Looking for external EQ/DSP solution for 2.1 or potentially 2ch system

[Keith_W]

I have no idea what a convolver is

A convolver takes your music signal and modifies it as per instructions from your filter. Convolvers can be used as crossovers. It takes an incoming music signal, makes a copy of it, and applies a high pass filter to one copy, a low pass filter to the other copy, then out it goes into the DAC. Convolvers can have all sorts of other features, e.g. some can host VST's, some have an ISO226 volume control, some apply additional processing ... but IMHO the most important feature is A-B switching.

MiniDSP has a built-in convolver. Other convolvers exist as software programs you run on your PC. Some others are built in to music players, e.g. JRiver and Roon have built-in convolvers. How you want to do your convolution is a matter of philosophy. For me personally, I value modularity and flexibility so I like being able to choose my own convolver. Others value simplicity and robustness. A convolver on a PC may break from a bad update, whereas a MiniDSP is far less likely to break.

 

[ziggurcat]

I have used a couple MiniDsp & Dirac products. For 2.0 ch the Minidsp DDRC-22D. 2.1ch it took some extra time with setup but using it strictly for 2ch was just taking some measurements, set it & forget it.

It is strictly digital input & output. At the time I wanted a Dirac product that would add the least amount of noise. I ran my TV & a streamer into the DSP then to a Dac with volume control..or preamp with digital inputs of course.

It's all about how well you take your measurements & how you set your frequency response on Dirac. Avoid boosting frequency's more than a couple db's.

With all that said I'm not even using Dirac anymore. I can get away with a few tabs of PEQ from my dac these days.

I'm pretty alright with regards to taking measurements, and I typically only cut peaks. I started using REW a bunch of years ago, at first was mainly for some rudimentary verifications of trim levels, and time alignment, then evolved into employing the sub distance tweak technique, and more hands-on using some of OCA's calibration techniques.

A convolver takes your music signal and modifies it as per instructions from your filter. Convolvers can be used as crossovers. It takes an incoming music signal, makes a copy of it, and applies a high pass filter to one copy, a low pass filter to the other copy, then out it goes into the DAC. Convolvers can have all sorts of other features, e.g. some can host VST's, some have an ISO226 volume control, some apply additional processing ... but IMHO the most important feature is A-B switching.

MiniDSP has a built-in convolver. Other convolvers exist as software programs you run on your PC. Some others are built in to music players, e.g. JRiver and Roon have built-in convolvers. How you want to do your convolution is a matter of philosophy. For me personally, I value modularity and flexibility so I like being able to choose my own convolver. Others value simplicity and robustness. A convolver on a PC may break from a bad update, whereas a MiniDSP is far less likely to break.

For that kind of thing, I would probably prefer to have it all done/figured out for me. Having a separate preamp, amp/headphone amp and/or DAC is probably about as modular as I think I'd like to go.

 

[ziggurcat]

So I went ahead, and got the Flex.

With any luck, I will have it by the end of the week/early next week. I'm excited to try it out!

I should also add:

Thank you all for your invaluable input on this. It really cleared up a lot of questions I had in my Swiss cheese brain. The only thing to figure out is how to get my power amp to turn on when the Flex powers on, but that's something I'm sure I can research.

 

[ziggurcat]

I just realized something this morning:

If I am to take measurements in REW, I can't connect my computer to the Flex via HDMI. My recollection is that if it's not connected via HDMI then I can't take a measurement of my subwoofer since only the Left and Right channels are available if connected via USB.

How would I be able to measure my subwoofer in this case? Using Mac Mini M1 2020.