Room EQ and subwoofer management hardware: Anti-Mode X2 by DSPEAKER

[EddNog]

Indeed. The DSPeaker site mentions that the X2D has both a digital output for the main speakers and an analogue output for subs. Compared to the similar WiiM Ultra it has fewer inputs and lacks an inbuilt streamer, but has more advanced room equalization and subwoofer integration.

My intention is to connect the WiiM to the Anti-mode X2D via USB and use the Anti-Mode X2D for room correction and bass management instead of the WiiM’s (the WiiM would continue to act as streamer and preamp since I rely on it for streaming and for ARC input from my Apple TV 4K via the TV). I have a separate DAC I am already using for my speakers hooked up to the WiiM via coax that I would instead hook up to the Anti-Mode X2D’s digital out and I would eliminate the Anti-Mode 8033 and connect the sub directly to the sub out of the Anti-Mode X2D and let it handle bass management as well as room correction.

-Ed

 

[Paffi]

Does X2D also work in 2.1? I know the regular, analog X2 does, but I am interested in the X2D model to use a separate DAC, but I want the subwoofer integration too.

Also, assuming X2D works in 2.1 mode, would I still need the Ant-Mode 8033 Cinema model that I already own, or would be able to sell that and just use the Anti-Mode X2D?

-Ed

As others said, it works like that. Mine is for sale, but unfortunately you are US-based
The question is, if you really need the X2 when you have the Ultra and its Room EQ and Bass Management capabilities.

 

[EddNog]

As others said, it works like that. Mine is for sale, but unfortunately you are US-based
The question is, if you really need the X2 when you have the Ultra and its Room EQ and Bass Management capabilities.

The room correction on WiiM isn’t nearly as advanced as the DSPeaker units; WiiM is just basic auto-EQ whereas DSPeaker includes phase correction.

-Ed

 

[Peas]

Yes, the Anti-Mode should be more capable by far, especially in the time domain.

I would rather leave out the separate DAC here.

 

[EddNog]

Yes, the Anti-Mode should be more capable by far, especially in the time domain.

I would rather leave out the separate DAC here.

Normally would not mention the DAC but felt the need to be clear as to why I want the X2D model and not the regular X2 model.

Plus, if memory serves me correctly, the integrated DAC/analog output of the older model Anti-Mode 2.0 tested poorly objectively. A well-measuring external DAC combined with X2D will outperform anything coming out the analog end of a standard X2 model.

-Ed

 

[Peas]

Yes, the DualCore got a bad review but is in fact from 2012.

The X2 has been launched more recently. I haven't heard of any noise or transparency problems etc.

 

[Paffi]

The room correction on WiiM isn’t nearly as advanced as the DSPeaker units; WiiM is just basic auto-EQ whereas DSPeaker includes phase correction.

-Ed

Everybody has to test by themselves. I had both X2 models and sell them, the WIIM is simply enough for me.

 

[EddNog]

Everybody has to test by themselves. I had both X2 models and sell them, the WIIM is simply enough for me.

Does the X2D perform a separate left/right room correction even with bass management? Right now because I use bass management with my WiiM it loses L/R separate bass management and my room is rather asymmetrical.

-Ed

 

[sigbergaudio]

Does the X2D perform a separate left/right room correction even with bass management? Right now because I use bass management with my WiiM it loses L/R separate bass management and my room is rather asymmetrical.

-Ed

The subwoofer out on the X2D is mono if that's what you're asking, but I assume it has stereo correction of the bass on the two main channels.

 

[EddNog]

The subwoofer out on the X2D is mono if that's what you're asking, but I assume it has stereo correction of the bass on the two main channels.

Yes, that is fine since I am only using one subwoofer, otherwise I’d be considering an X4.

I just don’t want a device that applies a single room correction profile to both, left and right channels (above the crossover) in unison. I want distinct and separate correction for each of the three channels (left high-passed loudspeaker, right high-passed loudspeaker, and low-passed subwoofer).

-Ed

 

[Sokel]

Yes, that is fine since I am only using one subwoofer, otherwise I’d be considering an X4.

I just don’t want a device that applies a single room correction profile to both, left and right channels (above the crossover) in unison. I want distinct and separate correction for each of the three channels (left high-passed loudspeaker, right high-passed loudspeaker, and low-passed subwoofer).

-Ed

If you want a meaningful way to put money in,start from here (yes.a second sub,the reasons are obvious) :

Genelec 8351B Review (Studio Monitor)

It's not particularly difficult to make them complain without hitting the limiters. Sub heavy content (hip hop, especially) even at reasonable levels will do it. If you need a good example, Hey Now on Kendrick Lamar's new album will do it. That's a speaker killer. Either speakers are faulty or...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[sigbergaudio]

Yes, that is fine since I am only using one subwoofer, otherwise I’d be considering an X4.

I just don’t want a device that applies a single room correction profile to both, left and right channels (above the crossover) in unison. I want distinct and separate correction for each of the three channels (left high-passed loudspeaker, right high-passed loudspeaker, and low-passed subwoofer).

-Ed

Yes, I'm pretty confident that is what it does. Not sure I know of any device that does a mono calibration across two channels, that would be weird.

 

[EddNog]

Yes, I'm pretty confident that is what it does. Not sure I know of any device that does a mono calibration across two channels, that would be weird.

WiiM Ultra didn’t offer left/right distinct room correction until just a few weeks ago, and even now, that only works when bass management is not turned on. Once you turn on bass management, room correction on the WiiM Ultra returns to what they call, “Stereo,” room correction, which treats the two channels combined with a single correction curve.

