get around to it.

[oublie]

Originally Posted by sxr71

This is not really for gamers at all. In fact any audio or video processing is bad news if you are an online gamer. Your scores will go down if you are playing at that "twitch" level. I have a friend who notices a difference based on who's hosting.

Absolutely, Ideally you would seperate the audio processing to a different box, low end graphics, decent processor, not a lot of ram, quiet even possibly underclocked with minimal fans.

Originally Posted by mikaljones21

If you have an extra pc you can pipe the audio into it with a digital input then assign and manipulate the signal on that machine. Use the gaming on a different computer with a better video card.

I've heard of people using one PC strictly for audio. It seems a cleaner approach as far as audio related crashes are concerned. It works for me just fine.

I do gaming and use completely active crossovers on my speakers. I just have not finished the system out with surround though. My specs say it will work just fine when I get around to it.

This will be my final stage, spdif out of gaming / video / audio machine and use the machine i'm working on as active crossover , convolver, file server and dac.


btw as i'm currently experiencing quite a few issues using the audiotrax prodigy and the audigy zs dont have rewire i.e. cant really use vst plugins etc effectively. Can anyone recommend a decent but not too expensive sound card with spdif in and out, 7.1, time clock sync between 2 cards, rewire/ directwire capabilities and native asio? (not asking for much am I ? )

[Studio Au]

Has anyone snapped any pics of their active XO.

@Oublie, check out the Asus Xonar range. Are you making an active 7.1 system? If so how many channels of amplification are you gonna need?

[oublie]

I'll probably need 16 channels in total.

2 subs, and each speaker will consist of a tweeter and mid. Amplification in up in the air at the moment, its a toss up between dual 7.1. av amps with pro audio amp for subs, or class d gear built into a unique chasis. 14.2 amplifier sounds nice

[Studio Au]

Jeez! I must say i prefer stereo, even for movies. I hope your not planning on making monoblocks! 16 toroidal transformers may melt your floors and the national grid.

[oublie]

Originally Posted by Studio Au

...
@Oublie, check out the Asus Xonar range. ...

Does this allow you to rewire internally i.e. pass the relevant signal through asio using vst plugins in console?
I couldn't find any info on any of the cards that would do it also can two of their cards be used and controlled. the d2x card looks interesing. It seems to have lfe control though.

My system as it stands uses the following (only 2.1 so far)

Foobar / media player classic with delay for video

console -> band pass for mids, high pass for tweeters, Low pass for subs. all with linear phase each speaker set will eventually get its own convolution.

Audiotrak prodigy hifi with wdm output routed to asio input and wdm muted.

currently on the card

outputs 1 and 2 are the mids
outputs 3 and 4 are the tweeters
output 5 is the sub

a lot of work still to do but so far it has allowed me to do a lot of tweaking with the crossovers.

Speakers are 20X 4" mids for front left and right in a line array currently building line array electrostatic tweeters to go with these but temporarily using 1" dome tweeters.

centre, side and surround will be 8X mids in line array with electrostatic tweeters.

subs are twin 20hz tapped horns.