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Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)

Rate this product:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 4 0.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 16 2.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 117 20.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 431 75.9%

  • Total voters
    568

HoJ76

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I got it now somehow...
PSX_20221201_205518.jpg
 

RosalieTheDog

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I moved from the DDRC-24 to the Flex, mainly because it became important for me to have the display of what was going on. I wasn't expecting it to sound much better - but it does. But I think that's mainly because I set it up better. :)

No, unfortunately you can't transfer the Dirac license.
Hey, speaking of the display. Can it be dimmed? And how is the remote? Is it responsive?
 

antcollinet

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Hey, speaking of the display. Can it be dimmed? And how is the remote? Is it responsive?
The display turns off after a few seconds.

Remote is pretty responsive. The device takes a few seconds to switch DSP presets, though that isn't anything you need to do regularly.
 

HoJ76

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I hear clicking noises when I turn standby on and off on the Flex, anyone else having that "problem"?
 

antcollinet

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I hear clicking noises when I turn standby on and off on the Flex, anyone else having that "problem"?
The music fades in / out quite nicely for me. When I turn on the flex (bring it out of standby) there is an almost inaudible click/pop just before the music fades up. I hadn't even noticed it until I listened for it after your post.
 

HoJ76

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Yes, it's not loud at all, but it's there. One more question... Is the display allways on? Is it not Oled...?
 

FlyingFreak

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Hi there, minidsp flex owners.

I am building a new hifi system (2.0 to start, planning on adding a sub beginning of next year) and while I am convinced by the utility of using room eq, I still feel somewhat confused with the market offerings.

I am wondering why you minidsp flex owners have chosen to go with this device and one or several amps instead of an AVR?

AVR would allowed for a central channel if we ever wanted that, does good enough job with dac and amp part and some have Dirac live too.
Yet as I am studying this more, I see some folks deciding to plug a minidsp to their AVR which is further confusing me.
I read that minidsp flex is great for sub integration and also that minidsp version of Dirac live doesnt include sub integration, yet it seems people with subs do use Dirac live with their flex?

Anyone with the time and patience to let me in on what I am missing?
Much appreciated!
 

antcollinet

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The built in EQ (other than DIRAC) of AVR's is of questionable utility - certainly with little to no capability to control what it is doing. AVRs with Dirac are at the pricey end. I already own an amp, so the flex is a cost effective solution.

Though Dirac Bass management is not available in the flex, it is possible to integrate a sub using REW measurements and normal crossovers and filters, then run Dirac on the complete 2.1 or 2.2 system, as though each channel was a single speaker.
 

mike70

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...and ... internal DAC and power amplifiers in the cheap / middle tier AVRs are also with questionable quality.

AVR is like a duck, of course it can fly, walk and swim ... But anything really good about every specific task.

You need to invest hard in an AVR to get a very good performance in one box. For many people... doesn't worth it.
 

mglobe

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The built in EQ (other than DIRAC) of AVR's is of questionable utility - certainly with little to no capability to control what it is doing. AVRs with Dirac are at the pricey end. I already own an amp, so the flex is a cost effective solution.

Though Dirac Bass management is not available in the flex, it is possible to integrate a sub using REW measurements and normal crossovers and filters, then run Dirac on the complete 2.1 or 2.2 system, as though each channel was a single speaker.
Just to be explicit about using crossovers, the Flex has them built in, so you can select your crossover frequency and slope (for lack of the correct words). Once that’s done, if you have a pair of subs, one left and right, Dirac treats each speaker/sub pair as one speaker, and takes care of the rest. It’s not hard to figure out how to do it, and the results, to my ears and those of other enthusiasts who have heard my system are pretty much seamless. If you didn’t see the two subs I have, you would think the sound is all coming from my R3’s. Those are my friends words, not mine. And I’ll add that I really didn’t know wtf I was doing. I just followed a path that seemed logical.
 

anotherhobby

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I am wondering why you minidsp flex owners have chosen to go with this device and one or several amps instead of an AVR?
There are many reasons, but I'll share one of mine with you. I have a small 2 channel system on my desk. Using the miniDSP Flex allowed for an incredibly compact and purpose driven system that puts out dramatically less heat and consumes far less power than a multi-channel AVR. It has Dirac Live room correction, handles crossovers between mains and subs, and controls both subs independently. It fits my situation perfectly. The whole setup is just 8" wide by 8" deep and 6" tall.

IMG_1991.jpeg
 
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FlyingFreak

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I’ll add that I really didn’t know wtf I was doing. I just followed a path that seemed logical.
This is reassuring!


Thank you all! I am convinced that this would be the best thing for me. Seems way more fun to play with (being honest with myself that really is the main criteria...), it is smaller, on paper better so I will never ask myself during a sleepless night if I am missing any sort of purity of sound, and it is actually the 'budget' option in my case (really wanting Dirac live).
 

Marc v E

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Although I will go for a minidsp flex and love a good measuring device, my experience with AVRs has been different.

I don't own one, but was at a friend's house to check our his system. A marantz avr, 2 Elac debut dbr-62, a subwoofer and 2 back speakers. Playing stereo sounded pretty good; applying eq, playing 5.1 where the back speakers were mirroring the fronts, it sounded amazingly good. Controlled, powerful, room filling sound. And very good tonality imo.

The only thing that seperates my system from his is a slightly more detailed sound and probably the imaging. But where a realistic sound is concerned you can get very far with an avr ime.
And as a room filling sound, ie with multiple people around, it is better imo.
 
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spartan922

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I have received my Flex and I am absolutely loving it. However, running my record player to the balanced analog input results in a very high noise floor (via phono to TS cables). I realize that running an unbalanced signal into the balanced Flex would result in approx 15db drop in SINAD, but this sounds like a much more significant drop. Any ideas as to what else could be contributing to this hiss?
 

voodooless

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I have received my Flex and I am absolutely loving it. However, running my record player to the balanced analog input results in a very high noise floor (via phono to TS cables). I realize that running an unbalanced signal into the balanced Flex would result in approx 15db drop in SINAD, but this sounds like a much more significant drop. Any ideas as to what else could be contributing to this hiss?
Does the record player have a photo pre-amp? If not, you’ll need one.
 

spartan922

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Does the record player have a photo pre-amp? If not, you’ll need one.
Sorry, yes I should’ve clarified that. I have a phono preamp and it is grounded to the record player. Before switching to the flex there was zero hiss.
 

antcollinet

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Sorry, yes I should’ve clarified that. I have a phono preamp and it is grounded to the record player. Before switching to the flex there was zero hiss.
I'm running phono preamp into mine. I get zero noise at my "normal" listening level. If I turn up the amp to a "loud" level with nothing playing there is some audible noise - mainly hum. This is inaudible with the music playing. This is coming from the preamp (It goes away if I remove power from the preamp). Don't do what I just did, and put power back onto the preamp while the amp volume is maxed. :eek:
 

MCH

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Sorry, yes I should’ve clarified that. I have a phono preamp and it is grounded to the record player. Before switching to the flex there was zero hiss.
Ground loop maybe? The noise is normally different. Hiss is like the old cassette tapes, ground loop is more like hmmmmm
 
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