TOPIC:

What happens to analog signal in? It gets digitized, processed, and then back to analog for output? Just want to understand. Thanks. 

Yes:  analog>ADC>(DSP)>DAC>analog

Gotcha. 

I have a good dac laying around, but from this it looks like there's no point inserting it before the minidsp, correct? 

Kenken wrote:

Gotcha. 

I have a good dac laying around, but from this it looks like there's no point inserting it before the minidsp, correct? 

If you've got the DAC you could just try it, and also bear in mind that you could send the digital outputs of two of your Flex channels to your DAC.

Any advantage or not of using your DAC before the Flex would depend on what digital sources you were using and whether your DAC handled incoming electrical noise or jitter better than the Flex. Noting that electrical noise is not a relevant consideration for a Toslink connection and jitter is not relevant for USB.

"bear in mind that you could send the digital outputs of two of your Flex channels to your DAC."

- this part only applies to the flex digital correct? I have the original flex with 4 analog outs. Or am I misunderstanding? 

Kenken wrote:

"bear in mind that you could send the digital outputs of two of your Flex channels to your DAC."

- this part only applies to the flex digital correct? I have the original flex with 4 analog outs. Or am I misunderstanding? 

Sorry, yes, you're right  .

I'll just add that my expectation is you'd be better off just sending a digital signal to your Flex and selling your DAC by the way, but it's not completely impossibly for it to offer a benefit as per my post above.

I did try it with the DAC. Digital source to i2s DAC > DAC into flex analog. I hear zero difference.

Kenken wrote:

I did try it with the DAC. Digital source to i2s DAC > DAC into flex analog. I hear zero difference.

There's your answer then  .