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Related Manuals for miniDSP DDRC-88D
Summary of Contents for miniDSP DDRC-88D
- Page 1 DDRC-88D CHANNEL UDIO ROCESSOR ® WITH IRAC TECHNOLOGY AND OPTIONAL UPGRADE FOR BASS MANAGEMENT AND CROSSOVER Digital I/O version User Manual miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice...
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Page 2: Revision History
Revision history Revision Description Date First draft 31 July 2017 Public release 4 Sept 2017 miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 3: Table Of Contents
Dirac Live Calibration Tool (DLCT) installation ....................15 The DDRC-88BM Plugin .......................... 16 Plugin user interface – basic mode .......................... 16 Synchronizing with the DDRC-88D ........................... 17 Master control ................................17 Configuration/filter set selection ..........................17 Dirac Live information .............................. 18 Acoustic Measurement for Dirac Live ...................... - Page 4 Guidelines for target curve design ........................34 6.2.4 Saving and loading target curves ........................35 Generating correction filters ............................ 36 Loading filter sets ..............................37 Using the DDRC-88D Audio Processor ..................... 38 Configuring source equipment ..........................38 Front panel ................................38 7.2.1 Status indicators .............................. 38 7.2.2...
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Page 5: Important Information
ARRANTY ERMS miniDSP Ltd warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the invoice date. Our warranty does not cover failure of the product due to incorrect connection or installation, improper or undocumented use, unauthorized servicing, modification or alteration of the unit in any way, or any usage outside of that recommended in this manual. - Page 6 CE M TATEMENT The DDRC-88D has passed the test performed according to European Standard EN 55022 Class B. OTE ON THIS ANUAL This User Manual is designed for reading in both print and on the computer. If printing the manual, please print double-sided.
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Page 7: Product Overview
RODUCT VERVIEW Thank you for purchasing a miniDSP DDRC-88D audio processor powered by Dirac Live®, the world’s premier room correction solution. We are delighted to offer you this software and hardware combination, the fruit of extensive research and development and years of experience in sound system tuning. -
Page 8: How Dirac Live® Works
Computer connectivity is used to perform acoustic measurements and generate digital room correction filters. Up to four sets of correction filters can be stored on the DDRC-88D processor and recalled from the front panel or via an infrared remote. Once the processor is fully configured, the computer is no longer needed. -
Page 9: Configuration Steps (Basic Mode)
1.3 C ONFIGURATION STEPS BASIC MODE The steps for configuring the DDRC-88D audio processor with Dirac Live® are summarized as follows: 1. Connect the DDRC-88D audio processor into your system and install software. See Section 2, Hardware Connectivity and Section 3, Software Installation. -
Page 10: Configuration Steps (Enhanced/Bass Management Mode)
6, Dirac Live Filter Design. 5. Configure bass management in the DDRC-88BM plugin (if required). See Section 8, Enhanced/Bass Management Mode. 6. The computer can be disconnected for normal listening. See Section 7, Using the DDRC-88D Audio Processor. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com... -
Page 11: Hardware Connectivity
2.1 D IGITAL INPUT AND OUTPUT Up to eight channels can be connected to the DDRC-88D via the supplied DB-25 breakout cable. 4 AES/EBU digital inputs and four AES/EBU digital outputs are present on the connector using the TASCAM pinout. -
Page 12: Dc Power
To configure the DDRC-88D using Dirac Live Calibration Tool for miniDSP: • Connect the USB port of the DDRC-88D to a USB 2.0 port on your computer using the supplied cable. • Connect a miniDSP UMIK-1 to a second USB port on your computer. -
Page 13: Software Installation
If you purchased your product directly from miniDSP, your software will be available from the User Downloads section of the miniDSP website when your order ships. You will need to be logged into the website with the account you created when purchasing to access the download. -
Page 14: Installation - Windows
3.2.1 Possible Windows installation issues The miniDSP software requires that a number of other frameworks be installed for it to work. For Windows 7 and later, these packages should be installed automatically. For earlier versions of Windows, please download and install the following frameworks before attempting to install any miniDSP software. You can also manually install these if you receive an error message that required software is missing. -
Page 15: Installation - Mac
We recommend that you accept the default installation settings. To run DLCT, locate Dirac Live Calibration Tool.app in the Applications -> miniDSP -> nanoAVR folder and double-click on it. To make it easier to run in future, right-click on its dock icon and select Options -> Keep in Dock. -
