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FIR with active studio monitors and audio interface? What do I need in my chain?

1niltothe

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Will try to be succinct and useful for subsequent searches. I'm very interested in this topic but my knowledge is still patchy and I might ask stupid questions.

I have 2x active studio monitors and 2x active subs in a small music studio for mixing.

I have an audio interface that goes into a monitor controller. The interface (scarlett 18i20) really only has 2 dedicated monitor outs. These I run into CMC monitor controller, which splits the signal to add outputs for the 2 subwoofers.

I want to be able to do FIR, as well as all the other fun stuff that audiolense XO / REW has to offer. From what I can tell, this means being able to set crossover filters etc on the signal being sent to the monitors and subs.

I dont like dirac or sonarworks. I dont like their sound, but more than that I dont like just pressing a button and the app does it all for me, sending a signal out through USB.

As far as I can make out, there is no software only solution suitable for the level of detail Audiolense works with, and I need a piece of hardware in my chain. I have maybe 2-300 GBP available.

MiniDSP seems to be for hi fi equipment, with RCA and so forth, rather than 1/4 inch jacks or XLR outputs suitable for studio monitors. I can't see MiniDSP working well with a Scarlett 18i20. Am I mistaken?

The digital speaker processors, e.g. DBX driverack or the Beyerdynamic one, seem to be for live PA speakers and subs driven by amplifiers.

Does anyone have thoughts? It seems odd to me that the music studio production world is not involved in FIR and DSP discussion in the same way as the audiophile / hi fi / PA scene. On the whole producers use Sonarworks or Trinnov, not MiniDSP. Most youtube videos about this kind of topic are about home theaters and hi fi systems. It could be that I'm being dense, and missing something obvious.

I paid for Audiloense XO already, but just dont know what to buy or do to set up my system to be able to really go deep with it.
 

voodooless

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MiniDSP flex and SHD offer FIR and XLR, so should work. SHD studio offers digital only outputs.

Otherwise a any multichannel interface with some of these will do it: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-software-for-windows-linux-macos-ios.26180/

One thing to note with FIR and mixing is delay: long filters will add significant delay to the signal. Depending on your workflow this may or may not be an issue.
 

abdo123

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MiniDSP flex and SHD offer FIR and XLR, so should work. SHD studio offers digital only outputs.

Otherwise a any multichannel interface with some of these will do it: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-software-for-windows-linux-macos-ios.26180/

One thing to note with FIR and mixing is delay: long filters will add significant delay to the signal. Depending on your workflow this may or may not be an issue.
SHD does not offer FIR.

MiniDSP offers 4048 taps spread over 4 outputs @ 96KHz which is peanuts.
 

Holmz

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There is rePhase and EclipseAudio has FIR Designer, and AudionConvolver.

I have an Octo DAC8 Pro, so I think I need an RME to get to the digital domain, and then a NUC… and ???.

Hence I am like Chancy Gardner… and watching.
 

abdo123

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There is rePhase and EclipseAudio has FIR Designer, and AudionConvolver.

I have an Octo DAC8 Pro, so I think I need an RME to get to the digital domain, and then a NUC… and ???.

Hence I am like Chancy Gardner… and watching.
Don’t you have USB?
 
OP
1niltothe

1niltothe

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SHD does not offer FIR.

MiniDSP offers 4048 taps spread over 4 outputs @ 96KHz which is peanuts.
Are you saying the MiniDSP Flex would not be a good idea?

I realise I can use a DAC for outputs. The interface can just be for inputs if needed at all.
 

DVDdoug

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It seems odd to me that the music studio production world is not involved in FIR and DSP discussion.
I assume pro studios have some kind of permanent hardware EQ (analog or digital) that's done at the time of the monitor installation and acoustic treatment. But EQ should be minimal because they are using good monitors in good size & shape rooms with optimized acoustic treatment... EQ would be the last step.

Then of course, the mixing & mastering engineers have their own EQ (hardware or software) to adjust the recording.
 
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