Author Topic: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover  (Read 46333 times)

Offline HAL

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HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« on: June 02, 2015, 04:41:13 AM »
The latest HAL MS-3 Music Server is now available. 

The unit looks identical to the MS-2, but the motherboard has been changed to an Intel Atom N2600 based with no cooling fan for even lower heat dissipation since the original Intel Atom N2800 motherboard is no longer available.  The unit is entirely solid state with the exception of the DVD drive for CD music ripping to the system library. 

The first production MS-3 was with VivaHiFi in Vienna, VA for a period of time recently while their HAL MS-2 Music Server was being upgraded to Windows 8.1 OS.  Feedback was very positive from Scottdazzle on AC.

New dspMusik digital crossover. 

A new 6 input, 8 output DSP crossover and HiRez DAC combination called the dspMusik, is also available.  The unit uses 40bit floating point DSP based processing.  Has S/PDIF, USB2 asynchronous and 24bit/192KHz A/D inputs.  The unit has 8 channels of 24bit/192KHz D/A conversion.  All analog inputs and outputs are balanced via TRS connectors.  Both Mogami and Monoprice make TRS to XLR balanced cables to connect the unit to the audio system.

The dspMusik can also be used as a USB Class 2 audio DAC.  I have already done the software load for that and it can act as a stereo DAC with four stereo pairs.  The USB2 input is ASIO compliant and a custom PC USB driver is installed on the MS-3 or any Windows OS. 

The unit is custom programmed by HAL for the customer speaker crossover requirements.  This is to make the unit plug and play for the customers system.

The first demo of the latest version of the DSP crossover was at CES2015 in January.   The latest demo is going on with the VMPS RM50 speakers that were used at one of THE SHOW events for the live vs recorded event by VMPS.  The speakers were developed with the Behringer DCX2496 digital crossover as part of the system.  The dspMusik was custom programmed to replace the DCX2496 with a minimized signal processing path.   

Since there are VMPS owners that have DCX2496 units in their system, this is an alternative to that system.  Other speaker systems are a possible alternatives that use the DCX2496 as their crossover system.  New speaker designs are also in the works using this as the full crossover system using direct powered drivers.

Pricing is:

HAL MS-3 Music Server running Windows 8.1 64bit OS  $799.00 + s/h
Danville Signal Processing dspMusik DSP crossover custom programmed $1500.00 + s/h

Please post questions in this thread if you have any.

Offline rollo

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2015, 07:06:26 AM »
  Hal thanks for posting and welcome aboard. Guys Hals stuff is the real deal and Hal is a great guy to boot.
   If you are in the market for a Server look no further.


charles
   
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Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2015, 04:12:11 PM »
Thanks Charles!   :D

Offline Triode Pete

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2015, 04:13:24 PM »
Welcome aboard, Rich! It's nice to see you here!

Cheers,
Pete
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Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2015, 04:14:15 PM »
Thanks Pete!   :D

Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2015, 04:16:02 PM »
Here are some pictures of the dspMusik digital crossover:

Offline rollo

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2015, 06:56:09 AM »
  Hal could describe the function and set up required for the server ? Have a website ?
   Does one have to be an ITT guy to use ? Thanks.


charles
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Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2015, 07:41:24 AM »
Charles,
For the MS-3 Music Server running Windows 8.1 64bit OS on the SSD boot drive, all you need to do is connect it to a display via SVGA or HDMI connection.  Connect a USB keyboard and mouse and plug it in ( I use a Logitech K400 wireless keyboard and trackpad).  It is ready to start playing using Foobar2000 and ripping with Exact Audio Copy using the internal DVD drive once the USB DAC is connected.  If I can preload the USB driver for the customers DAC, I do it before it is shipped, but this is not always possible.

You can use either Ethernet or WiFi connections to get to streaming music or music file downloads.

You connect external hard drives and DAC's via the USB interfaces on the front and back.

About it for a MS-3 setup.  

Here is my website https://www.facebook.com/HollisAudioLabs
« Last Edit: June 04, 2015, 12:14:47 PM by HAL »

Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2015, 07:01:52 AM »
Doing measurements today to build the digital version of the GR-Research LS-9 crossover for the dspMusik.  This will work by biamping the speakers and directly feeding the NEO8 and 6.5" woofer line arrays directly from the amps.

If all the amps are identical then now further adjustments are needed.  If the amps feeding the tweeters have different gains than the amps feeding the woofers, this will be an adjustment to the levels to the drivers to match them. 

Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2015, 04:43:35 PM »
Other speakers I have dspMusik digital crossover versions for are VMPS RM50's, RM40's, Sanders 10C and 10D electrostatic hybrids.  These are for the stock systems that originally used the Behringer DCX2496 digital crossover.

Others that have interest are VMPS RM-V60 owners and the GR-Research speakers in work.

Offline tmazz

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2015, 07:30:27 AM »
Couple of questions:


Are the USB Ports on the MS-2 USB 2.0 or 3.0?

Is the MS-3 able to play music files stored on an ethernet based NAS?

Remember, it's all about the music........

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Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2015, 09:42:31 AM »
The USB ports in the MS-1 through the MS-3 are all USB2 ports. 

The MS-3 has an Ethernet port to allow operation with a NAS for file replay.  As long as the file system looks like Windows hard drives, it should work with Foobar2000.

Offline richidoo

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2015, 10:25:08 AM »
Any NAS will answer to a URL, to which any modern OS can connect directly or map to a local drive letter.

My NAS url is //nas/, my music music folder (shared folder)  on the nas is //nas/music/.  My JRiver database points to the URL, but for browsing to the folder using Windows Exporer I mapped a local drive M: to //nas/music/.

Welcome to AN, Rich!

I am intrigued by the dspMusik system, especially after Rim's review saying that it sounds transparent, by his high standards. I have been looking for a system like that to replace my lousy sounding pro audio speaker management boxes like DCX, Rane, Firepod that I use for active crossovers. But the way I use it requires me to be able to change the settings myself. Doesn't sound like that is possible, can the setup software be licensed to end user for personal use?  I tinker with it so often I would feel impolite to ask for changes from you, and I wouldn't want to pay a fee for each change or I would go broke. hehe
Rich

Offline HAL

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2015, 10:31:45 AM »
Rich,
Thanks for the welcome!

The Audio Weaver development system for the dspMusik is licensed with each unit.  It is not a fully automated install, so that is why I have limited it to the MS-3's that is sold with the dspMusik.  For standalone dspMusik's gets a bit tricky, but it can be done.  I only do this on a case by case basis to see what the user's PC understanding level is.  Anyone that works on/with PC's is probably capable of the install.

I would do the initial crossover design and it can be tweaked by the user as needed. 

Rich

Offline tmazz

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Re: HAL MS-3 Music Server and dspMusik digital crossover
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2015, 02:52:13 PM »
Any NAS will answer to a URL, to which any modern OS can connect directly or map to a local drive letter.


Rich  I only asked because when talking to the Sony reps at the HiFi show in Brooklyn last fall they told me that their music servers would only talk to external hard drives connected via the USB port and that support for Ethernet connected NAS units was planned for some future software upgrade, but he could not put a timeframe on its availability.  In a recent trip to Stereo Exchange in NYC they tried to sell me three different music servers , non of which could read files off of an Ethernet NAS. When I question this I was given a lecture about how is was stupid to think I needed a lot of storage because I should be getting everything as a streaming file off the net.
Typical high end salesmanship. Rather than try to get me what I came in looking for they tell you you are silly for note wanting what they happen to have in stock.   :duh
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables