kevmurray

The miniDSP's are kick ***. Literally point and click to set them up. You have to mount it somehow but it's not hard as they come with threaded metal stand-offs. There are two types of inputs (and outputs): RCA or twisted pair. You would want the RCA of course. You also have to power it which is easy because they will accept anywhere between 5 and 24 volts. 12 will do nicely.
After that you load the software on a PC, preferably a laptop for convenience. Then you connect up the usb cable and setup the DSP. You will have purchased the crossover software since that is what you need. The amazing thing is it comes with the following:

• input gain
• gain for each output channel
• time alignment per-output channel
• master parametric EQ (PEQ)
• post-crossover parametric EQ's per-output channel
• output phase inversion per-channel
• PEQ's include high or low shelving functions and Q-control
• crossover filters have selectable slopes up to 8th order (48dB/oct)
• selectable filter topology ex: Bessel, Linkwitz Riley, Butterworth
• optional master volume control (with one nice cheap linear pot)
• optional digital input
• save configuration to file
• optional expansion boards including digital amplifiers

Here are some screen shots with an example setup for a 4 way system. It's a front 3-way setup with the orange channel used for a rear speaker output. The black ones are MiniDSP screen captures. The others are various measurements (and some other junk).

Mine is only good for one side of the car being only a 4 way, I had to buy two since the 8-way was not available yet. An 8 way would do the whole car (the 4-way is configurable for left or right) I know I sound like an ad for MiniDSP but they really are incredible for the price. You don't need to know much and you can learn by screwing them up and then just restoring your last save. You purchase the software ($10) corresponding to what you want it to do but the crossover has pretty much everything you will need.

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Funny, when you were listing what it can do, my jaw dropped at 8th order slopes and I was pretty well sold already. Was gonna make a joke about you working for em...

From the looks of the screenshots, it can do real time analysis?? Kinda like the Velleman analyzer kits?

If the mini DSP ran on a cheap tablet, I could skip the kits and mount a stripped down tablet on the rack. Then I'd have control and analysis!!

Didn't realize my ideas where sooooooooooooooo old school.....Thanks for getting me out of the '80s...lol ..

I may have to start back at square 2 with the paper and pencil again..

kevmurray

No sorry. I think I led you astray with the screen shots. The MiniDSP is really two things, hardware and software. Both of which must be purchased from MiniDSP.com. The 4 way board is $125, 8 way is $300 and the crossover software was only $10. The software is yours to use on as many boards as you like and upgrades are free. The board has no display of it's own, the PC software has the only graphical display. Once you connect to the board with the USB cable the PC software will load (sync) the firmware onto the board. Then you can start tweaking Once you are finished it's expected you will remove the PC since there is no real time display. The real-time display captures on my Picassa page are from my measurement software. You may wish to go with a carputer if you want the analysis ability, as well as be able to tweak the MiniDSP on the road.

That would be cool and there is probably someone out there developing something like that right now. The MiniDSP unfortunately was never meant to be the main stage. It has no display and is intended to be tucked out of sight, quietly managing behind the scenes. You can integrate it into your amp or they sell a nice little housing for it if you want it to be stand-alone.

LOL no problem. Cheap processing solutions like this make the built-in filters in amplifiers redundant. "2nd order sub crossover? PFFFFT"

Dukk

A little after the fact maybe but yes I have used FMods and I wouldn't again unless it is THE only option (and it never would be).

Integrate an external active crossover or, better yet, this MiniDSP piece as you'll be hard pressed to find those features for that money - maybe a used Alpine 700/701 combo but it'll be used and probably more money..

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Thanks Dukk.. I'll go the dsp route, gonna take longer to finish but, meh, its worth it...
Kev- No worries, real time isn't that important..I read the manual and install guide last night, you weren't kidding, I think even I can set it up!!

So I'm gonna have to slow the build down until I can get one.

I found the thermal insulator tape I need..dang bro..over $100 for 36 yrds!!! Hoping I can find someone to sell me a yard instead...

I wanted to ask you about the phoenix connectors..would it be better using them rather than the rca's? The phoenix conns allow more input voltage with balanced inputs.

What do you all think about swapping out the multiple original heatsinks for just 1 large one? I'm a little concern about debris falling between the sinks and smoking things. 1 solid sink would remedy that good enough??

kevmurray

That tape is crazy expensive.
Newark has it on sale in 4"x4" sheets. Otherwise you could try requesting samples from various sites like this one. Get some friends to try them all too so you'll have enough.

If your source has 4v outputs then by all means get the phoenix connectors. I wasn't aware you could get an unbalanced type input with phoenix connectors. You would have to cut and strip your RCA cable ends though. Not a big deal but may take some practice to get a reliable connection. I would build my own cables with microphone cable (available in bulk). The conductors are stronger than the stuff they use in commercial RCA's.

One heatsink would be better, I once bought a five foot one at an electronics surplus store (Addison in Montreal) for around $35. That is cheap as hell though and a rare find. You may want to look online to see if "aluminum extrusions" are readily available and what they cost per foot. That same mfg has some wicked wide ones on the 3rd and 4th pages. Expensive though. I know I have a bunch of heat sinks from some busted motor drives you can have. They are identical so you could join them to make one a few feet long. PM me if you're interested and I'll send you some photos. I'd only ask you to cover the cost of shipping. Of course you can pick them up too.

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Found some thermal tape on ebay also, 3m stuff, but the stuff at Newark has better transfer.

yeah man, those wires are super tiny in the Stinger rca's . I stripped another down yesterday to try soldering them into a female pin connector...What a mess!! I'm glad the phoenix connecters don't need soldering...lol I would have spent hours soldering those things!! I'll check out the mic cords

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Found an almost ideal size heatsink on ebay. Factoring in a possible other amp. The length can`t exceed 17 inch max for the rack...I can give some width..
Not too sure it`s worth the total cost as opposed to just using what I have or the sinks so nicely offered to me..

This does `look` mean and industrial..Love this look..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320823119298...84.m1423.l2649

Check this liquid cooled heatsink out!! What a toy that would be in an amp rack!!

http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/prod...jc2OA==&lan=us

There`s also a moderately larger one made by the same company.

kevmurray

The ones I have are similar to the ebay one only a bit smaller. That cpu cooler is crazy!

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Update.

Unfortunatley I'm still changing the design and moving slowly.

I've been giving great thought to submerged oil cooling instead of heatsink/fan.

Check it out. A super cooled PC..

http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php

So I did some research. Mineral oil is non conductive and easily found, but check out the cooling abilities of these "oils"

http://www.cooperindustries.com/cont...200_fluid.html

So as the plan sits now, there will be NO heatsinks attatched to the amps, only the oil and a fan to keep it moving.(Yes a fan IN the oil).. This should decrease the size nicely

If at testing time it runs too hot, I could add a small pump/lines and an oil or tranny cooler.

Still waiting on parts anyhow, and the funds for the DSP..