TOPIC: how to get 7 channels? USB -> dsp->dirac->dac->amp

Hello forum.
I have a very difficult room and like the help Dirac gives me.
I exclusively use my HTPC as source for music, games and movies. I would love to process all these sources with Dirac.
The optimal solution is to decode the signal and feed it digitally to the DSP and do the D/A conversion after processing.
I currently feed a DDRC24 via USB-> analgue out for two fronts and two subs. I would like to include the centre speaker and two rear satelites to my system. This chain has one D/A conversion.

The dream was to use separate amps for the front centre and rears.
I plan to feed the subs line-in directly from the preamp in the miniDSP
I would love to rund Dirac Bass Control on all of this.

For this I bought an DDRC88A thinking the USB plug would accept the PC-signal like my DDRC24.
Unfortunately, this won't work which means the signal would have to go from PC (digital) -> soundcard (DAC)(analogue) -> DDRC88A (A/D->DSP-> D/A). This ads two unnecassary conversions to the signal chain which I don't want.

Is there any way I can mod the the DDRC88A to take a digital signal from the pc to feed the DSP?
Is there any way I can run several DDRC24s in parallel and feed them separate parts of the signal?
Can I feed the DDRC88D over USB? and use a spearate DAC for each output channel?
Any other suggestions?

DDRC-88D plus a U-DIO8 would get you USB -> AES in -> DDRC-88D -> AES out for 8 channels with no AD/DA conversions.

As an alternative have you considered running multichannel Dirac on your HTPC with an 8 channel DAC like the Okto dac8 PRO?

Michael

Thanks. Will the AES out be analogue?
Edit: Never mind

I will need a second dac before the amplifier, right?

I have not considered running Diraco on the pc. I will look into it, thanks.
The Okto looks nice. Unfortunately, it does not have line out for connecting my subwoofers.

As I am sure you found out AES is digital. As an alternative to AES you can also have the both the DDRC-88D and the U-DIO8 cabled with SPDIF (BNC connector) if that better suits your DAC.

The DDRC-88D is 100% digital and has no DAC, so you will need separate DAC(s).

Not sure quite what you mean here, the Okto will give you 8 line outs. Although Okto discourages it you can convert XLR to RCA if your sub only has RCA inputs (see Rane note 110).

Michael

mdsimon2 wrote: .

I'm sorry for being unclear, but you got it right. My sub has no XLR ports. The sub is far away from the preamp. The signal cable is 15m. I'll consider upgrading it to XLR.

Will Dirac output eight discrete channels over USB or are they encoded after processing?

Yes. It will do up to 8 channels.

live.dirac.com/home-audio-2/

This is a bit outside my area of expertise but both the U-DIO8 and the Okto dac8 should look like 8 channels of soundcard output to your HTPC. I assume you use something like JRiver for your HTPC?

Michael

I'm sorry for the late follow up. Real life took over...Thank you for the advice.

Just to make sure I have understood correctly.:
I can run Dirac 3.0 and Dirac Standalone processor 1.4 on the PC to get the same functionality as my miniDSP
Dirac will simulate a sound card and then send it to the Okto DAC via USB?