TOPIC:

BEWARE when you update the firmware of these Flex devices! I just updated a TRS Flex that was connected via TOS using the latest MiniDSP Device Console and when the update finished it let out a FULL LEVEL SQUEEL that LITERALLY MELTED the tweeter of one of my speakers!!! I did NOT see that coming and was not warned by the software at all that this could happen. Would love some feedback (pun intended) here on what might have happened.

Why in the world would you have your power amplifier turned on when performing software/firmware updating????
This is tempting fate.

Dave.

Should never happen to begin with. Never happened on the many SHD's I had. 

Rule of thumb that's worked for many decades, for me:
Never, ever, have a power amplifier active when fiddling with upstream gear.

Dave.

Well all I can say is that I am thankful it was my cheap speakers that were hooked up and got blown up! These Flex's seem to be extremely finicky and buggy. Release seems premature and dangerous. If one of these blows up someone's $30,000 speakers heads will roll!

I would certainly never update firmware with power amps/active speakers on. I do see value in a warning message to encourage this behaviour though, as whilst it would just seem standard practice for many it obviously isn't for everyone. For many a miniDSP may be the first component that even has firmware updates too. My 2x4 HD was for me.

Every AV Receiver nowadays gets firmware Updates. Also neraly every device with network connection or USB gets updates.

I cannot unterstand why it is so difficult to mute the system AUTOMATICALLY whenever the software/firmware whatever runs in background is performing any kind of command which has nothing todo with normal usage...
Even switching between inputs could do a short mute - switch - unmute command instead of just switch and crackl..

That seems to me is clearly a problem of programming / coding in the firmware.

I don't blame minidsp here in particular.
You can read about pops,clicks and cracks in nearly every audio device...

just my two cents

marcus

Never update with amps on…. What r u thinkin 


yes I have heard that squelch before , only after a update and something went Ary’e ,  but that was amp on after update , and slow slow volume 

simply turn power of and back on fixed it 


 

What am I thinking...? Uh, that the engineers who created the Flex would have thought this through better, knowing this could and would happen if someone just might not realize they should turn their speakers off when updating the firmware to these. Don't be a dick. It literally melted my tweeter. The world is seriously lacking tact and compassion these days. SMH

Can you post a photo of your melted tweeter please?

Dave.

No. The speakers have already been replaced. Are you trying to perpetuate being a dick? Nice group of people here. 

Well, we're not the ones doing the name calling. 

What steps have you taken to prevent this from happening again?  I assume you will heed the advice given here and secure your power amp before making any software changes?
The tweeters are connected directly to your power amps with no additional protection?  Not even a series capacitor?
Are these power amplifiers that are (power) over-rated for your application?

It seems you were playing a bit fast and loose with your audio equipment in this instance.  Take it from somebody who's been fiddling with audio gear for 50+ years now.  You must always be very careful with equipment you're not familiar with.  Never take anything for granted.
That's always good advice.  And it applies to more than audio equipment as well.

Dave.

It is not name calling. It is describing a behavior. I am not an audiophile. I am a professional music producer. So all this lingo you are using about power amps and series capacitors is not applicable in a mixing and mastering studio. We use powered studio monitors. Anyway, there's no point in continuing this banter. What is done is done. I am not expecting anything out of miniDSP. I have already dumped these devices and will not be financially contributing to companies that do such shoddy work. 

Yo brotha , we’re not being mean….


Your original post was firing off that the product blew your tweeter , YOU blew your tweeter 


if you were a music producer then you should above all of us know The behavior of electronic equipment especially audio gear…. That makes no sense 


instead of posting things being mad at the processor because you’re upset that your tweeters blew up , maybe just swallow the fact that you missed it, and move on….

it’s not a big deal , I smoked a set of 2100$ beryllium tweeters because I made a goof once , I didn’t blame my gear:… it was me and I knew it….

 

Yeah, no. It was the poor engineering behind the Flex. I too have blown a tweeter before and it was indeed my fault. I had an open mic in the studio and created a feedback loop. That WAS my fault! No problem owning that. Some shoddy engineering not muting outputs when a firmware update occurs is not my fault. An oversight and not being overly cautious to the point of paranoia, maybe. But not my fault. Keep making excuses for miniDSP guys and this BS will never get fixed.