Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)

[ah-ra]

YESS....! This is what many of us have been waiting for! Thanks for the review Amir!
A 2x4HD in a nicer package with even better (sota) performance. The 2x4 is already a great kit as audio interface with DSP and X-over function. Happy to see this one measuring even better.

This shows what the future in "high end" (not high price) audio will look like. The in room sound quality in room you can achieve with this unit is the future and room EQ can no longer be ignored by so called "audiophiles".....

Wouldn't it be great to have a quality implementation of this in a slim line AVR...?

 

[Mulder]

Anyone planning to use this for an active crossover for a LXmini or any other Linkwitz speaker?

 

[antcollinet]

Very very good news...

Now just need to decide if I get the balanced or unbalanced version - all my kit so far is unbalanced (Turntable and amp), but future amp may well be balanced. Obviously mini dsp will replace current DAC.

Sort of waiting for the next topping (PA7? PA9?) to decide.

 

[Matias]

Now add HDMIs, codecs support and more balanced outputs, turning it into a full featured AVP, and I would be interested.

 

[milosz]

It's nice to see how MiniDSP products have improved over the years, adding a few nice new features while retaining things we have come to like, yet remain affordable. Well done!

 

[dasdoing]

the product page doesn't specify how many taps it suports for FIR?

 

[Speaker-Inquisitor]

2 or 4 additional analogue outputs (for 3- or 4-way active stereo) and this unit would be the perfect piece of equipment for my usage.

 

[Tangband]

In my personal experience I'd say the advantages of Dirac Live over what can be done manually with the Flex are very much in the ease of use rather than performance category, although for the majority that simply won't have the inclination or aptitude to do more manually there will effectively be a performance benefit too.

Edit: it's perhaps worth highlighting that the version of Dirac Live available for the Flex will not optimise subwoofer integration in terms of time delays or crossover filters though. All it will do is smooth the combined response of the main speakers and subwoofer(s), which in itself is of course very useful but not fully optimal.

Perfect subwoofer integration can be done with this mini-dsp , because you have a two way digital crossover in stereo inbuilt. Ofcourse you need both extensive listening and measurements to do that. But it can be done.

As an example, one can use two passive loudspeakers and two subwoofers in stereo without inbuilt crossovers and very easily implement a 36 dB/oct crossover at , if you want, 80 Hz , both low pass and high pass in the active dsp domain.
ofcourse you need two amplifiers to. Dirac room correction is something one can implement later .

Even better soundwise is , in my opinion the fully active approach - as an example a DIY construction with purifi 6,5 inch woofer and a good waveguide tweeter crossed digitaly with no passive components at all, with LT correction in bass can easily be transformed to a full range two- way digital crossover system 30-20000 Hz. Time-corrected. All that can be done with this unit.

 

[dasdoing]

costs US $475

the tested version costs 550 though (+75 for balanced)

 

[suttondesign]

Anyone planning to use this for an active crossover for a LXmini or any other Linkwitz speaker?

Yes. LXmini. but not until the version with digital outputs is released. It is listed in the manual, and the minidsp site says it is coming soon. That would allow me to use a SOTA dac after the processing in the minidsp.

 

[abdo123]

the product page doesn't specify how many taps it suports for FIR?

4096 taps in total.

 

[Philipp Paul Klose]

I was lucky to receive an unbalanced one early and using it for a month now.

The box awesome!

 

[voodooless]

I have an ADC already with like 115dB SINAD. Should be more than enough to show if the channels are identical.

Isn't the thing able to route back the processed data over USB? If you suspect the sample rate conversion, you can test this out with the full digital path as well.

 

[kongwee]

This was the one I've been waiting for since the announcement! Thanks for reviewing it this fast. The result is even better than expected, this is a brilliant piece of kit!

Whoooo. Hyped, hyped, hyped.


Edit: I have one question before I pre-order. I don't use long cable runs. Is there any advantage to the higher output voltage of the balanced version? Otherwise I see no reason not to get the RCA version for home use.

From the product description, my guess they are not good at implementing differential. So I bet RCA on this product even it has higher noise than XLR in spec. For me, I will travel to listen for this product if I want to buy.

 

[Grotti]

The price for the TRS version in good old Europe is 899 Euro ....

 

[abdo123]

Isn't the thing able to route back the processed data over USB? If you suspect the sample rate conversion, you can test this out with the full digital path as well.

Not a bad idea. Should be very easy to check.

 

[abdo123]

The price for the TRS version in good old Europe is 899 Euro ....

Order directly from the MiniDSP site and it will be 620 euro all included.

 

[voodooless]

Order directly from the MiniDSP site and it will be 620 euro.

+ import tax nowadays, or were you just lucky?

 

[capslock]

How can THD bei good and IMD mediocre unless it's a resampling thing? A nonlinear amplitude transfer function will cause a related degradation of both THD and IMD in a predictable manner.

 

[abdo123]

+ import tax nowadays, or were you just lucky?

the number is with everything included to your doorstep. @Grotti