SHD

miniDSP is proud to introduce the SHD (“Streaming High Definition”) digital audio processor incorporating Dirac Live®, the world’s premier room correction solution. A natural evolution and extension of our considerable experience with Dirac Live implementation, the miniDSP SHD heralds a new era in affordable yet powerful DSP-based network streamers.

The miniDSP SHD is a certified Roon Ready network player. Being Roon Ready means that miniDSP uses Roon streaming technology, for an incredible user interface, simple setup, rock-solid daily reliability, and the highest levels of audio performance, without compromise. The quad-core streaming processor in the SHD also runs Volumio, a popular open-source network streamer, providing web-based access to music files from sources as diverse as a USB stick to Internet Radio and Spotify.

The SHD has extensive connectivity options. Three digital inputs, two analog inputs and USB Audio enable the SHD to fit right into any modern audio system. The four-channel DSP-controlled outputs are available as single-ended (RCA) and balanced (XLR) analog as well as SPDIF digital.

In addition to Dirac Live, the miniDSP SHD includes a full suite of our powerful but user-friendly DSP audio tuning software - ten-band parametric EQ per channel, crossovers up to 48 dB/octave, compressor/limiter, and a flexible 2x4 matrix mixer — for powerful audio system tuning in applications ranging from subwoofer integration to a two-way active speaker

Hardware Features

Processor: 32-bit floating-point 400MHz Analog Devices SHARC DSP
32bit Audiophile converters: AK5574 / AK4490EQ
Powered by Dirac Live® 3.x Digital Room Correction
Quad core ARM processor for network audio streaming - Roon Ready and Volumio
Inputs: Stereo digital (USB Audio/AES-EBU/SPDIF/Optical), stereo analog (Balanced XLR, unbalanced RCA)
Outputs: 4 x digital (SPDIF out), 4 x analog out (Balanced XLR, unbalanced RCA)
USB audio recording feature (4xCH processed output via USB audio to record inputs, e.g. Vinyl)
White/Black OLED front panel controller

SHD 1200x174

SHD Diagram Roonready

Product Downloads

What's in the box?

Dirac Series Audio Processor — SHD DSP
USB Wifi 2.4GHz adaptor
Dirac Live 3.x license for full range correction (20Hz~20kHz)
UMIK-1 calibrated measurement microphone
IR remote v2
IEC power plug (UK/EU/US)
Rack mounting kit (standard 1RU)

NOTE: The UMIK-1/2 are measurement microphones approved by Dirac Research. Knowing the major effect a wrong calibration/measurement would have on the final results of Dirac Live tuning, we strongly recommend that you select a UMIK-1/2 microphone together with your platform for a plug&play experience leading to best results. Any issues related to 3rd party microphones such as ASIO/USB audio driver incompatibility/Latency problems or incorrect calibration process will not be under our support structure by our support team.

Got your own DAC and looking for an All Digital version of this product?
Check out the SHD Studio platform.

Item	Description
Digital Signal Processor	32-bit Floating point Analog Devices SHARC ADSP21489 / 450MHz Internal sample rate: 96kHz
Control	Driverless USB 2.0 control interface for Windows environments A computer is only required for the initial configuration and for USB audio streaming
Network Audio Streamer	Quad Core ARM processor, Gb Ethernet, USB 2.0 for external Hard drive Volumio Audiophile player,
Bidirectional USB Audio	XMOS asynchronous USB audio up to 192 kHz, USB Audio Class 2 compliant ASIO drivers for Windows Driverless for Mac OS X Bidirectional audio / 2ch playback (PC to SHD), 4ch recording post processing (SHD to PC)
Digital Audio Inputs	Digital audio source selectable from IR remote or Front panel, up to 216 kHz sample rate: AES/EBU on Neutrik 3pin female XLR / Isolated with digital audio transformer SPDIF on RCA connector / Isolated with digital audio transformer TOSLINK on Optical connector
Digital Audio Outputs	Four channels of digital output. 2 x SPDIF on RCA connector / Isolated with digital audio transformer.
Analog Audio inputs	2-channel audio input, balanced XLR Neutrik connector, unbalanced on RCA 32bit AKM AK5574 ADC / 120dB SNR measured / 0.0003% THD+N (Balanced Analog to Digital) Max input level: 2V RMS unbalanced, 4V RMS balanced Input impedance: 47k Ohms (RCA) / 48k Ohms (XLR)
Analog Audio outputs	4-channel audio output, balanced XLR Neutrik connector, unbalanced on RCA 32bit AKM AK4490EQ DAC / 120dB SNR measured / 0.0003% THD+N (Digital to balanced analog) Max output level: 2V RMS unbalanced, 4V RMS balanced Output impedance: 100 Ohms (RCA) / 200 Ohms (XLR)
miniDSP DSP Processing	Volume, Parametric Equalizer banks, Crossovers, Matrix mixer, Compressor/Limiter, Mute
Dirac Live Correction Suite for miniDSP	Plug&Play control and configuration from Dirac Live Correction Suite 3.x
FIR filter storage	Up to 4 filter configuration filters stored on unit
USB port	USB port type B for audio streaming, real time control and firmware upgrade
Power supply	110-240V AC
Dimensions (H x W x D) mm	41.5 x 429 x 236 mm, Provided with 1RU rack mount kit

