When my friends ask me one more bloody time what did I buy the MiniDSP Flex for, Im going to point them to this video. Joe, thank you so much for breaking it down in layman's terms! Fantastic job Joe!
MiniDSP 2x4 and 2x4HD are terrific for having an active crossover for Bookshelf speakers + 1 or 2 Subwoofers. This new product looks really interesting, it is nice to hear that the built-in DAC is actually good from a trusted source like you. Thanks for the great video!
I used the 2xHD for a couple of years for my home office setup and it just suddenly stopped working, and I decided to purchase the Flex Eight. It’s absolutely awesome and now I have enough outputs to run amps per driver per speaker side plus subwoofer plus headphone outputs in one device everything in full DSP calibration control. It’s huge that now I can calibrate both speakers and headphones in ONE device! I bought some IFI audio ZEN CAN headphone amp for my Sundara headphones connected to the Flex. Now they also sound better than ever.
Great job Joe whats funny is my Sansui SE9 EQ from 1981 has microphone input and pink noise test tone to dial your room in with 9 band eq on each channel (18total) And their all motorized yeah its crazy ! And i have 5 memory settings push one button and the settings mechanically move the levels all 18 of them very exspensive in 1981 but dials my 2 channel vintage system in very good depending on room and yes it has gain for L/R channels thanks again Joe
Joe you see all me pics of the 2270 ? I thought about ya when i bought Dam amp is a beast 70 vintage watts of full flesh n body sound thats warm n lush
Good job with the video, Joe. I did not expect to hear much of a difference with headphones, but it was quite obvious between the three. MSO does a great job with smoothing the sub response and it was originally developed to integrate subs and mains. I like that you can interface with Flex without connecting a computer to it every time you want to adjust something.
@@joentell so the wifi adapter is specifically for connecting to and configuring the device? I too would be interested in that ability, so I could sit in the main listening position and tweak settings.
I just got the Flex Eight and enjoy that now I can EQ and cross-over both speakers with two-way direct drive, subwoofer and have a separate EQ profile for headphones on the same device. Just use a profile for the headphones where you switch off the speaker outputs and you have full power of the headphone output EQ.
Привет, поздравляю! Какой DAC стоит в Eight? Ты можешь поделится изображением внутри Flex Eight? Сделай пожалуйста ролик с обзором и звучанием своей аудио-системы.
I've been doing this for years with my 2x4HD and Shield, though I've set my MiniDSP to around -10dB, hid it together with my amplifier (that doesn't even have a volume knob) and then just change the volume using my Shield instead. Then using Spotify Connect on either my phone or computer I can use that as a "remote" and even change the volume from there, works really really good!
The balanced version is exactly what i want, but mainly for the timing capabilities between nearfield speakers and a sub in the corner. But god damn, its expensive as hell to correct a little timing issue. There are cheap audio delayers, but unbalanced and probably degrade signal.
Great content. I appreciate your approach to measurement and using the tools to optimize the sound based on the measurements and the room your in. This led me to learn how to use Audessy properly and explore Dirac as an option. I found the Pioneer line was not that great( I seem to be in the minority but I returned both the 305 and the Integera drx 3.4) but loved the Dirac. Seems like this would be a great option for two channel music and Dirac Live without the expense/bulk of an avr. I am a little weary of a D class but I could get over it.
Thank you! I also like Dirac and find it does a very good job with it's auto-calibration. I think I can do a better job, but it isn't quick and it isn't automatic.
Came back to this video after a year because I never finished it - which was the listening part. 1st: Your girls are soooo fkg cute. Like little pixies feeling the groove... 2nd: Yeah, the differences are painfully obvious. Any purist, and I come from that community, who clutch their pearls about complicating the signal chain, or adding two conversion steps, they are simply depriving themselves of a better, more refined musical experience. Also, I see the value of DSP for more than the bass frequencies. I know that it is possible to increase imaging performance and total 20 - 20k coherence when properly implemented. I am not far from a move from my present location, but once I am settled, I am going DSP all the way. Thanks in no small part to you, Joe. Thanks.
