Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)

[Sokel]

Man, I got addicted to measuring to the point that I just placed an order over HiFiGo for a E1DA Cosmos ADC + E1DA Cosmos APU

Oh,I was sure about it.I was about to write it too beside the other warning
Once you successfully measure once that's it!

 

[Marc v E]

Could somebody measure the flex with Dirac as eq? I'm curious if it delivers a clean signal as it uses different software in that case.

 

[Kax]

Hi everyone, would it make sense to have this (balanced version) between my dac (Benchmark DAC3 L) and my amp (Benchmark AHB2) to handle room correction and bass management for every input coming into the dac (analog and digital) while still managing everything (mainly volume really) on the dac once DSP is setup?

Setup would be:
DAC3 L > Flex then
Flex > Amp > Speakers
Flex > Sub

 

[antcollinet]

Hi everyone, would it make sense to have this (balanced version) between my dac (Benchmark DAC3 L) and my amp (Benchmark AHB2) to handle room correction and bass management for every input coming into the dac (analog and digital) while still managing everything (mainly volume really) on the dac once DSP is setup?

Setup would be:
DAC3 L > Flex then
Flex > Amp > Speakers
Flex > Sub

No becasue you will be going

Digital sources -> dac3 L to analogue, -> MiniDSP - convert to digital using MiniDSP ADC - do DSP - convert to analogue again using the MiniDSP Dac.

So you should either use the MiniDSP as your DAC, and sell the DAC3L

Or alternatively (But only if you believe the MiniDSP is not good enough as a DAC) get the digital version of the MiniDSP, put your digital sources into that for DSP, then digital out from that into your DAC3L. The problem with this is the digital flex doesn't have an anlogue input, so you couldn't do room EQ for your analogue source. Oh, and you'd need an additional DAC for your sub.

So if you need the MiniDSP to handle your analogue source the only way that makes sense is to use it as the DAC, and sell the DAC3L

Personally, in your situation, I'd sell the DAC3L and use the MINI DSP.

 

[mdsimon2]

No becasue you will be going

Digital sources -> dac3 L to analogue, -> MiniDSP - convert to digital using MiniDSP ADC - do DSP - convert to analogue again using the MiniDSP Dac.

So you should either use the MiniDSP as your DAC, and sell the DAC3L

Or alternatively (But only if you believe the MiniDSP is not good enough as a DAC) get the digital version of the MiniDSP, put your digital sources into that for DSP, then digital out from that into your DAC3L. The problem with this is the digital flex doesn't have an anlogue input, so you couldn't do room EQ for your analogue source. Oh, and you'd need an additional DAC for your sub.

So if you need the MiniDSP to handle your analogue source the only way that makes sense is to use it as the DAC, and sell the DAC3L

Flex digital has analog inputs.

Michael

 

[antcollinet]

Flex digital has analog inputs.

View attachment 265220

Michael

I stand corrected - I think I was confusing it with the Flex 8 - which loses the AIN.


Thanks for the correction. I've updated my post accordingly

 

[Kax]

No becasue you will be going

Digital sources -> dac3 L to analogue, -> MiniDSP - convert to digital using MiniDSP ADC - do DSP - convert to analogue again using the MiniDSP Dac.

So you should either use the MiniDSP as your DAC, and sell the DAC3L

Or alternatively (But only if you believe the MiniDSP is not good enough as a DAC) get the digital version of the MiniDSP, put your digital sources into that for DSP, then digital out from that into your DAC3L. The problem with this is the digital flex doesn't have an anlogue input, so you couldn't do room EQ for your analogue source. Oh, and you'd need an additional DAC for your sub.

So if you need the MiniDSP to handle your analogue source the only way that makes sense is to use it as the DAC, and sell the DAC3L

What is the impact of having double conversion in the chain?
Are these dacs not good enough to have this kind of setup without it having too much consequences on audio quality?
I did not say but I really don't want to say goodbye to the dac3 L and would love to keep a balanced line from dac to amp/sub and the least I have to deal with minidsp the better I'll be (bad experience with them in the past).
Thank you for your help

 

[antcollinet]

What is the impact of having double conversion in the chain?
Are these dacs not good enough to have this kind of setup without it having too much consequences on audio quality?
I did not say but I really don't want to say goodbye to the dac3 L and would love to keep a balanced line from dac to amp/sub and the least I have to deal with minidsp the better I'll be (bad experience with them in the past).
Thank you for your help

Double conversion can only reduce quality - though whether this is audible is debatable. You will get distortion and noise from the DAC3L added to that from the MiniDSP ADC, and then added to that from the MiniDSP Dac

If the MiniDSP has the inputs you need, it makes absolutely no sense to have another DAC in front of it.

