Looks like the device works in both digital and analogue domains. i see both type of ins and outs on it. So you can connect before or after dac ?
Hi
Yes. We can use it as a correction system in the digital domain and feed a separate DAC if required. However, let me explain a bit on how I used it, for better understanding. And I dont want anyone buying it on my recommendation alone
When I first got it, I was feeding the secondary output from my preamp, into the analogue input of the DSpeaker. Then this signal went through a ADC stage, and was corrected upto 250 hz ( My bass cabs were running below 300hz, besides my rooms schroeder frequency is 250 hz ), and the corrected analogue output then was fed to the power amps driving the bass cabs. With the correction enabled, the excessive bass boom was culled. And this was equivalent to the lifting of a sonic veil, and added immensely to the lower mid range clarity. However, on prolonged listening, there was a feeling that the additional ADC / digital correction / DAC conversion, were all adding up to processing latency, and bass was a bit delayed compared to the mid range and upwards.
Then I started using it as a pure dac with correction for the bass cabs only. I was at that time using a Metrum ambre as a roon end point. So I fed the coaxial output from the Metrum ambre to my main dac, and its down sampled optical output to the DSpeaker. And the mid range and upwards were driven with separate poweramps from the main dac. And bass cabs via separate power amps fed by corrected bass signal from the Dspeaker.
The central volume control at that time was handled in Roon. I only once configured the levels on my main dac and Dspeaker, and then left them untouched. And all subsequent volume changes were handled in Roon. This worked beautifully, and my bass woes were gone. But then my digital Roon chain became too long and too complicated with several boxes and linear power supplies. So i finally quit roon. And Iam not using the Dspeaker at this moment in time.
Subsequently, I learnt that the processing latency of the Dspeaker is exactly 3 feet in distance. Which means , my bass cabs should have been closer to me than the main speakers by 3 feet. And this would have solved the issue.
So if considering the DSpeaker today, I would whole heartedly recommend it as a fit and forget automated bass solution, as long as one has twin outputs on his preamp, and only uses it for the subwoofers and has room to place the subwoofers closer to him than the speakers by a minimum of 3 feet. And with the advancements in dacs today, it is no longer relevant in a high fidelity 2 channel system as the main dac running the main speakers. But for subwoofers, it is a god send.
P.S - And please disregard that Amir's review you see on Audio science review. This is a bass correction system that by default works upto 150 hz, and max upto 500hz. And this is where its performance is optimized. However, Amir runs his usual test signal and measures Sinad at 1000 hz which is well beyond the optimized operating frequency of this unit. And additionally I found that using a 12 V linear power supply, was a big improvement over the inbuilt SMPS power supply. Hope this helps
shop.avenuesound.in
