I am looking into a Flex or SHD Studio for my system and I am considering it as a DIRAC platform/input switcher with a secondary DSP (CamillaDSP on an Rpi) for the actual crossover work. My questions are:
Does it work (well enough) to use DIRAC on one system and another for the PEQ, FIR filters, Xover, etc.? Or is it too much of a faff in actual use? I am thinking about this signal path:
Flex as source > DIRAC applied > AES/EBU out > in Okto Dac8Pro > out over USB to CamillaDSP RPi > in over USB back to Okto > Okto analog out to amps
I did this exact setup with a SHD Studio and an Okto for a while. Eventually I stopped using Dirac as I didn't find it was necessary with CamillaDSP. IMO it is a good setup if you are starting from a documented active design (like the Linkwitz designs) and want add Dirac to it.
I believe, but please get it confirmed by someone else, that you can do it a bit simpler with the same devices:
Flex with Dirac as source > USB > rpi with camilladsp > USB > DAC
I am doing something similar with a minidsp 2x4 hd, but I think it works the same with the flex
There are pros and cons for using AES vs USB from the Flex.
AES avoid resampling and rate adjust as the Okto will be clocked via the AES input. Downside to this is you can only run the Okto at the sample rate of the Flex (48 kHz for Dirac, 96 kHz for no Dirac)
USB requires asynchronous resampling and rate adjust to bridge the clock domains but you can run the Okto at any sample rate you want (input data will still be 48/96 kHz). The big disadvantage here is you lose the USB input of the Flex because it is tied up by the RPi.
Overall I think AES is the better way to go but YMMV.
Michael
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