miniDSP C-DSP 6X8 User manual

miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice 1
C-DSP 6X8
6-IN 8-OUT IN-CAR AUDIO PROCESSOR
User Manual

miniDSP Ltd, Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prior notice 2
Revision history
Revision
Description
Date
V0.1
Preliminary version
28 August 2015
V1.0
First release
9 September 2015

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CONTENTS
Important Information......................................................................................................................................... 5
System Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Disclaimer/Warning ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Warranty Terms............................................................................................................................................... 6
FCC Class B Statement...................................................................................................................................... 6
CE Mark Statement .......................................................................................................................................... 6
A note on this manual...................................................................................................................................... 6
1 Product Overview.......................................................................................................................................... 7
1.1 Sample usage ....................................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 The miniDSP concept............................................................................................................................ 8
1.3 Plugin feature summary ....................................................................................................................... 8
2 The miniDSP workflow................................................................................................................................... 9
3 Installation and setup.................................................................................................................................. 11
3.1 Software installation .......................................................................................................................... 11
3.1.1 Windows .................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1.2 Mac OS X .................................................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Hardware connectivity ....................................................................................................................... 13
3.2.1 Analog inputs.............................................................................................................................. 13
3.2.2 Digital input ................................................................................................................................ 14
3.2.3 Analog outputs ........................................................................................................................... 14
3.2.4 DC power.................................................................................................................................... 15
3.2.5 Remote....................................................................................................................................... 16
3.2.6 USB............................................................................................................................................. 16
3.3 Synchronizing with the processor ....................................................................................................... 17
4 Configuring the processor............................................................................................................................ 18
4.1 Input tab ............................................................................................................................................ 19
4.2 Routing tab......................................................................................................................................... 20
4.3 Output tab ......................................................................................................................................... 20
4.3.1 Channel strip layout.................................................................................................................... 21
4.3.2 Channel label.............................................................................................................................. 21
4.3.3 Gain control and level monitoring............................................................................................... 21
4.3.4 Crossover.................................................................................................................................... 22
4.3.5 Parametric EQ............................................................................................................................. 24
4.3.6 Time delay.................................................................................................................................. 26
4.3.7 Invert and mute.......................................................................................................................... 26
4.4 Custom biquad programming ............................................................................................................. 27
4.4.1 What’s a “biquad? ...................................................................................................................... 27
4.4.2 Using custom biquad programming ............................................................................................ 27
4.4.3 Biquad design software............................................................................................................... 29
4.5 Working with configurations .............................................................................................................. 30
4.5.1 Online and offline mode ............................................................................................................. 30

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4.5.2 Selecting a configuration ............................................................................................................ 30
4.5.3 Saving and loading configurations............................................................................................... 31
4.5.4 Loading configurations from microSD card.................................................................................. 31
4.5.5 Restoring to defaults................................................................................................................... 32
4.6 Keyboard shortcuts ............................................................................................................................ 32
5 Using the C-DSP 6x8 .................................................................................................................................... 33
5.1 Status indicators................................................................................................................................. 33
5.2 Controls ............................................................................................................................................. 33
5.3 Infrared remote control...................................................................................................................... 34
6 Additional information ................................................................................................................................ 35
6.1 Specifications ..................................................................................................................................... 35
6.2 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................................. 36
6.3 MCU firmware update........................................................................................................................ 37
6.4 Obtaining support .............................................................................................................................. 37

