Further Pre Thoughts - PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell / ELAC?

[geeqner]

In my search for a new Pre-Amplifier -

I recently ran-across some information on the Stellar Series Gain Cell / DACT Unit.
Also, similar product = ELAC / Alchemy DDP-1
(STILL exploring alternatives to XSP-1)

PROS:
A bit more compact / sleek / simple-looking
Balanced In / Out
Appears to incorporate pretty high-end circuitry / build quality
Built in USA
Better built-in DACT than my Node 2i has (may be able to play my present / any new CD through it)
Has Remote with the "essential" functions on it
I can get it NEW at a significant discount (a bit less $$ than the XSP-1)
Black with Blue lighting would "look good" with my XPA-2 Gen 3

NEGS:
NO Phono Stage - this is strictly a pretty high-quality Line Stage
(I only spin Vinyl once in a while, but would need to get a separate phono-pre)
NO Managed Sub Output(s)  [ELAC unit may have this?] (But my sub has Speaker-Level In/Out plus line level)

The reviews that I've read on it seem to indicate that it leans just a tad towards the "warm" side of neutral, sound-wise.
This may play nicely with the supposedly dry / near clinical sound of the XPA-2 Gen 3 that I would be using it with.

Does anybody here have one of these and/or have you HEARD one?
If so - your thoughts on it and/or how it would compare with the XSP-1?

[Boomzilla]

Hi geeqner -

I wish I could help, but no, I haven't heard the Stellar Gain Cell. I would, though, chime in on a couple of the negative points about the unit:

Outboard phono stages are becoming VERY common, and the prices, even for excellent ones, seem to be dropping. You could probably pick up a phono stage (or two?) that would likely sound better than a "built in" for minimum $$$.

As to bass management, you're between a rock and a hard place. Either you run your satellites full-range and use the sub's onboard crossover to cut the sub in below, or you pony up for the JL Audio CR-1 (lots of $$$). I don't think Schiit makes one, but you might be able to buy a "pro" crossover? There just aren't a lot of good choices in neutral sounding crossovers. The vast majority of active crossovers are clearly audible in the midrange and treble. I do (strongly) recommend the CR-1, but it isn't cheap...

You could, theoretically, build your own passive crossover but it would be "speaker specific," and if you changed speakers, the intended crossover frequency would move with the impedance of the new speakers, destroying the phase match at the crossover point. So unless you're designing for a specific pair of speakers, and have taken their impedance curve into account in the design, passive crossovers just aren't a good bet.

Happy shopping!

Boomzilla

Below are the JL Audio, the Crown VFX2A, and the Behringer:

[geeqner]

So, if I hear you correctly - perhaps the lack of a built-in phono stage is not really a "NEG"?
I have never had the pleasure of experiencing a good one yet (the phono stage of my current NAD is "semi-Legendary"...)
But I CAN see that adding an affordable one now and maybe upgrading that part separately later may not be all that big of a deal.

ON TO THE SUB MANAGEMENT:
My present Goldenear ForceField Sub has both unbalanced Line In and Speaker In / Out.
The Speaker terminals give me the option of using the internal cross-over and passing the signal with less low-end on to my Speakers.
(I tried this previously and found the sound to be a bit "tinny", but maybe that was a phasing issue - I may have to re-examine that one.)

What I found to be the more effective solution was to Parallel my Speakers with the Sub's "Speaker-IN":
-This runs my mains "full-range"
-But still allows me to select the cross-over point and gain manually, via controls on the sub

Another option that I ran-across recently = an Active solution that only drives the sub:
It is supposed to automatically equalize the sub to the room
But then again, by the time that I spend around $450 on it - I could probably sell my present sub, kick-in a bit more, and get a more advanced sub with such stuff already "built-in" or just a significantly BETTER sub for music.

DSPEAKER Model 8033

DSpeaker also makes a more sophisticated unit that acts as a Pre-Amp with FULL Automatic Room EQ.  However, much like the new stuff from NAD (Like the C 658)- It takes ALL of the Analog Inputs into a highish-end Internal DAC running at a very high sample rate and does all downsteam functions within the Digital Domain.  I know in my heart that modern DSP, if "done right" can be awfully good - but I'm just not ready to trust ALL of my sources to such digital manipulation yet.  Call me "old-fashioned", but I put more faith in low-level, high-quality Analog circuits for such stuff.

(My GE FF does a decent job - my system sounds better WITH it than without.
However, it is really geared primarily towards Home Theater than for music, and is not as "elegant" as some that are DESIGNED for MUSIC)

[pedrocols]

I currently use two of the antimode and so far so good.

[geeqner]

Is that your "Go-Between" between your system and your Subs? (Between your Pre-OUTs and the Monoblock INs?)