MiniDSP - Would this set up work?

[gianfri]

Hello, pretty much a newbie here trying to improve the SQ of my system without breaking the bank. Current setup: Roon server on Linux PC => Raspberry Pi 3B+ with Digi + HAT => Pro Ject Pre Box S2 DAC => Yamaha N803 integrated receiver through RCA connector => DALI Opticon 8 speakers (bi-wired).
The Yamaha has YPAO, a digital room correction built-in feature using a proprietary mike that really improves the SQ in my room (I have a difficult room, open space, irregular shape, lots of glass and other hard surfaces).
I am looking at the option to upgrade the amp but I do not want too lose the room correction provided by YPAO. I am looking for a hardware solution for room correction and found the miniDSP SHD studio. It has Dirac Live which if I understand correctly should provide the digital room correction now performed by the Yamaha YPAO. I would insert it to replace the Raspberry Pi, since I understand the miniDSP can act as a Roon endpoint, or I would place it between the Pi and the Pro Ject DAC. My questions are: would this work? AND, what is people’s experience with the MiniDSP and its Dirac software? I am a little nervous since they do not offer any return option after the purchase. Does it sound like a good plan, or are there better options? Any help would be highly appreciated. Thanks!!

[Martin_Webster]

You may like to read the following:

Digital Room Correction for Less Than $100

A guide how to do room correction and use it in Roon

Nice work. I’ve been debating should I use room correction and how. If you have time and patience a video would be great. None of the videos on You Tube explain very well a step by step explanation of how to use REW and why.

Playing with Parametric EQ and Room Correction

You can use a USB microphone and software (REW, Acourate etc) to capture a frequency distribution. You can then correct it manually with PEQ or generate a wav file to convolve. See these threads: This article in the KB may assist with convolution in Roon.

Roon & Home Audio Fidelity (Room Correction / convolution filter creation)

Interesting approach. I read the technology page and the comments about constant directivity reminded me of a paper written in 1971 by Ted Jordan (published in Wireless World) where he argued much the same thing. Somewhat ironically the Geddes paper (from which the chart showing ideal polar response is taken) ends with this conclusion: "The take-away information from this last figure is that once one has a well designed loudspeaker, there is no need for electrical EQ and in fact it is likely t…

[mikeb]

Martin, many thanks for the links. How timely! I’ve just ordered a UMIK-1 and hope to be trying this very soon.

[gianfri]

Thank you for the information. The Roon-based approach may be a little too much for me to handle. As I said, I am a rookie in this field and that looks daunting to me. It is fine for the recording part (which is similar to what the Yamaha YPAO does) but how to apply the filters is more complicated. That’s why I was looking for a hardware solution.

[Martin_Webster]

Take a look at the last link; they do the hard work for you so all you have to do is load the filters into Roon.

[gianfri]

That sounds more reasonable - thanks!

[Jim_F]

I would just keep what you have now.

[gianfri]

That is an option, indeed. The SQ is not bad at all. Can you please elaborate? Thanks!

[Jim_F]

If the Yamaha does what you want, why change for what may or may not be any better?