Around the 8:30 mark you are using the TV optical As input. Before you used the USB input in order to control the volume with one remote. Why did you switch if you cannot control the volume via optical?
Great video Joe. This is the direction I am going with my 2.1 channel system. Since I need a bit more input flexibility (external DAC and turntable) I will likely go with the NAD C658 which has DIRAC + BluOS streaming.
Have you seen the review of the internal DAC on the Flex on Audio Science Review? It scores very high. Regarding a turntable, maybe consider a phono preamp like the Parasound Z-Phono, and that can be your analog input. If you can find a Chromecast Audio, that can do optical out and that could be your lossless wifi streamer. They also have the MiniDSP SHD.
@@joentell Thanks. That setup would work with my existing equipment and steamer. I was trying to find a way to keep my existing DAC which would use up the slalom inputs but the SHD version would likely make my DAC moot so that is worth considering.
Wow Joe you can tell the diff with the DSP correction right away. You call it boomy I call it cheap lol. Nice Corrections man. Im pretty sure this will be on my desk soon. Carry on. Edit: The dancing girls so cute. Yer a lucky Dad.
Great video. Dirac dsp is new to me and I enjoyed your video. I was especially curious about setting volume. Having 2 volume knobs. Great you covered that. It definitely sounded great after your corrections!
Hey Joe! Thanks for this video, stellar as always! It's really a no brainer pre amp/dac combo. The dac measured incredibly, Dirac to boot.... Remote control, screen. Checks all the boxes. Question: To clarify, the nvidia shield (source) -> minidsp flex is via USB ? The optical -> minidsp is when you're using your projector as source instead? Any reason why not just using USB from shield full time ? Did I miss something on the setup portion? Edit: just realized your amp is a streamer, so you're utilizing that for Spotify connect??
Hi, important question please. I have also class d integrated amp with a preset eq (not a specific freq'). can i use flex for room correction and still enjoy the amp eq without ruin the dsp eq correction? can the amp eq just "dressed on" the dsp eq frame without ruin the corrections?
Your integrated amp has the final say in what u hear. The dsp has tone control and eq. That goes into your preamp wich also has tone balance and eq depending on unit. They should piggy back fine I would think. It's basically a dac with some fancy preamp sound management stuff. Instead of just running a dac into your amp and just having bass treble and volume adjustments. Way more adjustability with using the dsp
If Towers are now Floorstanders .............................. Then we need a new term for the LaScala types. How about Floorsitters? Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Do they have a solution that’s digital in and digital out so I could use a digital eq in-between my streamer and cd transport units and my external dac?
If you attach this to a W10 PC, I assume Windows will recognize it as an Audio Output device? (Does such an output device include 44.1 - 19.2KHz ? 16 - 32bit?
@@joentell Might be, I was searching through the vids and couldn't find. Don't know who im thinking of, been so long. Edit: think it was That Home Theater Dude Edit p2: it was Ascendo, not Crecendo lol
I have signed up for the masterclass eagerly waiting to know how to use miniDSP software for crossover points for 2 way 3 way and subwoofer tuning. Would u use team viewer to control my system too cause I find it hard to understand miniDSP
My classes will be for tuning an existing system. What it sounds like you're looking for is very specific which I can help you with. You would give me remote access to your computer while we talk on the phone so I can direct you. You can book a 15 minute call to figure out how much time will be needed for your particular build. Http://joentell.com/booking
Hello Team, I need some help darling in my subwoofers, My question is should I add a house curve in the mini DSP and then run anthems ARC room correction or just use the mini DSP to flatten the response and then add the house curve in anthems ARC room correction? I’ve tried letting the anthem do everything but I think incorporating a miniDSP will achieve better results. I can’t move the subwoofers around my room to improve their in room response as I’m very limited with space.
Hey Joe when you used the Digital input on the Flex, and you provide it with a 5.1 signal over that digital connection, how does the software interpret it ? Does it see 6 channels or still just 2, and condenses the signals to 1 ?
