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Old 06-21-2019, 10:12 AM   #1
andreasmaaan
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Join Date: Jun 2019
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Default Reaper as active crossover for stereo / quadrophonic

Hi all and thanks for having me on the forum

I'm planning on using Reaper + an 8-channel soundcard to set up an active speaker system with 2 x 3-way mains + 2 x full-range surrounds (so a four-channel system in total).

95% of the time I will be using only the mains for listening to music. The path will (I hope) be:

stereo input (Spotify, Foobar, etc.)
--> Reaper
--> volume control
--> dynamic EQ (for equal loudness curve compensation)
--> crossover (linear-phase FIR-based)
--> min-phase EQ (driver response correction)
--> DAC outputs
--> amps
--> speaker drivers

I understand using Reaper to create crossovers for the mains is pretty straightforward. Is that correct? And will it be no problem to route all audio (system-wide) through Reaper?

Then secondly, I would also like to be able to use the system occasionally to play multichannel content (mostly movies) through my browser, VLC Media Player, etc.

This would look something like:

5.1 or 7.1 input
--> Reaper
--> volume control
--> dynamic EQ (for equal loudness curve compensation)
--> mixdown to 4 channels: FR & FL, RL & RR

Then for the FR and FL:
--> crossover (linear-phase FIR-based)
--> min-phase EQ (driver response correction)
--> DAC outputs (6 channels total)
--> amps
--> speaker drivers

And for RL and RR:
--> high-pass-filter (linear-phase FIR-based)
--> min-phase EQ (driver response correction)
--> DAC outputs (2 channels total)
--> amps
--> speaker drivers

Firstly, is this feasible?

I can imagine there might be difficulties in (a) mixing down 5.1/7.1 channel surround to 4 channels and (b) switching between 2-channel and 4-channel mode depending on the source and (c) dealing with different sample rates. Am I right to imagine this would be difficult?

Secondly, would it be possible to add an IR remote into the chain so that volume control can be implemented in Reaper prior to dynamic EQ/downmixing/crossover?

Thirdly, could this be configured system-wide, i.e. so that all audio being played from all software goes through this configuration?

Finally, could this work in either ASIO or Wasapi, i.e. could I avoid the Windows audio mixer.

I know that's not asking much Many thanks for any ideas.

Andreas
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Old 06-21-2019, 10:30 AM   #2
DVDdoug
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I can't really answer your questions but...


Quote:
I understand using Reaper to create crossovers for the mains is pretty straightforward. Is that correct?
It seems extremely dangerous to use a "regular computer"!


If something goes wrong and you accidently send full-range sound or the low frequency band to the tweeter amp, that's the end of your tweeters!


Some people are using the MiniDSP, but that may not be any more economical than traditional active crossovers and, it's still a little more "dangerous".
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Old 06-21-2019, 12:14 PM   #3
andreasmaaan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DVDdoug View Post
I can't really answer your questions but...


It seems extremely dangerous to use a "regular computer"!


If something goes wrong and you accidently send full-range sound or the low frequency band to the tweeter amp, that's the end of your tweeters!


Some people are using the MiniDSP, but that may not be any more economical than traditional active crossovers and, it's still a little more "dangerous".
Thanks, and yeh, it’s definitely not the safest way to do things I realise

However, I’m more interested with this project in experimenting to see what’s possible. The drivers aren’t particularly expensive and it’s not my main system, plus I work with DSPs and plate amplifier based active speakers as part of my job. So I’m happy to take some risks with it I guess...
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Old 03-07-2023, 02:18 PM   #4
BadWolf
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Were you ever able to achieve this?
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Old 03-07-2023, 03:36 PM   #5
Softsynth
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DVDdoug View Post
I can't really answer your questions but...


It seems extremely dangerous to use a "regular computer"!


If something goes wrong and you accidently send full-range sound or the low frequency band to the tweeter amp, that's the end of your tweeters!


Some people are using the MiniDSP, but that may not be any more economical than traditional active crossovers and, it's still a little more "dangerous".
Mini DSP is extremely reliable.
I've been using mini DSP for years. Built analogue signal processors before.

Thumbs up for Mini DSP. Playing about within Reaper has occurred to me but I would rather get another mini DSP for this caper.
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Old 03-07-2023, 03:44 PM   #6
serr
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This is pretty common and trivial to do nowadays actually.

"Using a computer for audio is dangerous!"

Only as dangerous as a dodgy cable with a failing connector or any other piece of gear failing. No more prone to failure than anything else. And digital gear tends to failsafe by cutting the audio when the digital codes coming through stop making sense.

Anyway, I have a surround array that needs speaker management. A classic 'small tops' array that requires redirecting any low bass content from the mains to the subwoofer channel. I use a Reaper session for the routing with some Waves linear phase crossover style eq.

Install your favorite virtual audio device (eg. Soundflower, Blackhole, Loopback, etc).
OS app output to the virtual audio device.
Aggregate device of the virtual device + your main audio interface.
Select the aggregate device in Reaper.

Audio comes in on channels 1-6 (for 5.1 program) from the virtual device.
Do the split, eq, and re-route and output to your main interface.

In use:
System output to the virtual device.
Launch the Reaper session.
Connect to the aggregate device.
Use your favorite media player.


Any time it seems like a PITA to use... Look up the prices on the hardware equivalent!
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