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Post by matt on Sept 1, 2010 10:51:11 GMT -5
The only real limitation for the XDA-1 is that it can only accept digital sources, no TT. What Emotiva should do IMO, is to develop a blend between XDA-1 and XSP-1. I'd pay $1,000 for that without even thinking. I present you the XDP-1: a Balanced Digital Pre-ampI would love it if the XMC-1 used the XDA-1's DAC design. Supposedly, the analog performance on the XMC-1 is going to be really good, but I am not sure how it will compare with the XSP-1. I am thinking about connecting the XDA-1 to the XMC-1's reference analog inputs. |
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Post by bobydee on Sept 1, 2010 12:02:14 GMT -5
So how would you best incorporate a subwoofer, if you're using the XDA-1 as a two-channel pre-amp?
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DYohn
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Post by DYohn on Sept 1, 2010 12:29:09 GMT -5
So how would you best incorporate a subwoofer, if you're using the XDA-1 as a two-channel pre-amp? You'd have to use an external crossover of some sort. Many commercial subwoofers have crossovers built into their amps. |
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Erwin.BE
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It's the room, stupid!
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Post by Erwin.BE on Sept 1, 2010 12:58:41 GMT -5
The only real limitation for the XDA-1 is that it can only accept digital sources, no TT. What Emotiva should do IMO, is to develop a blend between XDA-1 and XSP-1. I'd pay $1,000 for that without even thinking. I present you the XDP-1: a Balanced Digital Pre-ampI would love it if the XMC-1 used the XDA-1's DAC design. Supposedly, the analog performance on the XMC-1 is going to be really good, but I am not sure how it will compare with the XSP-1. I am thinking about connecting the XDA-1 to the XMC-1's reference analog inputs. That's the obvious way, via XLR. XDP-1 is the 2 channel audio-only pendant of the XMC-1. |
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Post by jonsmith on Sept 7, 2010 19:38:42 GMT -5
I agree with Erwin.be. Don't need a preamp with the XDA-1 if you have any of the Emo amplifiers (or an old Nelson Pass Adcom like I have).
Because the digital source is likely to be north of .2v, there is no need for volume GAIN in order to actualize a very loud signal. (Test this for yourself if you like: plug your cd player into your amp, hit "play" and see if it is loud enough for you) provided that your loudspeakers can handle the full output of your amp. Also make sure than anyone with sensitive hearing is wearing ANSI Z78 rated earplugs and you may want to put on an adult diaper before hitting the play button).
In short, we don't need to amplify much any more, mostly we need attenuation. Unless you like things really LOUD.
Plus I believe that Lonnie said that there are two 1955 op amps in the DAC, so it can provide quite a bit of gain in and of itself without an amplifier. (They are good for 20- 30 db per side volume gain, depending on how utilized).
BTW, the first listening room we sat in at EMOFEST was LOUD! I thought that the banjo music that was playing was much louder than it would have been live. Checked it with my DB meter and we were peaking at 140 db, which makes me think that my meter was wrong. Heard the same person playing live outside, and it was much quieter. Conclusion: it is totally unnecessary to run 4 1000 watt mono amps to reach a realistic volume level. Amazing to see home gear get that loud, though. My ears are still ringing.
I've given serious thought to getting the XDA-1 to run on my stereo setup as it would provide what appears to be a wide range of upsampling, plus balanced inputs and outputs which are nonexistent in other products available in the same price range. Since I play all digital I would get the "extra" gain from the balanced inputs, lower noise floor, etc., and be able to run all my sources. Plus, I don't have a remote for volume at present, and this would be a great benefit if you had a dinosaur system like mine.
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Post by ripcordaff on Sept 7, 2010 21:52:19 GMT -5
Does anyone have any serious questions regarding the actual capabilities of the XDA? I mean, in terms of performance? I only say this because of all the noise regarding some other new DACs about to hit the market. Sometimes I wonder if the XDA is really going to be everything it is hyped to be.
