miniDSP 2X4 HD, 2X4 HD KIT User Manual
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2X4 HD
COMPACT 2-IN 4-OUT
HIGH-RESOLUTION AUDIO
PROCESSOR
2X4 HD KIT
2-IN 4-OUT HIGH-
RESOLUTION AUDIO
PROCESSOR CIRCUIT BOARD
User Manual
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Revision history
Revision
Description
Date
V1.0
First preliminary release version
15 January 2016
V1.1
Added kit board, installers
31 January 2016
V1.2
Updated installation procedure
22 February 2016
V1.3
Updated installation procedure, added USB Audio
21 March 2016
V1.4
Updated installation procedure
31 January 2017
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CONTENTS
Important Information ...............................................................................................................................................5
System Requirements .............................................................................................................................................5
Disclaimer/Warning ................................................................................................................................................5
Warranty Terms ......................................................................................................................................................6
FCC Class B Statement ............................................................................................................................................6
CE Mark Statement .................................................................................................................................................6
A note on this manual ............................................................................................................................................6
1 Product Overview ................................................................................................................................................7
1.1 Typical Applications ....................................................................................................................................7
2 The miniDSP workflow .........................................................................................................................................9
3 Software installation ......................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Windows .................................................................................................................................................. 11
3.1.1 Possible Windows installation issues .............................................................................................. 11
3.1.2 2x4 HD plugin installation ................................................................................................................ 12
3.1.3 USB Driver installation ..................................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Mac .......................................................................................................................................................... 13
3.2.1 Possible Mac installation issues....................................................................................................... 13
3.2.2 2x4 HD plugin installation ................................................................................................................ 13
4 Hardware connectivity ...................................................................................................................................... 14
4.1 Digital input ............................................................................................................................................. 14
4.2 Analog inputs and outputs ...................................................................................................................... 14
4.3 USB .......................................................................................................................................................... 15
4.4 DC power ................................................................................................................................................. 15
5 The 2x4 HD Kit board ........................................................................................................................................ 16
6 Configuring the 2x4 HD ..................................................................................................................................... 17
6.1 Synchronizing with the processor ........................................................................................................... 18
6.2 Inputs & Routing tab ............................................................................................................................... 19
6.2.1 Input selection ................................................................................................................................. 19
6.2.2 Input channel strips ......................................................................................................................... 20
6.2.3 Routing ............................................................................................................................................ 21
6.3 Output tab ............................................................................................................................................... 22
6.3.1 Channel strip layout ......................................................................................................................... 22
6.3.2 Channel label ................................................................................................................................... 22
6.3.3 Level meter and gain control ........................................................................................................... 22
6.3.4 Parametric EQ .................................................................................................................................. 23
6.3.5 Crossover ......................................................................................................................................... 25
6.3.6 Compressor ...................................................................................................................................... 27
6.3.7 FIR .................................................................................................................................................... 28
6.3.8 Invert and mute ............................................................................................................................... 28
6.3.9 Time delay ....................................................................................................................................... 28
6.4 Custom biquad programming .................................................................................................................. 29
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6.4.1 What’s a “biquad? ........................................................................................................................... 29
6.4.2 Using custom biquad programming ................................................................................................ 29
6.4.3 Biquad design software ................................................................................................................... 31
6.5 FIR filtering and design ............................................................................................................................ 32
6.5.1 FIR filtering overview ....................................................................................................................... 33
6.5.2 FIR filter design software ................................................................................................................. 33
6.5.3 Filter file format ............................................................................................................................... 33
6.5.4 Loading filter coefficients ................................................................................................................ 34
6.6 Working with configurations ................................................................................................................... 35
6.6.1 Online and offline mode .................................................................................................................. 35
6.6.2 Selecting a configuration ................................................................................................................. 35
6.6.3 Saving and loading configurations ................................................................................................... 36
6.6.4 Restoring to defaults ....................................................................................................................... 36
6.7 Keyboard shortcuts ................................................................................................................................. 37
7 USB Audio ......................................................................................................................................................... 38
7.1 Mac OS X .................................................................................................................................................. 38
7.2 Windows .................................................................................................................................................. 39
7.2.1 Status ............................................................................................................................................... 39
7.2.2 Format ............................................................................................................................................. 39
7.2.3 Buffer settings ................................................................................................................................. 40
7.2.4 Volume............................................................................................................................................. 40
7.2.5 Info ................................................................................................................................................... 41
8 Infrared remote control .................................................................................................................................... 42
9 Additional information ...................................................................................................................................... 43
9.1 Specifications ........................................................................................................................................... 43
9.2 Firmware upgrade ................................................................................................................................... 44
9.2.1 Windows .......................................................................................................................................... 44
9.2.2 Mac OS X .......................................................................................................................................... 46
9.3 Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................................... 47
9.4 Obtaining support .................................................................................................................................... 48
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please read the following information before use. In case of any questions, please contact miniDSP via the
support portal at minidsp.desk.com.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
To configure the miniDSP audio processor, you will require a Windows PC or Apple Mac OS X computer with the
following minimum specification:
Windows
PC with 1GHz or higher processor clock speed. Intel® Pentium®/Celeron® family, or AMD K6®/AMD
Athlon®/AMD Duron® family, or compatible processor recommended.
