miniDSP - Q2 2021 Newsletter

Hello Visitor,

We hope you're doing well and staying healthy!

We're excited to give you a short update on what we've been up to for the past few months. Some new product features and lots of new application notes will hopefully keep it newsworthy! As usual, do feel free to contact us if you have any questions or feedback.

DevTeam

 Harmony DSP 8x12

It's been a few months since we released the Dirac Live-enabled Harmony DSP 8x12 and we've already seen it in quite a few exciting installs! This integrated DSP/amplifier is our all-digital push to match the direction of the automotive industry using Android head units/tablets as a source, so it features six-channel digital audio input via USB. It also has a stereo digital optical input (TOSLINK) and 12 speaker/line output channels.

Hardware features dedicated to the vehicle environment include an on-board isolated power supply, remote trigger input/output, and a wired remote with OLED display for dash or console. Flexible outputs cater to a wide variety of system configurations — each output can be a 40 Wrms power amplifier or a line-level output for driving external amplifiers (e.g. subs). In addition, each pair of outputs can be configured in parallel BTL mode for 80 Wrms output into 2Ω speaker loads.

None of that counts if superb sound quality is not the end result, and the Harmony DSP 8x12 delivers, starting with the low-distortion D/A convertors and class D output stage. Add a full version of Dirac Live and miniDSP’s powerful, easy-to-use audio processing and you can configure and fine-tune for any installation. Furthermore, up to four complete processing configurations can be stored in flash memory for rapid recall.

The Harmony DSP 8x12 is available now on our webshop for 1049USD, including a calibrated UMIK-1 and full Dirac Live license! Make sure to check out the the datasheet and user manual.

 SHD News

Duran Duran guitarist Dom Brown put a nice upgrade into his recording studio with the miniDSP SHD running Dirac Live. Once again another installation making great use of miniDSP platforms! Read more.

Also worth noting is the Volumio update we released a few months ago. Running on a brand new kernel with new drivers, this release fixes a few bugs and upgrades the GUI. If you haven't done so already, we strongly recommended that you upgrade your unit from the Volumio web GUI. Check out our updated user manual for details.

As for Roon-Ready support, all SHD units have now been in the testing queue @ RoonLabs Mid-May. We're all patiently waiting for the results and we look forward to sharing more ASAP we hear from them. 

 New Application Notes

While some manufacturers focus only on selling, miniDSP has always dedicated a lot of resources to helping and educating our customers to make best use of our products. Besides our Tech Support Portal, we have more than 80 application notes and we're proud to add even more to the list! Check out the latest updates:

- Multi Subwoofer control with DDRC-24 (Dirac live): This app note demonstrates how to use the DDRC-24 for subwoofer control and correction. While the DDRC-24 is a stereo unit, the flexibility that we build into every miniDSP allows it to easily be adapted for the purpose of multisub tuning. Read our app note to learn more!

- Time-aligning speaker drivers with UMIK-1 and UMIK-2: Anyone who has been involved in building active speakers will know the importance of measurements to correctly evaluate the required inter-driver time alignment. Armed with a UMIK-1 or UMIK-2 and the powerful Room EQ Wizard (REW) software, this application note takes you step by step. Hoping you find it useful!

- Measuring time delay for home theater with the UMIK-1 or UMIK-2 and REW: Time aligning multiple speakers in a home theater just became a lot easier by following this simple step by step application note. Make sure to have a look at it!

- Using BEQ (Bass EQ) Designer with the miniDSP platforms: This application note walks you through using BEQ Designer with a miniDSP 2x4HD. This is an open-source program that generates correction filters to recover bass that was filtered out from movie tracks during production. A very impressive database of movies (BEQ Catalogue) is constantly updated by a large community of avid bass-lovers on AVSForum. It's a very cool setup compatible with 2x4/2x4HD/SHD series/10x10/DDRC-88BM.

EZBEQ is another option for loading BEQ filters to the miniDSP platform by leveraging the great work of minidsp_rs controller. Make sure to check out the web page for more details on how to setup your system. Once again, some impressive community work and kudos to the developers and testers involved!

- Using AutoEq headphone database with miniDSP: AutoEQ is an open-source database and python application that generates correction filters for earphones and headphones based on a database of 2500 headphone measurements. What great work and all credit to the contributors to this project! In this application note, we show three ways to use AutoEQ with your miniDSP gear such as the SHD Studio, 2x4 HD and IL-DSP.

- Streaming to the miniDSP SHD with BubbleUPnP (Android): BubbleUPnP is a neat Android app that you can use to stream to your SHD Series processor. We put together a short app note to show you how. If you have an Android phone or tablet, check it out!

- Last but not least, make sure to check out the following updated application notes: Subwoofer integration with SHD and MultiZone with DDRC-88A.

Have an idea for a new application note? Make sure to share it with our team!

News from the LAB

So what else have we been up to in the LAB? Here is what we can share on the upcoming new features and challenges we are facing.

- Supply Chain update: You've most likely heard about the chipset shortage, along with the inflation affecting all electronics manufacturers. We can confirm that it hasn't been fun to deal with... While miniDSP is fortunate to work with wonderful long-term partners and has full control of our destiny with all IP designed inhouse, we're facing the same challenges as everybody else. Besides delaying our roadmap, it's a challenge to keep all products in stock. But rest assured that our whole team is working tirelessly behind the scenes! We appreciate all your patience and understanding on out-of-stock items or price increase outside our control.

- A refreshed Support Portal: Got some basic questions about our products or the basics of Audio processing? Our updated support portal has a large FAQ of more than 250 articles! Check it out and do send us feedback on how we can improve. 

- An exciting new product line: Last but not least for this newsletter, we now have a new product line in prototyping that many of you have asked for. Due to the challenges of supply chain, it is taking longer than usual but we hope to make a full announcement next quarter. Stay tuned!

 News from our Friends

- The SHD power is a powerful Amplifier + Streamer platform + Room Correction platform and Sound On Sound reviewer Phil Ward did an extensive review of the platform. Read More. Also from Phil is the review of the ambiMIK-1 USB Ambisonic microphone. Read More. 

- Youtuber Joe N Tell puts the DDRC-88A through its paces with a complete YouTube review of the platform. Check it out if you want to learn more on how to add Dirac Live to your Home Theater setup. 

- SoundMeterX now supports the UMIK-2 for Iphone/Ipad SPL measurement. If you are on the look out for a powerful & free IoS app, make sure to check out the work by FaberAcoustic! Read More. 

- Building a DIY acoustic camera with the UMA16 is easier than ever thanks to Acoular + Python! Check out this blog  from a miniDSP community member for a complete step by step. Read More.