using XXHighEnd with Minisharc

[builder brad]

Is it possible to use XXHighEnd software to drive a Minisharc processor?

What would be the best way to do this? The Minisharc has a number of input options, but no USB input.

Cheers

Brad

[PeterSt]

Hi there Brad - welcome.

First response : why not ?
Ok, not much helpful.

So I guess I should ask you how you think (no) USB input to that Minisharc is related. I mean, I don't see it.

In between : I suppose you refer to something like Minisharc DSP, is that correct ?

Now let's see ...
Anything which is an "audio device" as such, will be able to be used by XXHighEnd. The problem I foresee though is that your DSP (so that assumed) is not an audio device at all. But it depends a little ...
Do you have a link (web page) to what you are talking about ?

Regards,
Peter

[builder brad]

Hi Peter,

thank you for the quick reply and warm welcome.

I joined in 2011 and have just started looking at your products again.

Good points in your email. I made some assumptions.lol

The Minisharc details are here:

http://www.minidsp.com/products/opendrc-series/minisharc-kit

This is a flexible DSP module with quite a few input and output options including I2S. I am using the Minisharc to create a digital processor to drive my Linkwitz LX521s. The LX521s are an active 3 way dipole speaker that have traditionally been driven by an analogue signal processor.

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/LX521/Description.htm

The Minisharc has 4 stereo I2S outputs that are connected to a pair of dual Mono Buffalo ESS9018 Dacs for the midrange and individual stereo ESS9023 Dacs for the tweeter and Woofers.

http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/buffalose.aspx
http://www.minidsp.com/products/minidspkits/curryman-i2s-dac

I have a little experience with KS drivers, having used Audio Repeater, Virtual Audio Cable and VST processors in my car PC. Only problem was stability and the need to run lots of scripts to start and stop services, so everything could run well. I felt that the quality improvement was significant, however there where lots of noises and crackles, especially between tracks, with system lock ups from memory overruns ect. Looks like your software addresses a lot of those issues now.

Brad

[PeterSt]

Hi again Brad,

So since you are actually already using the MiniSharc, you already know (or can know) the answer to your question. So we'll start we an "of course !". It is only that it might not be so visible to you especially when using virtual audio cables and such. In the end though your device will be the USB device from your Buffalo, or a "direct" connection with SPDIF to the DSP module. In the latter case you will be using an SPDIF output from your motherboard or possibly via an additional sound card in the PC.

In either case you will select an output device somewhere in the playback software; only when that sound device is (always) the default one (which in the end is a setting in the Windows Sound Devices) you won't notice anything much of it because you never need to apply the selection as such. But a sound device you will be addressing.

If now virtual audio cables (I mention them as a general phenomenon) are left out of the chain (no idea why you would be using that) then in e.g. XXHighEnd you will select that sound device - whatever it is. Or this is an anonymous thing like "SPDIF Out" (when you use SPDIF) or it is something which relates to the Buffalo (and then will be USB I presume).
And that is really all.

Notice that in XXHighEnd you may discover two redundant groups of drivers - WASAPI (WDM) and Kernel Streaming. The latter will be the most lean one, might you run into glitches and such. On the other hand, there is no reason that I can see that you'd run into glitches (and all you mentioned) in the first place. That is, if you are not using filtering and/or convolving features in-software, which typically would be a reason to use the virtual cables. But then I wouldn't know much why to do that because I'd say the DSP is for that. But you do mention VST processors ...

Fact would be that with XXHighEnd you'd not only have the leanest means of "audio chain" but also an inifinite means of "buffer settings" might that be your current problem (like mentioned memory overruns etc.).

So maybe from here we can proceed with next questions ?
Or, just try to use XXHighEnd, see where you get stuck and present that situation ?

Best regards,
Peter

[builder brad]

Hi Peter,

thank-you.

I think I confused you again by mentioning my previous experience with KS drivers. This does not apply to my current question. You where correct in your assumption that I used VST for Digital Sound Processing, which was why I used Virtual Audio Cable.

You pretty much have answered my Question. I probably need to experiment with your software and see what challenges I then experience.

Brad

[PeterSt]

OK Brad. One more thing for now though : XXHighEnd can not accept (VST) plugins. Going the other way around - route it's output to a virtual cable and from there to VST software, should work.

And ask further when needed. I only hope I know the answers.
Peter