Budget 2000€ : Streamer, DSP, DAC with Dirac Live & 2 subs, if possible stéréo

[voodooless]

Don’t buy into all the subjective stuff. You can find a similar review about almost any product.

 

[Timcognito]

Read the review on the link I posted above #33

SHD Power

Roon Ready streaming amplifier with Dirac Live® room correction, 2 x 120Wrms power amplifier, miniDSP audio toolbox for subwoofer integration, Volumio music player, 450MHz Sharc DSP processor

www.minidsp.com

 

[geek_inside]

Dear Woodooless. Thank you.

Whaooo....

I just read a very long discussion here on this forum by someone searching for an automatic correction like Dirac Alive for a 2.2 system, two main speakers and two subs.

miniDSP SHD only does 2 channels of Dirac. I want 2 subs. Options?

I was going to purchase a miniDSP SHD until I found out it only does 2 channels of Dirac, and will not apply Dirac independently to the subs in a 2.2 setup. It instead wants to do some goofy thing where it incorporates the subs as part of the mains. This seems problematic as the subs will...

www.audiosciencereview.com

A 2.2 system with Dirac Alive seems impossible today if one wants to stay below 2000€.

I am perhaps taking the wrong path once again, trying too hard to get everything too perfect when WiiM has blasted the world with a simple and very good system, even if not perfect for 400€.

All we can say is that WiiM has done a great job for what they are offering for 400€ so I will buy my
WiiM Ultra with two 3E A7 mono's and take it from there.

Perhaps WiiM is reading these lines and maybe the futur will have more WiiM surprises.

I just add my 2 cents there as I'm currently looking at adding one or 2 subs to my system, which uses a SHD Studio with Dirac as a streamer.

It's true that one Dirac licence can't deal with 2 speakers + 2 subs, it'll treat them as an entire 2 channel system. That said, in the minidsp console, you can adjust everything you'll need to adjust for the sub (crossover, delay and so on), then use REW to make your measurements and apply a sub peq if needed. Finally, you run dirac and exclude frequencies below the crossover point in order not to mess with your sub settings.

Not the easiest, but once you have the basics with REW and how the minidsp console works, it's pretty straight forward.

 

[Ruediger]

Denon X3800h for instance, if you can get it for a good price.

Under 1000 € here.

New generation coming soon.

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

The only things that I know of that offers DSP on top of DIRAC Live are a miniDSP and a PC with appropriate software.

So a MiniDSP Flex + WiiM Mini would work, or a PC/MAC with multichannel soundcard can also act as a streamer.

Dear Woodooless.

I think that I am going to follow your advice, mini-dsp flex 8 channels with a WiiM Mini
to start. This way I can later on install 2 or 4 subs.

Audiophonics said : Also take into consideration that the onboard DACs will be basic.

Perhaps I can buy the miniDSP without a DAC, the FLEX digital, and buy a better DAC ?

For measurements, the REW
I believe I will manage,
for corrections, REW might be to difficult.

I can add, buy for 200, the Dirac Live but now I read that Dirac Live is only for lower frequencies ??? Strange.

And let's not forget, first comes first :
1. Set up the room acoustics
2. Placements of speakers et listener.
3. Sound corrections...

Anyway, in case I run up against a wall with MiniDSP and REW, I can always change to a wiim ultra or to a Lyngdorf.

Thank you.

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

Or this :

MINIDSP FLEX HT DSP
WiiM PRO PLUS

 

[voodooless]

Audiophonics said : Also take into consideration that the onboard DACs will be basic.

Nonsense. 110 SINAD is more than plenty.

DIRAC Live is full range, but some people only use for the lower portion, thinking it doesn’t correctly fit correct full range, because higher frequencies should be corrected more or less anechoically. DL tries to exact a pseudo anechoic response from the measurements using dynamic windowing, and uses that to correct the response in-room. I think many people forget the dynamic windowing part that removes most of the room for that correction.

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

At least plenty for me at this point.

