Devices > Sound Cards, DAC's, Receivers, Speakers, and Headphones

Multi-Channel DAC's

<< < (2/12) > >>

pschelbert:
Hi

I use RME UFX and UFX II (almost same in functionality RME UFX II just a newer generation):

I use it in a home HiFi environment.
Cables are easy: USB cable computer to RME

XLR/Jack to poweramp.
I have amps with cinch, so just get a cable XLR ro cinch or Jack to cinch

If you use symmetric XLR on amps: just use XLR to XLR or Jack to XLR.  Its as easy as that.

If you want 8 channels for example you need 8 connection cables to your amps, no matter what multichannel DAC you use. So I do not understand what you mena it will twindel down to 4-5 DAC. I see much more which will work.

RME:
Routing is very flexible an way better than a AVR.

I use it as 8 channel crossover for a stereo 4-way system plus surround plus headphones.

I have no more CD, DVD, Blueray players nor preamp.

The RME does it all, including playing Vinyl (analog input).

Routing is very easy, no pain anymore.


Peter

mojave:

--- Quote from: kr4 on August 12, 2020, 09:38:11 am ---Thanks for the list but, for domestic audio situations, most of those are not relevant.  For example, I have used the nifty Merging Anubis but its demands for multiple and different cable interfaces (on a channel-pair basis) and the need to address operations in their Aneman setup environment disqualify if for most home users.

--- End quote ---
I only put the Anubis in there because you tried it.  ;D

Most are relevant. You buy them, connect them, install the driver, and select the output in JRiver. Sure, they have other routing capability and you can use many as a mic preamp for room measurements, but most work out of the box as a multi-channel DAC.

Dante requires a $30 Virtual Soundcard, but it is easy to setup.

I've used Steinberg (2 DACs), Tascam (2 DACs), M-Audio (1 DAC), Lynx Studio (2 DACs & AES card), MOTU (3 DACs), Echo Audio (1 DAC), Mytek (3 DAC's clocked together), and Solid State Logic (1 DAC) in my system. This is all just for 7.1 surround sound. I don't do recording or mixing. They are all easier to setup and use than the simplest receiver. You can pick the WASAPI driver on most for the easiest setup and don't even need to know about ASIO buffers.

Most MOTU DAC's use the ESS Sabre 32-bit DAC chips. I just reset one MOTU back to the factory default. I used the Quick Setup and then needed just 8 clicks for it to work properly as an 8 channel DAC. MOTU has automatic sample rate switching, no pops during sample rate changes, no pops on amps if DAC is turned off first (at least in my system), and even cool tools like a Spectrogram, FFT analyzer, and oscilloscope that you can view live during playback of any channel.

If you want just analog output, you should include the ESI Gigaport (either unbalanced or balanced) and the ASUS Xonar U7 MKII. Both will outperform almost any receiver. If you want "Audiophile" for the MAC, then check out the Dangerous Music Convert 8. It has all controls on the front, automatically switches sample rate, is DC coupled, and needs no drivers or any software.

https://youtu.be/Pd70D0tkF28

I will say that one cool thing about the MOTU and RME devices is that their driver is multi-client (I think the new Lynx Studios Aurora (n) is also). I can have JRiver playing a 7.1 moving on 8 channels of my MOTU 1248, and can also use 2 channels for a Zone in the family room and 2 channels for a Zone outside. These audio devices really leverage the Zone capability of JRiver.

JimH:
Nice list, mojave!  Thanks!

kr4:

--- Quote from: mojave on August 12, 2020, 05:02:35 pm ---I only put the Anubis in there because you tried it.  ;D
--- End quote ---
So you see that I do try to get my audience to realize that there are good alternatives to what they see in their usual view of the audio world.


--- Quote from: JimH on August 12, 2020, 05:31:55 pm ---Nice list, mojave!  Thanks!

--- End quote ---
Right but what most of you are missing is that we are talking about the general audio fan community for whom such devices are (1) generally invisible and (2) not alternatives to AVRs but to simple (dumb) stereo DACs.  Those people also demand support for very high (perhaps unreasonable) resolution/sample-rates  and DSD.  All these lists are reasonable but not applicable to the market I am describing.

thorsten:
Sorry to say, but I don‘t get it what you want....

Who should use this magical multichannel-DAC?

 I mean, my wife and kids can easily deal with the fireface uc for years in our 14ch Home theater. So I‘m not shure gow we can help you.

Can you describe the mac solution: which DACs, also multiroom?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page