# Minidsp Dirac reviews and comparisons with Antimode Dual Core 2.0



## Phillips

Hi has anyone seen any reviews on these Minidsp Dirac EQs?

Plus has anyone been able to compare the DSPeaker Antimode Dual Core 2.0 with the Minidsp Dirac?

Thanks in advance


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## Flak

Antimode Dual Core 2.0 and miniDSP Dirac Series are two different products...

the Antimode, as the name implies, has been designed to correct the room modes, and its designers have correctly limited its correction up to 500 Hz.
The reason is that the Antimode is a minimum-phase solution and minimum-phase solutions can successfully correct only those regions of frequencies where the room behaviour is minimum-phase also.
Room behaviour is mainly minimum-phase at the lowest frequencies, even if not always, as you can read in this informative document from the REW documentation here:
http://www.roomeqwizard.com/wizardhelpv5/help_en-GB/html/minimumphase.html

the miniDSP Dirac Series has a wider scope, it is a full bandwidth correction which can successfully correct both phase and frequency response 'cause it is a mixed-phase solution instead, you may either read this basic but correct document here:
http://diracdocs.com/Understanding more.pdf
or a more detailed one here:
http://www.dirac.se/media/12044/on_room_correction.pdf

Ciao :nerd:
Flavio


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## LesC

I realize they are different, but has anybody actually compared the results yet? At least in comparing their anti-mode capabilities?

If the MiniDSP were available in the same form factor as the Antimode dual core, that is with both digital and analog inputs and outputs in one box, the decision would be easier. But unfortunately, the MiniDSP Dirac is available with either digital or analog I/O only.

MiniDSP with digital I/O is fine if you already have an extra high-quality DA. I have a Hilo that I would go AES out to the MiniDSP, but then I need to get another DA, and I'm trying to avoid that expense.

MiniDSP with analog I/O would mean using the fairly high quality Hilo DA, and then an extra AD-DA conversion in the MiniDSP. The MiniDSP is a very inexpensive box, are the built-in AD and DA high quality, fairly transparent?

I'm considering the Hilo AES to MiniDSP Digital to Ross Martin "Superbeast". The Superbeast is a very-high quality DA at a very attractive price, but I would prefer to avoid that expense if possible.

By the way, this is for my home recording studio, running Dirac processing on my PC is not an option.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Has anybody actually done the comparison? Any other comments would be appreciated.


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## Flak

LesC said:


> MiniDSP with digital I/O is fine if you already have an extra high-quality DA. I have a Hilo that I would go AES out to the MiniDSP, but then I need to get another DA, and I'm trying to avoid that expense.
> 
> MiniDSP with analog I/O would mean using the fairly high quality Hilo DA, and then an extra AD-DA conversion in the MiniDSP. The MiniDSP is a very inexpensive box, are the built-in AD and DA high quality, fairly transparent?


Hi LesC,

if you feel unsafe about the quality of the AD/DA conversions because they are inexpensive I think you'd better go for the digital version and the additional cost of an outboard DAC... I say that because in my strictly personal opinion even if there are no actual differences in listening it is unlikely that you will be able to make a meaningful side by side comparison and as a result you will always have a subtle doubt that something slightly better could be obtained.

My two cents 
Flavio


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## LesC

I think you're right, Flavio. I do have a Dangerous Music Source monitor controller, which includes a fairly high quality DAC, maybe I'll give that a try.

I am disappointed that there seem to be no reviews of the MiniDSP Dirac system, either analog or digital, at least none that I can find. That either says a lot about the quality of the product, or for some reason very few people have actually tried it. I realize it's a fairly new product, but I was hoping for some real-world comments in addition to those from a company representative, and I believe you stated in another thread that you have never heard the product.

I have read mostly good things about Dirac software, though, which you do have experience with. I am hoping Dirac does all the good things that the Anti-mode Dual Core does in the bass region, and that the impulse-response and higher frequency correction are the icing on the cake. Flavio, would that be a reasonable description, or does the Anti-mode do stuff in the bass region that can't be matched or bettered by Dirac?


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## Flak

LesC said:


> I am disappointed that there seem to be no reviews of the MiniDSP Dirac system, either analog or digital, at least none that I can find. That either says a lot about the quality of the product, or for some reason very few people have actually tried it.


Hi Lesc,
I understand that an indipendent review will be published in this very Forum, may be you will want to post here:
http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...rac-live-ddrc-22a-ddrc-22d_-5.html#post750122



> I have read mostly good things about Dirac software, though, which you do have experience with. I am hoping Dirac does all the good things that the Anti-mode Dual Core does in the bass region, and that the impulse-response and higher frequency correction are the icing on the cake. Flavio, would that be a reasonable description, or does the Anti-mode do stuff in the bass region that can't be matched or bettered by Dirac?


In a few words... no, the opposite can happen 

also one advantage of the Anti-mode is the fact that you do not need a PC or Mac for the initial calibration, on the other side because you are not using a PC you cannot use it to easily define your target curve (or curves) and load them into the processor (and compare the results)

Ciao, Flavio


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## LesC

Thanks for the info, Flavio.


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