Some insights on the MiniDSP SHD

[Pro Jules]

Thanks. I think that might be Android only. I can't find it in the App store. 

[jaaptina]

Minidsp SHD Studio/Ares ll dac combo works very well with my newly built Purifi Eval1 power amp. 

[redboat]

My current setup seems fine and is nice and compact - I route all digital signals via optical or coax to my integrated receiver's AKM 4589 DAC - and I have no apparent room problems. But I do wonder if room equalization would make it even better. The room seems fairly well damped and is not overly square, so the resonances that exist in each dimension are at different frequencies.

 

Any opinions on if it makes sense to spend over $1k to insert a device in my chain and see of room correction makes it better? Thanks.

[firedog]

29 minutes ago, redboat said:

My current setup seems fine and is nice and compact - I route all digital signals via optical or coax to my integrated receiver's AKM 4589 DAC - and I have no apparent room problems. But I do wonder if room equalization would make it even better. The room seems fairly well damped and is not overly square, so the resonances that exist in each dimension are at different frequencies.

 

Any opinions on if it makes sense to spend over $1k to insert a device in my chain and see of room correction makes it better? Thanks.

Or just buy DRC software like Audiolense, or use free software like REW, and make your own correction files. Costs less than mini DSP. Yes, more trouble. But you're not tied in to the HW box.

[redboat]

11 minutes ago, firedog said:

Or just buy DRC software like Audiolense, or use free software like REW, and make your own correction files. Costs less than mini DSP. Yes, more trouble. But you're not tied in to the HW box.

Thanks for your comment. I'm not streaming from my computer, but from an Amazon Fire TV stick, so I suppose I would need to change that to do what you are suggesting. Unfortunately, I've got no way to get a wireless digital stream from my Mac to my system...I guess I would need to insert something into the stream for that, or maybe get an USB to optical converter to temporarily wire my mac to my integrated amp for testing the proposed solution.

[ecwl]

On 1/30/2021 at 11:12 AM, redboat said:

My current setup seems fine and is nice and compact - I route all digital signals via optical or coax to my integrated receiver's AKM 4589 DAC - and I have no apparent room problems. But I do wonder if room equalization would make it even better. The room seems fairly well damped and is not overly square, so the resonances that exist in each dimension are at different frequencies.

 

Any opinions on if it makes sense to spend over $1k to insert a device in my chain and see of room correction makes it better? Thanks.

It’s actually hard to know if you have any room problems or specifically any bass problems related to the room or your speakers or even listening seat without actually measuring with a microphone.

But if you’re willing to spend $1k, depending on the age of the receiver with AKM4589 DAC, you may be better off upgrading the receiver and ensure the receiver has Dirac/Audyssey built in. That may be a much more cost-effective upgrade, than a dedicated room correction upgrade to your existing gear.

 

[redboat]

1 hour ago, ecwl said:

It’s actually hard to know if you have any room problems or specifically any bass problems related to the room or your speakers or even listening seat without actually measuring with a microphone.

But if you’re willing to spend $1k, depending on the age of the receiver with AKM4589 DAC, you may be better off upgrading the receiver and ensure the receiver has Dirac/Audyssey built in. That may be a much more cost-effective upgrade, than a dedicated room correction upgrade to your existing gear.

 

Thanks. Which receivers do you recommend?

[ecwl]

10 minutes ago, redboat said:

Thanks. Which receivers do you recommend?

I’m partial to Dirac so it looks like the cheapest you can get would be the NAD T758 v3i which is more than $1000.

But most Denon receivers have Audyssey so one in your price range would be AVR X2700H.

 

But alternatively, if you’re reasonably happy with your system and don’t think you really need the room correction, maybe it’s cheaper just to buy a microphone first. MiniDSP UMIK-1 microphone is fairly cheap. If you get it and measure and found out your room indeed is fine, you might not want an upgrade at all. And then you can always sell the microphone to recoup some costs or keep it for future use. And you can continue to enjoy the sound that you have.

[Toomanyhobbies]

On 1/17/2021 at 5:28 AM, jaaptina said:

Minidsp SHD Studio/Ares ll dac combo works very well with my newly built Purifi Eval1 power amp. 

 

 

Do you run a subwoofer?  I'm interested in a similar configuration but want to run 1 or 2 subwoofers also. The SHD seems to be the cleanest way to do that though I do not need the streamer (plan to use node2i). Not sure if there is another way to do this without adding in a miniDSP 2x4 for sub control.  Seems like this would be a very popular configuration (to use an external DAC plus subwoofer control).

Also, if my source passes MQA to the external DAC (which handles MQA) will the SHD mess that up if it is in the chain between source and external DAC?

[Shanks]

I just ordered a Minidsp SHD!

 

[500Homeruns]

On 4/8/2021 at 5:00 PM, Shanks said:

I just ordered a Minidsp SHD!

 

How do yo like it?