TOPIC: Need help hooking up my DDRC24

I emailed miniDSP before I purchased a product and explained that I was trying to do do room correction. I also explained that I was using an integrated amplifier. They recommended the DDRC24. After I received it I was unable to figure out how to implement it. I couldn't correct my subs much less anything else. I contacted miniDSP and reached out here on the forums and have not gotten any help so far. miniDSP did email me and told me it couldn't be used to do what I needed even though they recommended it for such.

This was what they said, "Unfortunately that won't work in that case as we only support line level. You can't apply DSP to an amplified connection. the DSP needs to be "before" amplification, not after. You'll have to figure out a way to put the processing before... With an all in one amplifier doing 2.1 processing, adding DSP won't be possible I'm afraid..

I am not the expert on their product and I'm not an expert at audio connections. It seems like THEY would help me figure out how to do the processing before.

I have pre-amp out that can be used for stereo sub. Could I use this between my preamp out and my subs? If so how would I be able to use it in the sub integration as far as REW or Dirac? Please help as right now the DDRC is a $400 paperweight.

I bought my 2x4HD/DDRC24 with exactly same set-up as you. Integrated Amp and 2.1, although with a longer term intention of upgrading to power amps which I did which makes the DDRC24s integration simpler.

Unless your integrated has a 'pre-out' and 'main in' connected by a jumper, you'll have to put the DDRC before the integrated. So sources connected to DDRC and DDRC connected to an analogue input. The sub will unfortunately need to be fed from your speaker terminals or the pre-out.

What you can't do through the DDRC with this config is get the timing delay for the sub correct. You'll just have to try to get your sub and mains equidistant from your listening position. Also you cant apply a crossover between sub and mains. The workaround I did for that was to set the crossover via the sub then raise the gain on the sub so it drowned out the same frequencies from the mains. When Dirac applies a cut to the sub it effectively applies a large reduction to the same frequencies of main speakers. That was the best set-up I could do before changing to power amps and connecting the DDRC's Channel 1, 2 and 3 directly to the Power amps and Sub via RCA.

I am only doing digital streaming at this point and it's probably what I'm going to stick with.

So let me get this straight... Streamer to DDRC via Toslink- DDRC to analog input via RCA- pre amp on integrated out to subs via RCA.

When I want to use REW or run Dirac I hook from my laptop to DDRC via USB then run either program? Will it be able to employ the filters REW comes up with or should I just run Dirac? Can I use the hipass and lowpass crossovers on the integrated instead of on the subs? If I can't use it to do xovers or time alignment what exactly will I be able to do?

"crossover via the sub then raise the gain on the sub so it drowned out the same frequencies from the mains. When Dirac applies a cut to the sub it effectively applies a large reduction to the same frequencies of main speakers" Did you do this by ear or use measurements to get a better response across the board? I'm not quite sure what you mean by "drown out" the same freqs from the mains. Thanks so much for your help!

"

How can you set crossover via your integrated? Does it have a dedicated sub out? If so yes set the crossover in the amp and then you don’t need to mess about with increasing sub gain. You might then also have the option to set delays(?).

There are guys on here with more experience on REW but I’d suggest just letting Dirac do its thing.

My Parasound Hint 6 has dual sub outs. Per manual- The HINT 6 provides one XLR connector and two RCA jacks for one or more subwoofers. The two unbalanced and one balanced subwoofer outputs all carry the same mono signal. You
can select whether the mono signal is full range or crossed over according to the frequency
you select for the Low Pass crossover

It also has hi pass and lo pass xovers. Per manual- Low Pass Crossover (Subwoofer RCA jacks and XLR Output)
The Low Pass crossover allows only low frequencies to be output from the HINT 6 Sub Output
jacks. If your subwoofer has a built-in crossover that cannot be switched off, set it to its
highest frequency to minimize the negative effects on bass response from filtering in the HINT
6 and again in the subwoofer.
High Pass Crossover (Left and Right Speakers and Preamp Outputs)
The HINT 6 High Pass Crossover for the Speaker Outputs and Preamp Outputs (both XLR
and RCA) allows you to block low frequencies from going to your main L and R speakers.
This can be particularly useful if you are using small speakers (typically with woofers of
6.5”/165mm or smaller) and you have a subwoofer. The most common settings are between
50Hz and 80Hz. If you are not using a subwoofer you will get better results by turning the
HINT 6 High Pass Crossover off or setting it below 40 Hz. If you want your L and R speakers
to operate full range with no frequencies blocked set the High Pass crossover switch to its Off

When I got an answer from miniDSP about using it with an integrated this was their reply, "You can't apply DSP to an amplified connection. the DSP needs to be "before" amplification, not after. You'll have to figure out a way to put the processing before... With an all in one amplifier doing 2.1 processing, adding DSP won't be possible I'm afraid..

Why would they say that instead of just telling me to hook it up like you said? If I hook it up like you say wouldn't it be altering only the source material before it ever hits the integrated? How does this accomplish room correction?

Perhaps they didn’t properly understand the capabilities of your amp.

Streamer -> ddrc24-> amp
Set your crossover in your amp.
Can you set your speaker delays too?

Run Dirac and it should work pretty well.

If your amp couldn’t manage the sub integration then miniDSP were correct saying it wouldn’t work as you wouldn’t really be able to integrate your sub fully. Neither crossover or delays. The method I originally suggested was a workaround.

I'm either really misunderstanding what the DDRC does and how Dirac does room correction or I'm crazy! Both are possible. How does it manipulate the source material, ie. streamer, to do room correction before it hits the integrated? This is my first real system and a lot more involved than plug and play so I guess I don't understand how it all works.

This is very much over simplifying it but think of the ddrc24 as a very clever graphics equaliser.