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Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)

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  • 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

TheBatsEar

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Something like this without the volume control would be tempting.
The volume control is optional. You can just leave it at 0db.
 

peanuts

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i wonder how the unbalanced version would measure compared to using the adapter...
 

Ultrasonic

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Something like this without the volume control would be tempting.
It's a digital volume control so you can easily leave it at a fixed value but the 0 dB suggestion above may be too high if filter boosts are applied as this could cause digital clipping.

The cheaper 2x4 HD and DDRC-24 models don't have a volume control knob if that was part of the issue, but they still have a digital volume control the same as the Flex.
 

TheBatsEar

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It's a digital volume control so you can easily leave it at a fixed value but the 0 dB suggestion above may be too high if filter boosts are applied as this could cause digital clipping.
I believe the knobs 0dB means, this is the analog part at full tilt. Otherwise people would complain left and right that their gear has digital clipping or worse gets damaged.
 

Ultrasonic

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I believe the knobs 0dB means, this is the analog part at full tilt. Otherwise people would complain left and right that their gear has digital clipping or worse gets damaged.
There is no 'analogue part' - it's a purely digital volume control. People do complain of digital clipping being an issue on other miniDSPs if the volume is left at 0 dB. I bet the Flex manual includes a warning about this.
 

Ultrasonic

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Sluraad

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I just checked and it does - at the bottom of page 76.
Which manual? I've not heard of this before, I'm pretty sure my 2x4HD came at 0db master volume in the top right and I've never touched it.
 

kukocz

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If you're not using DL then 0dB is not an issue.
Dirac Live perform correction with +10db of gain, therefore you need to keep DDRC-24 at -10dB to be sure it won't clip (there is no separate option for that). Personally, I decreased input levels for -10dB than I'm safe even with 0dB with Master Volume.

DDRC-22D has separate option for that (page 15 and 22 of userguide)

1649747940365.png


and page 22 of userguide:

1649747877009.png


When it comes to DDRC-24 it's not said directly in userguide. You can find that info in Dirac Live User manual (page 51):

1649748294994.png
 
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Ultrasonic

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Which manual? I've not heard of this before, I'm pretty sure my 2x4HD came at 0db master volume in the top right and I've never touched it.
This thread is about the Flex so I was referring to its manual, and specifically in the context of Dirac Live. You can get digital clipping with a 2x4 HD as well though, it just comes down to the input signals and filters used. There is no automatic headroom introduced by miniDSPs, which is good from the perspective of giving users full control but requires users to factor this in for themselves.
 

Rafaille

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This thread is about the Flex so I was referring to its manual, and specifically in the context of Dirac Live. You can get digital clipping with a 2x4 HD as well though, it just comes down to the input signals and filters used. There is no automatic headroom introduced by miniDSPs, which is good from the perspective of giving users full control but requires users to factor this in for themselves.
I imagine it would still be useful as a user friendly option, named something like 'anti-clipping safety' and enabled by default but that knowledgeable users could easily deactivate.
 

RHO

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When considering the Flex digital, I assume only the measurements on the analog input are of concern?
 

Rafaille

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When considering the Flex digital, I assume only the measurements on the analog input are of concern?
Not really as you would be outputting digital signal so there is no DA conversion involved.
If you used analog input then I would assume the ADC specs are the same as the analog version. If you used digital input it is essentially acting as an all digital DSP unit, in that case I am sure you can trust the specs given on minidsp website.
 

RHO

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Not really as you would be outputting digital signal so there is no DA conversion involved.
If you used analog input then I would assume the ADC specs are the same as the analog version. If you used digital input it is essentially acting as an all digital DSP unit, in that case I am sure you can trust the specs given on minidsp website.
Right, the measurements on the analog input also involve conversion from digital to analog again, which I don't have on the Flex digital. So if I use DACs that have even better performance than the ones on the Flex with analog outputs I should get even better results overall. (when using the ADC input on the Flex digital) I now have a Topping DX3 pro, but planning on upgrading to E50, for balanced connections to the amp.
When using digital inputs there's not much to worry about. Maybe jitter or latency (differences between channels?)?
 

Rafaille

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Right, the measurements on the analog input also involve conversion from digital to analog again, which I don't have on the Flex digital. So if I use DACs that have even better performance than the ones on the Flex with analog outputs I should get even better results overall. (when using the ADC input on the Flex digital) I now have a Topping DX3 pro, but planning on upgrading to E50, for balanced connections to the amp.
When using digital inputs there's not much to worry about. Maybe jitter or latency (differences between channels?)?
In theory yes you could get better results with a well performing external dac, although not sure this will be audible. But if you already own 2 dacs it makes perfect sense to go for the digital version, especially if you need both single ended and balanced outputs, something you cannot get from the analog versions.
Another reason to go for digital would be added functionality such as headphone amp integrated in one of your dacs.
Any jitter is usually well prevented by modern dacs. You might have some delay between your 2 dacs but it is easily corrected thanks to the flex dsp capabilities.

Overall the digital flex offers more flexibility and different use cases. However, if you do not already own at least one good dac, then the analog version is definitely the better value option.
 

RHO

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In theory yes you could get better results with a well performing external dac, although not sure this will be audible. But if you already own 2 dacs it makes perfect sense to go for the digital version, especially if you need both single ended and balanced outputs, something you cannot get from the analog versions.
Another reason to go for digital would be added functionality such as headphone amp integrated in one of your dacs.
Any jitter is usually well prevented by modern dacs. You might have some delay between your 2 dacs but it is easily corrected thanks to the flex dsp capabilities.

Overall the digital flex offers more flexibility and different use cases. However, if you do not already own at least one good dac, then the analog version is definitely the better value option.
My sub-amp has a digital input (Hypex plate amp) and I have the DX3 pro to convert to analog for the speaker amp. So no real need for analog outputs on the Flex in my case.
If I would swap the DX3 pro for a E50 that would indeed be for balanced output to the speakers and SE to a headphone amp (Topping A50s).
 
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vkhong

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I think I am going to get the miniDSP Flex to replace my 2-channel audio system comprising of a Topping DAC and a Carver C-1 pre-amp which I use for line-level pass-through for dual subs.

Main source: MacBook Pro USB (Amazon/Apple Music at 24/192)
miniDSP Flex for input selection: MacBook Pro USB, Redbook CD S/PDIF, smartphone BT LDAC
miniDSP Flex for volume control
miniDSP Flex for output processing: crossover at 80 Hz, high-pass to McIntosh MC 2105 / Klipsch La Scala; low-pass to a pair of powered subwoofers
REW for room calibration
PXL_20220414_213100672.jpeg
 
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NailOnHead

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The website still shows out of stock, but my order from 1st of March just shipped. So keep an eye on stock, they might be there soon :)
 

Blimcheck

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I have Hypex nc250, I watt use it like preamp, music via Bt, so wich one I can get, unbalanced or balanced?
 

RHO

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I have Hypex nc250, I watt use it like preamp, music via Bt, so wich one I can get, unbalanced or balanced?
That depends on your amplifier. There's NC250s built with SE inputs and some have balanced inputs. Which specific model NC250 do you have?
 
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