MiniDSP Flex HTx

[dmilller]

In my case it will totally suit my requirements.
I have a mixed HC/music 3.2 setup (used to be 5.2).
- For the stereo music route, I have a streamer feeding a minidsp Flex which feed an hyper power amp with front speakers and 2 active subs. Using a "music" preset on the Flex handling the crossover, routing and DRC ( Dirac).
For HC route, TV box (with bitstream decoding to PCM) connected to an AVR feeding the 2 active subs and the center channel. Front pre-outs feeding the minidsp Flex that still feeds the hypex power amp and front speakers. Using an "HC" preset without crossover not DRC as it is handled by Audissey in the AVR.

My AVR currently only serve an HDMI decoder, channel routing, and center channel amp.

Using the Flex HT, I can add a small monobloc for the center channel and remove the AVR.

The Flext HT will handle both HC et music routes using presets

It does look like a good match for you. But a 3.2 is unusual. It seems to me that an eight channel miniDSP handles a subset of AVR functionality.

I do a dual system too, but Audessy in the AVR manages a 7.2.4 system, and REW in Roon manages the 2.2 system. The preamp on the 2.2 system is the RME DAC.

Both Power Amps and Subs have dual inputs. I use a home automation system to be sure that the sub can't be fed both inputs simultaneously.

I would like to switch the 2.2 system to Dirac with base management. I will probably do that on the Roon server and not buy a separate miniDSP box.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Hah. I went to the extreme and actually checked the Mini DSP webpage.

Quote: „the flex HTx does not support bitstream eg Dolby, DTS decoding. The source must be able to output linear PCM (LPCM) for multichannel support via HDMI.“

I think that clarifies it. ;-)

 

[dmilller]

Hah. I went to the extreme and actually checked the Mini DSP webpage.

Quote: „the flex HTx does not support bitstream eg Dolby, DTS decoding. The source must be able to output linear PCM (LPCM) for multichannel support via HDMI.“

I think that clarifies it. ;-)

The problem with that situation, in my limited knowledge, is that I've seen both types presented to my AVR. Sometimes its decoding Atmos, sometimes it gets multichannel.

 

[Puddingbuks]

Where are the four subwoofer outputs?

 

[Music707]

What about DLBC or ART support!?

That would be great, but the most recent (already some months old) statement I could find sugests that just more patience is required without encouraging any hope:

 

[Danaxus]

Sounds like the HT (home theatre?), is a bit misleading. Based on my very limited understanding and the somewhat contradictory answers to my 3rd question, I get the impression that the only way to make this work is:

1. Have a digital source output to an AVR. The AVR is needed to handle the 3D audio decoding, Dolby Vision (if you use its HDMI outs), etc.
2. Use the AVR pre-outs to send the now separate channels to the MiniDSP Flex HT.
3. Send the miniDSP Flex HTx to either active speakers, some multichannel amp, or a stack of amps

Your AVR's amp can't be used (even for easy to drive stuff, like ceiling speakers and height speakers), which really sucks. I assume the tradeoff is you gain the ability to PEQ each channel individually, but you can't PEQ and use Dirac afaik. Regarding Dirac - I'm not sure if the MiniDSP Flex HT has some superior version of Dirac that you won't find in an AVR. The site says "full bandwidth Dirac Live", but you can buy a full bandwidth Dirac Live license for, say, your Denon x4800h.


Conclusion:
You need to spend a metric fuckton (2.3 imperial fucktons), on speaker amplification if you want to add this to your chain so you can PEQ your speakers individually. If you want Dirac, then a Denon AVR will give you that for much less money (and hassle, and cabinet space sacrificed), than the MiniDSP Flex HT. It will provide adequate amplification for all your speakers with the possible exception of your stereo front speakers [and maybe centre(s)?], but you probably want to pre-out those anyway. If the cheap AVR amplification isn't to your liking, then it's still cheaper buying ex. an NAD T 778 surround, rather than separate amps for Every. Single. Channel.