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please read the following information before use. In case of any questions, please contact miniDSP via the
support portal at minidsp.desk.com.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
To configure the miniDSP audio processor, you will require a Windows PC or Apple Mac OS X computer with the
following minimum specification:
Windows
PC with 1GHz or higher processor clock speed. Intel® Pentium®/Celeron® family, or AMD K6®/AMD
Athlon®/AMD Duron® family, or compatible processor recommended.
512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher
Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device
USB 2.0 port
Microsoft• ® Windows® Vista® SP1/ XP pro SP2/Win7/Win8.1
Microsoft• ® .NET framework v3.5 or later
Adobe AIR environment (latest version)
Adobe Flash player (latest version)
Mac OS X
Intel-based Mac with 1 GHz or higher processor clock speed
512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher
Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device
USB 2.0 port
Mac OS X 10.4 or higher
Adobe AIR environment (latest version)
Adobe Flash player (latest version)
DISCLAIMER/WARNING
miniDSP cannot be held responsible for any damage that may result from the improper use of this product or
incorrect configuration of its settings. As with any other product, we recommend that you carefully read this
manual and other technical notes to ensure that you fully understand how to operate this product. The miniDSP
audio processor is a powerful tool, and misuse or misconfiguration, such as incorrectly set gains or excessive
boost, can produce signals that may damage your audio system.
As a general guideline, you should perform the initial configuration of the miniDSP audio processor before
enabling audio through any connected output device or amplification. Doing so will help ensure that the
software is correctly configured.

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Finally, note that the miniDSP audio processor is a very flexible device, and many of the questions we receive at
the tech support department are already answered in this user manual and in the online application notes on
the miniDSP.com website. So please take the time to carefully read this user manual and the online technical
support. Thanks for your understanding!
WARRANTY TERMS
miniDSP Ltd warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one
year from the invoice date. Our warranty does not cover failure of the product due to incorrect connection or
installation, improper or undocumented use, unauthorized servicing, modification or alteration of the unit in any
way, or any usage outside of that recommended in this manual. If in doubt, contact miniDSP prior to use.
FCC CLASS BSTATEMENT
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Warning: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio
or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Notice: Shielded interface cable must be used in order to comply with emission limits.
Notice: Changes or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
CE MARK STATEMENT
The C-DSP 6x8 has passed the test performed according to European Standard EN 55022 Class B.
ANOTE ON THIS MANUAL
This User Manual is designed for reading in both print and on the computer. If printing the manual, please print
double-sided. The embedded page size is 8 ½” x 11”. Printing on A4 paper will result in a slightly reduced size.

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1PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Thank you for choosing the miniDSP C-DSP 6x8 audio processor. The miniDSP C-DSP 6x8 is a powerful and
flexible digital audio processor specifically designed for in-car audio systems. It features:
Isolated power supply designed for in-car use
Stereo digital S/PDIF input (RCA connector)
Four analog input channels, by terminal block (8 VRMS) or RCA connector (4 VRMS)
Eight analog output channels (RCA)
Volume control by external wired remote or infrared remote
Advanced audio tuning on every channel:
oParametric EQ (peaking/high shelf/low shelf)
oButterworth and Linkwitz-Riley crossovers up to 48 dB/octave
oIndividual time delay and level adjustment
oAdvanced biquad programming for an unlimited range of filters and crossover types
Matrix mixer for flexible channel assignment and configuration
Real-time configuration of all processing parameters
Four on-board presets, selectable by external wired remote or infrared remote
1.1 SAMPLE USAGE
The C-DSP 6x8 typically connects to a head unit with four output channels, and directly drives power amplifiers
for multiple loudspeakers or drivers. Because of its flexible internal routing, the C-DSP 6x8 can be used in a
variety of situations involving a mix of passive speakers, active speakers, and subwoofers.

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1.2 THE MINIDSP CONCEPT
The miniDSP concept is “one hardware unit + one software plugin = audio processing solution.” This concept
leverages the inherent flexibility of DSP (digital signal processing) to deliver a range of flexible but cost-effective
solutions.
Hardware unit
In this case, the hardware unit is the miniDSP C-DSP 6x8.
Software plugin
The software plugin is installed on your PC or Mac, and determines the processing that the DSP
will perform. It provides a friendly user interface, and downloads instructions into the miniDSP
hardware unit that tell it how to process the audio signal.
Other platforms
miniDSP makes many other boxed and kit hardware units with analog, stereo digital, and
multichannel digital (HDMI) connections. Some units feature inbuilt Class D amplification. See
the full range of miniDSP products.
1.3 PLUGIN FEATURE SUMMARY
The table below summarizes the key features of the C-DSP 6x8 plugin:
C-DSP 6x8 plugin
Number of digital input channels1
2
Number of analog input channels
4
Number of analog output channels
8
Digital input sample rate
44.1 to 192 kHz
Internal sample rate
48 kHz
Number of PEQ bands per block
6
Crossover order
6 to 48 dB/octave
Compressor block
No
Maximum per-channel time delay
15 ms
*1 two channels = single stereo digital signal

