Late last night and this afternoon I tried using controlled signals from REW to check the gain levels through the system.
Using a chain of REW/MacBook/ODAC/miniDSP, I was able to test the sensitivity of the miniDSP vs. the ODAC. The ODAC certainly drives the miniDSP to clipping - I have to have the REW output set to -3dB to prevent > 0dB on the miniDSP input gain. This cascades onto the miniDSP outputs, where, with no crossover or EQ, both output levels track the input pretty exactly. Marv.
From there to the Sony - I can certainly get enough volume from that I think, running music signal through the above chain into the test speaker.
So the question is, why does the RPi/ODAC combo not work as well? I've just realised, while writing this, that I have been using the software volume control on Rune... Right now the RPi is switched off because the ODAC is elsewhere, but I bet that's the constraint. Bah!!
Update: Nope. Volume control was set on 100%, because I specifically wasn't using the software volume, only the hardware on the crappy powered PC speakers I'd been using it with in the office. Bummer.
Anyway, I think this lot is ok, what I really need is the actual speakers to try it on. I'm not too impressed with the sound of this setup with the test speaker, I hope it's the crappy speaker and not the Sony... Still, I was thinking to replace it with something better, like a Hypex UCD or NCore setup when the basic arrangement was functioning.
Further Update: Trying my Focusrite Saffire, with an alleged 16dBu nominal 0dBFS output, into the miniDSP results in exactly matched inputs, so that the REW output level is exactly matched by the input level shown by the miniDSP. Hurrah. Or maybe boo. I dunno.
Using a chain of REW/MacBook/ODAC/miniDSP, I was able to test the sensitivity of the miniDSP vs. the ODAC. The ODAC certainly drives the miniDSP to clipping - I have to have the REW output set to -3dB to prevent > 0dB on the miniDSP input gain. This cascades onto the miniDSP outputs, where, with no crossover or EQ, both output levels track the input pretty exactly. Marv.
From there to the Sony - I can certainly get enough volume from that I think, running music signal through the above chain into the test speaker.
So the question is, why does the RPi/ODAC combo not work as well? I've just realised, while writing this, that I have been using the software volume control on Rune... Right now the RPi is switched off because the ODAC is elsewhere, but I bet that's the constraint. Bah!!
Update: Nope. Volume control was set on 100%, because I specifically wasn't using the software volume, only the hardware on the crappy powered PC speakers I'd been using it with in the office. Bummer.
Anyway, I think this lot is ok, what I really need is the actual speakers to try it on. I'm not too impressed with the sound of this setup with the test speaker, I hope it's the crappy speaker and not the Sony... Still, I was thinking to replace it with something better, like a Hypex UCD or NCore setup when the basic arrangement was functioning.
Further Update: Trying my Focusrite Saffire, with an alleged 16dBu nominal 0dBFS output, into the miniDSP results in exactly matched inputs, so that the REW output level is exactly matched by the input level shown by the miniDSP. Hurrah. Or maybe boo. I dunno.
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