The only use case I envision, is if you want to listen to multichannel music (or do multichannel mixing), and want to PEQ each speaker individually, painstakingly iterating until everything works perfectly with your room, rather than Dirac the lot. But then again, for professionals there have to be better systems - maybe Genelec's? Or maybe you want to find out what 8 subs in a room sound like.

I really want to like this thing, but I'm struggling hard to find a real-world use case for it. If you just want to add bass management to your existing setup, MiniDSP already have the perfect product for you, and if you want a new setup, there are AVR's out there, with Dirac, and 4 bass pre-outs.

 

[Multicore]

I wish my Flex had an HDMI input.

 

[kevinh]

That would be great, but the most recent (already some months old) statement I could find sugests that just more patience is required without encouraging any hope:

View attachment 326085

It appears that the Flex HTx allows you to purchase the: Dirac Live v3.x Upgrade for Multichannel (8ch) Full range correction (20~20kHz)

 

[AaronJ]

 

[MCH]

What is the minidsp Flex HT and what it isn't?

The new Flex HT is an intriguing multichannel USB/HDMI processor that is raising quite few questions from our community members! We thought that we'd try to summarise what the Flex HT is and what it isn't. Let's start by what the Flex HT isn...

support.minidsp.com

 

[AaronJ]

I really want to like this thing, but I'm struggling hard to find a real-world use case for it. If you just want to add bass management to your existing setup, MiniDSP already have the perfect product for you, and if you want a new setup, there are AVR's out there, with Dirac, and 4 bass pre-outs.

My use-case would be for the additional pre-outs to go to a dedicated headphone amp. I use a MiniDSP Flex with only 4 analog outputs - 2 are used in the pre-out/main-in loop on my amplifier, and the other 2 feed the subwoofers. No good way to integrate a headphone amp into it without additional outputs. But with this I would not only get hdmi arc for HT use, but I can have PEQ profiles specific for headphone use. This could be a very serious upgrade for me.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Sounds like the HT (home theatre?), is a bit misleading. Based on my very limited understanding and the somewhat contradictory answers to my 3rd question, I get the impression that the only way to make this work is:

1. Have a digital source output to an AVR. The AVR is needed to handle the 3D audio decoding, Dolby Vision (if you use its HDMI outs), etc.
2. Use the AVR pre-outs to send the now separate channels to the MiniDSP Flex HT.
3. Send the miniDSP Flex HTx to either active speakers, some multichannel amp, or a stack of amps

Your AVR's amp can't be used (even for easy to drive stuff, like ceiling speakers and height speakers), which really sucks. I assume the tradeoff is you gain the ability to PEQ each channel individually, but you can't PEQ and use Dirac afaik. Regarding Dirac - I'm not sure if the MiniDSP Flex HT has some superior version of Dirac that you won't find in an AVR. The site says "full bandwidth Dirac Live", but you can buy a full bandwidth Dirac Live license for, say, your Denon x4800h.


Conclusion:
You need to spend a metric fuckton (2.3 imperial fucktons), on speaker amplification if you want to add this to your chain so you can PEQ your speakers individually. If you want Dirac, then a Denon AVR will give you that for much less money (and hassle, and cabinet space sacrificed), than the MiniDSP Flex HT. It will provide adequate amplification for all your speakers with the possible exception of your stereo front speakers [and maybe centre(s)?], but you probably want to pre-out those anyway. If the cheap AVR amplification isn't to your liking, then it's still cheaper buying ex. an NAD T 778 surround, rather than separate amps for Every. Single. Channel.

The only use case I envision, is if you want to listen to multichannel music (or do multichannel mixing), and want to PEQ each speaker individually, painstakingly iterating until everything works perfectly with your room, rather than Dirac the lot. But then again, for professionals there have to be better systems - maybe Genelec's? Or maybe you want to find out what 8 subs in a room sound like.