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2THE MINIDSP WORKFLOW
We strongly recommend taking a methodical approach to your new miniDSP audio processor. Remember that
the audio processor is a powerful tool, and incorrect settings can potentially cause damage to your system.
Please follow the steps below carefully.
1. Download and install the plugin
When your order ships, your ordered plugin will be available from the User Downloads section
of the miniDSP website. Download and install your plugin, as described in Software installation
on page 11.
2. Familiarize yourself with the plugin
Before connecting your computer to the processor, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the user
interface presented by the plugin. Click on and explore each of the tabs (Input, Routing, and
Output). For more information, see Configuring the processor starting on page 18.
At this time, the plugin is still in offline mode, so any changes you make will not be downloaded
into the miniDSP hardware. Since we will reset all of the processing parameters in the next step,
you can feel free to experiment at this point.
3. Reset all parameters
From the Restore menu, select the Factory Default option. This will reset all processing
parameters back to the defaults and ensure that you have a "clean slate" for the next step.
4. Perform initial configuration
Use the plugin to set up an initial audio processing configuration as intended for your
application. For example, typical things that can be done at this point are to:
Set the labels of input and output channels
Mute unused input and output channels
Set crossover frequencies and slopes
Set up any essential equalization
5. Save configuration
At this point, save your initial configuration to a file. A configuration is the set of all audio
processing parameters. You should save your configuration to a file on a regular basis, to ensure
that you do not lose your work if you inadvertently restore the miniDSP to default settings. For
more information on configurations, see Working with configurations on page 30.
6. Make audio connections
With the initial configuration done and now that you are familiar with the various controls, it’s
time to connect the miniDSP C-DSP 6x8 into your system. Ensure that all power is turned off
when making audio connections. See Hardware connectivity on page 13.

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7. Go into online mode
Apply power to the processor. (See DC power on page 15 for more information. Leave other
equipment turned off at this stage.) Connect the USB cable to your computer, click on the
Connect button, and select the Synchronize option. If all goes well, you are now in online mode,
and any changes that you now make in the plugin user interface will be immediately sent to the
processor.
Before proceeding, click on each Configuration preset button (Config 1, 2, etc.) to ensure that all
presets have been synchronized and/or set to defaults.
For more information, see Synchronizing with the processor on page 17.
8. Initial audio check
Power on your connected equipment, first on the input side (e.g. head unit), then on the output
side (e.g. power amps). Turn the volume on your C-DSP 6x8 down low (view the Master Volume
display in the plugin while turning the knob counter-clockwise) and start playing music or a pink
noise test signal. Gradually increase the volume until you hear audio quietly coming from the
speakers. Verify that the plugin is performing the intended function. (For example, if
implementing a two-way crossover, confirm that the tweeter is playing high frequencies, and
that the woofer is playing low frequencies.)
9. Fine-tune your configuration
With your initial setup running, you can now proceed to fine-tune and optimize your system.
You will need to perform acoustic measurements and use the configuration screens to adjust
processing parameters.
Be sure to save your configuration on a regular basis while working on fine-tuning it.
Configurations can be saved to different files, in order to archive different versions, or to enable
auditioning of alternative configurations.
10. Continue to operate offline
With your miniDSP processor configured, you can continue to operate in offline mode—that is,
without the computer connected. To do so, simply disconnect the USB cable. The processor
“remembers” the configuration last set, and will continue to operate without the computer.
Note: while in offline mode, the configuration can still be modified in the plugin interface. These
changes will not be downloaded to the processor until it is synchronized again. See Working with
configurations on page 30.