2.1 DSP System Without AVR?

[Henryk]

I have a setup in mind but I'm not sure if the hardware exists to pull it off.
Can someone tell me if this is doable?

My audio source is a computer.
I have bookshelf speakers and an amplifier for them.

I'd like to add a powered sub.
Then, control that 2.1 system with DSP for room correction.

I'm assuming that what I need is a DAC to run between my computer and amp/sub.
I see a few pieces of DSP & DAC hardware which have outputs for two speakers.

Is there a DSP & DAC unit which can control two speakers and a powered sub?
Ideally, I'd like to use DIRAC Live as the room correction software to manage it all.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

MiniDSP DDRC24 with a UMIK-1 will do just that.

 

[Ricwa]

I use a Mac Mini M2 running Roon and Dirac Live with Bass Control (DLBC). USB connection to a RME ADI 2/4 Pro DAC with 2 mains and 2 subs (2.2 setup). Umik-1 here also.

 

[somebodyelse]

There are a couple of threads on software based room eq and crossovers, often using the same software. You would need a DAC with sufficient output channels, and a measurement mic like the UMIK-1 already mentioned.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...sover-software-for-windows-linux-macos.26180/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ows-linux-macos-ios-ipados-and-android.18450/

 

[Henryk]

For the miniDSP products with DIRAC Live, I see that they all have a maximum sampling rate of 48 Hz.
I have a great deal of 24-bit/96Hz and 192Hz music.

Will the hardware not be able to fully resolve my lossless music?

 

[JeremyFife]

Hi,
What's your budget? Some additional details would help too; what amp and speakers do you have, how attached are you to them, what size is your room and how loud do you like to listen? How far from your speakers do you sit ... all helps.

Couple of other things to hear in mind ... DSP is, by definition, a lossy process but the sound benefit outweighs any theoretical loss.

It is highly likely, backed by evidence, that we can't hear any difference in resolution above CD red book (16bit, 44kHz). Striving to maintain your hi-res sources is a purist approach but will not give you better sound. Certainly nothing that is better than measurement based eq.

Having said that, you might get high resolution DSP via software on your computer. Feed that to a decent DAC with two outputs; one to your sub, one to the amp ... your sub should have a low pass filter but the signal to your amp would still be full range so not ideal. I don't know enough about software DSP though.

I'd second a miniDSP type approach instead though ... just works

 

[staticV3]

For the miniDSP products with DIRAC Live, I see that they all have a maximum sampling rate of 48 Hz.
I have a great deal of 24-bit/96Hz and 192Hz music.

Will the hardware not be able to fully resolve my lossless music?

The hardware will fully resolve the music content that's in your Hi-res files.
It will not resolve the ultrasonic noise that may be present in those files.

 

[Henryk]

Is Dirac Live limited to 48 Hz sampling rate regardless of the hardware, or is it just those miniDSP products?

 

[staticV3]

Is Dirac Live limited to 48 Hz sampling rate regardless of the hardware, or is it just those miniDSP products?

Dirac Live can run at 96kHz on some miniDSP models and at 192kHz on your PC.

But to reiterate: all that those hi-res sample rates achieve is higher CPU usage and higher power consumption. The sound stays 100% the same.

Don't believe me? Try downsampling some of your 96 or 192kHz files to 48kHz and ABX them against the original using ABX Comparator.

 

[Henryk]

Dirac Live can run at 96kHz on some miniDSP models and at 192kHz on your PC.

But to reiterate: all that those hi-res sample rates achieve is higher CPU usage and higher power consumption. The sound stays 100% the same.

Don't believe me? Try downsampling some of your 96 or 192kHz files to 48kHz and ABX them against the original using ABX Comparator.

No no, I believe you.
My adherence to "the higher number is better" is pure intellectual stubbornness - I fully admit
...but seriously! 96 is twice as much as 48!!!

All I've heard of, for DAC's that also can do DSP, is miniDSP and the RME ADI-2.
Are there others I'm not aware of?

 

[staticV3]

All I've heard of, for DAC's that also can do DSP, is miniDSP and the RME ADI-2.
Are there others I'm not aware of?

There's the JDS Element 3 and Element 3 MKII, and if you don't mind the form factor, then the Qudelix 5K could make a great DAC as well.

 

[JeremyFife]

DSP is part of the solution. Acting as a proper crossover so you can integrate a subwoofer is the other part.

That leads me to the miniDSP and miniDSP Flex: good DAC, DSP (Dirac if you want it) and support for subs ... hard to beat

 

[james57]

I use a Mac Mini M2 running Roon and Dirac Live with Bass Control (DLBC). USB connection to a RME ADI 2/4 Pro DAC with 2 mains and 2 subs (2.2 setup). Umik-1 here also.

Hi Ricwa, I am not sure I fully understand your setup, I am not trying to be difficult just really interested as this is something I am toying with. Why are you using Dirac, the Adi-2/4 can run 4 channels with 5 band eq or crossover and you can use your umik1 with rew to calibrate the setup. Now I understand Dirac will offer you more bands but is it really worth it.. I just saw that the RME ADI line is currently being discounted in the US, not sure for how long.

 

[hpp8140]

AnthemAV: Paradigm PW-Link or Martin Logan Unision (same product but with Airplay)

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Hi Ricwa, I am not sure I fully understand your setup, I am not trying to be difficult just really interested as this is something I am toying with. Why are you using Dirac, the Adi-2/4 can run 4 channels with 5 band eq or crossover and you can use your umik1 with rew to calibrate the setup. Now I understand Dirac will offer you more bands but is it really worth it.. I just saw that the RME ADI line is currently being discounted in the US, not sure for how long.

Whatever room correction Dirac does it works much much better for me than hundreds of REW EQ attempts.

I always call Dirac Live the single most important purchase in my life of HiFi.

 

[Ricwa]

Hi Ricwa, I am not sure I fully understand your setup, I am not trying to be difficult just really interested as this is something I am toying with. Why are you using Dirac, the Adi-2/4 can run 4 channels with 5 band eq or crossover and you can use your umik1 with rew to calibrate the setup. Now I understand Dirac will offer you more bands but is it really worth it.. I just saw that the RME ADI line is currently being discounted in the US, not sure for how long.

Dirac provides full room correction with bass control whereas RME has just 5 configurable PEQs per channel. Yes you can use REW to calculate your filter coefficients for the RME and this will improve your listening experience. But Dirac goes significantly beyond that performance and is much more automated than the REW calibration approach.

 

[Miniyouuuu]

Whatever room correction Dirac does it works much much better for me than hundreds of REW EQ attempts.

I always call Dirac Live the single most important purchase in my life of HiFi.

2.1 layout or 5.1?

My REW Eq setup sounds better to my ears than Dirac proposed correction for my 2.0 layout.

In my case, Dirac is better for TV reproduction, as it sounds clearer, but kills too much echo of my room and music sounds plain/flat to my ears. I use both sets depending on the source.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

2.1 layout or 5.1?

My REW Eq setup sounds better to my ears than Dirac proposed correction for my 2.0 layout.

In my case, Dirac is better for TV reproduction, as it sounds clearer, but kills too much echo of my room and music sounds plain/flat to my ears. I use both sets depending on the source.

2.1 and 2.0

I like the damped precise and uncoloured sound with lesser echoes.

 

[Henryk]

If you use DIRAC on the PC, does it have its own music player for high-definition audio so that the room corrections are applied to the music being sent to the DAC over USB?

 

[Ron Texas]

MiniDSP DDRC24 with a UMIK-1 will do just that.

MiniDSP 2x4HD
MiniDSP Flex