8ch dac for AL and Roon?

[jtwrace]

If you get the chance to do them, would you kindly post them here? Thanks!

Sure, unless @Mitchco feels so inclined.

 

[jtwrace]

If you get the chance to do them, would you kindly post them here? Thanks!

RT60 Graph

www.roomeqwizard.com

 

[dathzo]

View attachment 50878

RT60 Graph

www.roomeqwizard.com

Thanks a lot @jtwrace, much appreciate the effort. Looks good!

 

[dathzo]

Hey @jtwrace, Hope you are well. I’m checking the gear around the Motu interface and came with an issue for the cables. For the mains, it is clear I can go from 6.35mm TRS to XLR. But from the analogue outputs to my subs. I read that Motu advices as follows:

Quarter-inch analog outputs are not cross-coupled. Therefore, when connecting them to an unbalanced input, use a TRS plug with the ring disconnected. Not floating the negative terminal will short it to the sleeve ground and cause distortion.

I have 2 SVS SB-1000 Pro, which I connect wirelessly with the SVS Soundpath Wireless Audio Adapter (it has a 3.5mm plug connection).

What I understand from Motu is that I need to use a Male TRS to a Male TS connection, but I don’t think this is standard. As I know that you have your subs connected to the Motu (probably not wireless), but what connection would you use?

thanks!

 

[jtwrace]

Yes, I do have all my subs direct to the Motu. I use TRS > RCA (FM8) or TRS > XLR (F18). In your case without the wireless connector, I'd use #5 as I highlighted. The wireless adapter is USB > 3.5mm. I don't see why you couldn't make a TRS > 3.5mm cable and try it. The only issue you might have is lag with the wireless signal. Also, since you have a cable to the wireless adapter near the sub, why not just plug in direct from the Motu since all levels are done from the Motu anyway. You will not use any of the SVS settings with AL.

 

[dathzo]

Thanks @jtwrace . I will not use any of the dsp from the svs subs.I need to have a wireless signal to the subs.
So your suggestion is ti go 6.35mm TRS to 3.5mm TRS? Would that work?

 

[jtwrace]

Thanks @jtwrace . I will not use any of the dsp from the svs subs.I need to have a wireless signal to the subs.
So your suggestion is ti go 6.35mm TRS to 3.5mm TRS? Would that work?

Yes, TRS to 3.5mm if you must use the wireless box.

 

[dathzo]

3.5mm comes standard TRS (when sourced from TRS). Shall I use that one or do I need to customize a TRS to TS cable in this case?

 

[jtwrace]

Just get Blue Jeans to build you one or something like this.

 

[dathzo]

Just get Blue Jeans to build you one or something like this.

Got you, getting those!

 

[mccarty350]

A proven option that I have in my office system that 100% supports 8 channel active speakers and convolution is the Asus Xonar U7 Mk II. For an option under 100 dollars it has a pretty killer SNR and has a bitrate even in 8 channel mode of up to 192khz. I support the statement earlier regarding that once you get audiolense tuned in the difference between dacs becomes small potatoes. Now...would I buy an Octo if it could be at my doorstep with no risk today magically for list price? Probably but mostly because I find it to be a cool device. Would I hear a difference? I don't know but I've spent money on things that had less impact on a system. Am I confident that the USB sound card sounds stellar and that at the price point it's a great option? Absolutely.

 

[jtwrace]

That's interesting. I do agree that the differences are likely minute and not audible if properly blind tested. If you're running balanced though, the Motu Ultralite MK5 is finally back in stock and hard to beat for the money IMO.

 

[mccarty350]

I totally agree. It was my first choice. I bought it off of amazon and when I was doing 8 channel xovers in jriver before I had any convolution and failed to be able to get output to all 8 channels or properly map them. I ended up returning it. it sounded great, didn't crackle when sample rate changes happened, etc. However I had tons of issues and to be honest it was earlier in my audio foray into active software crossovers and it totally could have been user error on my part or lack of knowledge at the time.

The sound card does just work and works well. It feels weird to have that cost effective of a solution i.e. I keep thinking I should spend more and that the quality should be bad on a product that reasonable but it measures well on ASR (you have to read on they made errors on the review and later verbally in chat after they figured out the issue they gave it a positive pink panther rating) and to me it sounds great.

 

[Iansr]

Surprised nobody has posted about the newish Topping DM7. It’s an 8 channel DAC for about $600 as I recall. FWIW it got an excellent review on ASR.