Page 16: The Ddrc-88Bm Plugin
See Section 8, Enhanced/Bass Management Mode for further information on this functionality. If you purchased a DDRC-88D in basic mode and later upgrade to enhanced/bass management mode, you will need to perform the upgrade procedure described on page 60. -
Page 17: Synchronizing With The Ddrc-88D
DDRC-88D YNCHRONIZING WITH THE Connect the DDRC-88D to a USB 2.0 port on your computer. Then click on the Connect button: If you are running the plugin in enhanced/bass management mode, a dialog box with additional connection options may appear. See page 43. -
Page 18: Dirac Live Information
In basic mode, the only active tab in the interface is Dirac. Note that Dirac Live calibration is performed with the separate program Dirac Live Calibration Tool for miniDSP (DLCT), as described in Sections 5 and 6. Once calibration has been performed, you can quit DLCT and run the plugin to view Dirac Live delay and gain settings and real-time levels. -
Page 19: Acoustic Measurement For Dirac Live
EASUREMENT FOR IRAC The Dirac Live Calibration Tool For miniDSP uses a set of measurements made in your listening room to gather all the acoustical information about your room and speakers that it needs to calculate the correction filters. If you have purchased the enhanced/bass management mode upgrade and intend to configure individual output channels with crossovers or filters, you must do that before running a Dirac Live Calibration. -
Page 20: Preparing For Acoustic Measurement
Simply: • Connect the supplied USB (type A to type B) cable from the DDRC-88D to a USB port on the computer. • Connect a USB cable (type A to mini type B) from the UMIK-1 to a USB port on the computer. -
Page 21: Configuring For Measurement
ONFIGURING FOR MEASUREMENT Start Dirac Live Calibration Tool for miniDSP (DLCT). Be sure to quit the DDRC-88BM plugin before starting Dirac Live Calibration Tool for miniDSP. Running the two programs at the same time will result in communication conflicts and odd behavior. -
Page 22: Select The Configuration/Preset (Enhanced/Bass Management Mode)
Preset to DDRC-88. This will ensure that test signals are sent into your audio system via the DDRC-88D processor. If the entry for DDRC-88 is not showing, check that your DDRC-88D processor is connected via USB and powered on, click the Rescan button, and then use the drop-down menu to select DDRC-88. -
Page 23: Mic Config Tab
It is in the form xxx-yyyy and labelled on the microphone. Ensure that you download both the regular calibration file and the “90-degree” calibration file. (The latter is generated specifically for use with miniDSP’s multi-channel Dirac Live® processors such as the DDRC-88D and the nanoAVR DL.) Then click on the Load File button and select your calibration file. -
Page 24: Output & Levels Tab
When done, click the Proceed button. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 25: Custom System Configuration
You want to use a different channel mapping than the default. • You do not want the DDRC-88D to calibrate for a 10 dB LFE alignment gain on the subwoofer channel. After choosing Custom System, you will need to select the number of channels that you want to use. -
Page 26: Running The Measurements
Minimize the effect of any external noise, ensure that measurement signal levels are adequate, and/or choose a suitable time for performing measurements. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 27: Listening Environment
Placing all microphone locations too close to each other may result in “over-correction” that will sound dry and dull. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 28: Executing Measurements
With the microphone in place at the central location and pointed vertically (that is, towards the ceiling or floor), click on the Start button. The DDRC-88D will generate a test signal, audible as a frequency sweep through the left speaker, then the right, and so on through all channels. Finally, the frequency sweep plays through the left speaker again. -
Page 29: Completing The Measurements
Save button. The default location for project files is My Documents\MiniDSP\nanoAVR\Projects (Windows) or Documents/MiniDSP/nanoAVR/Projects (Mac). A project can be reloaded at any time by clicking on the Load button. This enables you to generate new correction filters for different target curves at a later date, or to redo any of the measurements. -
Page 30: Dirac Live Filter Design
All of the predicted magnitude responses after correction. These plots are shown in dark green, and can be viewed only after filters have been generated with the Optimize button. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 31: Working With Graphs
By default, the front left and right, surround left and right, and rear left and right channels are linked. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... - Page 32 Double-click on the graph to zoom back out to the previous zoom level, or click on the small “–” sign next to the zoom indicator at the top right of the display. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice...
