[Rick Craig]

I have the MiniDSP 4x10HD here and am looking forward to working with it. 

[Tyson]

I've been using one for several years now, absolutely love it. 

[Rick Craig]

I've been using one for several years now, absolutely love it.

I still favor the DEQX but it's nice to have a lower cost alternative. The software side is the main issue here plus having a more complete package for my non-DIY customers.

[aevans]

Rick, you should check these guys out: http://www.intersil.com/en/products/audiovideo/d2audio.html

It's a direct digital amp with built in DSP correction, the noise floor is damn near 0 from what I could tell.

I just auditioned the Vanatoo Transparent One that uses this tech and it's very nice for a desktop monitor. You can hear the cheapness of the Chinese drivers and boxes, but the DSP did it's job of cleaning up the response surprisingly well.

I know it's not your market, but it would be pretty sweet if you could come up with an active DSP corrected desktop monitor and hit that below $900 price range. Maybe some Founteks and seas drivers, although I've always thought a miniature ground plane CBT would be magic on a desktop.

[Rick Craig]

Rick, you should check these guys out: http://www.intersil.com/en/products/audiovideo/d2audio.html

It's a direct digital amp with built in DSP correction, the noise floor is damn near 0 from what I could tell.

I just auditioned the Vanatoo Transparent One that uses this tech and it's very nice for a desktop monitor. You can hear the cheapness of the Chinese drivers and boxes, but the DSP did it's job of cleaning up the response surprisingly well.

I know it's not your market, but it would be pretty sweet if you could come up with an active DSP corrected desktop monitor and hit that below $900 price range. Maybe some Founteks and seas drivers, although I've always thought a miniature ground plane CBT would be magic on a desktop.

Yes I had noticed those and it's a great idea they have. We are checking into something similar as there is quite a bit of action going on in the DSP arena right now.

[ricardojoa]

Hi Rick,

are there any significant advantage and improvement in turning the tempesta in to a dsp setup, with +/-1 on axis and assuming off axis remaing as good or better?

[Rick Craig]

Hi Rick,

are there any significant advantage and improvement in turning the tempesta in to a dsp setup, with +/-1 on axis and assuming off axis remaing as good or better?

If the software and hardware is optimal DSP will always have an advantage over passive. The question then is it worth the extra cost of the DSP unit and extra channels of amplification? In this case probably not since the passive design already performs very well.

[studiotech]

I have the MiniDSP 4x10HD here and am looking forward to working with it. 

Eagerly awaiting your impressions of this unit.  We are considering the same thing to replace the ancient BSS Omnidrive running the mains at the studio.  The BSS is making funny sounds on a random basis and at this point it is not worth the $500 repair fee.  I'd rather put that money towards a newer processor.  If the MiniDSP doesn't perform well or sound fantastic, we're just just going to go with a Digmoda, because I've already been using them with good success.

Greg

[ricardojoa]

Thats true, there are always extra cost for the amps.

[Rick Craig]

Eagerly awaiting your impressions of this unit.  We are considering the same thing to replace the ancient BSS Omnidrive running the mains at the studio.  The BSS is making funny sounds on a random basis and at this point it is not worth the $500 repair fee.  I'd rather put that money towards a newer processor.  If the MiniDSP doesn't perform well or sound fantastic, we're just just going to go with a Digmoda, because I've already been using them with good success.

Greg

Having worked with DEQX and Digmoda I am curious to see how the software works. I'll let you know when I get a chance to listen.

[Rick Craig]

Eagerly awaiting your impressions of this unit.  We are considering the same thing to replace the ancient BSS Omnidrive running the mains at the studio.  The BSS is making funny sounds on a random basis and at this point it is not worth the $500 repair fee.  I'd rather put that money towards a newer processor.  If the MiniDSP doesn't perform well or sound fantastic, we're just just going to go with a Digmoda, because I've already been using them with good success.

Greg

So far so good. The software interface is easy to use - nice graphics and a few extra features as well that the Digmoda software doesn't have. I would prefer to have an on-off switch but other than that the hardware looks to be acceptable. The balanced out Phoenix connectors save them space and money; however, if I needed balanced outputs I think this would be a pain.

[DS-21]

***I would prefer to have an on-off switch but other than that the hardware looks to be acceptable. The balanced out Phoenix connectors save them space and money; however, if I needed balanced outputs I think this would be a pain.

You could use the 12V trigger input to make an on/off switch.

But you shouldn't, IMO. The miniDSP's do have one flaw, and that's turn-on/off thump. I keep my 8x8 up all the time, and hooked up to a UPS.

[Rick Craig]

You could use the 12V trigger input to make an on/off switch.

But you shouldn't, IMO. The miniDSP's do have one flaw, and that's turn-on/off thump. I keep my 8x8 up all the time, and hooked up to a UPS.

Yes, the thump is a shortcoming. I use a DEQX and amp that both have relay protection so I don't have to worry about that.

[bill13]

When I accidently pulled the power plug on my mini-DSP, a very nasty full scale turnoff transient damaged and nearly blew out my RAAL 140-70D ribbon even though there was a series protective 30uF  capacitor between the power amp and the RAAL(!)   

There was a small amount of visible thermally-caused damage to the center of the RAAL ribbon caused by the turnoff transient.   However,  distortion measurements (STEPS) still seem about the same as before -      But just knowing that the appearance of the thin ribbon element has changed, motivates me to eventually replace the ribbon assembly per the instructions posted on UTUBE. 

This large turnoff-transient 'bump' that occurs with the mini DSP reflects a fatal/careless engineering design flaw, IMO -- an especially egregious shortcoming because the miniDSP is
intended for experimenters and hobbyist crossover designers.   

Thinking about adding a DC-storage cap at the DC-power input connector to the mini-DSP, plus a voltage sensing circuit & relay, to effectively disconnect my mini-DSP before a sudden loss of power can effect the output audio channels of the miniDSP. 
For the time being, I would hesitate to use my miniDSP on any driver except robust woofers and subwoofers which (may) be able to put up with this turnoff transient abuse!

Bill

[Rick Craig]

When I accidently pulled the power plug on my mini-DSP, a very nasty full scale turnoff transient damaged and nearly blew out my RAAL 140-70D ribbon even though there was a series protective 30uF  capacitor between the power amp and the RAAL(!)   

There was a small amount of visible thermally-caused damage to the center of the RAAL ribbon caused by the turnoff transient.   However,  distortion measurements (STEPS) still seem about the same as before -      But just knowing that the appearance of the thin ribbon element has changed, motivates me to eventually replace the ribbon assembly per the instructions posted on UTUBE. 

This large turnoff-transient 'bump' that occurs with the mini DSP reflects a fatal/careless engineering design flaw, IMO -- an especially egregious shortcoming because the miniDSP is
intended for experimenters and hobbyist crossover designers.   

Thinking about adding a DC-storage cap at the DC-power input connector to the mini-DSP, plus a voltage sensing circuit & relay, to effectively disconnect my mini-DSP before a sudden loss of power can effect the output audio channels of the miniDSP. 
For the time being, I would hesitate to use my miniDSP on any driver except robust woofers and subwoofers which (may) be able to put up with this turnoff transient abuse!

Bill

Thanks for your feedback. One user suggested a UPS unit.