What is the best way to build a 2 (or 2.1) channel stereo system with dsp room correction

[Mentalrudy]

Hi forum members,
Moved house and I’ve had it with difficult to position speakers and all that crap. Don’t want my living room to look like a studio full of bass traps, diffusers and all sorts of panels. I want to start over from scratch to build a system for stereo playback of music, with a record player as dominant source (80% vinyl 20% streaming). I no longer strive for complete accuracy but just a good, enjoyable sound without all the hassle. Whzt would be the best way to build such a system? Should I use dirac, or buy a reciever with built in room correction software (denon, pioneer, marantz, nad) come to mind). I’m completely new to this approach so all advise is welcome. Budget about 1500-2000 $ without speakers. Room is large 53m2 and kinda square (8m20 x 7 x 2m40).
Thanks in advance!

 

[win]

One thing that gave me a lot of flexibility was a phono preamp with digital (coax spdif) out. I have a puffin but I believe there are cheaper options too.

This way you can have a digital preamp in your system, and connect usb, coax, optical, LAN connections. You want to get your digital sources in one place before you perform any DA conversions ideally.

At this point I have a SHD studio. This is the digital preamp that can also do volume, room correction, and PEQ on four channels. Then, simply take the four digital outputs and tie them into two stereo DACs, and you are done as far as your digital chain goes.

 

[detlev24]

miniDSP DDRC-24 for room EQ (Dirac Live) and simple bass management or SHD incl. streaming.

Cambridge Audio Duo Phono Preamp or Puffin Phono DSP Preamp.

Powered loudspeakers - unless you prefer/require passive ones.?

 

[JeffS7444]

I'm kind of annoyed at Denon/Marantz right now because they won't sell me a service manual for my AVR, but provided that you choose a model which can perform room correction for just 2 or 2.1-channel configuration (which Denon/Marantz can do), I see no problem with going with an AVR. I got to thinking that if it were my only system, I might put most money in L, R, Center and subwoofer and economize on surround and height speakers.

And yes, the additional speakers can be fun even for 2-channel listening, especially on dated recordings which otherwise don't seem to fill the room very well. My Marantz receiver can generate multi-channel Dolby surround from a 2-channel source, and it's not bad.

I think a TOSLINK or Bluetooth-connected turntable would also be fun as it'd allow the turntable to be placed where it's most convenient, even if it's some distance away from the other electronics.

 

[Mentalrudy]

miniDSP DDRC-24 for room EQ (Dirac Live) and simple bass management or SHD incl. streaming.

Cambridge Audio Duo Phono Preamp or Puffin Phono DSP Preamp.

Powered loudspeakers - unless you prefer/require passive ones.?

Think I’ll go with active genelec

 

[Mentalrudy]

Thanks for your replies do far! The cambridge duo phono preamp with active genelec seems quite a good option!

 

[detlev24]

Think I’ll go with active genelec

If you have longer distances to cover, XLR balanced outputs would be beneficial - like on the SHD.

However, even with the DDRC-24 you could use "transformer balancing adapters" like the 'Neutrik NA2M-D0B-TX' / 'NA2M-D2B-TX' [black / red color coded] - if I didn't mix up the male and female XLR jacks.

 

[digitalfrost]

This is probably too nerdy for most, but I use a PC as source for everything, do the DSP there as well and also route my turntable through to the PC. It is a simple solution for me, but it lacks the hifi living room convenience...I use mouse and keyboard to control everything.

 

[eddantes]

On the cheap... Denon DRA-800H, a couple of subs, decent pair of bookshelves and thats it.

 

[win]

This is probably too nerdy for most, but I use a PC as source for everything, do the DSP there as well and also route my turntable through to the PC. It is a simple solution for me, but it lacks the hifi living room convenience...I use mouse and keyboard to control everything.