Community Forum

Link to miniDSP community forum

FAQ's & Support portal

Link to miniDSP tech support portal FAQ's

Sub Integration with the SHD

The miniDSP SHD includes not only Dirac Live^® but also a full set of crossover functions on its four output channels. One use of this is as a flexible tool for integrating subwoofers into your system along with Dirac Live. This app note shows you how.

SHD + Roon Ready

The miniDSP SHD is a Roon Ready platform. Check out this application note to see how you can easily stream from your favorite Roon service.

Using a Harmony Remote to control the SHD

The miniDSP SHD can be used with a Logitech® Harmony® remote. For this app note, we tried two of the most affordable Harmony remotes, the Harmony 650 and the Harmony 350. The Harmony 650 has a small screen and is easier to set up, while the Harmony 350 is a bit cheaper. This short app note shows you how easy it is to set up!

Using a Synology NAS with the miniDSP SHD

The miniDSP SHD Series support a range of network streaming services, including Spotify, Tidal, and Qobuz. Even so, many of us still have a collection of music files that we want to play through an SHD Series processor. In a networked computer music system, a network attached storage (NAS) may be used for music file storage. While there are many manufacturers of NAS units, in this app note we will use a Synology as an example, as they are a popular and widely-available brand. If you use a different brand of NAS, the general techniques in this app note should still work. However, you will need to figure out the specific settings for your brand of NAS.

There are a number of well-regarded music players that can stream audio to the miniDSP SHD Series over your local area network (LAN). In this app note, we will show you how to use JRiver Media Center (JRMC). JRiver Media Center is available for Mac, Windows and Linux. It is a commercial program with a 30-day free trial. Check out the app note for more details.

minidsp shd jriver media center enable media network

There are a number of well-regarded music players that can stream audio to the miniDSP SHD Series over your local area network (LAN). In this app note, we will show you how to use Audirvana Plus. Audirvana Plus is available for Mac and Windows. It is a commercial program with a 15-day free trial. Check out this app note for more details.

Thursday, 05 August 2021

First, the conclusion: With the SHD and a March Audio p452 Purifi amp, I now have sound that surpasses my previous, twice-as-expensive integrated amp in every way. Compared to the megabuck offerings out there, the SHD offers exceptional functionality and flawless sound at a fraction of the cost. The long story: I just got back into the high-end audio game after being away for a decade. Formerly, I had USD $10,000 speakers and a $6000 integrated amp, both from technically savvy companies. At that point I was very pleased with the sound of my system. For various reasons, about 8 years ago I had to go to a desktop system, though, and for a while had fairly modest components. The system was fine, but I saw it as a stopgap system, not a long-term one. What motivated me to get serious about a desktop system was seeing the recent advances in amplifier and digital technology. I just purchased the SHD plus a March Audio Purifi amp, which both offer measured performance that ensures that they will never be the weak link in my system. I chose the SHD model because of its analog input (for when I set up my turntable again) and its ability to integrate two subwoofers (although in my small room right now, I only use one sub). I do wish that the SHD had a headphone amp, though, since I ended up having to buy a separate unit. Using Dirac Live was easy and the sound is better than anything I've had before. I'm using KEF LS50 Metas and an SVS Micro 3000 sub, both of which are "affordable" in the high-end context that I used to play in. With Dirac Live, what I noticed even more than the frequency response correction was the clarity of the sound and the seamlessness of the soundstage. I set up 3 Dirac curves with different bass responses so that I can get satisfying perceived bass at very low, low, and moderate levels (I don't listen at high SPLs). The fourth preset is

Don Kuhn-Choi

SHD

SHD