I pers. need an Digital based correction and want the D/A done by my CraneSong DAC. There are not so many reviews about the miniDSP OpenDRC-DI. Do youve experience with their Products that works purely digital ? I dont know what makes more sense quality wise, buy an Audio PC / Laptop with Correction Software costs ~400€ + Room EQ Software 340€ …. or buy the miniDSP
Mmmm...yeah. Aulabs has the AUN-Band parametric EQ. You can do delay and gain. All the same things really. I think "crush" is an exaggeration. It depends on the person doing it too.
Could you use the Flex for a 3.1 LCR/Sub setup? I was hoping to use that 4th output to control the center with the MiniDSP center channel plugin but unsure if this will actually work. Thanks for sharing!
No, it wouldn't officially be an LCR since a summed L+R is not exactly the center. In a true LCR, they remove anything that's in the center from the left and right channels.
I guess you could make a preset with more boost, but it seems overkill for 2-3% of songs. If you were to use it for other things as well, I can see how that would be worth it.
@@joentell Yeah, my system is just fine and tracks different songs really well with the subs usually running at -6 (Billie Eilish) to -2 db. What it's missing is ludicrous mode and fixing poor recordings. It gets as loud and as full as I'd ever want as long as the source is up to scratch.
@@joentell onkyo rz 750 with emotiva basx a5 3 monolith c6 in vertical position for front stage. 2 monolith b6 for sides. 4 klipsch r 41m for atmos. And 2 svs 1000 pro for subs. Also have 2 klipsch r120sw on reserve if needed
I have 2 miniDSP 2x4HD want to make a 4 way and use Dirac. Will I need 2 lic of Dirac? I sent a email to Dirac no reply from them they asked me to see the faq but no mention there of this point. Anyone aware. I don’t want to buy 2 lic of Dirac.
did you have to change any settings to get the FLEX to turn on with the shield. I have almost this exact setup and I'm thinking about getting the flex.
JNT DSP Services: joentell.com/booking
JNT DSP Courses: avmasterclass.com
Binaural Video: ua-cam.com/video/HxboWaCbcCc/v-deo.html
MiniDSP Flex: www.minidsp.com/products/minidsp-in-a-box/flex
OSD Nero Stream XD: bit.ly/OSDNeroStreamXDAMZ
SVS 3000 Micro: bit.ly/SVS3000Micro
HECO Aurora 700 Floorstanders: bit.ly/HecoAurora700
Nvidia Shield Pro: amzn.to/3Mg2pCK
BenQ V7050i: bit.ly/BenQV7050i
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When my friends ask me one more bloody time what did I buy the MiniDSP Flex for, Im going to point them to this video. Joe, thank you so much for breaking it down in layman's terms! Fantastic job Joe!
If you have friends asking about your miniDSP Flex, you're already winning. Most of my friends don't care. 🤣
I am wondering if anybody tried the Flex with a separate external DAC ?
@@joentell Right! If one of my friends could even identify by name one of my pieces of gear, I'd be ecstatic! lol🤩
@@JosephTongret 😁
MiniDSP 2x4 and 2x4HD are terrific for having an active crossover for Bookshelf speakers + 1 or 2 Subwoofers. This new product looks really interesting, it is nice to hear that the built-in DAC is actually good from a trusted source like you. Thanks for the great video!
I used the 2xHD for a couple of years for my home office setup and it just suddenly stopped working, and I decided to purchase the Flex Eight. It’s absolutely awesome and now I have enough outputs to run amps per driver per speaker side plus subwoofer plus headphone outputs in one device everything in full DSP calibration control. It’s huge that now I can calibrate both speakers and headphones in ONE device! I bought some IFI audio ZEN CAN headphone amp for my Sundara headphones connected to the Flex. Now they also sound better than ever.
Love it! I've had my eye on the Flex, it's looking pretty sweet!
Great job Joe
whats funny is my Sansui SE9 EQ from 1981 has microphone input and pink noise test tone to dial your room in with 9 band eq on each channel (18total) And their all motorized yeah its crazy ! And i have 5 memory settings push one button and the settings mechanically move the levels all 18 of them very exspensive in 1981 but dials my 2 channel vintage system in very good depending on room and yes it has gain for L/R channels
thanks again Joe
Joe you see all me pics of the 2270 ?