512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher
Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device
USB 2.0 port
Microsoft• ® Windows® Vista® SP1/ XP pro SP2/Win7/Win8.1/Win10
Microsoft• ® .NET framework v3.5 or later
Adobe AIR environment (latest version)
Adobe Flash player (latest version)
Mac OS X
Intel-based Mac with 1 GHz or higher processor clock speed
512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher
Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device
USB 2.0 port
Mac OS X 10.8 or higher
Adobe AIR environment (latest version)
Adobe Flash player (latest version)
DISCLAIMER/WARNING
miniDSP cannot be held responsible for any damage that may result from the improper use of this product or
incorrect configuration of its settings. As with any other product, we recommend that you carefully read this
manual and other technical notes to ensure that you fully understand how to operate this product. The miniDSP
audio processor is a powerful tool, and misuse or misconfiguration, such as incorrectly set gains or excessive
boost, can produce signals that may damage your audio system.
As a general guideline, you should perform the initial configuration of the miniDSP audio processor before
enabling audio through any connected output device or amplification. Doing so will help ensure that the
software is correctly configured.
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Finally, note that the miniDSP audio processor is a very flexible device, and many of the questions we receive at
the tech support department are already answered in this user manual and in the online application notes on
the miniDSP.com website. So please take the time to carefully read this user manual and the online technical
support. Thanks for your understanding!
WARRANTY TERMS
miniDSP Ltd warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one
year from the invoice date. Our warranty does not cover failure of the product due to incorrect connection or
installation, improper or undocumented use, unauthorized servicing, modification or alteration of the unit in any
way, or any usage outside of that recommended in this manual. If in doubt, contact miniDSP prior to use.
FCC CLASS B STATEMENT
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Warning: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio
or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Notice: Shielded interface cable must be used in order to comply with emission limits.
Notice: Changes or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
CE MARK STATEMENT
The 2x4 HD has passed the test performed according to European Standard EN 55022 Class B.
A NOTE ON THIS MANUAL
This User Manual is designed for reading in both print and on the computer. If printing the manual, please print
double-sided. The embedded page size is 8 ½” x 11”. Printing on A4 paper will result in a slightly reduced size.
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1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Thank you for choosing the miniDSP 2x4 HD or 2x4 HD Kit audio processor. The miniDSP 2x4 HD is an extremely
compact yet powerful and flexible digital audio processor for active crossover and other audio processing
applications. It features:
Asynchronous XMOS USB input for streaming audio (up to 192 kHz)
Stereo digital optical TOSLINK input
Two analog input channels and four analog output channels
Parametric EQ on all input and output channels, Butterworth and Linkwitz-Riley crossovers up to 48
dB/octave, and advanced biquad programming for an unlimited range of filters and crossover types
FIR filtering on every output channel (total 4096 taps)
Matrix mixer for flexible channel assignment and configuration
Real-time configuration of all processing parameters
Volume control by infrared remote
Four on-board presets, selectable by infrared remote
1.1 TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
The miniDSP 2x4 HD has a wide range of applications in home and professional audio. In this example, the 2x4
HD acts as both preamp and two-way crossover:
Figure 1 - 2x4 HD as preamp and 2-way crossover
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The miniDSP 2x4 HD is a perfect solution for subwoofer integration, providing accurate and flexible integration
between the subwoofers and the main speakers, as well as comprehensive EQ and tuning options. In this role,
the 2x4 HD is added after the preamp, as shown here:
The miniDSP 2x4 HD is a perfect solution for multi-subwoofer management for home theater. Driven from the
A/V receiver’s subwoofer output, the 2x4 HD can be used to adjust gain and delays individually for each
subwoofer, and provide parametric EQ both singly and for all subwoofers:
The 2x4 HD Kit allows construction of the 2x4 HD circuit board into more sophisticated builds that combine
other components such as power amplifier boards.
