Google translate is your best friend, -from the Swedish forum .
This is what they heard.
”I bought a MiniDSP SHD to test if this could replace CR80es with eq etc. as well as separate PEQ and my DAC.
That would have been a wonderfully flexible solution, I thought!
The testing went on for 3 days, a total of about 16-18 hours of listening and is explained here below very abbreviated.
Day 1:
I re-rigged and wips, the MiniDSP was the brains of the system, it would take care of all division, eq, level and inputs.
I started by configuring the filter and eq to be as close to my previous tuning as possible, for starters!
On the other hand, a little experimentation was done with adjusting the dividing frequency both up and down, but no, the previously established 125Hz was the ultimate.
But something crept in when I was listening to music, a feeling that I want to lower the volume, and that there was something wrong with the treble.
This resulted in a series of tests where I ran the MiniDSP both with its own DAC but also with the Benchmark DAC3 as the DAC and let the MiniDSP handle the digital domain alone.
I configured it so that with the push of a button I could switch between playing from computer to Benchmark or from computer to MiniDSP and Benchmark as DAC.
The levels were calibrated, but I also tested deliberately having a higher level on one and then the other, to hear how the tendency changes with level.
But the same results were found regardless of the sound level on the respective sources...
I tried playing with Roon directly on MiniDSP, and later with USB from computer and ASIO.
The phenomenon persisted, it doesn't sound like I'm used to, something has happened ...
I plug in the Benchmark DAC3 dom DAC and that doesn't completely solve the problem, although I probably imagine something positive happened there, but not enough to be the interesting thing here.
So, finally the Signal Chains look like the following:
Computer with ASIO ->USB to MiniDSP -> digital coax -> Benchmark DAC3 -> final stage to peaks in full range.
Or:
Computer with ASIO -> USB to Benchmark DAC3 -> final stage to peaks in full swing.
I came to the following conclusions:
Although MiniDSP only worked in the digital domain, it is unclear how and why...
But what could be heard was that fast transients in the treble became worse, less "snap".
And that the sound image was experienced more "on" and lacked a bit of the previously convincing naturalness.
This meant that I repeatedly found myself prompted to play weaker with MiniDSP than without, it just wasn't as enjoyable...
This discovery made me so doubtful that I was allowed to give up the testing and sleep a little and let my brain and ears rest.
So said and done, I went to bed so that with new and fresh ears I could listen more the next day.
Day 2:
I woke up at 7, got up and made coffee, turned on the stereo and listened!
Because I was so incredibly eager to try and find what I've done wrong, why does the MiniDSP sound like this?!
Two friends and audio geeks (Ronnie and Juanth) come over on the day and listen, this as they are interested in what this grunka can do.
And they also experience the same impact as me when we switch between the devices....
Hmm nothing is turned on in the software, MiniDSP should just be a digital and completely transparent link between computer and DAC.
But it is not that...
I was so disappointed, I really wanted this to be my modern solution to all the features I need.
I disconnect this and disappointedly I have to email about a repurchase, because unfortunately I can't have this in my system.
It doesn't sound bad enough to be a trashy product, but just not good enough to be included in my facility where I've set the bar for minimal compromise.
Day 3:
I can't give up, I have to go in again and test it, damn I must have done something wrong...
But no, the same result no matter what I do, no matter what I turn off/on in the software....
Yes No, now it can go back, so that's fine.
Dejected, dejected and a little sad, I go back with the box to Hemköp and hand it in for return.
Other experiences:
Dirac!
Funny, can be super good in rooms with worse conditions, with me it was of little use <300Hz compared to manual adjustments.
What it did, it did well at these low frequencies.
At higher frequencies, the sound is bad in all places other than the middle, so nothing for me.
But for listening alone, it can work, where dirac manages to give me the experience that the room is less audible.
However, at the additional expense of clarity in the soundstage, something just doesn't feel "right" here.
Much more detailed than that, I don't care to test Dirac.
I think dirac on multichannel for film could be cool
That was it .