I thought about ya when i bought
Dam amp is a beast 70 vintage watts of full flesh n body sound thats warm n lush
Bless those little bubbas ❤
Love your work brother Joe!
Good job with the video, Joe. I did not expect to hear much of a difference with headphones, but it was quite obvious between the three. MSO does a great job with smoothing the sub response and it was originally developed to integrate subs and mains. I like that you can interface with Flex without connecting a computer to it every time you want to adjust something.
To be clear, you still need to connect via USB to make changes unless you have their wifi adapter
@@joentell so the wifi adapter is specifically for connecting to and configuring the device? I too would be interested in that ability, so I could sit in the main listening position and tweak settings.
I just got the Flex Eight and enjoy that now I can EQ and cross-over both speakers with two-way direct drive, subwoofer and have a separate EQ profile for headphones on the same device. Just use a profile for the headphones where you switch off the speaker outputs and you have full power of the headphone output EQ.
Привет, поздравляю!
Какой DAC стоит в Eight? Ты можешь поделится изображением внутри Flex Eight?
Сделай пожалуйста ролик с обзором и звучанием своей аудио-системы.
The impromptu dance party was great hehehe 👏🏾👏🏾
I've been doing this for years with my 2x4HD and Shield, though I've set my MiniDSP to around -10dB, hid it together with my amplifier (that doesn't even have a volume knob) and then just change the volume using my Shield instead. Then using Spotify Connect on either my phone or computer I can use that as a "remote" and even change the volume from there, works really really good!
Nice review Joe, and it's amazing what you can do with DSP.
It really is!
The balanced version is exactly what i want, but mainly for the timing capabilities between nearfield speakers and a sub in the corner. But god damn, its expensive as hell to correct a little timing issue. There are cheap audio delayers, but unbalanced and probably degrade signal.
Great content. I appreciate your approach to measurement and using the tools to optimize the sound based on the measurements and the room your in. This led me to learn how to use Audessy properly and explore Dirac as an option. I found the Pioneer line was not that great( I seem to be in the minority but I returned both the 305 and the Integera drx 3.4) but loved the Dirac. Seems like this would be a great option for two channel music and Dirac Live without the expense/bulk of an avr. I am a little weary of a D class but I could get over it.
Thank you! I also like Dirac and find it does a very good job with it's auto-calibration. I think I can do a better job, but it isn't quick and it isn't automatic.
I sent the 3.4 back as well. It had many issues. Exploring other options but it is daunting.
Came back to this video after a year because I never finished it - which was the listening part.
1st: Your girls are soooo fkg cute. Like little pixies feeling the groove...
2nd: Yeah, the differences are painfully obvious. Any purist, and I come from that community, who clutch their pearls about complicating the signal chain, or adding two conversion steps, they are simply depriving themselves of a better, more refined musical experience.
Also, I see the value of DSP for more than the bass frequencies. I know that it is possible to increase imaging performance and total 20 - 20k coherence when properly implemented.
I am not far from a move from my present location, but once I am settled, I am going DSP all the way. Thanks in no small part to you, Joe. Thanks.
Around the 8:30 mark you are using the TV optical As input. Before you used the USB input in order to control the volume with one remote. Why did you switch if you cannot control the volume via optical?
Great video Joe. This is the direction I am going with my 2.1 channel system. Since I need a bit more input flexibility (external DAC and turntable) I will likely go with the NAD C658 which has DIRAC + BluOS streaming.
Have you seen the review of the internal DAC on the Flex on Audio Science Review? It scores very high. Regarding a turntable, maybe consider a phono preamp like the Parasound Z-Phono, and that can be your analog input. If you can find a Chromecast Audio, that can do optical out and that could be your lossless wifi streamer. They also have the MiniDSP SHD.
@@joentell Thanks. That setup would work with my existing equipment and steamer. I was trying to find a way to keep my existing DAC which would use up the slalom inputs but the SHD version would likely make my DAC moot so that is worth considering.
