Any minidsp users?

I use a DEQ 2496 for my mains and love it. Don't want to change a thing.

My horn loaded subs by nature of their design, even though I set them to be cutoff at 40hz they still rise to 90hz.

I need to set a steeper slope which is what the mini dsp is for to keep them below 40 hz......below where my mains roll off.
 
My plan is to use the mini-dsp to input a steeper slope to the subs and keep the DEQ just the way it is. I dig it and have had it in place for 2+ years now.

Then, I want to take the DEQ out of the system and start over with the mini-dsp, REW combo and make the comparison and see which is better.

Should be fun. I'm very new to all of this.
 
Yep,
You only need REW to do measurement based changes (it's free so no reason not to, just need a mic)

For crossover slope it's as simple as licking the right buttons. You can use the built in to get up to 48db/octave or you can go into custom biquads to go even steeper (not sure why you'd want to)
 
Yes, a generic crossover filter is a great place to start when it comes to matching a set of drivers to your design, but that only adjusts the curve based on a generic slope and doesn't address how said slope interacts with the room. The Mini DSP is capable of doing both with the aid of REW or a similar type tool.

Another option is using the MiniDSP as a straight crossover AND adding an EQ overlay to fine tune the results. This accounts for all the multitude of reflections and interactions with the room. Here again, REW makes that relatively easy - I run several frequency sweeps and average those, add a generic "house curve" to the results, then create an output curve that imports directly to the "convolution kernel" included in jRiver's Media Center. After decades of scrwing around with EQ, can't say as I've felt the need to do much if any tweaking in the couple intervening years since I did that here.

Worth mentioning - if you haven't already done so, AND your room (and roommates allow it) you should also take this opportunity to adjust any major inconsistencies with traps, baffles and such for the best results. My room had a standing wave from hell at around 160hz and was pretty shrill at the top - I eventually was able to calm those problems down a LOT. After that, run some more sweeps to review the results and create another output file to compensate. Repeat as necessary.

PS - here's the "house curve" I used. Works wonders, as the average ear really doesn't like "flat".

http://www.brainfartz.com/images/Stereo Stuff/eq/Small Room X-Curve.txt

Also, it could take a bit of time to retrain yer brain after doing serious EQ, depending on how far off you were before. The real proof comes when you hit the bypass button and the music goes meh ...
 
Thanks guys. According to Amazon tracking I should get the mini-dsp on Wednesday but the microphone not until next Monday. Hopefully the mic comes sooner.
 
Yeah, the thought of retraining my brain/ear has been in the back of my mind.

I just have a strong feeling that after REW dials it in, I'm gonna want to change it to the way I want to hear it.
 
I'm really going outside my box on this. I've had my DEQ 2496 dialed in the way I like to listen for quite a while now.
 
I forget how many custom filters you can build on the MiniDSP, but it's certainly not as many as a software solution provides. Pretty sure you can download a manual and take a peek.

There's also a trick you can use to double the number of filters available, but I forget how that goes. Maybe some kind soul can fill in the blanks on that one.

As far as your DEQ goes, perfect way to test pre and post results. If you've been doing it by ear, you may be amazed at how far off you are. That's where the retraining comes in, as it can be difficult to get used to what you're supposed to be hearing compared to what you've gotten used to over time. A few short sessions after getting it "right", and I doubt you'll ever want to go back to what you previously found to be perfectly acceptable.

PS - even with a limited number of filters available, REW allows you to view the results of it's tests and pick 'n choose those frequencies that will give you the most bang for the buck and get you a lot closer to where you should be. I did that when setting the Technics PEQ used for my straight analog sources that aren't routed through the computer with excellent results.
 
That's exactly what I found.
I'd gotten used to the sound and when the DSP and REW did it's thing it sounded good, but odd.
After a few days I switched back to the before and it sounds straight awful!
I even showed the wife and she said "how did we ever listen to that"
 
If yall get totally sh!tfaced bored, google "psychoacoustics" ...
 
Yep,
You only need REW to do measurement based changes (it's free so no reason not to, just need a mic)

For crossover slope it's as simple as licking the right buttons. You can use the built in to get up to 48db/octave or you can go into custom biquads to go even steeper (not sure why you'd want to)

Like I said before, I might not get the mic until next Monday. So in the meantime, can I make adjustments (slope) with the mini-dsp hd without the mic or is that necessary?
 
That's exactly what I found.
I'd gotten used to the sound and when the DSP and REW did it's thing it sounded good, but odd.
After a few days I switched back to the before and it sounds straight awful!
I even showed the wife and she said "how did we ever listen to that"

Ha! That's exactly my experience with the DEQ. I had an audio buddy come over a few months ago and showed him the difference between how we used to listen.....CD player directly into preamp vs. EQing in the digital domain with the DEQ.

He ordered one that very afternoon.
 
Like I said before, I might not get the mic until next Monday. So in the meantime, can I make adjustments (slope) with the mini-dsp hd without the mic or is that necessary?

Patience, young grasshopper ... ;-}

You can experiment to your heart's content. Nothing that can't be changed.

Worth mention - DO turn the volume down after making any changes. A mini-fup while tweaking could turn into a major disaster if you're not careful.
 
This grasshopper is ready to rock. Altering the slope to my subs is my first priority, then everything else is just more stuff to play with.

Also, I can't find it anywhere that says how long the USB cable is for the mic/mini-dsp? I hope it's at least 11' long......
 
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After using DSP for a few months now I dont think I could ever do without a DSP processor in my system.

The impact it has on music listening is very apparent and beneficial!
 
This grasshopper is ready to rock. Altering the slope to my subs is my first priority, then everything else is just more stuff to play with.

Also, I can't find it anywhere that says how long the USB cable is for the mic/mini-dsp? I hope it's at least 11' long......

The one for the DSP is an annoyingly short 3 feet or so, I can't make adjustments AND be in the listening position at the same time.
 
That's where a laptop comes in handy. Remember, if you do use one, I advise also using an external ADC such as the Behringer UCA202 if the laptop is more than a couple generations old for the best results. Also handy if you ever decide to get into ripping old vinyl.

PS - get a USB extension? Seems to me the "guaranteed" limit is around 12 feet, but I use a 25 footer to feed video to the AVR in another room with good results and no noticeable artifacts ...
 
I got the mini-dsp hd today. I'm having trouble installing the driver on a Windows 10 laptop.

Any suggestions? Thanks for any help.
 
Is there a compatibility setting to select from in the right click menu? Here at work we have all sorts of issues running legacy software on Windows 10. That's why I left them for the Penguin when my XP died.

Shelly_D
 
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