TOPIC:

Let's say for some device I never do room correction. I've a miniDSP 2x4 HD which I'm using as a DAC for a Stax SRM-353X headphone amp, running frequency corrections for the bass response of the electrostatic headphones. The source is a PC connected via USB. There's no room correction here. All I do is I use some PEQ filters (mostly low shelf and peak) to linearize the headphones.

Hypothetically speaking, if I purchase the upgrade to the DDRC-24, what would I get from it that I don't already have? Can Dirac do more sophisticated EQ than the plain 2x4 HD?

All I care about is EQ settings for headphones, running on a 2x4 HD box, that's all. No room correction whatsoever for this device.

All kinds of issues there, I would save the money (and the hair!)

john.reekie wrote:

All kinds of issues there, I would save the money (and the hair!)

Could you be more specific, please? I am new to miniDSP and Dirac (though I understand the theory - I've a degree in Physics and Electronics, I've designed DACs and so on; though this was years ago).

On the face of it, Dirac seems like a pretty powerful, user-configurable EQ.

The 2x4 is great and works very well as a DAC. The PEQ that comes with it works well, but seems sort of minimal. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to extend it somehow, maybe via Dirac. If not, okay, I'll stay with the existing EQ - it's fine, if a little basic.

Equalizer APO on Windows is a bit more powerful, but unfortunately it's tied to the PC. Hence the decision to purchase the 2x4, which was a very good decision. I'm not looking to back off, I'm just trying to see what else I can do with it. You'll pry the 2x4 from my cold, dead hands - that's how much I like it.

You have a 2x4 HD, not a 2x4, right? Have a look at the FIR filtering and also the "advanced" biquads.

To use DL you'd have to first get valid measurements of your headphones using a UMIK-1, then figure out how to provide the multiple measurements DL needs.

john.reekie wrote:

You have a 2x4 HD, not a 2x4, right? Have a look at the FIR filtering and also the "advanced" biquads.

To use DL you'd have to first get valid measurements of your headphones using a UMIK-1, then figure out how to provide the multiple measurements DL needs.

Taking measurements is the big problem for use with headphones - there just isn't any easy way to do it because the UMIK-1 (which is the only mic that you can use with DDRC-24) isn't designed to be stuffed inside a pair of headphones - it is for use on a stand in a listening room/auditorium in front of a pair of speakers. So if eq for headphones is your only interest, save your money and stick with the 2X4 HD.

I'm actually not interested in measuring the headphones. I was simply wondering if Dirac itself could be used to manually implement more sophisticated, more complex EQ correction curves than the EQ that comes by default with the 2x4 HD.

FlorinAndrei wrote:

I'm actually not interested in measuring the headphones. I was simply wondering if Dirac itself could be used to manually implement more sophisticated, more complex EQ correction curves than the EQ that comes by default with the 2x4 HD.

You've missed the point - as commented by John earlier in this thread, you can't do anything with Dirac unless you take a set of measurements.

That's what I did not know. I see now. Thank you.