I'd have done the same but doing more than just stereo EQ is kinda difficult on a PC platform, and if you are serious about room eq I think you need at least two dedicated and independent subwoofer channels

 

[Hipper]

This is probably too nerdy for most, but I use a PC as source for everything, do the DSP there as well and also route my turntable through to the PC. It is a simple solution for me, but it lacks the hifi living room convenience...I use mouse and keyboard to control everything.

For stereo this idea makes sense if you are OK with computers. You can get a quiet PC (from Quiet PC.com perhaps!).

If you want to consider multi channel systems and processors that convert stereo to multi-channel. There's a thread on here that discusses this:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-and-understanding-some-basic-concepts.11346/

 

[Mentalrudy]

Well, I’ve been reading some more and learned that bass cancellation/dips (which is the most annoying problem in my room) can’t be decently solved with eq/room correction. So perhaps I should look to fight those dips with two subwoofers in reverse polarity. Anyone experienced in that department? Difficult?

 

[portlandsounds]

I just set up a 2.1 system with vinyl that consists of a Minidsp SHD, VTV Purifi amp, Puffin, and Revel M105's. I'm loving it, and you can add 2 subs to the SHD, although I haven't tried that yet.

 

[Vasr]

I'd have done the same but doing more than just stereo EQ is kinda difficult on a PC platform, ..

Not really.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ring-a-pc-as-a-8-ch-pre-pro-experiment.14785/

 

[Vasr]

... but provided that you choose a model which can perform room correction for just 2 or 2.1-channel configuration (which Denon/Marantz can do), I see no problem with going with an AVR. I got to thinking that if it were my only system, I might put most money in L, R, Center and subwoofer and economize on surround and height speakers.

This would be the cheapest and would be better than a system without EQ. You can get base models a generation or two older for around $400.

If your ears come with a minimum SINAD requirement, then it would require another $600 at the minimum to indulge.

 

[win]

Not really.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ring-a-pc-as-a-8-ch-pre-pro-experiment.14785/

I appreciate the link and will check out how you did it. That said, I still stand by my "kinda difficult" assessment, especially after seeing your tutorial length

 

[Vasr]

I appreciate the link and will check out how you did it. That said, I still stand by my "kinda difficult" assessment, especially after seeing your tutorial length

That is because it covers a lot more than what is being discussed here. Using a PC with Dirac Room EQ for up to 8 channels total is no different from doing 2 channel EQ. With "manual" Room EQ like REW, it does not make it any more complicated, just more time to do measurements for each speaker.

If you are sitting there twiddling with a parameteric EQ to tune it directly, then you have a point but that is so 20th century!

 

[digitalfrost]

There is the multi-channel soundcard question and the measurement + applying correction question. Personally, I determined preffered crossover point by ear, and then measured the whole system with highpass/lowpass already applied. Then I just put the correction over that.
It ensures time coherence since the linkwitz filters for the sub/sat are already part of the measurement and it made it easy since everything's stereo as far as the correction is concerned. I then simply split the output to sub/sat after applying DRC.

As for time correct measurements, using two different USB soundcards that both to ASRC can be problematic, Audiolense is the only tool I know of that can compensate for that. I would recommend buying a soundcard that has the required number of output channels and also offers a recording option so that the clock source is identical.

 

[guycalledfrank]

...At this point I have a SHD studio. This is the digital preamp that can also do volume, room correction, and PEQ on four channels. Then, simply take the four digital outputs and tie them into two stereo DACs, and you are done as far as your digital chain goes.

Sorry for asking. I am new to both DSP and (external) DACs. So...how does this exactly work: the 4 outputs go into two DACs...and then you go with the signal from both DACs where? How? What?

I am planning to have Dali Rubicon 2c active speakers with an active Sub and the Dali Soundhub (incl. BluOS NPM-1).

 

[charleski]

Sorry for asking. I am new to both DSP and (external) DACs. So...how does this exactly work: the 4 outputs go into two DACs...and then you go with the signal from both DACs where? How? What?

You would just connect the analog outputs from the SHD to either an amplifier or directly to active speakers.