 

[kevinzoe]

I'm using the exaSound 8 channel DAC which I find stellar! I am biamping my mains and have a pair of subs so am using 6 of the 8 channels currently for a 2 channel stereo system.

 

[mccarty350]

Do your mains still have passive crossovers behind the biamp or are they 100% digital?

I've heard nothing but awesome about the exasound but it's not cheap!

 

[kevinzoe]

Hi mccarty - yes, my mains still use their internal passive XOs and I'm pretty well matching them using Audiolense XO.
My mains are a 3-way design but only have two speaker binding posts (woofer and other for mid/tweeter) so if I yank out the passive crossover that protects the tweeter I would have to then customize 3 binding posts and get a third amp which seems like a lot of effort and cost for no assurance that it will pay for itself with system quality improvement. So I keep an eye open for either a two way or external passive crossover that can be bypassed.

I guess the exaSound DAC is pricey but what isn't in audiophile land . . .

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Hi mccarty - yes, my mains still use their internal passive XOs and I'm pretty well matching them using Audiolense XO.
My mains are a 3-way design but only have two speaker binding posts (woofer and other for mid/tweeter) so if I yank out the passive crossover that protects the tweeter I would have to then customize 3 binding posts and get a third amp which seems like a lot of effort and cost for no assurance that it will pay for itself with system quality improvement. So I keep an eye open for either a two way or external passive crossover that can be bypassed.

I guess the exaSound DAC is pricey but what isn't in audiophile land . . .

One should consider finding a used exaSound DAC such as the e28 or e38 as a less pricey alternative to the current models. They, too, are excellent devices.

 

[jtwrace]

Surprised nobody has posted about the newish Topping DM7. It’s an 8 channel DAC for about $600 as I recall. FWIW it got an excellent review on ASR.

There's one major flaw with the DM7 that I've posted about on ASR. There is no way to adjust the volume on each output channel manually. You really want to level match each channel BEFORE taking any measurements. This totally sucks IMO.

 

[kevinzoe]

There's one major flaw with the DM7 that I've posted about on ASR. There is no way to adjust the volume on each output channel manually. You really want to level match each channel BEFORE taking any measurements. This totally sucks IMO.

~~~~~
My 8 channel exaSound DAC doesn't have manual channel volume adjustments so I do that in JRiver . Are you adverse to doing that in the software/DSP domain? Alternatively I use OmniMic to adjust the different amp's levels (i.e. 2 subs plate amps, 1 tube amp for mids/highs and 1 SS amp for woofer) to match to my target curve. Would these ways work for you?

 

[jtwrace]

Are you adverse to doing that in the software/DSP domain?

Yes. I use the Motu Ultralite Mk5 so I can do it manually so it's not an issue. I want to keep insertion loss to an absolute minimum and that's why I do it this way. @Mitchco post on ASR summed it up perfectly.


For those that don't want to click on the above link:

 

[Kal Rubinson]

There's one major flaw with the DM7 that I've posted about on ASR. There is no way to adjust the volume on each output channel manually. You really want to level match each channel BEFORE taking any measurements. This totally sucks IMO.

There's new firmware which will activate the channel level controls in the ASIO driver.

My 8 channel exaSound DAC doesn't have manual channel volume adjustments so I do that in JRiver .

All the 8channel exaSound DACs (starting with the old e28) have manual channel volume adjustments if the driver/app is installed.

 

[jtwrace]

There's new firmware which will activate the channel level controls in the ASIO driver.

Have you tested it?

 

[kevinzoe]

Kal - regarding the exaSound DAC, you are absolutely correct - my bad. I do have the desktop app that shown each channel's volume level and master vol too. I forgot about mentioning it. I must be getting old and forgetful . . . I was using it today to reduce the 3 right channels (bi-amped mains and sub) volume to -80dB while measuring the left channel with OmniMic to adjust and level match the amps.

If you chose not to do channel level adjustments in the Topping DAC, then I see two alternatives: (1) use REW or OmniMic to measure sweep signals to level match amps, or (2) do the amp leveling as part of the AL measurement process such that the frequency correction filter boosts are all the same (or as close to being the same) level across all amps; If there is correction boost that's large then it's because its vol relative to the other amps is too low/quiet so turn it up and the correction boost comes down but as it comes down the others come up because it's a relative scale on the Y-axis, not an absolute one. Getting the max boost of each amp to be the same across all amps helps a lot in reducing filter insertion loss. I've done this several times with 4 and 6 channels of amplification but it gets harder with more channels.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Have you tested it?

Not yet.