I have a stereo UPA stack that desperately needs some DAC to pair with the airport express. At the moment, I am trying to decide between the XDA and the forthcoming peachtree audio DAC\PRE. Obviously the XDA would match the UPAs perfectly, but I am concerned that it might be "built to a price". $300 is pretty darn low.... It is using the same DAC chip that the ERC uses (not that its a bad chip, its just that much of the brand new stuff coming out from other manufacturers, such as Peachtree, has "sexier" chips--read ESS Sabre 32).
Now, I cannot count myself among the knowledgable when it comes to how to build quality stereo components, I am just wondering if the XDA will be able to compete with other purpose-built DACs with the "latest and greatest" DAC chips...
Thoughts?
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Erwin.BE
Emo VIPs
It's the room, stupid!
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Post by Erwin.BE on Sept 8, 2010 4:19:07 GMT -5
Does anyone have any serious questions regarding the actual capabilities of the XDA? I mean, in terms of performance? I only say this because of all the noise regarding some other new DACs about to hit the market. Sometimes I wonder if the XDA is really going to be everything it is hyped to be. I have a stereo UPA stack that desperately needs some DAC to pair with the airport express. At the moment, I am trying to decide between the XDA and the forthcoming peachtree audio DAC\PRE. Obviously the XDA would match the UPAs perfectly, but I am concerned that it might be "built to a price". $300 is pretty darn low.... It is using the same DAC chip that the ERC uses (not that its a bad chip, its just that much of the brand new stuff coming out from other manufacturers, such as Peachtree, has "sexier" chips--read ESS Sabre 32). Now, I cannot count myself among the knowledgable when it comes to how to build quality stereo components, I am just wondering if the XDA will be able to compete with other purpose-built DACs with the "latest and greatest" DAC chips... Thoughts? I don't think the chip in my Weiss DAC2 (the "army" version of the fancier $5,000 Minerva) is sexy or expensive. The DAC-chip itself is easy and cheap if my information is correct. What really counts, from the info I gathered: - the analogue output stage: XDA-1 has fully discrete output stages, that's tip top!
- the volume control: XDA-1 does this digital, this can be OK if done correct, wait and see...(my Weiss DAC2 uses "dithering" to avoid degradation, it sounds good even with a lot of attenuation needed)
- the Jitter reduction measures: more important than in a standalone ERC-1, we have no info on this. The $1,500 Wyred4Sound DAC2 uses "asynchronous" USB to deal with this. My Weiss DAC2 "slaves" the transport to it's own master clock using FireWire 400. Wait and see!
I am definitely getting the XDA-1. Not sure at the moment where it will end up, maybe to resurrect the 20-year old Philips setup for my daughter's hobby room, so she can stream music from my iMac. Or added to my Jamo/XPA/ERC/Weiss setup if I can reach the back of the amps to toggle between RCA & XLR. Actually, I need 2! |
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Post by jlafrenz on Sept 8, 2010 11:20:16 GMT -5
The only real limitation for the XDA-1 is that it can only accept digital sources, no TT. What Emotiva should do IMO, is to develop a blend between XDA-1 and XSP-1. I'd pay $1,000 for that without even thinking. I present you the XDP-1: a Balanced Digital Pre-ampI would love it if the XMC-1 used the XDA-1's DAC design. Supposedly, the analog performance on the XMC-1 is going to be really good, but I am not sure how it will compare with the XSP-1. I am thinking about connecting the XDA-1 to the XMC-1's reference analog inputs. This would be the ideal way to go because the XMC-1's reference analog stage will be the same as that in the XSP-1. |
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Post by jlafrenz on Sept 8, 2010 11:24:35 GMT -5
