Devices > Sound Cards, DAC's, Receivers, Speakers, and Headphones
Multi-Channel DAC's
zoom+slomo:
--- Quote from: mojave on August 12, 2020, 05:02:35 pm ---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.
--- End quote ---
My 5.1 home system build is long overdue, b
but before I begin to narrow my choices on speakers to audition, I really need to settle on a multichannel DAC.
Unfortunately, there seems to be very few MCH models, either from the consumer or pro audio market, which will likely sound as good as Benchmark DACs or better. The Exasound and Okto MCH DACs are probably the best sounding consumer models. But the top Exasound model s88 has DSD, server and other functionality that I wouldn't want to pay $7.5K for. The e68 would have worked for me if it had the balanced outputs I need.
The discontinued e38MK2 would be the almost perfect solution if I can find one with the optional XLRs, or if Exasound will add them for me.
However, in his review of the Topping Pre90 preamp,
https://www.stereophile.com/content/topping-pre90-line-preamplifier, KR mentions that the DIRAC 3 he uses for room correction imposes a 20db gain loss. And even with its balanced outputs the e38MK2 will only supply ~ 4V. Would that be enough to drive most power amps under DIRAC 3? Note that this amp has adjustable input sensitivity. https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/rel-subwoofers-with-ahb2-power-amplifier
If yes, then if I use two such stereo amps for the front and side speakers and center speaker then the Exasound e38MK2 DAC looks like the ideal choice.
However, if 7V or more is required then the Okto Pro 8 DAC with the optional output voltage upgrade is the only MCH DAC option from the consumer market.
OTOH, I believe that you implied that the best sounding alternative from the pro audio market is probably https://www.dangerousmusic.com/product/convert-8
Here's the manual https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e15d4fba20f9d0f914ce7aa/t/5ecbdb7029db2e1e76c78fc9/1590418293088/convert-8-manual.pdf
But no balanced output voltage for all channels is shown in the specs.
My new HTPC https://www.steigerdynamics.com/ has an Intel Rocket Lake Xeon CPU with ECC memory and LG BD drive running Windows 10. The routine is to play my BD movies on my pc via JRiver, which decodes the DTS MA and outputs the PCM audio to the DAC via USB. But the manual says that the Dangerous Convert 8's USB input "currently" runs only on MAC OS. I can email info@dangerousmusic.com about their plans for Windows, if any.
However, the Convert 8 DAC apparently has no wireless volume/mute remote and would be useless to me without one.
Regarding room correction compatability, will the Exasound e38 DAC's 4 volt balanced outputs adequately compensate for DIRAC 3's 20db gain loss?
eve:
--- Quote from: zoom+slomo on February 11, 2023, 06:20:08 am --- My 5.1 home system build is long overdue, b
but before I begin to narrow my choices on speakers to audition, I really need to settle on a multichannel DAC.
Unfortunately, there seems to be very few MCH models, either from the consumer or pro audio market, which will likely sound as good as Benchmark DACs or better. The Exasound and Okto MCH DACs are probably the best sounding consumer models. But the top Exasound model s88 has DSD, server and other functionality that I wouldn't want to pay $7.5K for. The e68 would have worked for me if it had the balanced outputs I need.
The discontinued e38MK2 would be the almost perfect solution if I can find one with the optional XLRs, or if Exasound will add them for me.
However, in his review of the Topping Pre90 preamp,
https://www.stereophile.com/content/topping-pre90-line-preamplifier, KR mentions that the DIRAC 3 he uses for room correction imposes a 20db gain loss. And even with its balanced outputs the e38MK2 will only supply ~ 4V. Would that be enough to drive most power amps under DIRAC 3? Note that this amp has adjustable input sensitivity. https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/rel-subwoofers-with-ahb2-power-amplifier
If yes, then if I use two such stereo amps for the front and side speakers and center speaker then the Exasound e38MK2 DAC looks like the ideal choice.
However, if 7V or more is required then the Okto Pro 8 DAC with the optional output voltage upgrade is the only MCH DAC option from the consumer market.
OTOH, I believe that you implied that the best sounding alternative from the pro audio market is probably https://www.dangerousmusic.com/product/convert-8
Here's the manual https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e15d4fba20f9d0f914ce7aa/t/5ecbdb7029db2e1e76c78fc9/1590418293088/convert-8-manual.pdf
But no balanced output voltage for all channels is shown in the specs.
My new HTPC https://www.steigerdynamics.com/ has an Intel Rocket Lake Xeon CPU with ECC memory and LG BD drive running Windows 10. The routine is to play my BD movies on my pc via JRiver, which decodes the DTS MA and outputs the PCM audio to the DAC via USB. But the manual says that the Dangerous Convert 8's USB input "currently" runs only on MAC OS. I can email info@dangerousmusic.com about their plans for Windows, if any.
However, the Convert 8 DAC apparently has no wireless volume/mute remote and would be useless to me without one.
Regarding room correction compatability, will the Exasound e38 DAC's 4 volt balanced outputs adequately compensate for DIRAC 3's 20db gain loss?
--- End quote ---
The Convert 8 seems like a nice unit. You're running into the problems I did with volume control too. Dangerous actually makes a product for that too, with the unique ability to scale beyond 8ch (useful for atmos, active speakers, or bass management).
The Topping Dm7 is serving me really quite well. It's a fantastic 8 channel DAC with a built in volume control. 8ch frankly isn't enough in an ideal world but it's converters are absurdly good for the price. It works with Windows (you need Topping's driver for 8ch) and out of the box is supported on pretty much any modern linux distro. It'll do 4 or 5v btw.
Beyond that, the Merging units are in a class of their own. They're a bit of a total system changer as they're designed for network audio rather than USB. You can scale them as well due to the shared network clock reference. I don't actually think I could ever go back from using AES67 as a transport (I still have it work with USB D/A however), it's amazing IMO
Pablitho:
--- Quote from: mojave on January 21, 2021, 12:36:10 pm ---Just this week I received an RME M-32 Pro DA which I will now be using in my 11.6.6 theater.
--- End quote ---
Hi Mojave,
Are you still using the RME M-32 Pro DA in your theater?
skjenzen:
--- Quote ---Obviously I use a mic connected to the Motu 1248 and use this channel as Input 1 in REW.
1. If Asio is to be used, what outputs do I use in REW?
--- End quote ---
It is a lot easier to use a USB microphone. Just connect it to PC and choose as input in REW. Works seamlessly with MOTU ASIO driver.
I have had the MOTU 1248 for many years now, since it became available. It offers very good sound quality in my opinion, but don't use the built in volume control for analog outputs in MOTU 1248. It ruins audio quality, even though MOTU engineers claim it does'nt. The MOTU trim settings for analog output levels is a lot better, and I hve used it for level matching of channels in my 6 channel line level XO. Eventually, I handle all volume control, matching af volume between channels and delay setting for speaker channels efficiently in JRiver DSP. So now, I only use the 1248 as a pure multichannel DAC.
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