Minidsp SHD Review Updated (DSP, DAC & Streamer)

[Antônio Souza]

about a single subwoofer I understand, many subwoofers flatten the signal, yes yes, I understand. I understand that the Flex can output 2 and 4 as a mono signal, I don't know how to do this.

In the drawing you sent before, just checked all four buttons of the 3 and 4 outputs

 

[supersergios]

hehe, that's the first thing, the woman's permission. I appreciate your advice.

 

[supersergios]

Can I draw from the XLR (2 & 4) output, conventional RCA cable? with adapter? because I already have a 2x4 MiniDSp that I have the subwoofers adjusted

 

[supersergios]

In the drawing you sent before, just checked all four buttons of the 3 and 4 outputs

 

[mdsimon2]

Good morning, yes, I have also thought about the Flex model, I wonder if the quality will be the same as in this SHD or in the Flex it will be somewhat lower, I would not want to have the sssssssh sound in the tweeter.

Both you Boerd and Nick-v, have the SHD instead of the Flex, which one you recommend as better in sound quality and less noise (no tweeter noise if possible)? Thanks

The Flex is actually lower noise than the SHD. Amir measured a dynamic range of 116 dB for the SHD and 118 dB for the Flex (I believe both were measured at 4 V output).

You shouldn’t have any tweeter hiss with either unless you have a very high gain or noisy amplifier.

Michael

 

[Antônio Souza]

View attachment 188453

 

[Deleted member 4708]

Good morning, yes, I have also thought about the Flex model, I wonder if the quality will be the same as in this SHD or in the Flex it will be somewhat lower, I would not want to have the sssssssh sound in the tweeter.

Both you Boerd and Nick-v, have the SHD instead of the Flex, which one you recommend as better in sound quality and less noise (no tweeter noise if possible)? Thanks

The flex has been measured and it is slightly more accurate than the SHD: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/minidsp-flex.28660/

 

[supersergios]

Good!
Flex is the choice

Thanks!

 

[supersergios]

Antonio,
I don't understand your selection,
do you enter through “in 1” and exit through 1 - 2 and 3?

 

[nick-v]

For me the SHD was necessary because I use Roon for music in all my systems throughout the house.

The Flex looks tremendous if you don't need Roon.

 

[Antônio Souza]

Antonio,
I don't understand your selection,
do you enter through “in 1” and exit through 1 - 2 and 3?

In 1 goes to speaker 1
In 2 goes to speaker 2
In 1 goes to sub 3 and sub 4
In 2 goes to sub 3 and sub 4
So speakers reeceive R and L respectively
And the subs receive from R+L

 

[supersergios]

In 1 goes to speaker 1
In 2 goes to speaker 2
In 1 goes to sub 3 and sub 4
In 2 goes to sub 3 and sub 4
So speakers reeceive R and L respectively
And the subs receive from R+L

Understood, well the play like this is fine, thanks

 

[supersergios]

For me the SHD was necessary because I use Roon for music in all my systems throughout the house.

The Flex looks tremendous if you don't need Roon.

I use Roon, but I take it to my Dac Tooping D90SE from the PC via USB to the Dac.

So I will be able to continue using it, and I understand that my Dac is better than the internal MiniDSP itself.
I would use the Flex as a preamp and as a room equalizer

 

[Deleted member 4708]

For me the SHD was necessary because I use Roon for music in all my systems throughout the house.

The Flex looks tremendous if you don't need Roon.

I use the Volumio integration with Qobuz. Very good.

 

[Tokyo_John]

Funny story… recently moved house and set up my 2.1 using SHD with xover and ran Dirac Live calibration…something just didn’t sound right afterwards. It turns out I had my left/right channels routed backwards!

The reason is that the USB inputs in the SHD app routing panel are right channel on the left and left channel on the right. Obviously I should have checked this to be sure…recommend everyone else does it too.

 

[nick-v]

Funny story… recently moved house and set up my 2.1 using SHD with xover and ran Dirac Live calibration…something just didn’t sound right afterwards. It turns out I had my left/right channels routed backwards!

The reason is that the USB inputs in the SHD app routing panel are right channel on the left and left channel on the right. Obviously I should have checked this to be sure…recommend everyone else does it too.

I did the same thing a few weeks ago when I temporarily wired the front XLR outputs from my JBL SDP-55 to my JBL SDA-7120.

With unfamiliar music, you'd never notice but with familiar music I noticed something was up. When the proper length XLR's arrived, I corrected it when I wired the SDP-55 to the SDA-2200 that permanently powers my HDI-3800 Front L/R.

 

[seaninbrisbane]

I received my Minidsp SHD recently and wanted to provide some feedback regarding the ADC. The main reason I purchased the SHD was so that I could connect two tape decks - a Nargra IV-S and a Revox B77. Well, they've never sounded better, so I would guess that the analogue to digital conversion is very well implemented. I'm extremely happy to say the least. Next thing will be to play around with room measurements, but that's for another day!

 

[TomJ]

The flex has been measured and it is slightly more accurate than the SHD: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/minidsp-flex.28660/

The Flex has half the resolution of the SHD on its outputs when it runs Dirac. The SHD processes the signal at 96k with and without Dirac. The Flex operates at 96k running the miniDSP-2x4-HD plug-in without Dirac, or at 48k running the DDRC-24 plugin which applies the Dirac filter.

That's why the SHD multi-tone result looks as it does, because the test signal is at 192k and the SHD downsamples it to 96k.

 

[srslee]

I'm currently having some issues with the NAD M10 v2 which I'm using with pre-outs to an external amp. It's in use in the main family living room area for mixed usage with the TV. So I'm strongly considering getting the MiniDSP SHD, but ease of usability once everything is setup is fairly important. I'm planning on running optical out from the LG C1 to the MiniDSP to the power amp. I had a few concerns before purchasing.

- Will I be able to control the volume of the SHD with the LG remote? Looks like it is possible with the C1 and optical out, but wanted to make sure it would work with the SHD.
- Is the best way to set a max volume by adjusting the output in the plugin?
- The NAD unit had a trigger out, but sadly the SHD does not. I do have a Furman Elite-15 PFi power conditioner that has switched outlets with trigger in & trigger out. Any way I can make use of that?

 

[Kachda]

I'm currently having some issues with the NAD M10 v2 which I'm using with pre-outs to an external amp. It's in use in the main family living room area for mixed usage with the TV. So I'm strongly considering getting the MiniDSP SHD, but ease of usability once everything is setup is fairly important. I'm planning on running optical out from the LG C1 to the MiniDSP to the power amp. I had a few concerns before purchasing.

- Will I be able to control the volume of the SHD with the LG remote? Looks like it is possible with the C1 and optical out, but wanted to make sure it would work with the SHD.
- Is the best way to set a max volume by adjusting the output in the plugin?
- The NAD unit had a trigger out, but sadly the SHD does not. I do have a Furman Elite-15 PFi power conditioner that has switched outlets with trigger in & trigger out. Any way I can make use of that?

1. Since minidsp does not have earc, you can’t control volume like you can with the m10. However, You can program minidsp shd volume to the LG remote.
2. I would not boost volume in plugin, only use it for filters.
3. The latest minidsp switches off its usb host port when it’s switched off. So you can make a simple usb to 3.5mm mono trigger to use with your power amp