Great review, I enjoyed reading it.
I'm planning my next home theater setup. I have been doing some research and I think this specific statement isn't actually true.
Essentially, the DDRC-88A with the
DDRC-88BM software plugin offers not only Dirac but a
multi-subwoofer bass control solution (Multi-Sub Optimizer/MSO), which gives it an advantage over a good AVR with Dirac alone. The next cheapest AVR with multi-sub capability (namely,
Dirac Live Bass Control) is the Monoprice Monolith HTP-1 - with DLBC, it will run you $4500.
And a
huge advantage of the DDRC-88A is that when your AVR ages to the point it doesn't support modern video formats (HDMI 2.1, anyone?), you can just get the cheapest AVR with pre-outs that does! This means no shelling out for another $4500 'premium' Dirac/DLBC AVR every time the HDMI spec is overhauled! I didn't see this benefit highlighted in the review either, but perhaps it is obvious - I am new to the home theater world.
So today, if you're entering the HT world and want a Dirac solution, the Dirac 'performance hierarchy' something like this:
- ~$500: AVRs without Dirac (i.e. Audessey or other solutions)
- ~$900: AVRs with Dirac but without multi-sub bass control (i.e. the upcoming Onkyo/Pioneer HDMI 2.1 AVRs)
- ~$2100: DDRC-88A ($1000) + DDRC-88BM ($100) + a good power amp (i.e. the ASR-recommended Emotiva A-500, $500, x2 for >5 passive channels) + a cheap AVR with pre-outs ($500)
- ~$5000: Monoprice Monolith HTP-1 ($4000, ASR review) + Dirac Live Bass Control ($500) + 5-channel power amp ($500)
The third solution almost definitely is the most flexible and cheapest in the long run:
- Because you've centralized the 'expensive' part (Dirac w/ bass control), the running upgrade cost becomes $500 for a new AVR as opposed to $4500. It also gets you a power amp, which is nice.
- Unlike the second or fourth solution, you don't have to re-calibrate Dirac every time you get a new AVR.
Now, the question is whether Dirac Live Bass Control actually is the extra $4k over the 2x4 MSO or $3k over the DDRC-88A+DDRC-88BM setup? And I think the answer is 'no' - if you
look through AVSForum, you'll see tons of people actually using their MiniDSP 2x4 for bass control on their $4000 HTP-1s instead of Dirac Live Bass Control. In fact,
one member's measurements show
no improvement of DLBC (red) over the miniDSP MSO/multi-subwoofer (blue) solution for multiple listening positions:
View attachment 132652
So the extra $2500-3500 initial cost of the HTP-1, alongside the much higher rolling cost ($4500 vs $500), just seems to buys you an easier calibration experience (minutes instead of hours). Which, hey, might be worth it to some!
Anyways, I hope this proves informative to anyone looking into a new home theater setup. To me, at least, this highlights that for most enthusiasts, the MiniDSP 2x4 HD w/ MSO or the DDRC-88A+DDRC-88BM routes are probably more sensible in a world of overpriced Dirac AVRs that measure terribly. Let's be honest, the main reason people are shelling out $4500+ for many of these AVRs is just Dirac/DLBC. Otherwise, they often measure worse than AVRs a fourth of the price, and it seems like miniDSP has provided a much more cost-effective alternative that has flown under most people's radars.
P.S., some interesting things I didn't see covered:
- Like most receivers, the DDRC-88A has bass management capability
- It is apparently possible to use two DDRC-88A units if you need multiple channels (i.e. Atmos), according to this guide by AVSForum member kbarnes701.
- According to MiniDSP, you only need one channel for multiple subs, which means you can do, say, a 7.4 setup with only one DDRC-88A