I love miniDS. And I love that they call this the flex because it is just a miniDSP 2x4 HD with Dirac (DDRC-24) "flexed."
Wow Joe you can tell the diff with the DSP correction right away. You call it boomy I call it cheap lol. Nice Corrections man. Im pretty sure this will be on my desk soon. Carry on. Edit: The dancing girls so cute. Yer a lucky Dad.
Great video. Dirac dsp is new to me and I enjoyed your video. I was especially curious about setting volume. Having 2 volume knobs. Great you covered that. It definitely sounded great after your corrections!
Glad it helped!
Yeah the sound stage is much wider with the magic beans.
Hey Joe! Thanks for this video, stellar as always! It's really a no brainer pre amp/dac combo. The dac measured incredibly, Dirac to boot.... Remote control, screen. Checks all the boxes.
Question:
To clarify, the nvidia shield (source) -> minidsp flex is via USB ?
The optical -> minidsp is when you're using your projector as source instead? Any reason why not just using USB from shield full time ? Did I miss something on the setup portion?
Edit: just realized your amp is a streamer, so you're utilizing that for Spotify connect??
I am looking forward to the HT version
INPUTS - Is this a mixer too? - Can It play two+ inputs at once?
Hi, important question please. I have also class d integrated amp with a preset eq (not a specific freq'). can i use flex for room correction and still enjoy the amp eq without ruin the dsp eq correction? can the amp eq just "dressed on" the dsp eq frame without ruin the corrections?
Your integrated amp has the final say in what u hear. The dsp has tone control and eq. That goes into your preamp wich also has tone balance and eq depending on unit. They should piggy back fine I would think. It's basically a dac with some fancy preamp sound management stuff. Instead of just running a dac into your amp and just having bass treble and volume adjustments. Way more adjustability with using the dsp
Everything is in the title, but still why not to show the what and how you did the corrections
Great explanation...but now my head hurts😛
If Towers are now Floorstanders ..............................
Then we need a new term for the LaScala types. How about Floorsitters?
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Do they have a solution that’s digital in and digital out so I could use a digital eq in-between my streamer and cd transport units and my external dac?
If you attach this to a W10 PC, I assume Windows will recognize it as an Audio Output device? (Does such an output device include 44.1 - 19.2KHz ? 16 - 32bit?
Any news on that massive crescendo subwoofer you teased like a half year ago? Literally just waiting on that video
You might be thinking of someone else
@@joentell Might be, I was searching through the vids and couldn't find. Don't know who im thinking of, been so long.
Edit: think it was That Home Theater Dude
Edit p2: it was Ascendo, not Crecendo lol
@@YouroGamer Chris and I don't look the same. 🤣 I couldn't grow a beard if my life depended on it.
@@joentell Hahaha! Same man, same.
Would this work for a 2.2 setup with an SVS Soundbase Pro? Thank you!
the remote learning part is quite intresting...
didn't look up the manual, but - does it support BT remotes (with ot without the learning function)?
It's for IR remotes
I was considering Flex, but it is difficult to get in EU. Ended up with Motu M4 USB interface.
I've heard very good things about the Motu as an interface. I considered getting one for my mic setup.
If anyone tried the Flex but used an external DAC , please share your experience. Thanks
You need acoustic panels sir
I have signed up for the masterclass eagerly waiting to know how to use miniDSP software for crossover points for 2 way 3 way and subwoofer tuning. Would u use team viewer to control my system too cause I find it hard to understand miniDSP
My classes will be for tuning an existing system. What it sounds like you're looking for is very specific which I can help you with. You would give me remote access to your computer while we talk on the phone so I can direct you. You can book a 15 minute call to figure out how much time will be needed for your particular build. Http://joentell.com/booking
Hello Team, I need some help darling in my subwoofers, My question is should I add a house curve in the mini DSP and then run anthems ARC room correction or just use the mini DSP to flatten the response and then add the house curve in anthems ARC room correction? I’ve tried letting the anthem do everything but I think incorporating a miniDSP will achieve better results.
