Minidsp vs Arendal App. When to EQ?

[jeff51]

Well it’s time for an all new, well, everything.
The 24" Hartley in a 68CuFt T.L. box from the old house has been retired.

I’m thinking about Arendal Subs. They seem to be the best compromise for my new setup. Livingroom - looks, size, performance.
The 1723 line has many of the functions of a minidsp built into the amp/app.

When to apply the EQ? Should each sub be optimized first using REW – Sweep-Tweak-Repeat.
Then time aligned, grouped into a single virtual sub, and then the EQ fussed with again?

If the subs are time aligned and grouped before each is optimized – say, for example, there is a major bump at a given Freq.
And a single sub may have had a significant bump at that Freq, should the EQ cut be applied to that sub alone?
As opposed to grouping the subs and EQ-ing the group as a single virtual sub?

I’ve read the various articles and watched the videos. The Arendal app is sort of like having a minidsp sitting in front of each sub.
The big advantage to minidsp is the filter import from REW. But it seems kind of a waste to have a nearly redundant set of controls in the Arendals.

I’m not describing this very well.
I’m trying to wrap my mind around making a logical set of steps to optimize the subs without taking two steps forward and one step back. Or, in my case, one step forward and two steps back (my usual method of doing things).

Any guidance would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
All the Best,
Jeff

 

[shadyJ]

If you are only concerned about a single listening position, individually EQing each sub will yield a flatter response for that situation, but if you want a better response over multiple listening positions, use a global EQ for all subs. I can't remember if the Arendal app allows you to group subs for simultaneous EQ control over multiple subs, but I think it does. You will have to double-check that. Even if it doesn't, all you would need to do is implement the same EQ settings on both subs for the same effect if you wanted to go that route. Either way, do the EQing after the subs are time aligned. The Arendals are great subs, and you won't really need the MinDSP if you get them. I would skip the MiniDSP because it adds an extra AD-DA conversion that doesn't need to happen when you have decent equalizers on the Arendal subs.

Hope this helps,
James

 

[jeff51]

James,
Thanks for the info. I was thinking that was the way to do it. I didn't think about the extra AD-DA stage.
It's a shame the Denon 4x sub software is in the announcement-ware stage.
It will be interesting how it gets implemented.
Still the cost of the AVR + the multi-sub software will about pay for another sub. And there is always a way to make room for just one more...
Thanks again,
All the Best,
Jeff

 

[lovinthehd]

James,
Thanks for the info. I was thinking that was the way to do it. I didn't think about the extra AD-DA stage.
It's a shame the Denon 4x sub software is in the announcement-ware stage.
It will be interesting how it gets implemented.
Still the cost of the AVR + the multi-sub software will about pay for another sub. And there is always a way to make room for just one more...
Thanks again,
All the Best,
Jeff

FWIW the four sub thing is existent for the 3800/4800/A1H, altho via Audyssey at this time rather than Dirac DLBC.