Figure 2 - 2x4 HD for subwoofer integration (2.1-way)
Figure 3 - 2x4 HD for multisub management
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2 THE MINIDSP WORKFLOW
We strongly recommend taking a methodical approach to your new miniDSP audio processor. Remember that
the audio processor is a powerful tool and incorrect settings can potentially cause damage to your system.
Please follow the steps below carefully.
1. Download and install the software
When your order ships, your ordered plugin (or plugins) will be available from the User
Downloads section of the miniDSP website. Download and install the plugin and USB driver (for
Windows), as described in Software installation on page 11.
2. Familiarize yourself with the plugin
Before connecting your computer to the processor, start the plugin and familiarize yourself with
its user interface. Click on and explore each of the tabs (Input&Routing, Output). For more
information, see Configuring the 2x4 HD starting on page 17.
At this time, the plugin is still in offline mode, so any changes you make will not be downloaded
into the miniDSP hardware. Since all of the processing parameters will be reset in the next step,
you can feel free to experiment at this point.
3. Reset all parameters
From the Restore menu, select the Factory Default option. This will reset all processing
parameters back to the defaults and ensure that you have a "clean slate" for the next step.
4. Perform initial configuration
Use the plugin to set up an initial audio processing configuration as intended for your
application. For example, typical things that can be done at this point are to:
Set the labels of input and output channels
Mute unused input and output channels
Set crossover frequencies and slopes
Set up any essential equalization
5. Save configuration
Save your initial configuration to a file. A configuration is the set of all audio processing
parameters. You should save your configuration to a file on a regular basis, to ensure that you do
not lose your work if you inadvertently restore the processor to default settings. For more
information on configurations, see Working with configurations on page 35.
6. Make audio connections
With the initial configuration done and now that you are familiar with the various controls, it’s
time to connect the miniDSP 2x4 HD into your system. Ensure that all power is turned off when
making audio connections. See Hardware connectivity on page 14.
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7. Go into online mode
Apply power to the processor. (See DC power on page 15 for more information. Leave other
equipment turned off at this stage.) Connect the USB cable to your computer, click on the
Connect&Synchronize button, and select the Synchronize option. If all goes well, you are now in
online mode, and any changes that you now make in the plugin user interface will be
immediately sent to the processor.
Before proceeding, click on each Configuration preset button (Config 1, 2, etc.) to ensure that all
presets have been synchronized and/or set to defaults.
For more information, see Synchronizing with the processor on page 18.
8. Initial audio check
Power on your connected equipment, first on the input side (e.g. source or preamp), then on the
output side (e.g. power amps). Set a low volume (turn the volume on your source down low, or
program the infrared remote and reduce the master volume to -50 dB) and start playing music
or a pink noise test signal. Gradually increase the volume until your hear audio quietly coming
from the speakers. Verify that the plugin is performing the intended function. (For example, if
implementing a two-way crossover, confirm that the tweeter is playing high frequencies, and
that the woofer is playing low frequencies.)
9. Fine-tune your configuration
With your initial setup running, you can now proceed to fine-tune and optimize your system.
You will need to perform acoustic measurements and use the configuration screens to adjust
processing parameters.
Be sure to save your configuration on a regular basis while working on fine-tuning it.
Configurations can be saved to different files, in order to archive different versions, or to enable
auditioning of alternative configurations.
10. Continue to operate offline
With your miniDSP processor configured, you can continue to operate in offline mode—that is,
without the plugin software running. The processor “remembers” the configuration last set, and
will continue to operate without the computer.
Note: while in offline mode, the configuration can still be modified in the plugin interface. These
changes will not be downloaded to the processor until it is synchronized again. See Working with
configurations on page 35.
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3 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
If you purchased your product directly from miniDSP, your software will be available from the User Downloads
section of the miniDSP website when your order ships. You will need to be logged into the website with the
account you created when purchasing to access the download.
If you purchased your product from a miniDSP dealer, you will receive a coupon together with the product.
Redeem this coupon and select the Plugin Group “MiniDSP 2x4 HD1” at the link below:
https://www.minidsp.com/support/redeem-coupon
The User Downloads link is visible from the dropdown menu at the top right of the website page:
Navigate to the miniDSP Plug-ins section and download the zip file under the heading miniDSP 2x4 HD1. Unzip
the downloaded file (on Windows, right-click and select “Extract All...”; on Mac, double-click).
