TOPIC:

I got too excited and ordered the DDRC-24, without full vetting whether or not it would fit in my system. Oops, but I'd still like to find a way to use it. My stereo image is mediocre at best and YPAO on my AVR isn't cutting it. It appears with my current AVR set up, the best I can do is use the minidsp to configure my 1 sub, which is not what I had in mind.

Looking for confirmation or other ideas as to how I can take advantage of this miniDSP, so I can hopefully achieve some of the room correction for my 2.1 system.

I currently have an AVR (Yamaha RX-A1050), which powers my pair of B&W CWM 7.3, along with my REL t9i sub. What I'm now thinking is I may want to add an integrated amp in the mix, and have the DDRC24 sit in-between my AVR and integrated amp using HT Bypass and Main In on the Integrated Amp. Would this allow me to use the AVR as a pre-amp via the L/R pre-outs to the DDRC-24... then split the signal within the DDRC to pass lower frequencies to the sub? Then 1 channel from DDRC feeds my sub, and the other 2 channels go into Main IN on the Integrated Amp?

If so, great.... is there another/better way to do this? I don't have the separate stereo or integrated amp, so I can make sure the one I'd get has the appropriate features... as it seems many have limiting factors that may not help me here.

Thoughts?

Thank you for your help!

Your proposed solution will work but you will not be able to use the volume control in the integrated amp and will need to use either the AVR or the DDRC for volume control. For that reason it probably makes sense to purchase a power amp rather than an integrated amp.

Is the system you described a subset of a multi-channel system or do you always run 2.1? If you are only implementing a 2.1 system I would probably find a way to get rid of the AVR and get rid of the unnecessary DAC/ADC with digital sources.

Michael

Thank you so much for your reply!

I only run a 2.1 system as of now. I don't love the AVR either, but I'm not sure how else to handle all of my HDMI inputs for TV/Cable/Xbox, etc.?

My thought on the integrated vs. power amp is the integrated may give me more flexibility in the future, while allowing me to continue to use the DDRC-24, assuming it has a pre-out/main-in option. If I do end up separating off my AVR HT system from my music setup in the future, the integrated would serve me well w/o having to buy another pre-amp.

Unless there is a better way... I'm thinking I'll try to find an integrated amp with HT bypass AND pre-outs, so I can use the DDRC-24 w/ my AVR or with just the Integrated Amp in the future... does this make sense? If I eventually want to use the integrated amp on it's own to power my speakers and sub for music, can I slot the DDRC-24 in-between a pre-out and back into HT Bypass on the same integrated amp?

Also, thinking through the sub situation... the Rel t9i has a Low-level, high-level, and LFE input.

My thought to handle my current situation is when I want to listen to music, I would tell my AVR to use 2-channel stereo. This way the DDRC-24 can break out the low frequency and deliver to my sub via the low-level input.

Is it possible to also use the sub out on my AVR -->LFE input on the REL at the same time? This way, when I select 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 whatever, it delivers the LFE signal to the sub as well when watching movies? Or am I going to blow something up? Typical application for the REL suggest using the high-level and LFE at the same time... but high-level won't work with the DDRC...

Sorry for all the confusion. I'm trying to find answers to a lot of questions. Google is helping, but I still have a lot to learn if that wasn't painfully obvious from my post.

Thinking something like this might meet my needs:



I can connect the DDRC-24 into the av input (HT bypass), which should allow me the option to either run my Sonos Player through the AVR or directly into the DDRC... just depends on how I want to manage volume control.

Then, if I ever do remove the AVR from the equation, I can use the preout/amp in to insert the DDRC-24 inbetween if I still want to leverage the DSP & Dirac. Any concerns or something I'm missing?

Still need to figure out how to most effectively leverage the sub in my current AVR -> Integrated setup, but it feels like I'm getting closer to a workable solution.

I don't love the AVR either, but I'm not sure how else to handle all of my HDMI inputs for TV/Cable/Xbox, etc.?

I was not sure how many sources you had but this can certainly be an issue. Assuming your TV has a TOSLINK output you could route your HDMI various sources to the TV and then use the TV TOSLINK output. However this may not be the greatest quality as at least on my TV it resamples everything to 48 kHz and does not do a great job of resampling. You could also get an HDMI audio extractor / switch with multiple HDMI inputs. This is a bit of pain as you would need to use this to switch sources but it would avoid an unnecessary DAC/ADC.

Unless there is a better way... I'm thinking I'll try to find an integrated amp with HT bypass AND pre-outs, so I can use the DDRC-24 w/ my AVR or with just the Integrated Amp in the future... does this make sense? If I eventually want to use the integrated amp on it's own to power my speakers and sub for music, can I slot the DDRC-24 in-between a pre-out and back into HT Bypass on the same integrated amp?

I do not quite follow this and do not think it will work like you intend. It sounds like you want to route a preout from the integrated amp to the DDRC and then back in to the integrated amp and have the volume control act only on the signal that you have looped back in which I do not think will work. An integrated amp is fine but again I really think you will need to use the volume control in the DDRC.

Also, thinking through the sub situation... the Rel t9i has a Low-level, high-level, and LFE input.

My thought to handle my current situation is when I want to listen to music, I would tell my AVR to use 2-channel stereo. This way the DDRC-24 can break out the low frequency and deliver to my sub via the low-level input.

I would always have your AVR on 2 channel stereo and use the DDRC for the sub crossover prior to your sub. I glanced at the documentation for the Rel and I do not understand why they would suggest you use both the high level and LFE at the same time. It seems like the LFE may bypass some of the crossover in the sub which would be good for your application. I would experiment with using the low level or the LFE input and see if you can see a difference when taking measurements.

Michael

Ok, I've been busy looking at Integrated Amps and I've finally made a decision. I splurged (for me) and went with the McIntosh MA5200. I auditioned one a while back and found a good deal. Though it's almost certainly overkill for these B&W in-walls, I do plan to upgrade my speakers in the next year or 2 at most. Side note, I had a pair of Triangle Antal EZs that I really liked and the damn movers dropped one.... completely caved in the corner of the beautiful piano gloss black... so their insurance paid out and I no longer have them. Told them if there was one thing to take extra special care of.... anyway... I digress.... apartment I moved into already had these CWM 7.3 S2s in here... so when I move again or buy a home, I'll need to get speakers.

Back to the DDRC-24. @Michael, I think I agree on the leaving my AVR on Stereo at all times moving forward. My question now is... barring the hassle of plugging and unplugging RCAs.... could I pre-configure the DDRC-24 to work with the AVR -> DDRC-24 -> Power Amp IN on the MA5200.... or... let's say if I wanted to use the Phono stage on the MA5200... could I simply go MA5200 Preamp-out -> DDRC24 -> MA5200 Power Amp In? essentially just using the DDRC-24 for sub breakout and room correction. Could I feasibly use some of the 4 presets within the DDRC24 to work with both the AVR and MA5200, simply just swapping cables out? Obviously this wouldn't happen very often, but let's say I'm having people over for a post-covid party and just want to spin vinyl all night... I'd rather take advantage of the phono stage in the MA5200, assuming I would still get the benefits of the Sub and Dirac room correction.

That amplifier definitely gives you a lot of options with the preamp out / power amp in functionality. There is no "right" answer here, I would play around with the different options and see what works best for you.

You could definitely get rid of the AVR, use the MA5200 for source selection / volume control and put the DDRC between the preamp out / power amp in.

Michael

Thank you so much for your help Michael! Will probably be a couple weeks before I report back on how it all worked out. Will give a full review of how everything is set up and whether or not any of this made a significant improvement to my system.