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Page 33: Designing Your Target Curve
6.2 D ESIGNING YOUR TARGET CURVE The target curve is the desired in-room magnitude response with the DDRC-88D processor performing digital room correction. 6.2.1 The Auto Target When first viewing the Filter Design tab, an estimated target curve suitable for your speakers is shown as the red curve. -
Page 34: Guidelines For Target Curve Design
The auto-target estimates the low-frequency roll-off and curve. You should determine by listening whether this estimate is suitable for your system, and adjust the target curve accordingly. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 35: Saving And Loading Target Curves
To load a target curve, click on Load Target. The currently displayed channel or group of channels will have its target curve updated. (Loading a target will erase the current target curve, so be sure to save it first if needed.) miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com... -
Page 36: Generating Correction Filters
(The predicted impulse response can be viewed by clicking on the Impulse button.) Dirac Live Calibration Tool for miniDSP will contact the Dirac license server to verify its license, so you will need to be connected to the Internet to perform this step. If a firewall is in place, it must allow HTTP (normal web traffic) to pass. -
Page 37: Loading Filter Sets
Outputs tabs of the DDRC-88BM plugin away from the defaults, you must load the filters into the same slot as the preset selected when running the measurements for Dirac Live calibration. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 38: Using The Ddrc-88D Audio Processor
DDRC-88D A SING THE UDIO ROCESSOR Once the desired correction filters have been downloaded into the DDRC-88D audio processor, the computer is not required and can be disconnected. 7.1 C ONFIGURING SOURCE EQUIPMENT Dirac Live aligns the gain and delay of all channels. Any settings to this effect in the source equipment should therefore be disabled. -
Page 39: Infrared Remote Control
1, pressing Config Inc changes it to 2. Note that switching between presets takes several seconds.) In addition, the DDRC-88D can “learn” the control codes of your current remote if it supports one of the following remote control codes: •... -
Page 40: Enhanced/Bass Management Mode
Upon starting the plugin, the main user interface appears. The screenshot below shows the user interface with the key areas highlighted. You cannot run the DDRC-88BM plugin at the same time as Dirac Live Calibration Tool for miniDSP. Attempting to do so may result in odd behavior. Ensure that you quit one before starting the other. -
Page 41: Signal Flow
Once the DDRC-88D has been configured, the plugin is no longer required, as source and preset selection can be done with the front panel or a remote control (see pages 38 and 39). If desired, however, the user interface can remain online during use for real-time (“live”) adjustment of the settings. -
Page 42: Plugin Design/Configuration Guide
If using an external test signal to accurately set up bass management, this must be done after Dirac Live calibration, and on the same preset. In summary, the best general approach to configuring the DDRC-88D with the enhanced/bass management functionality is as follows: 1. -
Page 43: Connecting And Configurations
ONNECTING AND CONFIGURATIONS Connect the DDRC-88D to a USB 2.0 port on your computer. Then click on the Connect button: If successful, the button changes to a green tick as shown above. For the sake of brevity, this state is referred to as “online”... -
Page 44: More About Configurations
DDRC-88BM be saved to a file, to ensure that the data is not lost if the DDRC-88D is inadvertently reset. A configuration file stores all of the DDRC-88BM audio processing parameters except for the master volume setting. -
Page 45: Relationship With Dirac Live
If the plugin is online, the new configuration data will be downloaded to the DDRC-88D immediately. If the plugin is offline, the data will be loaded into the user interface only, and will be downloaded to the DDRC-88D the next time it is synchronized. -
Page 46: Signal Processing Tabs
40 Hz, let alone 20 Hz. The solution is bass management, where low frequencies are filtered out from the speaker channels and sent to the subwoofer instead. This is the LFE Mgt screen: miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... - Page 47 The HPF blocks are used to create matching high pass filters for each channel. The high-pass filtered signals are passed through to the Routing tab. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice...
