miniDSP Flex HT - Review and Measurements

[rirelien]

Can this device be used as an 8-channels USB DAC in a 2.2 setup?
I want to run my convolutions in Roon's DSP engine.
I'm already using an OktoDac8Pro in this configuration in another room.

Yes. All 8 channels show up via USB and HDMI, though latter only via eARC so not useful on a PC by itself.

 

[mechkbfan]

Just found annoying issue for games. Was playing Cyberpunk, and the main character voices were really quiet

Looked it up, and because it's detected as a 7.1 setup and tries to push it to center speaker, which I don't have because I'm running it in a 2.1 setup

My naive answer is to configure it so center goes to both speakers

Anyone else had this experience / solved it differently?

 

[rirelien]

Just found annoying issue for games. Was playing Cyberpunk, and the main character voices were really quiet

Looked it up, and because it's detected as a 7.1 setup and tries to push it to center speaker, which I don't have because I'm running it in a 2.1 setup

My naive answer is to configure it so center goes to both speakers

Anyone else had this experience / solved it differently?

I have a 4.0 setup. I mostly use my unit via a HDMI, and I can set the eARC extractor to advertise 5.1 capability. I then mix the centre channel equally into left and right with -3db gain. Works well for me.

(The point about the 5.1 vs 7.1 is that there are fewer channels to fake/mix. Different techniques needed when connecting via USB.)

More controversially, I've been experimenting with mixing the .1 LFE channel into all 4 speakers. This is probably counterproductive, but I was worried that I was missing some bass parts for music, if the producers had for any reason decided to push all the bass to the LFE channel. Not sure how much of an issue this is though.

 

[diyhobby]

using flex Ht not HTx can Iuse 2actie speakersystems meaning I have 2 way Bookshelf active and another 3 way Active so I dont need to buy 2 different dsp units
My room is different where sometimes I sit in 2 dirrenet places so I want to use miniDSP remote and choose which configuration it needs to play

 

[90sNintendoKid]

I have a 4.0 setup. I mostly use my unit via a HDMI, and I can set the eARC extractor to advertise 5.1 capability. I then mix the centre channel equally into left and right with -3db gain. Works well for me.

(The point about the 5.1 vs 7.1 is that there are fewer channels to fake/mix. Different techniques needed when connecting via USB.)

More controversially, I've been experimenting with mixing the .1 LFE channel into all 4 speakers. This is probably counterproductive, but I was worried that I was missing some bass parts for music, if the producers had for any reason decided to push all the bass to the LFE channel. Not sure how much of an issue this is though.

I don't think this is unproductive. If I were using a Flex with LPCM 7.1 or 5.1 in 4.0 I'd do the same. I wouldn't expect my speakers to handle the .1 LFE well though and I guess it depends on the speakers.

 

[rirelien]

I don't think this is unproductive. If I were using a Flex with LPCM 7.1 or 5.1 in 4.0 I'd do the same. I wouldn't expect my speakers to handle the .1 LFE well though and I guess it depends on the speakers.

I've mixed it 4 ways into the 4.0s, with more to the fronts than the rears, since they are more bass capable; I set negative gain on each channel and overall the level is attenuated for sure.

I am limited in SPL because of living in an apartment but my speakers, with room gain, still have audible output down into the high 30s! Enough to get some, at least, of the effects in the LFE channel. But easy to bottom out the woofers so I've to be careful.

(I really need to do in-room measurements for that thread. The exercise of doing this well would be instructive.)

 

[jost96]

Hello from Germany,
I've got a FLEX HT. I wanted to use it for my active controlled 3way 5.1 setup.
So far so good. I got it with the DIRAC Full license.

Actual I used it on a TCL TV (No Multichannel) now I've got a Nvidia Shield. Here works nearly everything. It makes the stereo 5.1 Upmix which works good. I see the 6channels in the HDMI sector of the minidsp software. I use Tivimate for streaming. Here everything sounds good. Spotify also works. If I use Youtube I get a unlistenable sound. Permanent crackling.
Is here some way to fix this?
If I connect my laptop to hdmi and set 7.1 on it I also get every channel and a clear sound!
I tested it also with a apple TV. Here I got the same problem.