alexwgoody

Please tell me you didn't pay $150 for those. What do I think of them? They're crap that would have no place in the system of someone who cares about sound quality. If you want good portable audio, buy headphones. If you want a portable device go all out and get a bluetooth speaker with a battery. You can do so much better for your money, even if you get both.

I am looking for software to improve the lingering problems with my 2 channel. So I've essentially optimized my front end - I'm flat enough from 20hz-20khz, plenty of output, etc... But there are some problems that can't be fixed with EQ, acoustic panels, etc... I'm looking to do 2 things: The first is that I want something to adjust for equal loudness contours at different output levels - sometimes I can crank it, sometimes I need it a little quieter. I think Audyssey Dynamic EQ does something like this, but I'm looking for either a software solution or outboard box that's inexpensive and/or that gives me some tweaking abilities. What I imagine is that I always have my SPL meter/mic hooked up to my computer/some box, which is constantly measuring the SPL and adjusts the output accordingly. Why can't I just buy an AVR? Well I guess I could buy an AV preamp to connect to my miniDSP (which does my EQ and XOs), but that seems silly and too expensive for taking care of just this one issue. The second is that I listen to a broad range of music. I love Jazz and Jay Z, but run into mastering issues making listening to most hip hop unbearable. Their producers don't expect you to actually be able to hit 20hz at 100 something dB, so the bass boost sounds awful on my setup. So what I want is a quick way to apply a filter reducing bass below a level I will determine through trial and error (perhaps its 200hz, perhaps it's lower) that can be applied via a single button on my mac or some hardware. I guess what I'd need is a systemwide software-based EQ (I use iTunes, spotify, VLC, etc... - can't use just the built in iTunes one). With that said, it'd also be nice if they had some other fun DSP toys - maybe crossfeed for when I use headphones, DR expanders, etc... I've read a little about people using soundflower and AU plugins for things like this, but I A) feel like there must be an easier way; and B) wouldn't know what plugins to use. I could do maybe do something like this with my miniDSP 10x10, but I'm looking for something a little faster. I don't want to always have to keep their software open, and the switch to different configurations takes 30 seconds or so. I know - first world problems. To clarify - the miniDSP 10x10 functions as my DAC/Preamp/EQ & XO. My computer is the only source and feeds optical right into it. Any thoughts?

I sure hope so. I'd buy the Dirac box and the IcePower amps right now - if I could actually use them. I hope you won't mind my stupid questions in the Dirac forum when miniDSP finally makes this product usable for me.

Windows only. This has been a major problem for me with their new devices. I love my 10 x 10, and would happily buy the icePower amps and this if I could run the software.

I see the problem. The original paper was from 2011, they updated it today and summarized the updates at this link. Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. - Headphone Amplifiers - Specifications are Only Part of the Story

Really? They just emailed it to me today and said it was new. How bizarre.

http://test.benchmarkmedia.com/discuss/sites/default/files/Headphone-Amplifier-Performance-Part-1.pdf I'm still making my way through the paper and will post my thoughts later.

High efficiency and horny

That's a damn shame. I'll always remember finding my dad's Live in San Francisco and Passion Grace and Fire albums when I was young. They are still some of my most listened to albums today.

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/toms-hardware-blind-digital-analogue-converter-test-19567/#post301603

While the testing was meant for Dac vs Dac, doesn't the fact that they used the internal amps here on these products of widely varying price give some legitimacy to the claim that headphone amps also all sound similar or the same, like Dacs? Obviously this test is not perfect, though it is still a reasonable and a worthwhile methodology in my opinion; but given your comment on how you believe it is more difficult to discern the purported advantages to high end dacs on headphones, would it be fair to say that you concede or consider the notion reasonable that, at least in the case of headphones, there is minimal to no difference between high end dacs and/or headphone amps?

From an email sent by miniDSP this morning. "Harnessing the power of Dirac Live ® room correction algorithms along with miniDSP's hardware platforms, our team is excited to introduce a new product range to kick off 2014! This new line of audio processors is fully integrated with the Dirac Live ® Correction Suite and provides a Plug&Play solution for Room Correction. Shipments of a new range of stereo processors (2xIN, 2xOUT) running room correction @96kHz will start by Mid/End March so make sure to stay tuned! Our offering is a Plug&Play solution combining our UMIK-1, a new DRC Hardware box, and a Dirac Live® License for stereo applications. Once the Dirac measurement/tuning process is finalized, up to 4 filter sets can be stored on the miniDSP processor for operation of Dirac processing without a PC." I'm getting excited. Dirac Series | MiniDSP

Audiophile PC Sound - The Real Cost of Hi-Fi - Tom Thoughts?

FYI - MonoPrice now has a NAS Drive. 4-Bay NAS Enclosure, up to 16TB (4 x 4TB) with RAID, DLNA, and FTP - Monoprice.com

That I can't say for certain without actually being there - but this certainly is odd and not common (in my experience) among ported designs. Can you tell if it is mechanical or electrical? Could something be loose? Do you hear the sound when the speakers are on, but nothing is playing? How loud is it compared to the music? Perhaps someone else has an idea. Also, in what sort of setup are you listening to these? How close do you sit and how did you come up with the actual speaker placement?