Note: the Adobe Air framework may need a network connection the first time the plugin is used. If the plugin
does not start properly, see Troubleshooting.
3.1 WINDOWS
3.1.1 Possible Windows installation issues
The miniDSP software requires that a number of other frameworks be installed for it to work. For Windows 7
and later, these packages should be installed automatically. For earlier versions of Windows, please download
and install the following frameworks before attempting to install any miniDSP software. You can also manually
install these if you receive an error message that required software is missing.
Microsoft .NET framework (version 3.5 or later)
Latest version of Adobe Air
Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package: for x86 (32-bit operating system) or x64 (64-bit operating
system).
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3.1.2 2x4 HD plugin installation
1. Navigate to the Windows folder of the software download.
2. Double-click on the MiniDSP_2x4_HD.exe installer program to run it. We recommend that you accept the
default installation settings.
3. The plugin will start automatically if you accepted the default installation settings. To make it quicker to run
in future, right-click on its icon in the taskbar and select “Pin to taskbar.”
3.1.3 USB Driver installation
1. Connect the 2x4 HD to the computer using the supplied USB cable, and power it on.
2. Navigate to the WinDrivers folder of the software download and double-click on the appropriate installer:
miniDSP_UAC2_v2.29.0_ForWinXP_Vista.exe for Windows XP and Vista
miniDSP_UAC2_v3.34.0_ForWin7_8_10.exe for Windows 7, 8, and 10
(The version number embedded in the filename may be different.)
We recommend accepting the default installation location. Once the driver installation completes, click the
Finish button.
The Windows PC will not be able to communicate properly with the 2x4 HD if you did not have the it
connected by USB and powered on when you installed the driver. If that is the case, you will need to
uninstall the driver, connect the 2x4 HD, power it on, and run the installer again.
Note: the first time you run the plugin, you may see a warning from Windows Firewall as shown below. If so,
ensure that “Private networks...” is checked and “Public networks...” is not checked. Then click on “Allow
access.”
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3.2 MAC
3.2.1 Possible Mac installation issues
If double-clicking on an installer brings up a message that the installer cannot run, use this alternate method
(note that the name of the plugin will be MiniDSP_2x4_HD.pkg, not MiniDSP_Plugin.pkg as shown in the
screenshots):
1. Right-click on the installer (or click while holding the Control key).
2. On the menu that pops up, move the mouse over the “Open With” item and then click on “Installer
(default).”
3. The following window will appear. Click on “Open.”
3.2.2 2x4 HD plugin installation
1. Navigate to the Plugins folder of the software download.
2. The installer program is named MiniDSP_2x4_HD.pkg. To run it, double-click on it, or right-click and open
as described above. We recommend that you accept the default installation settings.
3. To run the MiniDSP 2x4 HD plugin, locate it in the Applications -> miniDSP folder and double-click on it. To
make it easier to run in future, right-click on its dock icon and select Options -> Keep in Dock.
Note: No USB driver installation is required for Mac OS X.
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4 HARDWARE CONNECTIVITY
4.1 DIGITAL INPUT
Connect a single digital source to the optical (TOSLINK) connector. Thanks to its asynchronous sample rate
convertor (ASRC), all sample rates between 44.1 and 192 kHz are accepted.
Note: the digital input accepts only a stereo PCM digital signal. It does not accept encoded or multichannel
digital audio (such as Dolby Digital or DTS).
4.2 ANALOG INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
Connect an analog source or preamplifier to the RCA connectors on the front panel, and connect the four analog
outputs to power amplification or subwoofer(s). Be sure to take careful note of the channel numbering shown in
this diagram and on the rear panel.
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4.3 USB
Connect the USB (Type B mini) port of the miniDSP 2x4 HD to a free USB 2.0 port on your computer using the
supplied cable. The USB is used for:
Configuration and real-time control of the miniDSP 2x4 HD,
Streaming audio from a computer or other device such as a music streamer, at up to 192 kHz, and
Streaming the processed audio (four output channels) from the miniDSP 2x4 HD to the computer.
4.4 DC POWER
The supplied 12 VDC power supply includes a set of interchangeable power pins (for USA, UK, Europe and
Australia). Fit the correct pins for your country. Connect the DC plug to the 12 VDC power socket.
Apply power to the processor only after all input and output connections have been made. The
processor can usually be left powered on. If powered on and off, the following sequence is
recommended:
On: Power on line-level equipment, including the 2x4 HD, then turn on power amplification.
Off: Turn power amplification off, then power off line-level equipment, including the 2x4 HD.
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