Stereoplay Issue 10/2017 Test conclusion miniDSP Dirac DDRC-24
Sweet spot. There is often this one place where the system sounds best, but mostly the favorite is somewhere else. The miniDSP Dirac DDRC-24 brings both together and conjures up a little more. Let''s face it, if a resort sounds great, there''s always a great room in the game. The boxes and seating are in the room. This avoids strong, early reflections, which are often the reason for discoloration and limited spatial graduations ... ..
If everything is right, often enough a comparatively small facility to bring extraordinary music experiences. Unfortunately, there are manyListening room and living space, which is also populated by less audiophile family members, which requires a willingness to compromise on sound ... Meanwhile, the frequency response can be evaluated thanks to the enormous computing power of modern computers based on human perception principles. The correction of identified errors is handled by digital signal processors (DSPs) in real-time today. A pioneer in this field is the company miniDSP, which manufactures a number of processors for engaging in loudspeaker and spatial frequency response ... The more expensive Dirac Live series also masters this option for optimizing the pulse reproduction of a loudspeaker. However, the filters do not need to be manually tuned to run the Dirac Live softwareguides the owner through the necessary measurements and then adjusts the DSP automatically with the necessary correction parameters. DIRC Live processor. stereoplay has ordered the smallest model from the Dirac Live series, the DDRC-24 for 650 euros, to be sold to the Blue Planet Acoustic sales department ... The DDRC-24 made an impression in the measuring lab. As expected, the frequency response without correction is lineal straight and the signal-to-noise ratio is high and hum-free at 104 dB, relative to full scale. Even if the fundamental level is lowered significantly to realize frequency response enhancements, the noise in a normal chain is only noticeable with the ear on the tweeter. Any distortions disappear at -120 dB practically in gin low background noise. AV recievers with built-in DSP are generally far from the readings of the DDRC-24 ... ..
Performance and sound. To say that switching from the original setup to the corrected would push many curtains aside would be completely wrong. Instead, completely different effects came up. Thus, the bass gained much in Durchhörbarkeit, without a difference in the balance was to note the remaining frequency response. A blatant example of how deep reggae (like "Stir it up" by Bob Marley) suddenly work out the bass line and the rhythm of big drums out of a murmur. But even a single coated bass, such as by Rob Wassermann, clearly gained in contour, without Voto lose volume. Who in the bass is on controlled power, with the Dirac Live optimization is just right. But in terms of discoloration brought the DDRC-24 an almost uncanny advantage. With DDRC-24, the playback clearly gained in power and abundance .... A friend who came to visit during the listening test and the same speakers 20 years in different rooms, did not trust his ears. He praised the gain in musicality and tracing, which ultimately found expression in a tidier, more spacious spatial representation. He was also surprised how alive the loudspeakers now sounded even at low volumes.
Conclusion: oneSuch a great sound improvement is not possible in normal living spaces elsewhere for much more money. The Dirac live correction , which is also used in the high-end sound systems of Rolls Royce and Bentley and in digital home theater processors from Nobel manufacturer Theta, is a dream . And the miniDSP DDRC-24 the opportunity to make it come true. Bernd Theiss
miniDSP introduces the DDRC-24, the world''s smallest Dirac Live® hardware processor. Dirac Live®, the world''s premier room correction solution, is now available in aavailable in an unbelievably compact hardware unit. Powered by a 400MHz Analog Devices SHARC processor, the DDRC-24 retains the 4-channel output of its sister unit, the miniDSP 2x4 Hd, in order to allow applications like subwoofer integration or even 2-way loudspeakers together with Dirac Live® room correction in a single tiny hardware platform. The matrix mixer and crossover functionality is accessed and programmed with miniDSP''s easy-to-use interface software. To all in one unit with USB DAC + Dirac Live Room Correction + Speaker processing.
I / O capabilities get an upgrade too, with the addition of USB audio streaming up to 192kHz and a TOSLINK digital input. The miniDSP DDRC-24 wants to find application in full-sized hi-fi and home theaters systems, on desktops, in cars, in recording sstudios anywhere a compact, powerful room correction processor is needed.
features
- ADSP21489 400MHz Sharc DSP floating point engine
- XMOS Xcore200 for USB control and bidirectional audio streaming
- 24 bit ADC / DAC resolution
- Dirac Live for miniDSP with 4 presets, fully configurable target curve
- Unbalanced inputs switchable with a jumper between 4Vrms and 2Vrms
- Toslink digital input
- Unbalanced outputs: Max 2Vrms
- USB Audio Class 2 Audio streaming with ASIO drivers, driverless and MAC OSx
- 4 preset configuration, recallable via IR, software
IMPORTANT NOTE : AUA UMIK-1 is required for performing acoustic measurements when using the Dirac Live software.
specifications:
Digital signal processor engine |
Analog Devices Fixed point DSDevices Fixed point DSP SHARC ADSP21489 |
Internal processor resolution & Timing |
32 bit / 48kHz |
Input / Ouput configuration |
2 on / 4 off |
Audio inputs |
asymmetric analog inputs, RCA / RCA Stereo digital inputs: TOSLINK (optical) Stereo USB audio: USB audio supports ASCR: 20 ~ 216kHz |
Audio outputs |
asymmetric output, RCA / RCA |
Input / Output Maximum voltage |
On: 2Vrms / 4Vrm2Vrms / 4Vrms (jumper-selectable) Off: 2Vrms |
Input Impedance |
10 k? |
output impedance |
560? |
DSP presets |
Up to 4 presets |
Dimensions |
27 x 119 x 107 mm |
power |
12 VDC single supply 2.1mm round plug / 2.5W |
Impulse Response Correction |
x |
Infrared Remote Learning |
x |
Win / Mac Compatible |
x |
UMIK-1 Includincluded |
No |
|
|
Room EQ Wizard Support |
x |
What''s in the box?
- 1 x DDRC-24
- 1 x 12V power supply with UK / EU / US / AU plugs
- 1 x shielded USB cable