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Review and Measurements of miniDSP SHD DAC, DSP And Streamer
- Thread starter amirm
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What about the subs? external DAC with AES input will easily cost another 300$Living room setup: SHD Studio>AES>JBL 708P... done
I miss the HDMI input and a 5.2 channel version of SHD
If subs are needed I would recommend full SHD then. d/a conversion is transparent. More expensive too but all in 1 box.What about the subs? external DAC with AES input will easily cost another 300$
I miss the HDMI input and a 5.2 channel version of SHD
rvsixer
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Use the SPDIF out into a much cheaper SPDIF in DAC(s). Done.
No thanks to HDMI, most every other device that has it just ruins the DAC performance for music it seems.
SHD Studio + Grace Balanced DAC = 899 + 150.
SHD = 1200. $150 savings. Plus you have to use SPDIF to AES, which may be flaky. An adapter is maybe another $40 + cabling, up to $100 for an active adapter.
Laptop + Dirac Live Studio + USB to SPDIF = 300 + 349 + 20. But this takes more effort and may only do two channels.
SHD = 1200. $150 savings. Plus you have to use SPDIF to AES, which may be flaky. An adapter is maybe another $40 + cabling, up to $100 for an active adapter.
Laptop + Dirac Live Studio + USB to SPDIF = 300 + 349 + 20. But this takes more effort and may only do two channels.
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SHD Studio has coax out too. I’m using a Topping D30 for subs right now. Coax in RCA out to sub amp (older D-Sonic with ICEpower 500ASP). $100 give or take.
Soundstage
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Usb to SPDIF for 20 how?
rvsixer
Addicted to Fun and Learning
If you already have spdif or AES DAC(s), Studio is fine. No spdif to AES or vice versa adapters required.
If you don't have DAC's already, SHD is the bargain. No spdif to AES or vice versa adapters, or DAC(s), required.
In either case, NO AES adapters are required for spdif DAC(s), since both Studio -AND- SHD have SPDIF out already.
And in the case of the aforementioned Grace Balanced DAC, be aware it does need a mini-spdif adapter.
If you don't have DAC's already, SHD is the bargain. No spdif to AES or vice versa adapters, or DAC(s), required.
In either case, NO AES adapters are required for spdif DAC(s), since both Studio -AND- SHD have SPDIF out already.
And in the case of the aforementioned Grace Balanced DAC, be aware it does need a mini-spdif adapter.
I have heard at least one fellow who needed an adapter to get SPDIF out recognized by Dutch and Dutch speakers. 705p works fine straight, though.
rvsixer
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Both current offerings of the speakers mentioned are digital via AES only (no SPDIF) and are supported directly by Studio, no spdif adapter required (conversely if an SHD is chosen over the Studio for its analog outs, both of the speakers support XLR).
I still see no reason to include the cost of spdif->AES adapter(s) to any reasonably thought out out system configuration/hookup. Buy Studio to hookup anything natively spdif or AES, SHD for anything natively spdif or analog. What reasonable use case, beyond picking components incorrectly, did I miss?
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I read posts on the minidsp forum by a person who owns the SHD and the DnD speakers. They said they had to get an ohm adapter to get the system to work. I bought one, thinking i'd have to do the same with a 705p setup, but it turns out I wasted $35.
rvsixer
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Ah yes I recall that thread. Could have just used the balanced XLR output on the SHD to connect the speakers (or picked the Studio). No adapters needed.
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STUDIO51
Member
Here is SHD STUDIO
No idea but is worth noting this is "Ver 1.3 Apr 10, 2019" and Amir's original review date was August 2018. So something has changed in the design (for better or worse is anyone's guess).
I can comment on the design a bit. I review electronic schematics and layout for a living, not in the audio world mind you but good PCB design is good PCB design in many ways.
First, the PCB is larger and there is more on it than I would have expected. Obviously this is a huge DAC but I was expecting to see something like a raspberryPi and a DDRC24 in there with cabling to the connectors. The modular raspberryPi like board is there but clearly the meat of the SHD is much more than what goes into the substantially smaller DDRC24. Also look at all those caps!
Second, look at the SHD and SHD Studio layout around the XMOS and AKM chips; note it is extremely similar. Also note those cables which go from one part of the PCB to another part of the same PCB. That is abnormal and suggests the layout in this area was locked before they decided where to put the raspberryPi like device. It suggests they had a well tested, well performing layout and rather than rip it up to fit the extra signals they ran cables instead.
Speaking of the lack of HT Bypass mode - I'd love to see a SHD + with the following features added:
- Updated DAC performance
- HT Bypass
- 4 sub support
- Dual Mono Purifi or hypex based power amp
What a monster that would be...
- Updated DAC performance
- HT Bypass
- 4 sub support
- Dual Mono Purifi or hypex based power amp
What a monster that would be...
D
Deleted member 6802
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Dose anyone has experience with using the Minidsp SHD as an pre amp?
Yes, what is the question?
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