For DIY application, to develop and play with speakers, for maximum flexibility with cheapest price I would get sound interface and raspberry Pi and use CamillaDSP https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...overs-room-correction-etc.349818/post-7163254
When the DIY activities are done and time to settle, then use something that fits application best, after all the hustle one knows what is required from the equipment and perhaps price (and flexibility) is not too much of a concern anymore.
When the DIY activities are done and time to settle, then use something that fits application best, after all the hustle one knows what is required from the equipment and perhaps price (and flexibility) is not too much of a concern anymore.
Minidsp 4x10HD has been out of production for some time. My 9 years old unit died recently, some el-caps were leaking and rigt channels were silent. I can't repair it and decided to start using my leftover 2x4HD units.
Minidsp has automotive 10ch dac with analog inputs and modern chip (SHARC) https://www.minidsp.com/products/car-audio-dsp/c-dsp-8x12
My setup in the living room is similar to hifijim. Preamp is AVR unit that sends LR channels to dsps via LR analog pre-outs. They follow AVR's main volume in synchrony with other channels C and rear. I tried optical out to dsp, but it had fixed volume.
Minidsp has automotive 10ch dac with analog inputs and modern chip (SHARC) https://www.minidsp.com/products/car-audio-dsp/c-dsp-8x12
My setup in the living room is similar to hifijim. Preamp is AVR unit that sends LR channels to dsps via LR analog pre-outs. They follow AVR's main volume in synchrony with other channels C and rear. I tried optical out to dsp, but it had fixed volume.
If one is after reliable audiointerfaces I vote for RME, very good hardware, very good support, very good reputation. My Babyface is +10yo and still works flawless and has driver and firmware updates, latest driver for Windows is dated 2022-10-13 and firmware for 2022-04-11, incredible.
If you only want A/D USB the the Cosmos from E1DA is hard to beat
https://e1dashz.wixsite.com/index
I have a Scarlett 18i20 and whilst it works fine the sound is just a little bit flat, not bad but I do prefer the sound of all the other DAC's I've built or bought with Sabre chips in them.
Btw, are the DC coupled analog outputs of those pro sound card a problem for the amps ? Need speaker DC protection circuitry ? How is the Flex8 ?
If you want to continue working with Vcad and get predictable results you have to stick to what Kimmo lists in the manual. I wish I’d read this before I invested time and money in DSP that simply did not work:
https://bennettprescott.com/downloads/DSP_Differences.pdf
https://bennettprescott.com/downloads/TwoProcessors.pdf
P..S Trinnov Magnitude for sale if anyone is interested 🤓
https://bennettprescott.com/downloads/DSP_Differences.pdf
https://bennettprescott.com/downloads/TwoProcessors.pdf
P..S Trinnov Magnitude for sale if anyone is interested 🤓
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this list?:
FIR filters should always have consitent implementation between manufacturers if you stick to those.
- Analog i.e. passive crossover with RLC or active with linear circuits such as operational amplifiers
- Behringer DCX 96k
- dbx DriveRack 96k, e.g. VENU360.
Note! Reponse of shelving filters is not exact because equation for S to Q conversion is not available. - FourAudio PPA 48k
- Generic:
Adjustable sample rate with list box.
BW of Peak/notch filter is between dBgain/2.
Frequency parameter of Shelving LP/HP filter is dBgain/2.
Bessel LP/HP is phase-normalized. phase@fc=pi/4*order, -3dB point depends on order. - Hypex FA 192k.
Note! Result is not accurate due to undocumented proprietary biquad calculation of Hypex. - Hypex PSC 48k.
Note! Result is not accurate due to undocumented proprietary biquad calculation of Hypex. - miniDSP 48k
- miniDSP 96k
- Nova 96k
- Platin SM 48k
- RAM Audio 96k.
Note! Peak/notch filter is compatible with Parametric Q const (not with Q adap).
Possible compatibily issue with Low/High Shelf 12dB + Q due to non-standard Q factor of RAM QCS. - Xilica Solaro 48k.
- Xilica XA/XP 96k.
FIR filters should always have consitent implementation between manufacturers if you stick to those.
FourAudio is fully VCad friendly, has FIR filters, you can import .txt files and has a very good GUI.
Yes, that one.
I developed Linn Exakt Design FIR filters for speakers and they sure aint compatible.
