MiniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL (Dirac Live): Quick Tuning Guide

54041 Views 544 Replies 51 Participants Last post by ean611, 9 d ago

Anu2g

Discussion Starter · Mar 16, 2022

Hey folks,

After learning so much from various forum members, scouring through (and contributing on) many threads, and being probed by my peers (and superiors) to document the process, I have written a simple tuning guide for folks wanting to use Dirac Live via the MiniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL.

It is primarily composed of ideas developed/curated by DIYMA members Truthunter and oabeieo, with revision assistance from bertholomey, naiku, and squiers007.

I hope you all find it useful, and if you have any questions or feedback, please drop a reply here, and I'll amend the doc accordingly.

I'm sharing it here as a google doc, that way anyone viewing it will always be looking at the latest revision:
MiniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL (Dirac Live): Quick Tuning Guide

Thanks, and enjoy!

PS: These two threads contain a lot of the background that went into writing this guide:
Dirac tips and tricks
MiniDSP C-DSP 8x12 with Dirac Live

Reactions: 5

1 - 20 of 545 Posts

bertholomey

· #2 · Mar 16, 2022

Thank you so much Anu! Well done my friend!!!

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Reactions: 1

Bikey

· #3 · Mar 16, 2022

Thanks

Reactions: 1

Truthunter

· #4 · Mar 16, 2022

Anu did an excellent job on this. It is thorough and concise. It will be a big help to new users. Thanks Anu!

Reactions: 2

Slow Cruiser

· #5 · Mar 16, 2022

Thanx a bunch

Reactions: 1

naiku

· #6 · Mar 17, 2022

Used this guide earlier as if I was new to the MiniDSP and Dirac, it's very easy to follow and really well written. Perfect for anyone who's unsure about how to get the 8x12DL up and running.

Excellent work @Anu2g

Reactions: 4

sapphari

· #7 · Mar 17, 2022

Wow this is awesome! I am getting close to installing my new 8x12DL and I can't tell you how thankful I am to have this guide! Makes everything less intimidating and hopefully takes some guesswork out and will expedite the process. In the long run, I will probably tinker, but I suspect this guide will get me up and running more quickly. Massive thanks for the effort!!

Reactions: 4

lucas569

· #8 · Mar 17, 2022

My DSP is connected but untouched. Time to read up and give this a shot

Reactions: 5

sapphari

· #9 · Mar 17, 2022

Curious if there are any plans to share this with miniDSP

Reactions: 1

sapphari

· #10 · Mar 17, 2022

I've read through the document, it is clearly written and seems easy to follow. I will be a good test case I suppose.

I did have one question about HPF for sub channel. As I understand it, one is never applied. There is mention not to place the left-hand curtain too far below the tuning frequency of a ported box, but as far as I understand, the curtain is not a HP filter. How is the sub protected if there is no filter applied?

Anu2g

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 17, 2022

sapphari said:
I've read through the document, it is clearly written and seems easy to follow. I will be a good test case I suppose.

I did have one question about HPF for sub channel. As I understand it, one is never applied. There is mention not to place the left-hand curtain too far below the tuning frequency of a ported box, but as far as I understand, the curtain is not a HP filter. How is the sub protected if there is no filter applied?

Good question! You're correct that, in the example in the guide, we didn't set an HPF (or infrasonic filter) on the sub. Despite me running my 2 SQL-12s ported, I'm not pushing the subs anywhere near excursion limits, even below the tuning frequency (30Hz, in my case), so I didn't set an infrasonic filter. I just made sure not to boost down there.

In your case, I think you would want to add a HPF onto the sub output. You could also cascade that HPF onto the mid-bass's output (we have an unused HPF on those outputs as well).

Anu2g

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 17, 2022

sapphari said:
I've read through the document, it is clearly written and seems easy to follow. I will be a good test case I suppose.

I did have one question about HPF for sub channel. As I understand it, one is never applied. There is mention not to place the left-hand curtain too far below the tuning frequency of a ported box, but as far as I understand, the curtain is not a HP filter. How is the sub protected if there is no filter applied?

Actually, after talking with @Truthunter , an easier option would be to set the infrasonic filter prior to Dirac, that way you don't need to cascade it. I amended the guide accordingly. See: 4.e.iii.1

Reactions: 2

sapphari

· #13 · Mar 17, 2022

Awesome! Thanks for doing that. I love that this is a living document.

Reactions: 3

oabeieo

· #14 · Mar 17, 2022 (Edited)

This is pretty cool man, thanks for spending the time I reposted it on the Mini DSP forum , hope you don’t mind it’s really we’ll done

and seriously thank you for spending the time for us. I will be referring a lot of people to use that that’s a really good write up. Awesome contribution thank you

sapphari said:
Curious if there are any plans to share this with miniDSP

Already did

this will help a lot of folks

I shared it here

Minidsp thread

See less See more

Reactions: 4

Anu2g

Discussion Starter · #15 · Mar 18, 2022

oabeieo said:
This is pretty cool man, thanks for spending the time I reposted it on the Mini DSP forum , hope you don’t mind it’s really we’ll done

and seriously thank you for spending the time for us. I will be referring a lot of people to use that that’s a really good write up. Awesome contribution thank you

Already did

this will help a lot of folks

I shared it here

Minidsp thread

Thanks for your contribution, Andy! Your "no crossover" approach to running Dirac was a game changer

Reactions: 4

sapphari

· #16 · Mar 22, 2022 (Edited)

(this post redacted in an effort to keep this great thread on-topic!)

doeboy

· #17 · Mar 22, 2022 (Edited)

above

Reactions: 1

sapphari

· #18 · Mar 22, 2022

In the interest of not derailing this awesome thread, I deleted (edited) the post. miniDSP is helping with the remote turn on issue.

Reactions: 3

ninetysix

· #19 · Mar 26, 2022

oabeieo said:
....
Already did

this will help a lot of folks

I shared it here

Minidsp thread

maybe shoot minidsp an email, as I suspect the higher-ups aren't that interested in the forum on their site, tho devteam certainly pitches in

This is kind of a big deal and needs to have a link to the document on the product page, possibly the manual? a link that is, live document and all

Bravo on the guide otherwise, really clever work in there.

Also, in 6.b.ii.4.a of the guide, "do not apply a hpf" .... is that to say, bypass the hpf we set in 4.e.iii.1.b ?

01LSi

· #20 · Mar 26, 2022

I would like to know where people are placing their microphone in relationship to their drivers seat or relationship between passenger and driver if that’s better

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Reactions: 1

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