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[lazy]

I've tried to find an answer to this in the forum, but I've had no luck.

I know that when zones was introduced there was issues with getting them to link perfectly. Is this still a problem ?

Also; is it possible to address several identical usb-dacs from MC ?

The reason for the questions is that I would like to try out digital crossover in MC together with roomcorrection. The setup would be something like:



PC with MC ----> zone tweeter (crossover + PEQ) ----> USB DAC 1 -----> amp -----> tweeter
                  |
                  |
                  ----> linked zone midrange (XO + PEQ) ----> USB DAC 2 -----> amp ----> midrange woofer
                  |
                  |
                  ----> linked zone bass (XO + PEQ) ----> USB DAC 3  -----> amp----woofer

I know I can do this with some multichannel dac like Lynx or similar, but the price for these are a little steep to my taste.
               

[mwillems]

I've tried to find an answer to this in the forum, but I've had no luck.

I know that when zones was introduced there was issues with getting them to link perfectly. Is this still a problem ?

Also; is it possible to address several identical usb-dacs from MC ?

The reason for the questions is that I would like to try out digital crossover in MC together with roomcorrection. The setup would be something like:



PC with MC ----> zone tweeter (crossover + PEQ) ----> USB DAC 1 -----> amp -----> tweeter
                  |
                  |
                  ----> linked zone midrange (XO + PEQ) ----> USB DAC 2 -----> amp ----> midrange woofer
                  |
                  |
                  ----> linked zone bass (XO + PEQ) ----> USB DAC 3  -----> amp----woofer

I know I can do this with some multichannel dac like Lynx or similar, but the price for these are a little steep to my taste.
              

Check out these threads :

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=86438
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=83870.0
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=79067.0

Long story short, you either need an integrated multichannel interface or a hardware method of syncing up the three USB DACs.  Some DACs support being master/slaved (whether through SPDIF, AES/EBU, or some other method), but you probably won't be able to sync plain USB DACs that don't have other digital inputs or outputs.  If your USB DAC has an SPDIF input and an SPDIF output, you might be able to daisy chain them; if the DACs have only an SPDIF input, you could sync them using a controller like a Lynx AES 16.  If the DACs only have a USB input, then you probably can't sync them effectively.  Most of the DACs I've seen that support being synced/interlinked without a controller (e.g. without a Lynx AES-16), are more expensive than integrated multichannel solutions.

I have a bi-amped setup and went down this road myself.  I tried using two identical USB DACs to do exactly what you're describing and the sync was nowhere near close enough to use.  To do time alignment for an active crossover you need consistent sync within tens of microseconds: for context, a millisecond of drift between my drivers gives me a 30 dB null at the crossover point!  In the case of the DACs I used, the time drift between them was variable in rate, meaning that there was no way to just apply a fixed adjustment for it in software.  Because of the way DAC buffer management works you really need a hardware supported sync method to get that kind of precision, and many USB DACs lack the hardware connectors to achieve this kind of sync.

[lazy]

Thanks for your response.

Ok. So the initial plan will not work. Can anybody then recommend an external dac (not firewire) with 6 analogue outs and decent output stage at a reasonable price, that can be used for such a setup ?

[lazy]

...and preferably with balanced outs...

[mwillems]

Thanks for your response.

Ok. So the initial plan will not work. Can anybody then recommend an external dac (not firewire) with 6 analogue outs and decent output stage at a reasonable price, that can be used for such a setup ?

I use the Steinberg UR824.  It's a USB device, has 8 balanced outputs, and an excellent output stage (116dB SNR).  It can be found for $700 if you hunt around for a sale (usually it's around $800).  Focusrite makes an 8 output device (called the 18i20) that's going for around $400 on Amazon.  I can't vouch for the Focusrite personally, but Matt (JRiver's CTO) has one and had some positive things to say about it.  The Focusrite is the cheapest 6+ channel external interface with balanced outs that I'm personally aware of, but I'm sure there are some out there that are less expensive.

If you're willing to go internal (and unbalanced), there are 8-channel internal soundcards available much cheaper from Asus or Creative (an Asus DX has 8 unbalanced channels out, low rated distortion, and is around $80, for example).  There are ups and downs to internal cards (driver issues, EMI, etc.), but they're by far the cheapest solution.  I have two Asus cards (the DX and the ST/H-6 combo), and I still use my Asus ST/H-6 combo on my second PC.

[lazy]

So, given that I will buy an external dac with sufficient specs, like the steinberger, how will the setup be ?

Will it be as I tried to illustrate in the initial post ? Will the different output channels present themselves as separate devices in MC ? And then it is a matter of setting up and linking different zones ?

Or is it another, and perchance better, way to accomplish this ?

[mwillems]

So, given that I will buy an external dac with sufficient specs, like the steinberger, how will the setup be ?

Will it be as I tried to illustrate in the initial post ? Will the different output channels present themselves as separate devices in MC ? And then it is a matter of setting up and linking different zones ?

Or is it another, and perchance better, way to accomplish this ?

The Steinberg presents as a single audio device to JRiver, not as multiple audio devices, so there's no need to do zone linking.  You can do the channel routing in JRiver or (to a certain extent) in the Steinberg driver. 

So for your hypothetical tri-amped system, you'd set JRiver (in output format) to output stereo in a 5.1 container.  This gives you the two stereo channels and four blank channels to work with.  Then you'd use the parametric equalizer module in JRiver to copy the left channel to two of the blank channels, and the right channel to the other two blank channels.  At that point you'd have three identical "left" channels, and three identical "right" channels.  Then you just apply the appropriate filtering in JRiver's PEQ (one of the lefts becomes the HF, one becomes the MF, and one becomes the LF, etc.), do your delay settings, etc.

Does that make sense?

[lazy]

Thanks for the advice.

Yes, that makes sense, doesn't sound too complicated

Then it's just to start saving...