Advise - What my next upgrade should be?

[TimW]

2. I am presuming miniDSP needs to be connected between the audio source/DAC and the integrated amp:

Model 1
Source/DAC==> miniDSP==>Integrated Amp==>Speakers, with the subwoofer being connected directly to the miniDSP

Is this correct? Or is it linked after the Intergrated Amp?

Model 2
Source/DAC==>Integrated Amp==>miniDSP==>Speakers & Subwoofer

What I was suggesting is closer to Model 2, but not exactly. You see the pre out and main in connections on the back of your NAD Integrated amp? Right now they should be bridged together with some links. Those links can be removed and that separates the preamplifier section of the unit from the power amplifier section. Then you can connect the pre out to the inputs of the miniDSP 2x4 and connect two of the 2x4 outputs to the main in of the NAD. This way all of the controls on the front of your NAD will still function properly. The other two outputs of the 2x4 should be directly connected to your subwoofers.

With this setup you won't want to use the headphone output of the NAD because it will be affected by the corrections and high pass filter performed by the miniDSP. This is because the power amp section of the NAD directly powers the headphone output, which is not ideal as others have pointed out. Thankfully the tape out is part of the preamplifier section so it will not be affected by the miniDSP. So it would be a good idea to use the tape out with an external headphone amplifier.

 

[TimW]

As far as acoustic treatments (panels) goes I only have limited experience. I own five GIK Acoustics 242 panels which are for absorption or damping rather than reflection or diffraction. There are several companies producing products like this but if you visit GIK Acoustics website you can get a good idea of what kind of products are available. I find these panels most useful for treating the front and rear wall of my listening spaces. For the first reflection points (side walls) and ceiling I have heard that diffraction panels are better suited. The thin foam products that are readily available and cheap aren't as effective and only attenuate high frequencies. Ikea has even come out with some acoustic panels called ODDLAUG but they are thin and probably not super effective.

Your setup is not ideal but I understand that it is like that so you can use the projector. Typically you want the front wall, where the speakers are placed, to be a short wall. With the side walls being longer. This way you can space the speakers away from the front wall a bit and the listening position far from the rear wall, maybe 30-40% of the way into the room. Your biggest issue that I can see is that your seating is so close to the rear wall. If you can't rearrange the room then the second best thing would be to treat that rear wall with thick absorption panels. Being that close to the rear wall is going to cause significant gain in certain bass frequencies and only thick absorption panels can help with bass. Maybe the nice artwork can be moved to another wall so that panels can be hung there?

With your room being open to another space that probably makes it pretty large. To fill a large space with bass and make it relatively even across all of your seating positions, dual subs is basically mandatory. One excellent sub will have better extension and a smoother frequency response. The cheap subs I've worked with like the Polk PSW10, Dayton Audio SUB-1000, and BIC America F12 all have a hump to their frequency response. I guess you could call them one note wonders. Thankfully with DSP you can EQ these subs to have a relatively flat response and with two you shouldn't run into volume limitations in most situations.

 

[Cahudson42]

Suggestion: Upgrade each path - headphones and HT/speakers - completely separately. Don't 'jumble it all up' - as one big mish-mash. (The impression I get reading this thread)

You need to decide the equipment string for each, and then which string to update with what - and then in what order.

For example, with your budget, you can get a terrific soa headphone system, but by leaving the HT side meh. You are not going to get both. And mixing them up gets 'meh' for both.

I am not familiar with your streamer/DAC - I read earlier posts that said the DAC is ok. But for what? HT at 80db SINAD? Or 105db for HP? (Which you can get for $100).

Likewise, using AVR for HP amp is, IMO, a substantial compromise - solved with another $100 purchase - Heresy, Liquid Spark, etc. Finally, HP. The HE400i at $169 on Amazon is a great choice - just remember they need power - at least a clean 1/2 watts - to get out of them what they can deliver.

As you might guess, I upgraded my HP path first - and exclusively. A LG V20 as streamer/DAC, an LS (I might go Heresy today, but the LS is beautifully built and 'sounds great') and SHP9500 for portable use, HE400i for listening station/LS.

Only now am I looking at the HT/AVR side..

 

[blazingice]

Thanks for all your advice. Have learn't a lot. I'll try to do this in two phases. Phase one - upgrade the Headphone system, which seems less demanding at this stage. Phase two - room correction, subwoofer, minidsp, etc.

For the headphones, I can't seem to find Hifiman he400i in any trusteed UK sellers. Apart from amazon what do others use in the UK?

I'll probably go for AKG 712 pro, as it seems similar price and quality! As for the headphone amp I am thinking of Jds atom. And finally dac - topping d50s.