Problem is, what option do you choose from the list? You can pick ‘Generic’ I guess but just do a sim and click between the options and see how widely they change - remember you have to pick one in the options menu.
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DSP manufacturers don't make it easy by reinventing the wheel but it is always possible to match the transfer functions when the EQ is made up of basic parametric sections. Raised Cosines are tricky though. It's added effort for sure but it can be done.
FIR filters are by nature self describing Vituix can export the impulse response of the filters being modelled, the problem comes when they aren't being directly convolved but trying to be transferred into some form of GUI.
Great if you are an OEM, do they sell anything to individuals?
Quote from their website
"Please, note that we can only deal with commercial customers."
It's not possible for me to A/B these interfaces in a way that you can compare them (it takes too much time to switch over, for instance) so I cannot say. I find the UMC1820 to work and sound just fine, so I usually suggest people start with that unit. The nice thing about the software approach is that once the system is setup for one USB interface you can change to another USB interface without changing anything about the filtering. So you can start by spending $ and then later spend $$$ if you think that will improve sound quality or noise floor, etc.
Yep, to me too, Q-sys does make other platforms feel like stone age......
And i absolutely continue to love it.....
But I'd like to warn folks that I don't think it's presently a good time to dive into Q-sys....if looking at a used 110f.
Parts supply disruptions halted the production of new Core110fs. Which has put crazy price pressure on the used ebay market.
Pre-covid, with any patience at all, a used 110f could be picked up for around $1200.
In the last couple of months, I've seen them trade crazily for over $4000. i just sold one for $2700.
There's a new 110f v2 out, that doesn't have GPIO (which home use doesn't care about)..but I don't know price or availability.
Also, there are widespread reports of Core110fs that have been in use for a number of years, having SSD failures from previous versions of Q-sys Designer, causing excessive read/writes.
QSC is a super solid company and is warrantying units sold within last 5 years, but who knows age when buying in the used market.
The SSD failure apparently hangs the unit up on startup, and it can't get past this opening screen....
So anyone shopping used should make sure they get picts of the LCD showing status / firmware /etc....that proves no lockup.
As much as I've raved about Q-sys, I feel i owe everyone some warnings from what's arisen....
Ok, all that said....
The one really good deal with used Q-sys Cores, that come up occasionally for sale, but much more seldom than 110fs,..... are 250i and 500i cores.
But two caveats: All Cores that use I/O card slots, like the 250i, 500i, (and even the relatively new 510i), have been discontinued.
Latest Q-sys Designer version 9.5 will run on all three of these Cores, but I think only the 510i will be likely to continue to work with future versions.
Second caveat is if you get one of these, make sure and get one that already has the specific I/O cards in it that you need. (there are 8 card slots)
https://www.qsys.com/products-solutions/q-sys/audio-io-peripherals/io-cards/
These older Cores are incredibly powerful...much more so than a 110f, and for me, increase FIR capability to all i can eat, 16k taps per channel.
I know of no reason why they shouldn't give good service for quite a while
I've seen the 250i go for around $600, the 500i for around a $1000, and the few 510i's that appear for $2000-$3000.
The number/type of installed I/O cards have a lot to do with price.
The 110f i just sold for $2700, was to finance the purchase of a 510i I got for $2000 that included 8 I/O cards, one of which was a $$Dante card.
It's list price with the cards it came with, is over $7000 higher than a 110f's ....crazy times !!
Only two negatives I know about these Cores is they don't have USB (like the 110f has); and the fans are louder than the 110f....
A second "all that said."...... PC software like Camilia or whatever, anything that has comprehensive IIR and FIR speaker management, along with a good prosound soundcard interface....does make a lot of sense, imo. Just won't be as easy to implement or as unbelievably flexible/DSP featured as Q-Qsys..
There is the Dayton Audio 4x8. It's the cheapest one I've found and it works pretty well for a budget DSP. It may not have all of the adjustability that the more expensive ones have but I haven't found that I needed it.
+1 on Dayton DSP. Works well enough and easy to use. Another option is the Analog Devices ADAU-1452 Eval board. About $200. Very nice.
Price went up to $288 but still a good value since it has many input options plus 8 Ch out. Full flexibility of free DSP software suite.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Analog-Devices/EVAL-ADAU1452REVBZ?qs=PqoDHHvF64%2BGDv22dzdSug==
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Analog-Devices/EVAL-ADAU1452REVBZ?qs=PqoDHHvF64%2BGDv22dzdSug==