 

[Kax]

Double conversion can only reduce quality - though whether this is audible is debatable. You will get distortion and noise from the DAC3L added to that from the MiniDSP ADC, and then added to that from the MiniDSP Dac

If the MiniDSP has the inputs you need, it makes absolutely no sense to have another DAC in front of it.

I'm not sure I'm ready to part with my DAC3, the combination with the amp (ability to use it on low gain) is exactly what I like.
I'll do without a sub or try to find another solution for at least bass management while keeping both dac and amp.
Thank you for your help and insignt on this.

 

[antcollinet]

I'm not sure I'm ready to part with my DAC3, the combination with the amp (ability to use it on low gain) is exactly what I like.
I'll do without a sub or try to find another solution for at least bass management while keeping both dac and amp.
Thank you for your help and insignt on this.

OK - but be aware if you send the signal from DAC to MiniDSP, you won't be able to send the high level output (27.5dBu/25V) to enable the amp to be on low gain. The analogue input for the MiniDSP (balanced) is max 4V - same on the output. You'd have to use the 20dB attenuator on the Dac3 to limit the output voltage to just under 2V (the 10dB attenuation stilll outputs more than 5V)

If the Dac3 can also implement a digital attenuation/volum, then you could use the 10dB attenuator with a small additional digital attenuation.

In any case you are going to have to up the gain on the amp.

 

[Kax]

OK - but be aware if you send the signal from DAC to MiniDSP, you won't be able to send the high level output (27.5dBu/25V) to enable the amp to be on low gain. The analogue input for the MiniDSP (balanced) is max 4V - same on the output. You'd have to use the 20dB attenuator on the Dac3 to limit the output voltage to just under 2V (the 10dB attenuation stilll outputs more than 5V)

If the Dac3 can also implement a digital attenuation/volum, then you could use the 10dB attenuator with a small additional digital attenuation.

In any case you are going to have to up the gain on the amp.

Thank you for your help.

 

[enricoclaudio]

I’m doing X-SABRE3 + UCX II ——> Benchmark HPA4 ——> MiniDSP FLEX TRS ——> Neumann KH150s. It sounds great and measures well too.

 

[Robocop]

I'm doing Audio Computer -> Oppo 203 Dac/Preamp -> MiniDSP Flex -> 2 x Active Monitors -> 2 x Active subs(are connected from MiniDSP)

MiniDSP Flex is my active crossover.

 

[Marc v E]

Just an update: I have ordered a minidsp flex eight. Will install it in my main system consisting of Beolab 9, bluray player and tv. Will be ordering Dirac too. Measurements on speakers with and without Dirac will follow.

 

[ehabheikal]

How many PEQ filter can be used at a time?

 

[Absolute]

How many PEQ filter can be used at a time?

10 on input and 10 on output. If using Dirac you lose the input peqs.
If not using Dirac you also have FIR capability (2048 taps) plus 10 peqs on input. You always have 10 on output.

 

[ehabheikal]

10 on input and 10 on output. If using Dirac you lose the input peqs.
If not using Dirac you also have FIR capability (2048 taps) plus 10 peqs on input. You always have 10 on output.

these 10, do they include rules for crossover or are these another set of rules?
Does the minidsp shd have more rules?

 

[Absolute]

these 10, do they include rules for crossover or are these another set of rules?
Does the minidsp shd have more rules?

Crossover is a separate block. The SHD does not have any input EQ, which makes it less attractive for DIY users.
I have to say that I think the sound quality of the Flex 8 is better with 96 khz non-Dirac plug-in than it does with the 48 kHz Dirac plug-in - all else equal. I could never get Dirac to sound as good as manual EQ with FIR correction of the crossover-slopes, so for people contemplating the expensive Dirac option I would spend 30 minutes to learn how to use the free and excellent Rephase software from our own @pos first. Might be all you ever need.

 

[ehabheikal]

10 on input and 10 on output. If using Dirac you lose the input peqs.
If not using Dirac you also have FIR capability (2048 taps) plus 10 peqs on input. You always have 10 on output.

i do not understand what is the difference between in and out. Excuse my ingnorance i have only made a manual room correction on one room and that was for roon which has an easy interface in this matter.

 

[enricoclaudio]

PEQ on input affects all the outputs that are selected to that input. PEQ on output only affects that single output.