Hi Folks, I am looking at purchasing a miniDSP DDRC-24 that comes with the Dirac Live capabilities and was wondering if any one could give me recommendations on how I should have it hooked up to my studio monitors? This is how it is currently hooked up:
PC -> USB -> Behringer UMC204HD Audio Interface -> XLR Ouput -> Studio Monitors
The UMC204HD also has XLR inputs that I am currently using with my music instruments (Guitar).
My initial plan was to have the MiniDSP sit between the Audio interface and the PC but then I realized if that was the case, the room correction software would only 'correct' music output coming from the PC and not from my guitar that was plugged into the XLR in of the UMC204HD.
Seeing that the DDRC-24 does not have any XLR inputs, does any one have suggestions as to how I can have it setup so that the guitar input going into the speakers would also be 'corrected'?
PC -> USB -> Behringer UMC204HD Audio Interface -> XLR Ouput -> Studio Monitors
The UMC204HD also has XLR inputs that I am currently using with my music instruments (Guitar).
My initial plan was to have the MiniDSP sit between the Audio interface and the PC but then I realized if that was the case, the room correction software would only 'correct' music output coming from the PC and not from my guitar that was plugged into the XLR in of the UMC204HD.
Seeing that the DDRC-24 does not have any XLR inputs, does any one have suggestions as to how I can have it setup so that the guitar input going into the speakers would also be 'corrected'?
Hi
The minidsp I would buy if I wanted balanced XLR in/out would be this one.
miniDSP in a BOX : miniDSP Balanced 2x4
As I understand you want to use it for room correction? Then it should go between the sound card and the monitors.
The minidsp I would buy if I wanted balanced XLR in/out would be this one.
miniDSP in a BOX : miniDSP Balanced 2x4
As I understand you want to use it for room correction? Then it should go between the sound card and the monitors.
I was looking at your UMC204HD, it has two tele out also on main. so no problem to connect to the miniDSP DDRC-24 but you need tele to RCA cable.
what brand are your monitors? Do they have tele in? If they do its no problem, just buy the right cables.
UMC204HD >> tele/rca >> miniDSP DDRC-24 >> rca/tele >> monitors
what brand are your monitors? Do they have tele in? If they do its no problem, just buy the right cables.
UMC204HD >> tele/rca >> miniDSP DDRC-24 >> rca/tele >> monitors
Thanks! When you say tele do you mean 1/4" inputs?
I am using Focal Alpha 65 monitors so I am not sure if that would make a difference? I am quite new at this and would appreciate your help.
I am using Focal Alpha 65 monitors so I am not sure if that would make a difference? I am quite new at this and would appreciate your help.
Yes, sorry, "tele" is the Swedish term 🙂
looking at your monitors you have XLR and RCA input, so the setup would be
UMC204HD >> mono 1/4 ts jack to RCA >> miniDSP DDRC-24 >> mono RCA to RCA >> monitors
Cables you need (two of each).
Van Damme RCA Phono to Mono Jack Cable. 6.35mm 1/4" Neutrik Lead HIFI Audio GOLD | eBay
and
Gold RCA to RCA audio cable. Phono Phono Lead. Van Damme Sub Woofer Long 3m, 10m | eBay
Or you could just use your computer and a DAW (like Logic pro or Cubase) with a room correction plugin like in the link below (Fog Convolver) and load your impulse response file and skip the cables and minidsp and put you money on a good microphone (look at these Test & Measurement Microphones | Performance Audio ) for measurement if you don´t have one already?
YouTube
Cheers Magnus
looking at your monitors you have XLR and RCA input, so the setup would be
UMC204HD >> mono 1/4 ts jack to RCA >> miniDSP DDRC-24 >> mono RCA to RCA >> monitors
Cables you need (two of each).
Van Damme RCA Phono to Mono Jack Cable. 6.35mm 1/4" Neutrik Lead HIFI Audio GOLD | eBay
and
Gold RCA to RCA audio cable. Phono Phono Lead. Van Damme Sub Woofer Long 3m, 10m | eBay
Or you could just use your computer and a DAW (like Logic pro or Cubase) with a room correction plugin like in the link below (Fog Convolver) and load your impulse response file and skip the cables and minidsp and put you money on a good microphone (look at these Test & Measurement Microphones | Performance Audio ) for measurement if you don´t have one already?
