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[South Carolina Dan]

This is my first post to JRiver.

I understand that JRiver can be used as a crossover and an equalizer.  I would like to create a 2 way crossover for left and right loudspeakers.  This would give me 4 channels.  Left high (400 Hz and Up) and low (400 Hz and lower).  Currently I use a two channel external DAC and send the signal from my laptop via a USB connection.  The least expensive option for me would be to buy another DAC (Wyred 4 sound) and use both dacs at the same time.  What I do not know is how to send one USB signal to two things and also how does each DAC know what channels it is receiving.

This is not just a JRiver question, but I would have the same question using any crossover program on my PC.

Thanks in advance to anybody that can help me.

Dan

[mattkhan]

You need to create an aggregate device using something like https://vb-audio.com/Matrix/index.htm and you need a way to sync those two devices to the same clock (how to do that depends on the dac so it may or may not be possible)

[South Carolina Dan]

Thank you for the response.

Using a pc as a loudspeaker crossover is looking complicated.  I'll keep reading and learning and maybe try it when I get enough knowledge.

Can anyone share their experience with a pc crossover?

Dan

[JimH]

Try a Google search for JRiver crossover

[mwillems]

Thank you for the response.

Using a pc as a loudspeaker crossover is looking complicated.  I'll keep reading and learning and maybe try it when I get enough knowledge.

Can anyone share their experience with a pc crossover?

Dan

So I've been using my computer as a crossover with JRiver for 10+ years.  I have had no luck whatsoever trying to sync multiple USB DACs, and I wouldn't encourage anyone to try to do that unless their DAC manufacturer specifically advertises support for that (like some Motu DACs do). 

So unless your existing DAC explicitly supports syncing to another DAC's clock, I would recommend that you get a hold of a single multichannel DAC that has enough channels for your system.  I'm currently using an eight channel Topping DM-7 and am very happy with it, but there are numerous other multichannel DAC offerings out there from Okto, Focusrite, Steinberg, etc..  Those interfaces will let you use JRiver's DSP to it's fullest extent.

Alternatively, MiniDSP will also sell you competitively priced programmable "crossovers in a box", like the MiniDSP Flex 8.  A MiniDSP does all the crossover work in the box so you wouldn't be using JRiver's DSP chain.  I currently use a MiniDSP in parallel with JRiver, but the DSP available in the MiniDSP is less robust than what JRiver offers (It's is fine if you only need a bit of DSP but doesn't have enough filters/taps for more complicated setups).  I keep the MiniDSP around as a fallback for web audio and other things I can't route through JRiver, but if you just need a crossover and a few tweaks you could use the MiniDSP as your main crossover/DAC

[South Carolina Dan]

Thank you very much for your response, Jim H and mwillems.

mwillems can you please expand on the issue of using two different DACs.  Do they basically work but have timing issues due to the clocks, or are they erratic or something and just don't work.

The reason that I am asking is that I have two dacs (different makes) and I was wondering if I could experiment for free.  If it looks promising, I could then buy a multi channel dac.

Also, I was wondering how do you control volume?

Thanks again for your help.

Dan

[mattkhan]

You will find many such threads via Google

Here's one sample explanation

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/dac-word-clock-really-needed-active-monitors-vs-multiple-usb-dacs.405910/#post-7517150

the asynchronous USB audio protocol used by modern USB DACs is not clocked by the transmitter (being common for both monitors), but by the receiver. If the receivers do not have their clocks mutually synchronized, each receiver will fetch its data from the transmitter at a slightly different rate and the two incoming digital signals will drift apart.

[mwillems]

You will find many such threads via Google

Here's one sample explanation

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/dac-word-clock-really-needed-active-monitors-vs-multiple-usb-dacs.405910/#post-7517150

mattkhan described exactly my experience.  The two USB DACs almost immediately drifted apart, which ruined the crossover. 

If you already own two DACs, it's free to try, obviously, but I would go in with low expectations.

[South Carolina Dan]

Guys, thank you so much for the help and information.  I read the above post that was linked and found it very interesting.

Using two different (or same) DACs seems like a can of worms.  I might play around a little, but won't spend much time on it.

So, the obvious question is what equipment are most people using when using PC digital crossovers? Does the software work well when feeding back to a home theater receiver or maybe an internal sound card?  I understand about the 8 channel dac, but how many people actually have one of those.

Thanks again for your help.

Time to listen to some music.

Dan

[mattkhan]

Fundamentally it's simple, use pro audio kit as they have this capability:)

I used to use a motu 1248 feeding a fireface 800 over spdif in this sort of way, works fine (as long as you can measure the latency going via that route). 

For convenience mainly I switched to an antelope dac with 16 channels in one device. No difference in sound in reality, just ergonomics and rack space.

[South Carolina Dan]

Thanks Mattkhan

Delving into audio DSP has been a lot of fun.

Dan