I really want to like this thing, but I'm struggling hard to find a real-world use case for it. If you just want to add bass management to your existing setup, MiniDSP already have the perfect product for you, and if you want a new setup, there are AVR's out there, with Dirac, and 4 bass pre-outs.

See below to the MiniDSP QandA.

My TV can decode Dolby, Atmos etc. some cable / sat boxes too. So you need to check if yours can be configured to decode and to put out Multichannel LPCM.

If not oh well … having a separate AVR as well isn’t certainly something which I would consider an elegant solution.

 

[Music707]

It appears that the Flex HTx allows you to purchase the: Dirac Live v3.x Upgrade for Multichannel (8ch) Full range correction (20~20kHz)

True that, but obviously @sweetchaos was aware of that (as well as I was) because he pointed at the more advanced DLBC and ART.

Nevertheless, thank you for the reply.

 

[vicenzo_del_paris]

DLBC is way superior to anything you can do on your own as it phase corrects the crossover region for multiple seats.

Sure! I was including it when I was saying:

And also more fined grained correction of multiple subs for HC on broader listening area locations.

Currently I am using Dirac only for stereo and I am very satisfied with manual XO configuration and Dirac full range correction for a given location.
For sure, in the context of HC with a larger listening area, it is more complex

 

[vicenzo_del_paris]

It does look like a good match for you. But a 3.2 is unusual. It seems to me that an eight channel miniDSP handles a subset of AVR functionality.

I do a dual system too, but Audessy in the AVR manages a 7.2.4 system, and REW in Roon manages the 2.2 system. The preamp on the 2.2 system is the RME DAC.

Both Power Amps and Subs have dual inputs. I use a home automation system to be sure that the sub can't be fed both inputs simultaneously.

I would like to switch the 2.2 system to Dirac with base management. I will probably do that on the Roon server and not buy a separate miniDSP box.

Currently and unfortunately it is 3.2.
Will soon be back to 5.2.
Not every HC installation target 5.x.y +.
While many people are chasing the maximum number channels, other ones are happy with a basic 5.1 or 5.2

 

[Left]

Does this put a nail in the coffin where the MiniDSP SHD languishes? Even if they release it with a version of Volumio 3, it will be short at least 2 MB and possibly 3MB, making updates difficult. On the other hand, with the HTX you sacrifice 96KHz processing and digital out. And there is still no easy way of feeding it multichannel LPCM except via Apple TV, physical media or kind of Kodi.

Not sure. Like others I was looking for an AVR replacement.

 

[dmilller]

AVRs are a good value if the V portion is used extensively. Huge range of prices and features too.

SHD is higher spec than the less expensive miniDSP models.

 

[dweeeeb2]

Thanks. Fair enough. Let’s wait and see.

Today my TV sends the encoded multichannel signal to my AVR which decodes it. However that can possibly be changed in the TV setup so the HTx receives already decoded signals for each channel. Again no need to speculate, let’s see and I appreciate you keeping us posted.

Do you know if your AVR can receive MultiChannel PCM? You could poke around in the AVR and set it to MC PCM, then see if your tv recognises it. I think eARC (not just ARC) is required for MC PCM, so need to check your tv is eARC compliant (i haven’t played with cinema audio for years, so a bit rusty)

 

[IamJF]

Looks like a great unit! Hope this time the tech data is real!
They still have 128dB S/N on their homepage for the Flex Eight and Flex HT unit - which is for sure a fantasy number. But SINAD is 9dB better with this unit, SNR could be realistic when they where able to do a state of the art DAC design. This number guessing is always a pain with MiniDSP ... hope we see a test here soon!

I'm still looking for a combination which is able to be better as a Hypex Plate amp ...

p.s.: Why must there be 300R output resistance? Just for protecting the output 50-100R should be enough?

 

[juliangst]

Look like a good 8x8 DSP but I don’t really see the point of getting this over the normal Flex HT for home theatre use (unless you want to connect a turntable or just want balanced outs)