Does anyone have any serious questions regarding the actual capabilities of the XDA? I mean, in terms of performance? I only say this because of all the noise regarding some other new DACs about to hit the market. Sometimes I wonder if the XDA is really going to be everything it is hyped to be. I have a stereo UPA stack that desperately needs some DAC to pair with the airport express. At the moment, I am trying to decide between the XDA and the forthcoming peachtree audio DAC\PRE. Obviously the XDA would match the UPAs perfectly, but I am concerned that it might be "built to a price". $300 is pretty darn low.... It is using the same DAC chip that the ERC uses (not that its a bad chip, its just that much of the brand new stuff coming out from other manufacturers, such as Peachtree, has "sexier" chips--read ESS Sabre 32). Now, I cannot count myself among the knowledgable when it comes to how to build quality stereo components, I am just wondering if the XDA will be able to compete with other purpose-built DACs with the "latest and greatest" DAC chips... Thoughts? All products are built to a price. The amount of mark-up that is attached for the final customer is another situation  This is why Emotiva has been so successful, because they offer products that compete with the big names, but don't attach a price tag with all the mark-up. |
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Post by UT-Driven on Sept 8, 2010 12:26:38 GMT -5
Does anyone have any serious questions regarding the actual capabilities of the XDA? I mean, in terms of performance? I only say this because of all the noise regarding some other new DACs about to hit the market. Sometimes I wonder if the XDA is really going to be everything it is hyped to be. I have a stereo UPA stack that desperately needs some DAC to pair with the airport express. At the moment, I am trying to decide between the XDA and the forthcoming peachtree audio DAC\PRE. Obviously the XDA would match the UPAs perfectly, but I am concerned that it might be "built to a price". $300 is pretty darn low.... It is using the same DAC chip that the ERC uses (not that its a bad chip, its just that much of the brand new stuff coming out from other manufacturers, such as Peachtree, has "sexier" chips--read ESS Sabre 32). Now, I cannot count myself among the knowledgable when it comes to how to build quality stereo components, I am just wondering if the XDA will be able to compete with other purpose-built DACs with the "latest and greatest" DAC chips... Thoughts? You have to figure $300 from Emotiva is like $900 or more from a brick and mortar store. With traditional products, the distributor buys the product from manufacturers and then the dealers buy from the distributor then you buy from the dealer. You would be surprised how cheap some of the higher priced brands would be able to sell for if they had an internet direct price. Doug |
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burki
Minor Hero
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Post by burki on Sept 19, 2010 3:59:42 GMT -5
Hi,
at the moment I'm using in my home office the UMC-1 with active speakers (stereo) and a headphone preamp.
The UMC-1 is needed for downmixing mutlichannel streams (DD, dts and flacs).
So my idea is: Connecting a XDA-1 on the digital tapeout from the UMC-1 and use the balanced analog output for the active speakers and the unbalanced analogs for the headphone preamp.
Question: It is worth to have added in such a setup the XDA-1 or not?
Thanks,
Burkhardt
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Post by regulator on Sept 20, 2010 14:21:12 GMT -5
I currently have the USP-1, and XPA-5. I have a turntable and I run my CD player to the USP. Would there be any advantage to getting a XDA for the CD player? Run it through the XDA, then to the USP. Or would it be better to just run the CD player to the XDA, then connect it to the XPA. Although if I did that, I wouldnt be able to use my turntable right?
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Post by jlafrenz on Sept 20, 2010 15:19:24 GMT -5
I currently have the USP-1, and XPA-5. I have a turntable and I run my CD player to the USP. Would there be any advantage to getting a XDA for the CD player? Run it through the XDA, then to the USP. Or would it be better to just run the CD player to the XDA, then connect it to the XPA. Although if I did that, I wouldnt be able to use my turntable right? You can, but you would have to switch cables all the time. You could still benefit from the XDA-1 as it is supposed to be a step up in performance from the ERC-1. |
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Post by scbailey on Oct 21, 2010 17:15:04 GMT -5
I have a high end 2 channel tube system. Would the XDA enhance an ipod hooked up to the system? Would the ipod do the processing or the XDA?
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This is why Emotiva has been so successful, because they offer products that compete with the big names, but don't attach a price tag with all the mark-up. 