I can’t move the subwoofers around my room to improve their in room response as I’m very limited with space.
I have some DSP tutorials at avmasterclass.com
Hey Joe when you used the Digital input on the Flex, and you provide it with a 5.1 signal over that digital connection, how does the software interpret it ? Does it see 6 channels or still just 2, and condenses the signals to 1 ?
I haven't looked, but I would imagine it goes back down to stereo
I pers. need an Digital based correction and want the D/A done by my CraneSong DAC. There are not so many reviews about the miniDSP OpenDRC-DI. Do youve experience with their Products that works purely digital ? I dont know what makes more sense quality wise, buy an Audio PC / Laptop with Correction Software costs ~400€ + Room EQ Software 340€ …. or buy the miniDSP
No experience with their stuff
Macmini with aulabs using smaart v8,5 software a measuring mic will crush this and Dirac and anything else out there.
Mmmm...yeah. Aulabs has the AUN-Band parametric EQ. You can do delay and gain. All the same things really. I think "crush" is an exaggeration. It depends on the person doing it too.
Do you also do home theater calibration Service too
I do joentell.com/booking
Can you do dolby atmos with the Flex?
What's those round black speakers next to your white speakers called I want a couple
Syng Cell Alpha
@@joentell it's powered but can I use this with my independent amp
@@BIGBASSSAMA_4 not that I know of
Could you use the Flex for a 3.1 LCR/Sub setup?
I was hoping to use that 4th output to control the center with the MiniDSP center channel plugin but unsure if this will actually work.
Thanks for sharing!
No, it wouldn't officially be an LCR since a summed L+R is not exactly the center. In a true LCR, they remove anything that's in the center from the left and right channels.
@@joentell Thank you for clarifying, it'd pump out noise but not exactly the right noise.. save my monies for now and plan better for next time!
This or the shd studio?
I'm not sure what the differences are specifically. I think you can figure that out based on your specific needs.
Which are the avr that support rew import
Any AVR that works with the older mobile Audyssey Editor App
I'm looking for a bass boost/line driver for the maybe 2-3% of songs that aren't recorded well, would this be my best bet? Probably want 5-10 db
I guess you could make a preset with more boost, but it seems overkill for 2-3% of songs. If you were to use it for other things as well, I can see how that would be worth it.
@@joentell Yeah, my system is just fine and tracks different songs really well with the subs usually running at -6 (Billie Eilish) to -2 db. What it's missing is ludicrous mode and fixing poor recordings. It gets as loud and as full as I'd ever want as long as the source is up to scratch.
@@Roof_Pizza I like that... ludicrous mode!
your daughter and wife should have a separate channel 😂
call it, living with a gearhead😂
This is so darn complicated especially if you want to keep your AV processor.
Is your magic beans only available with audessy muti eq. Or is it through rew. Can't afford new receiver right now
I use REW also, but I need a place to put the settings. Which AVR do you have?
@@joentell onkyo rz 750 with emotiva basx a5 3 monolith c6 in vertical position for front stage. 2 monolith b6 for sides. 4 klipsch r 41m for atmos. And 2 svs 1000 pro for subs. Also have 2 klipsch r120sw on reserve if needed
Just had yo pay for my Mom's funeral. So looking for cheapest bang for buck addition
Also thanks for responding. Been a fan of your channel and the guys on daily HiFi for awhile. Just recently started to participate in the conversation
Sorry it's the rz 730
hey Joe
Hey what's up Michael!
Are you ready for church? Hold on let me do this Future Me Bit real fast. 😂🤷🏼♂️😳
I have 2 miniDSP 2x4HD want to make a 4 way and use Dirac. Will I need 2 lic of Dirac? I sent a email to Dirac no reply from them they asked me to see the faq but no mention there of this point. Anyone aware. I don’t want to buy 2 lic of Dirac.
Yes, you will need 2. One for each speaker since I assume you're using each MiniDSP as an active crossover.
did you have to change any settings to get the FLEX to turn on with the shield. I have almost this exact setup and I'm thinking about getting the flex.
The Flex stays on but the screen turns off
thank you!