YouTube
Cheers Magnus
Thanks very much Magnus. I have another issue now, I just purchased a Audioquest Jitterbug which is a USB noise reducer which has a USB output and a Fiio X3 Mark iii DAC which has a 3.5mm output. If this is the case, what do you think would be the optimum setup?
PC >> USB out to Audioquest Jitterbug >> USB out to USB in Fiio X3 Mark iii >> 3.5mm split out to 1.4 ts jack on UMC204HD >> mono 1/4 ts jack to RCA >> miniDSP DDRC-24 >> mono RCA to RCA >> monitors
Do you think this would work?
PC >> USB out to Audioquest Jitterbug >> USB out to USB in Fiio X3 Mark iii >> 3.5mm split out to 1.4 ts jack on UMC204HD >> mono 1/4 ts jack to RCA >> miniDSP DDRC-24 >> mono RCA to RCA >> monitors
Do you think this would work?
Here's a connectivity diagram that I did. Would this sound right?
The weird part is, doesn't the DDRC-24 require a USB input so that we can configure the software? Or will I use a USB cable direct from the PC to the MiniDSP?
The weird part is, doesn't the DDRC-24 require a USB input so that we can configure the software? Or will I use a USB cable direct from the PC to the MiniDSP?
Looks right 🙂
Yes, you use the PC to config the minidsp but once you are happy with all settings you don´t need it to be connected until you want to change something again.
If you have a long usb cable you could leve it connected 🙂
Yes, you use the PC to config the minidsp but once you are happy with all settings you don´t need it to be connected until you want to change something again.
If you have a long usb cable you could leve it connected 🙂
Oh yes, I wanted to ask since the MiniDSP is later in the chain, does that mean that the PC would use the DAC on the DDRC-24 instead of the Fiio X3 and make the X3 useless? Not sure if I should leave it there still?
I think it should be a better DAC than the DDRC-24 one so would prefer to use the DAC on the Fiio. Don't think I can disable the DAC on the MiniDSP though?
Many Thanks!
I think it should be a better DAC than the DDRC-24 one so would prefer to use the DAC on the Fiio. Don't think I can disable the DAC on the MiniDSP though?
Many Thanks!
I don´t think you have to worry abut sound quality processing. It all comes down to the stream quality of the sound playing.
minidsp DDRC-24, audio processing 48khz at 32bit
FiiO X3 Mark III, audio processing up to 192 khz at 24bit
Behringer UMC204HD, audio processing up to 192 khz at 24bit
What that means is what it puts out at max resolution. And as the minidsp has 32 bit floating point engine it means that the headroom is higher than 24 bit headroom and the downsampling if high stream is playing over 48khz at 24 bit will be good enough. But if you want better handling maybe you should consider the minidsp 2x4 HD as it can handle 96 khz at 32 bit and then upgrade to https://www.minidsp.com/products/dirac-series/2x4hd-to-ddrc-24 and you get the Dirac Live function also.
It seams that the minidsp DDRC-24 is a minidsp 2x4 with the Dirac Live program?
Best/Magnus
minidsp DDRC-24, audio processing 48khz at 32bit
FiiO X3 Mark III, audio processing up to 192 khz at 24bit
Behringer UMC204HD, audio processing up to 192 khz at 24bit
What that means is what it puts out at max resolution. And as the minidsp has 32 bit floating point engine it means that the headroom is higher than 24 bit headroom and the downsampling if high stream is playing over 48khz at 24 bit will be good enough. But if you want better handling maybe you should consider the minidsp 2x4 HD as it can handle 96 khz at 32 bit and then upgrade to https://www.minidsp.com/products/dirac-series/2x4hd-to-ddrc-24 and you get the Dirac Live function also.
It seams that the minidsp DDRC-24 is a minidsp 2x4 with the Dirac Live program?
Best/Magnus
Hello Magnus, I asked MiniDSP about the signal chain and this was their response. Do you have any thoughts about it?
