Active Crossover Question

[babadono]

Dave,

Thanks for jumping in on this topic. Looks like the mini DSP could/would do everything necessary for the Jub 2 way and at a reasonable cost. I have looked at these guys website before, now I will revisit more intently.

Eric

[mark1101]

Yeah, I just spent an hour reading their website and shopping around. Read some manuals. This is very cool stuff. Looks like extreme fun and EASY. I was looking at the 4x10 in a box...........Dang, that could run TWO full MCM-4 Grand systems plus 2 subs..........all from a PC. For $500.

I'm still suspicious of sound quality as all the reviews basically described and praised the setup and operation of the hardware and software but never really addressed how it sounded. I'm thinking those little box aren't audiophile..............but I never heard these products.

So Dave...................how does the 2x4 in a box sound? Is it better than your tubed & tweaked Behringer?

How was it dealing with Hong Kong?

[Guest David H]

So Dave...................how does the 2x4 in a box sound? Is it better than your tubed & tweaked Behringer?

In my opinion the sound is as good as my tubed Behringer, and far better than a stock Behringer.

How was it dealing with Hong Kong?

My dealings with MiniDSP were flawless.

Dave

[Guest David H]

Dave,

Thanks for jumping in on this topic. Looks like the mini DSP could/would do everything necessary for the Jub 2 way and at a reasonable cost. I have looked at these guys website before, now I will revisit more intently.

Eric

Eric, I have no experience setting up Jubilee's but I suspect this unit would work well.

Dave

[Horatio]

I use this on my Khorns+EVHR6040+Altec288, where the top is driven by a Decware single ended triode amp. The miniDSP is the least of my worries in this system.

The one thing I *really* like about this little guy is, contrary to, say, using a Behringer, the miniDSP can, via a *single* volume control, run the whole deal. No need to find buy or build a means of running all the DACs from their trimmed positions.

[bracurrie]

Let me jump in here and give testimony. I also have the 2x4 in a box. It is quiet and so easy to use. Imagine sitting in your listening position and just tweaking to your ear using material you know. No pops or clicks when changes are processed, just an occasional moment of silence. Best money I have ever spent on audio gear, bar none. Purchase was painless and fast.

Brad

[DrWho]

I'm still suspicious of sound quality as all the reviews basically described and praised the setup and operation of the hardware and software but never really addressed how it sounded. I'm thinking those little box aren't audiophile..............but I never heard these products.

Ya, me too. I've been thinking of buying one and bringing it in to work just to see how well they measure up....I suppose I might even listen to it too.

[mark1101]

To be honest, we are all using pro processors because there hasn't really been support for home audio processors with the kind of I/O and processing quality / features of the pro models. At least I'm not aware of any popular home audio procesors. This PC based stuff might represent the future for home audio. The hardware quality could certainly increase over time since it's outboard and the PC is just the setup to "load" the hardware and monitor.

I envison it like the improvements that got made to sound cards. This is just the first generation.

It would be cool to really understand how good the hardware is.

I think the concept is awesome. I don't need one but I feel like buying one just to play with it.

[mark1101]

From what I read in the spec sheets and manuals, just about everything they sell would run a set of Jubilees. That one I was looking at (4x10) would run 5 pairs of Jubs. Plenty of PEQ and shelving per channel, correct choices of crossover filter types and slopes, more than enough delay per channel, and the 4X10 even has limiting and compression for all you karoke fans.

My Ashly Protea 4.8SP is an excellent processor, but I'm I/O bound with only 8 outputs. The mini guys thought of having 10 outputs.

[ZombieWoof]

In theory one could place a 2 channel amp in each 2 way speaker, there by having self powered speakers much like the self powered subs of today ??

running a twin RCA interconnect to each speaker's Amp ......... ?

Am I understanding that with a miniDSP this could be possible ???

If that's possible that would be soo cool [<)] my rack would shrink big time ...

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ...........

[bracurrie]

Ok, so which is better then? Long interconnects or long speaker wire?

[DrWho]

A balanced interconnect is gonna be much better than long speaker wire...

[whatever55]

I know it is a lot more money but has anyone tried the MEN220 by McIntosh ?

[bracurrie]

For us budget minded folks, how long is too long for unbalanced? Also, are there implications to very short speaker wire runs? I am looking seriously at the amp located at the speaker option.

[Guest David H]

How long is long? I would keep my unbalanced interconnects around 3 feet, and use longer speaker heavy gauge speaker wire.

Dave

[mark1101]

I f you were interested in building "powered" speakers...........yup, that mini stuff would work for an active crossover plus they even sell the amps. Check out their site.

FYI, I owned an MEN220...............it is not a processor. It is room correction system. It has very limited EQ and is not capable of controlling a set of Jubs.

I will say that the crossover section was the best I have ever heard (or not heard). Bar none. Very well implemented. But limited to only bi-amping.

Everyone buys MEN220 for "room perfect", which I'm miffed by because I wouldn't pay a dime for it. I hated it. I bought the MEN220 to try and use as a processor. I sold it pronto.

[ZombieWoof]

I f you were interested in building "powered" speakers...........yup, that mini stuff would work for an active crossover plus they even sell the amps. Check out their site.

That's what interests me is using a separate active crossover that is easy to set-up with a PC , can save settings into a stored file , then transfer that file at will . For a large multichannel system like in my HT if I wanted to try a new driver I could buy just one,sound test in home & dial it in , then save the settings for the best driver & buy the whole set then ..

another note is not the 10 X units have balanced outputs if I read that correctly......

[mark1101]

The mini balanced ins and outs are on terminal blocks. Not XLR connectors. Just FYI.

[ZombieWoof]

Yeah that's what I thought also , seems that one could build a structure to use RCA's or XLR (even the mini XLR's ) to those blocks .

that kinda building I can handle ,

seeing how we all have large speaker enclosures adding a self amp section to each driver in the cabinet would have many advantages would it not ?

[mark1101]

It depends on the quality of the amps. I was just mentioning that you could achieve a powered speaker with their plate amps. I think Mini's concepts are very cool and I'd like to try a crossover just for the fun of it. I highly doubt I would replace my Ashly with it. But I have a bunch of other uses for it.

Additionally, I like a rack of good home and/or pro audio amps, but that's just me. I'm not a plate amp guy. I would keep the processor hardware with the sources and amps and have a long USB cable to my PC. The PC only has to be connected for the setup, any tweaks, and then any monitoring.

I haven't touched my Ashly in months. You fool with it quite a lot at first.............then almost never. I assume this would be the same situation with the Mini. If you are using it as a development tool then you would obviously use it more.