AudioArchitech
Senior Member
Should be a killer setup, curious which mono blocks and speakers?
Yea, youre actually right. LOL this video was the reason why I bought the Pi2AES, I am super out of it. But I think I watched this around when the video actually dropped. I just got my pi2aes.My next upgrade will be a similar setup. Pi2AES (or Mercury) to a DAC with I2S such as D70s, DX7, M400... still trying to figure out the best value DAC with I2S.
I got two HCA-1500a with THX Ultra certification, they measure the same thx certified, however they are newer models/less old. I bought an HCA-1000 for 300 and I really liked it. Used the[1000] on my Uni-fi 2.0's towers and honestly they sounded great. Right now I am exactly where I want to be with sound profile.Should be a killer setup, curious which mono blocks and speakers?
I strongly agree with you, but again you must consider for me being so new to audio and trying to put this whole thing together is really tough. There are far too many variables. As mentioned in my post the irony is the same video that got me to purchase the pi2aes and the eitr to be frank, I've had the eitr much longer. Is the same thing that fixed this entire problem.What a lot of overexcited language in this thread. And overexcited expectations. Decent DACs are already completely transparent so upgrading is nothing other than chasing an illusion. If you are happy to spend money, and if your power amplifier is already beefy enough, spend on speakers/subwoofers and on integration with the listening room. If that still leaves you with spare money, buy a bicycle and go for the long ride to calm down.
I got two HCA-1500a with THX Ultra certification, they measure the same thx certified, however they are newer models/less old. I bought an HCA-1000 for 300 and I really liked it. Used the[1000] on my Uni-fi 2.0's towers and honestly they sounded great. Right now I am exactly where I want to be with sound profile.
I just got the HCA-1500, as with the 1000's you can basically run any load speaker and do it bi-amping I guess would the term. No clue if that's accurate, but the amp itself has loop feedback, and I am going to run RCA to the channel and feed the single speaker two channels of power.
To where if I run bridged mono I dont think i can use speakers that are below 8 ohms.
The speakers I got are Elac Adante, AF61's I believe. I demo'd those speakers with a full mcintosh setup a while back and I was actually quite impressed, then again anything impresses me, but it was far better than the unifi 2.0 which I demo'd at the same time. I have no foundation to compare so anything will blow my socks off. I got them for an amazing deal on offer up, because I couldn't actually afford them at retail or even discountinued price which was 2500 for the pair. Some old dude couldn't handle them anymore cause they actually weigh almost a 100lbs with the base each. They're pretty beefy man
The unifi's I could afford and I actually use it for my home theater, 5 channels unifi 2.0 I purchased last black friday and a pair of svs dolby atmos speakers.
Cool, should sound excellent.
But do you understand what I am saying? The amplifier has a loop function, so I can feed the right channel a signal; then loop that right channel to the left channel input. Producing the same output. Isn't that virtually the same thing as running two speakers that are 6 ohms on one amp? The unit has a power rating down to 4 ohms when operating two speakers. I am not running the amplifier in bridged mono, in bridged mono you must use a minimum of 8 ohms.FYI, do not bi-wire or bi-amp your speakers. They are rated 6ohm 160w , That Parasound HCA-1500A has loads of power at 205 per channel x 2 (8ohm) Plenty plenty of power for those speakers, and it will be much happier driving a 6 ohm load in Stereo mode. Parasound: "The HCA-1500A run in stereo should sound better since it has MOSFETs in the driver stage. Better parts, smoother sound, more detail, etc." Hook them up Stereo from your HCA-1500 to your speakers using 12 awg wire and you'll be set. Extremely rare that speakers ever benefit from bi-amping, tweeters don't use tons of power, it's typically just a marketing gimmick.
Oh I see, ya that should work greatBut do you understand what I am saying? The amplifier has a loop function, so I can feed the right channel a signal; then loop that right channel to the left channel input. Producing the same output. Isn't that virtually the same thing as running two speakers that are 6 ohms on one amp? The unit has a power rating down to 4 ohms when operating two speakers. I am not running the amplifier in bridged mono, in bridged mono you must use a minimum of 8 ohms.
I spoke to parasound, and they told me that is the better way to use the amps. If I use half stereo mode I will get about 15-20% more power than the amp is rated.
Plus you must remember that the unit has a gain control on both channels. So for the tweeter and mid I would basically lower the gain.
Am I getting something wrong here? Otherwise what is the loop function for?
But, but, but Steve Guttenberg says it sounds best. Am I being subconsciously hypnotized by his horribly loud Hawaiian shirts ?Btw, avoid i2s/i2c.
It was never meant to be used as an external transmitter/emitter.
I will not answer why anymore, as it was done more than a couple times. Search on this very forum. Search IS your friend.
Consider i2s stuff as another MYTH on audiophile.
But, but, but Steve Guttenberg says it sounds best. Am I being subconsciously hypnotized by his horribly loud Hawaiian shirts ?
I totally respect that, I saw your discussion above all my nonsense posts.For 1st affirmation: "Well, he isn't an electronic engineering, is he?"
For the other part about the shirt... "That could be right".
About i2s:I totally respect that, I saw your discussion above all my nonsense posts.
Can you direct me towards the posts that may give more feedback and also what is the best then? AES?
I actually prefer coaxial
I totally respect that, I saw your discussion above all my nonsense posts.
Can you direct me towards the posts that may give more feedback and also what is the best then? AES?
I actually prefer coaxial
Oh that's sick, appreciate that too. Honestly, it may just be placebo, I got no clue. But ever since I started using coaxial, prior to my eitr honestly everything sounded better. I did get a 100 dollar msrp coaxial cable which is fairly old, I think maybe 5-10 years or so from a garage sale for 10 dollars. It just looked nice, and possibly had the hope it would be far more expensive. Regardless I feel like it has brought improvement, prior to that I was using a monster coaxial cable which I bought from walmart for like 10 dollars as well. I mean, that may be it, since monster is trash.About i2s:
Study: Is I²S interface better for DACs than S/PDIF or USB?
This is an analysis of I²S interface to see if it is superior to S/PDIF or USB interconnects for audio DACs. From what I recall, it was PS Audio that popularized I²S for external DAC connections. Phillips (now NXP) had invented I²S years early as an internal protocol to route audio. It was...www.audiosciencereview.com
About AES, that's the correct one to use (instead of i2s).
Edit: But you will hear NO difference really (from optical or USB), unless you got a bionic ear.
I believe, far from an expert here, but the only time for certain is if you use external clocks from like a ddc. It's just that I2S is supposedly sending all that information unpacked or idk what in gods name. Certain digital inputs send info that needs to be messed with prior to playing which I dont know the hardcorest of hardcore may say degrades the sound.When I2S input is used, the internal clock circuitry of DAC is not used at all ? So I2S can/should provide a better clock than internal one ?