This is my understanding of what can be done with SHD devices. Please cite specific references and or actual first hand experience if the following cannot work.
SHD Power desktop system physical configuration:
Active monitors - hooked up to AES digital outs
Passive subs - hooked up to amp outputs
Headphone amp - hooked up to unbalanced analog out
SHD config/preset #1 (listen to speakers):
R/L channels - routed to active monitors (2 channels, hi passed)
Subs - routed to internal amps (2 channels, low passed)
Dirac - active
SHD config/preset #2 (listen to headphones):
R/L channels - routed to analog outputs into headphone amp (2-channels, full range)
Subs - not routed to any output
Dirac - bypassed
Hi rvsixer,
I too think you are absolutely right. I do have a miniDSP SHD, if that helps.
From the manual and my SHD experience where applicable, the mapping
is as follows. The left column is the default name used in the Routing matrix.
Output 1 --> AES/EBU channel 1 & Left internal amplifier
Output 2 --> AES/EBU channel 2 & Right internal amplifier
Output 3 --> AES/EBU channel 3 & RCA analog out (back panel labeled as Sub Out 1)
Output 4 --> AES/EBU channel 4 & RCA analog out (back panel labeled as Sub Out 2)
One could use two presets for the active monitors and the other two presets
for headphone listening. That way you could have two different house curves
for each if desired (or A/B auditioning an alternative configuration).
One would need a way to mute or power off the active speakers when switching
to one of the presets intended for headphone listening. This because the active
monitors and the headphone amp would be sharing output channels 3 & 4.
The subwoofer muting would be automatic by simply not routing signal to the
subwoofers (Output 1 & 2 in this use case) within the headphone presets. So,
no extra step when switching back and forth between active monitors and
headphone. The presets would also take care of enabling or bypassing the
the high pass and low pass filters used for bass management.