TOPIC:

Currently in my set up with QUAD ESL57 speakers I have the source (a Squeezebox Touch Clone) with its volume set to maximum using Digital Toslink and then use the DDRC 24 to control the overall volume .

I am still getting issues with distortion which I suspect is overload of the DDRC so which is the best practice set as I have it above with the source on maximum volume or the DDRC 24 set to maxium and then adjust the volume at the source on the Squeezebox Touch unit .

Hi - the way you are doing it right now is the best way to avoid the problem of overload within the DSP - keep the input signal at max and control the output with the miniDSP Master Volume. That way, if any of the filters running in the DSP are capable of boosting the signal, you have the maximum headroom available to you. We should talk this through over a few beers in March

Tony I have to confess it was always my intention to get to talk to you about this in March . While e-mails and postings are useful and helpful they are no subsititute for talking to someone directly . My only worry is that i will end up boring anyone who listens with my endless questions . Will try and keep an eye on that .

Tony managed not to look bored with all my questions. You may have the same success.

Hi. Does that mean the the MiniDSP DDRC 24 does not chop off bits when using it as the (presumably digital) volume control?

I use mine with full gain on the DDRC and volume is controlled by my preamp. The DDRC is then fed directly into active Adams.

If I’m not using it optimally, I’d be grateful for a few tips please. Cheers.

Bencat wrote:

Tony I have to confess it was always my intention to get to talk to you about this in March . While e-mails and postings are useful and helpful they are no subsititute for talking to someone directly . My only worry is that i will end up boring anyone who listens with my endless questions . Will try and keep an eye on that .

Hi Andrew
No danger of boring me - it's always good to talk it through. Enforced idleness in the car this morning made me rethink what I said earlier. I don't think it matters whether you use the source or the DDRC to set the volume in your situation, because either way, the signal that reaches the DDRC's DAC will be well below 0dB (if it isn't, your ears will be bleeding). The situation where I had the issue was different - I had source and DDRC cranked up to max volume and was using a potentiometer downstream of the DDRC to control the signal into the amp, so any digital boost in the DDRC was in danger of generating clipping at the DDRC's DAC.

paul7777x wrote:

Hi. Does that mean the the MiniDSP DDRC 24 does not chop off bits when using it as the (presumably digital) volume control?

I use mine with full gain on the DDRC and volume is controlled by my preamp. The DDRC is then fed directly into active Adams.

If I’m not using it optimally, I’d be grateful for a few tips please. Cheers.

Hi Paul - if I understand you correctly, your config is source -> preamp -> DDRC -> active speakers and you use the preamp to control the volume. I don't see a problem there.

Hi Tony.

Thank you for the reply.

That is the way it’s all set up and it sounds top class, but I thought I’d check just in case.

Cheers, Paul.

Just an update I have always thought and in the past been rpoved correct that the shortest signal path has the best chance of giving you the best audio quality .

In my active system I have this with digital signal in to the MiniDSP DDRC 24 then analogue from their to two power amplifiers using the MiniDSP as the volume control , DAC , Digaital Crossover . In my view only this sound amazing has the real snap and speed that I was looking for in an active system.

I origianly set up my Music room System using Quad ESL 57 speakers with digital signal to Metrum Quad DAC then in to a Valve Pre out as analaogue to the MiniDSP DDRC 24 then in to the Power amplifer . After a bit of reviewing this I decided that it was two units too many and removed the DAC and Pre and sent the digital signal to the MiniDSP and then analogue out to the power amplifer acting as DAC and DSP Room Filter only . Initialy I have had issues with digital head room on the MiniDSP but working hard and tweaking the filter curve ahs paid off and now I can use this for me at least ideal short signal path and get the music I was looking for .

Are you sure it wasn’t the valve pre that was causing less than top performance? Valves are not known for transparency.

Seriously who would suggest that valves are not transparent ? Quad , Croft , Jadis , Acoustic Research , VTL . The valves does have issues but being transparent is not one of them .