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IMHO it really needs to be reinforced that many of your experiences and tips are specific to the fact that you are running multi-speaker passive XO'd components where the individual drivers are widely physically separated but on a single MS8 channel.
I'm glad you got things working to your satisfaction, but IMHO the 'missing tip' is for folks to carefully consider their installation design and how that can facilitate or hinder good performance by the MS8 (or any DSP).
For the critical front stage, for example, one is well advised (IMHO) to consider the benefits of trading a discrete front+side+rear setup for a front+rear setup, thereby freeing a pair of channels for discrete TA/level setting for the front. Andy has oft explained that the net gain in perception of separate channels for side & rear ambient fill is very small. Allowing the MS8 to optimize the front stage timing and levels, on the other hand, can be very significant and ease the process of getting a great front (most critical) stage significantly.
Combining closely co-located tweeter/mid combinations (e.g. when both are in the sail) on a single MS8 channel is less problematic, especially if the passive XO (or bi-amping) allows some relative level adjustment between the two after the MS8.
I realize that one is often constrained by OEM speaker locations, but just suggest that the first 'tip' should be recognizing how driver locations relate to timing and level setting requirements and how the MS8 (or any DSP with a finite number of channels) can (or can't) accommodate that in any specific vehicle. All systems involve compromises .... careful consideration of the pros and cons of 'channel allocation' can go a long way toward the ease and degree of success one achieves in the end.
IMHO
Again, congrats on getting your system sounding great for you, that's what matters in the end!
^This, for example, where in your case the tweeter is in the sail, the mid is halfway down the door and the midbass is low in the door .... all on a single MS8 channel through a passive XO. Obviously the MS8 can't set TA or level discretely for each driver in that configuration.
I'm glad you got things working to your satisfaction, but IMHO the 'missing tip' is for folks to carefully consider their installation design and how that can facilitate or hinder good performance by the MS8 (or any DSP).
For the critical front stage, for example, one is well advised (IMHO) to consider the benefits of trading a discrete front+side+rear setup for a front+rear setup, thereby freeing a pair of channels for discrete TA/level setting for the front. Andy has oft explained that the net gain in perception of separate channels for side & rear ambient fill is very small. Allowing the MS8 to optimize the front stage timing and levels, on the other hand, can be very significant and ease the process of getting a great front (most critical) stage significantly.
Combining closely co-located tweeter/mid combinations (e.g. when both are in the sail) on a single MS8 channel is less problematic, especially if the passive XO (or bi-amping) allows some relative level adjustment between the two after the MS8.
I realize that one is often constrained by OEM speaker locations, but just suggest that the first 'tip' should be recognizing how driver locations relate to timing and level setting requirements and how the MS8 (or any DSP with a finite number of channels) can (or can't) accommodate that in any specific vehicle. All systems involve compromises .... careful consideration of the pros and cons of 'channel allocation' can go a long way toward the ease and degree of success one achieves in the end.
IMHO
Again, congrats on getting your system sounding great for you, that's what matters in the end!