I refuse to have to choose between left/right distinct correction and being able to high-pass filter my mains.

-Ed

 

[EddNog]

If you want a meaningful way to put money in,start from here (yes.a second sub,the reasons are obvious) :

Genelec 8351B Review (Studio Monitor)

It's not particularly difficult to make them complain without hitting the limiters. Sub heavy content (hip hop, especially) even at reasonable levels will do it. If you need a good example, Hey Now on Kendrick Lamar's new album will do it. That's a speaker killer. Either speakers are faulty or...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Yeah…unfortunately, that is not an option for monetary, physical space, and marriage reasons.

-Ed

 

[Sokel]

Yeah…unfortunately, that is not an option for monetary, physical space, and marriage reasons.

-Ed

Understood.
There's no meaning spending a dime then,set the sub at 40Hz,cut the satellites somewhere around there and let RC do its thing.You don't need top quality at this freqs,sub and satellites have tons of more distortion down there.Just keep noise at check and make sure you maintain a nice gain structure.

 

[EddNog]

Understood.
There's no meaning spending a dime then,set the sub at 40Hz,cut the satellites somewhere around there and let RC do its thing.You don't need top quality at this freqs,sub and satellites have tons of more distortion down there.Just keep noise at check and make sure you maintain a nice gain structure.

Based on Amir’s measurements of LS50 Meta, and other people’s measurements of SVS SB-3000, purely from a distortion standpoint (and because I’m already using an Anti-Mode 8033 unit on my sub, so it is MUCH flatter in low frequency room response than my loudspeakers), it seems logically to me that with my current setup, it makes more sense to high-pass filter the mains much higher than 40Hz, like say 80-100Hz, and let the less distorted and much flatter room response subwoofer pick up the bulk of that lower and sub bass.

-Ed

 

[Sokel]

Based on Amir’s measurements of LS50 Meta, and other people’s measurements of SVS SB-3000, purely from a distortion standpoint (and because I’m already using an Anti-Mode 8033 unit on my sub, so it is MUCH flatter in low frequency room response than my loudspeakers), it seems logically to me that with my current setup, it makes more sense to high-pass filter the mains much higher than 40Hz, like say 80-100Hz, and let the less distorted and much flatter room response subwoofer pick up the bulk of that lower and sub bass.

-Ed

Of course you can x-over them as high as you like,that's up to you,you can go at 1kHz,no one is stopping you.
But,did you read the Genelec's head post about it?See the compromise?
I know that everything is a trade off,so choose yours wisely.

A hint though,at 100Hz you're well into male voices,I wouldn't go there If I was you,I wouldn't even go to 80,more like 60-70 even if I had to play lower.
It's not about only loosing the stereo bass and AE,that's the compromise of the one sub,is about loosing right proportions.

Play around and try it.

 

[sigbergaudio]

Of course you can x-over them as high as you like,that's up to you,you can go at 1kHz,no one is stopping you.
But,did you read the Genelec's head post about it?See the compromise?
I know that everything is a trade off,so choose yours wisely.

A hint though,at 100Hz you're well into male voices,I wouldn't go there If I was you,I wouldn't even go to 80,more like 60-70 even if I had to play lower.
It's not about only loosing the stereo bass and AE,that's the compromise of the one sub,is about loosing right proportions.

Play around and try it.

Which Genelec post are you referring to?

80-100hz works perfectly well on a good, single sub.

 

[Sokel]

Which Genelec post are you referring to?

80-100hz works perfectly well on a good, single sub.

The one I posted just above,couple of my posts away,I'll quote it here as well:

Great questions for a New Year. Floorstanders come with benefits, beyond headroom and low frequency extension. However, the main advantage has been somewhat kept a secret; due to a stubborn and detrimental simplification of reproduced sound in engineering literature: Disregard for inter-aural time domain coherency at low frequency. In case LF inter-aural time and magnitude differences have been recorded across channels, and made it safely through a reproduction chain, it is such a pity to kill Auditory Envelopment (AE) at the last stage, by using mono sub(s) with bookshelf/nearfield monitors. That’s game over before even started.

Floorstander-users expect at least some ability of a room and system to convey AE, possibly the most universal and enjoyable dimension the human auditory system is able to declare. The topic has been discussed before on ASR, and we will report from new studies in 2025. To the questions:

Genelec 83 series monitors include extensive per channel frequency domain and time domain adjustment capability. The GLM application can be used to adjust those parameters automatically, manually or in a combination of both. You might also make adjustments upstream instead, or partly upstream and partly in the 83s. Anyway, settings may be stored and set in stone per monitor. Settings will stay the same despite power-down; until GLM is connected again and deliberate changes made.

Building your own subs, for instance into walls, or buying a different brand, is therefore also fine. Because of AE, I would *always* use at least two sub channels. If later movement of subs will be impossible, consider listening to AE test samples before committing to placement. If two subs are not possible, I would not cross-over higher than 40 Hz.

Regarding hearing safety, with an average listening level of 105 dB(A), according to the clinical gold standard, adults should be listening for no more than 2 minutes per day (risk of material hearing loss ~1%). Happy New Year

 

[Peas]

Room correction demands for mono bass and a higher crossover, imaging for lower XO and / or stereo bass.

But it's also a matter of filtering. 18 dB is the standard, but THX already had 24 dB (i.e. 12 dB on sats plus their natural roll-off). The Anti-Mode has fixed settings one has to deal with. A miniDSP Flex for example offers more flexibility in filtering and channel mapping.