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Page 48: Routing
-6 dB: Note: To rename an input channel, click on its label and type in a new name (maximum of eight characters). miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 49: Mixer
The gain of the signal being mixed can be adjusted at each crosspoint to a value between -72 and +12 dB. Note: To rename an output channel, use the Outputs tab. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 50: Outputs
The meters can also be used during normal operation to monitor for or to help locate level or gain structure problems. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com... -
Page 51: Parametric Eq
For the PEAK and SUB_EQ filter types, this is the gain in dB at the center frequency. For the HIGH_SHELF and LOW_SHELF filter types, this is the gain in dB reached at high or low frequencies respectively. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... - Page 52 Other filter types can be created by switching to Advanced mode. In this mode, the coefficients of each filter “biquad” are entered individually. The coefficients will need to be calculated by a filter design program. A useful spreadsheet for a number of filter types is available on the miniDSP.com website – see the application note Advanced Biquad Programming.
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Page 53: Crossover Settings
Available in 12, 24, and 48 dB/octave, Linkwitz-Riley crossover filters are 6 dB down at the cutoff frequency. Bessel Available in 12 dB/octave only, a Bessel filter gives a more gradual roll off through the crossover region. miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 54: Time Delay
For other types of filter and filter slopes, use Advanced mode. This mode allows you to enter the coefficients of eight biquads directly into the interface. The coefficients will need to be calculated by a filter design program. A useful spreadsheet for a number of filter types is available on the miniDSP.com website – see the application note Advanced Biquad programming. -
Page 55: Additional Information
Controls master volume, mute, filter set selection, Dirac Live® filtering enable Power supply 5 VDC single supply @ 600mA, 2.1 mm center-positive Dimensions (H x W x D) 41.5 x 214.5 x 206 mm miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice... -
Page 56: Mcu Firmware Update
Downloads section of the miniDSP website. Then follow the instructions below for your platform. This procedure must also be performed when first using the DDRC-88BM plugin with a DDRC-88D that does not have a green label indicating “V2.2” or later. This applies to both basic mode and enhanced/bass management mode. - Page 57 10. Return to the DDRC-88BM plugin. (If there is a dialog informing "Connection to DSP closed," click on OK.) Click on the Connect button. 11. You may see the following dialog. This can occur if you upgraded from an earlier DDRC-88D unit without bass management. (If this does not appear, skip the next step.) 12.
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Page 58: Mac Os X
If your unit does require a firmware upgrade, a warning dialog will pop up. Click OK: The DDRC-88D will be put into boot loader mode and the miniDSP bootloader program will start. The status area should display “Device attached” and then “Device Ready.”... - Page 59 10. Return to the DDRC-88BM plugin. (If there is a dialog informing "Connection to DSP closed," click on OK.) Click on the Connect button. 11. You may see the following dialog. This can occur if you upgraded from an earlier DDRC-88D unit without bass management. (If this does not appear, skip the next step.) 12.
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Page 60: Activating Enhanced/Bass Management Mode
BASS MANAGEMENT MODE The following procedure converts a DDRC-88D from basic mode to enhanced/bass management mode. It only needs to be applied to a DDRC-88D that was purchased in basic mode, after later purchasing the plugin upgrade from the miniDSP website: •... -
Page 61: Troubleshooting
9.4 T ROUBLESHOOTING The following table lists the most common causes of issues with the DDRC-88D. If following this table does not provide a solution, see Obtaining Support. DDRC-88BM plugin Confirm that you downloaded and installed the required frameworks Cannot install... -
Page 62: Obtaining Support
DDRC-88D, such as the DDRC- 88BM plugin. 9.5 O BTAINING SUPPORT 1. Check the forums on miniDSP.com to see if this issue has already been raised and a solution or solutions provided. 2. Contact miniDSP via the support portal at minidsp.desk.com with: a.
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