Multichannel System - Brainstorming

[Kal Rubinson]

How? Could you please explain your setup?

Use Merging's ASIO Driver (MAD) on the JRMC/PC to send the channels via Ravenna/AES67 (LAN) to the Hapi. I have 2 8channel D/A cards in the Hapi. More than 16 channels is possible if you can use the 8 channels of AES/EBU and 4 channels of S/PDIF outs.

 

[pablitho]

? Use Merging's ASIO Driver (MAD) on the JRMC/PC to send the channels via Ravenna/AES67 (LAN) to the Hapi. More than 16 is possible if you can use the 8 channels of AES/EBU and 4 channels of S/PDIF outs.

So you are using MAD to be able to convoy your channel through ravenna... In the case of a different protocol, there are particular driver to use? On the HTPC?

 

[pablitho]

Motu make multiple such devices, ferrofish is another option, expanding via adat is also easily done. Channel count really isn't a practical problem here.

In a system like that 7.6 or 7.8, how you'll manage the BEQ filters?
Which device could be used to send the filters to all the subs?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

So you are using MAD to be able to convoy your channel through ravenna... In the case of a different protocol, there are particular driver to use? On the HTPC?

What different protocol? The system handles PCM and DSD. MAD is for Windows and VAD works for Mac.

 

[pablitho]

What different protocol? The system handles PCM and DSD. MAD is for Windows and VAD works for Mac.

I mean instead of Dante protocol, let's say I need to use a motu or a ferrofish... Which is the configuration I should follow on windows to let the HTPC work with that specific DAC?

 

[3ll3d00d]

And in that case the HTPC will be connected through usb to this DAC?

Yes

What are the difficulties of this?

Nothing I know of in general, it's just another asio device.

Which device could be used to send the filters to all the subs?

Jriver

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I mean instead of Dante protocol, let's say I need to use a motu or a ferrofish...

I know nothing of Motu or Ferrofish but I was talking about Ravenna, not Dante.

Which is the configuration I should follow on windows to let the HTPC work with that specific DAC?

Ravenna?

 

[jhaider]

If you wire your subs so that each will have its own dedicated channel (out of those 8 that I mentioned above) then DLBC will not optimize them as a single sub but will 'see' them one by one

Huh?

Optimizing multisubs as a system and the mains/subs crossover are the whole point of DLBC.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

No you don't necessarily need more than 8 channels
Hence I said that virtually any speaker layout is possible up to 8 channels (=you can have multiple subs)

Yes. My basic layout is 5.3 over 8 channels.

 

[dualazmak]

Thank you to all that wants to partecipate at this kind sorta of brainstorming, the purpose is to discuss, learn and apply.

We have this thread entitled "How many people want a 12-channel or 16-channel DAC? And a 7-channel or 12/16-channel power amplifier?".

For up to 8-Ch using OKTO DAC8PRO, my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP driver multi-amplifier fully active audio project would be of your interest and reference, I assume. The latest system setup in my project can be found here.

You can find the Hyperlink Index for my project thread here, and here.

 

[pablitho]

Ravenna?

Yes, let's say, i want to use Ravenna...what i should do in Windows?

 

[voodooless]

Yes, let's say, i want to use Ravenna...what i should do in Windows?

Install the driver…

Merging Technologies | Support | Current Downloads

Merging Technologies repository of current software and documentation.

www.merging.com

 

[pablitho]

Motu make multiple such devices, ferrofish is another option, expanding via adat is also easily done. Channel count really isn't a practical problem here.

Which practical problem did you think , someone, could find following this path?

 

[pablitho]

Another approach to consider: Connect one subwoofer output channel (from the PC) to the analog input of a MiniDSP Flex driving 4 or 8 subwoofers. Optimize all sub channels using MSO. Then, optionally use Dirac live or any another preferred approach) to perform room correction.

In this case i should take the lfe channel outpout from a DAC , let's say the TOPPING DM7 (because at this point 8 channel would be enough) and enter into the analog input of the miniDSP Flex?
So i'll use only 1 channel for LFE , the Flex will take care of the 4,6 or 8 sub's....and i'll still have 7 channel remaining on the topping?

So using MSO you are doing (almost manually) what DLBC is doing automatically?

 

[Keith_W]

Install the driver…

Merging Technologies | Support | Current Downloads

Merging Technologies repository of current software and documentation.

www.merging.com

To expand on this answer, Ravenna is an ASIO driver for Windows, and Windows can not directly output sound to ASIO devices. You will need playback software capable of sending audio to ASIO. Fortunately, nearly all playback software on Windows supports ASIO output.

However, this also means that you can not send sound from a web browser to your system (for example, if you want to watch a Youtube video). In this case, you will need software that converts WDM to ASIO. JRiver can do it.

I have only skimmed this thread and do not know if anybody has mentioned latency. Latency is not a problem with music, but it is a problem with video because it causes lip sync issues. I have something like 1 second (!!!) latency on my system, which means you see the explosion and hear it a short while later. This can be circumvented by not using FIR filters and sacrificing some time alignment and sound quality, but I have not bothered because I hardly use my system for watching TV. There are people on ASR who are much better at developing low latency filters than me, so I will defer to them.

 

[dualazmak]

However, this also means that you can not send sound from a web browser to your system (for example, if you want to watch a Youtube video). In this case, you will need software that converts WDM to ASIO. JRiver can do it.

If you/we use ASIO4ALL as virtual audio device + ASIO management center together with VB Audio HiFi cable (and/or VB Audio Virtual Cable), I believe, we can feed digital audio signals from browsers to ASIO4ALL by using Windows WASAPI exclusive routing, like I shared here in this diagram; I tested and successfully implemented this audio path from web browsers into ASIO4ALL then into DSP EKIO for XO/EQ/Delay processing. In this way DSP EKIO can be the system-wide one-stop DSP center for any of the audio(-visual) player software/modules (ref. here).

 

[dualazmak]

In November 2023, I intensively tested and decided to utilize VB-AUDIO MATRIX as system-wide ASIO/VASIO/VAIO routing center which has fully replaced ASIO4ALL I have been using until then.

VB-AUDIO MATRIX serves as system-wide ASIO/VASIO/VAIO routing center for all the software audio players including JRiver MC, Roon, Web-browsers, etc.

You would please find the latest (as of June 26, 2024) total setup of my PC-DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier audio system on my project thread including the details of VB-AUDIO MATRIX configuration;
The latest system setup of my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio rig, including updated startup/ignition sequences and shutdown sequences: as of June 26, 2024: #931

 

[Oddball]

I think it was noted before - buy Atmos AVR with Dirac DLBC. You can connect your PC audio to it via HDMI, and hopefully via separate HDMI can connect video to your display. If your display has eARC, could potentially send both video and audio to display and then AVR will pick up audio via eARC. Doing a big project nowadays that is not capable of Atmos is IMO not really worth it. Denon 3800H has 11 ch processing (9 amps though) and 4 sub outputs for approximately $1k - lots of value for the buck, but DLBC is extra $700 or so. Also can play with Audyssey and for $200 more can get Audy software that will be able to load your REW filters for fine-tuning.

Double bass array is a great idea for 4 or more subs and can manage that with 2 sub outputs. 4 even better (e.g. array of 4, 2 in center 1 output, 2 on sides another one, x2 for front and back array).

I would also spend more time thinking about speakers as that will be the biggest factor (in addition to room) in how it all sounds.