HTPC 5.2 - need MiniDSP advice

Equipment / Electronics / Gear / Accessories Source Gear / Other
1

Zeos,
Been watching your vids and loved your review in the MiniDSP. Now I want to go that route but they have so many different products. Wondering if you could give me advice on which to choose. So here’s my system below…

HTPC with Asus Xonar 1.3 deluxe which connects RCA to XLR to DBX 260 for the front speakers (Martin Logan Ascent modded to be bi-amped), 2 center speakers (Martin Logan Aerius - 2 centers because I have the pair), Magnepan II for the rear, and 2 micro Marty DIY 15” subs from parts express (Rss390), and plan on 2 full marts with the 18” Ultimax from parts express later in the year. All of the speakers are fed by 5 Crown XLS 2500 (I know overkill for the center and rears, but it’s my OCD to keep them all the same). Now which MiniDSP would you recommend to control all this chaos? I’ve been looking at then 10x10HD but curious about her home theater line too with the DIRAC. I only use this for home theater only. Any advice would be appreciated, thx.

2

I’ve been meaning to start a EQ / Room correction thread. Anyway is your source exclusively a PC? Then you don’t actually need get a MiniDSP device. My recommendation is to first just buy a calibrated microphone (the MiniDSP is great). Then perform your room measurements using REW. You would also use REW to generate the EQ curves. Afterwards, you can use Equalizer APO to implement the corrections. Later you can buy a MiniDSP DSP if you want since they have some benefits. I bought a MiniDSP 2X4 HD before I realized I could either do it all in software or with my RME ADI-2 DAC.

3

Thanks for the reply back! I didn’t know about the Eq APO. Yes, this is dedicated theater only. I’ll order the UMIK and use the REW app. My initial thinking was of the bass management and the near future of the 2 extra subs which I thought a 2x4HD would do good since I read all the reviews. But then, might as well just splurge and get the big 10x10 dsp. I’ll be back in touch on this matter.