 

[Ruediger]

At some point you have to decide. Many of the choices you listed sound good.

The WiiM Mini only makes sense if you connect it to a DAC or DSP and leave it at that.

To be more flexible I would chose the Pro Plus or Ultra.

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

Yes, indeed. I will start with a
MiniDSP FLEX or SHD but since there is no difference in sound quality between the two if I understand correctly ? The FLEX HT seems to be the best choice and to be able to use the WiiM streamer with wiim pro plus.

What would the wiim ultra ad compared to a wiim pro plus in a configuration with a MINIDSP FLEX HD or any other MINIDSP ?

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

With such a configuration in case I find REW to complicated I can add a Dirac Live.

I read a long article that Dirac Live only improves bass management but I saw a video yesterday saying the opposite, that Dirac Live improves the overall sound not just the lower register. Who is right ?

But I will begin with REW and improving the room and positioning speakers and rhe listener positioning.

 

[Ruediger]

What would the wiim ultra ad compared to a wiim pro plus in a configuration with a MINIDSP FLEX HD or any other MINIDSP ?

Just the things from the comparison list. Display, phono-in, .. ESS DAC vs. AKM DAC. The main thing for your application being the display IMO.

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

There is also a USB with the wiim ultra ?

If I understand right, the DAC of the wiim is superior but will not be used with a minidsp ?

Since my budget is somewhat limited for the moment, i can buy now a minidsp flex and a used wiim mini used for 50€, from what I understand the streamer in the wiim mini and the wiim pro and wiim ultra is the same except for the screen of the ultra. Later on i can upgrade.....

 

[Ruediger]

Can't do anything wrong with a Mini for 50 €. The streaming capability is as any other WiiM streamer.

I think it will take some time to learn, measure, and adjust things with this setup. But the possibilities sure are enormous.

What will be the amp?

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

Thank you Ruediger.

That is what I am loking for, évolution capacities.

Audiophonics are somewhat reluctant for the DSP quality in the smaller minidsp but I think that for me now, it will be fine, I can upgrade later if needed. And better have separate parts in a system, it is way more flexible.
We will see many new products coming in the next years.

Amazing that a wiim mini gives all that.

I just have to decide which minidsp for a 2.2 setup and a possibility for Dirac Live later on.

 

[geek_inside]

You won't hear any difference between thoses dacs, especially when you're using dirac room correction which will change the signal anyway. For a 2.2 system, I'd get a 4 channel SHD.

 

[RaymondFromThePyrénéés]

Thank you Geek.

The SHD, includes Dirac and also a streamer if I got it right ?

Would not the wiim streamer be better, easier to use ?

What does the SHD have or do that the Flex doesn’t have or do apart from Dira Live and a streamer ?

 

[voodooless]

The SHD, includes Dirac and also a streamer if I got it right ?

Would not the wiim streamer be better, easier to use ?

The SHD is by now a fairly old product, and the streamer is pretty basic, will definitely not be as well supported as the WiiM.

What does the SHD have or do that the Flex doesn’t have or do apart from Dira Live and a streamer ?

Combo XLR/RCA outputs. With the Flex, you'll have to choose one or the other.

 

[geek_inside]

Thank you Geek.

The SHD, includes Dirac and also a streamer if I got it right ?

Would not the wiim streamer be better, easier to use ?

What does the SHD have or do that the Flex doesn’t have or do apart from Dira Live and a streamer ?

Yes, SHD includes a dirac live licence. it's a combined unit acting as a dsp processor, dac, adc, streamer.
As a streamer, it's pretty basic, probably not the best one. I didn't try any wiim products but those are more recent and probably more user friendly. Does it make them better? Up to you to decide, it depends on your needs.
For the SHD vs Flex, it's mainly about connectivity. Also up to you to decide if you need what's on the SHD or if you can work with the more limited Flex.

 

[Talisman]

For €2,000, I'd buy the Denon AVC X3800H with a Dirac Licensing ART license.
Everything you need for audio, for life.