TOPIC:

Greetings all from long time lurker.

I'd like to know if it would be feasible to combine a single DDRC-88A with two 2x4 boxes. The system will be 9.2. Two side speakers on each side of the room (2x Left, 2x Right). No ceiling speakers. No front heights. No front wides.

3 Front speakers
4 Side speakers (2x2)
2 Rear speakers
2 Subwoofers, both up front

This is a dedicated HT room.

My thought process on EQ channel layout:

DDRC-88A
1 Front Left
2 Front Right
3 Front Center
4 Left Side (to 2x4 #1)
5 Right Side (to 2x4 #1)
6 Rear Left
7 Rear Right
8 Subs (to 2x4 #2)

2x4 #1
1in Left Side
2in Right Side
1out Left Side Forward
2out Left Side Rearward
3out Right Side Forward
4out Right Side Rearward

2x4 #2
1in Subwooofer
2in <no connection>
1out Sub #1
2out Sub #2

See what I'm trying to do here? Avoid buying 2x DDRC-88A units. I'm contemplating spending less $ and taking up 1U rack space instead of buying 2x DDRC-88A units and taking up 2U.

Will this concept work? I know it won't be ideal from Dirac perspective, but want to know if I can get 90% of the way there. My thought process is the 2x4's can be used to handle time delays.

@ dguyton

Sounds like a neat setup!
No problem to build that setup. Just note that it just won't be too easy to configure (i.e. you need to connect to one unit, flash it, disconnect, load that new configuration, connect USB cable to other miniDSP platforms, synch to flash that new config.. )
It's a bit of work but will do the trick. .

Here is the important accessory we'd recommend.
www.amazon.com/Sabrent-4-Port-Individual...ZQ4FFWWMM2WXHWSANM7X

With such USB hub with switch, you can toggle to only ONE minidsp active at a time.

Hoping this info helps

DevTeam

devteam wrote:

Sounds like a neat setup!
No problem to build that setup. Just note that it just won't be too easy to configure (i.e. you need to connect to one unit, flash it, disconnect, load that new configuration, connect USB cable to other miniDSP platforms, synch to flash that new config.. )
It's a bit of work but will do the trick. .

Thanks very much for the feedback.

However, I don't understand what you mean by flashing, disconnecting, and loading the configurations. Could you be a bit more specific?

My thinking was the MiniDSP 2x4 units would be in between the DDRC-88A and the speakers. My thought process is I'd configure them like this:

1. Connect pre-amp connections and speaker connections to DDRC-88A
2. Connect left/right side surround speaker sets to 1st 2x4
3. Connect subwoofers to the other 2x4
4. Turn off the DDRC-88A and subwoofer 2x4
5. Position UMIK-1 mic
6. Play test tones via AVR or Pre-amp
7. Run time-delay calibration on the L/R speaker set 2x4 unit so the side speakers act as a single speaker on each side of the room
8. Save configuration on the side speaker 2x4
9. Turn on the DDRC-88A unit
10. Run Dirac configuration. At this point the DDRC-88A and the side speaker 2x4 are both on. The subwoofer 2x4 is still off.
11. After Dirac calibration in step above, save configuration
12. Turn off DDRC-88A and side speaker 2x4
13. Turn on the subwoofer 2x4
14. Play test tones via AVR or Pre-amp
15. Save configuration on subwoofer 2x4
16. Turn on the DDRC-88A unit
17. Run Dirac configuration. At this point the DDRC-88A and the both 2x4 units are turned on
18. Save final Dirac configuration

Have I correctly defined the process and order of events for my idea to be successful?

Hello

"However, I don't understand what you mean by flashing, disconnecting, and loading the configurations. Could you be a bit more specific?"
Basically, you can only control ONE miniDSP unit at a time. Hence the reason why we recommend that switch with USB else the software for say DDRC-88A will get confused if it sees a 2x4.

Your path of tuning does make sense with the above said.

DevTeam