As we mentioned above, we still find this chain a bit “peculiar”.. 🙂 Adding more element to a chain doesn’t always lead to better response. To us USB audio to DDRC-24 (USB – > DSP – > DAC) is the best path. We’re not sure how you’d get any better by doing USB – > DAC – > ADC – > DSP – > DAC… The guitar path is a different story I think. That’s fine I think.
As we mentioned above, we still find this chain a bit “peculiar”.. 🙂 Adding more element to a chain doesn’t always lead to better response. To us USB audio to DDRC-24 (USB – > DSP – > DAC) is the best path. We’re not sure how you’d get any better by doing USB – > DAC – > ADC – > DSP – > DAC… The guitar path is a different story I think. That’s fine I think.
I think what they mean is that, if you want to listen to music direct from your computer, the Fiio X3 is unnecessary because the minidsp can play directly through usb and act as a DAC to your monitors. That said...
The Fiio X3 can also act as a DAC, but is first a portable music player. So this may be confusing why you want to play music through it from the computer when you have the minidsp. It is always better to have shorter chain so nothin gets downsampled or gets a latency (delay). But If you, as the first question asked was, want to use the minidsp´s room correction filter with the Fiio X3 to play music saved on it (this is more logical, an example, maybe you have some music saved on it that you don´t have on the computer), then I don´t know how you manage that by not connecting as you have pictured on that end. But skip the USB from computer and maybe just use it as a portable music player and not as a DAC through your computer?
Maybe put the jitterbug instead in this chain. PC<>USB<>jitterbug<>USB cable<>Sound card>>
And Fiio X3 in this chain. Fiio X3>>Audio cable>>Sound card>>
And Minidsp digital chain. PC<>USB<>USB cable<>minidsp
And Minidsp analog chain. Sound card>>Audio cable>>minidsp>>Audio cable>>
The minidsp must be put last before your monitors if you want the room correction filter to apply to them.
I will draw a "chain schematic" if you don´t understand the above 🙂
Best of luck/Magnus
The Fiio X3 can also act as a DAC, but is first a portable music player. So this may be confusing why you want to play music through it from the computer when you have the minidsp. It is always better to have shorter chain so nothin gets downsampled or gets a latency (delay). But If you, as the first question asked was, want to use the minidsp´s room correction filter with the Fiio X3 to play music saved on it (this is more logical, an example, maybe you have some music saved on it that you don´t have on the computer), then I don´t know how you manage that by not connecting as you have pictured on that end. But skip the USB from computer and maybe just use it as a portable music player and not as a DAC through your computer?
Maybe put the jitterbug instead in this chain. PC<>USB<>jitterbug<>USB cable<>Sound card>>
And Fiio X3 in this chain. Fiio X3>>Audio cable>>Sound card>>
And Minidsp digital chain. PC<>USB<>USB cable<>minidsp
And Minidsp analog chain. Sound card>>Audio cable>>minidsp>>Audio cable>>
The minidsp must be put last before your monitors if you want the room correction filter to apply to them.
I will draw a "chain schematic" if you don´t understand the above 🙂
Best of luck/Magnus
Hi Magnus, do you mean have seperate chains running in parallel? When you say sound card do you mean the Behringer UMC204HD Audio Interface?
Hi Rivers
Sorry I haven't answered earlier, been out of town for some days.
Yes I think the best way is to run chains separately.
Yes with the sound card I mean your audio interface.
Hope this clears up things
Best/Magnus
Sorry I haven't answered earlier, been out of town for some days.
Yes I think the best way is to run chains separately.
Yes with the sound card I mean your audio interface.
Hope this clears up things
Best/Magnus
Hi Magnus, I decided to go with the the PC -> MiniDSP DDRC-24 -> Behringer UMC204HD -> Speakers.
The MiniDSP has RCA outs, I was checking the Behringer does not seem to be able to accept RCA connections? Looks like it can only take USB inputs? Do you have any idea how could I go about making the connection?
The MiniDSP has RCA outs, I was checking the Behringer does not seem to be able to accept RCA connections? Looks like it can only take USB inputs? Do you have any idea how could I go about making the connection?
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