My review of the XDA-1 in my system

[wowfactor]

First a little back ground info:

All my audio equipment is connected to commercial grade plugs and each individual plug has 12 Gauge wire running to it's own 20 amp circuit. Since I am an audio nut and have been for many years, and as I have gutted basically my whole house right to the studing, I knew this was the way to go!

Now to the equipment. Since Emotiva had their sale running I decided to pick up a load of RCA, XLR, Coax, etc, cables. I know most say cables don't make a difference, but I've heard the difference in some instances.

So, ERC-1 is connected through Coax to the XDA-1, XDA is connected to 2 XPA-1 via Balanced XLR, XPA's are bi-wired to my B&W 683'S. All cabling is X Series cable.

Powering up of gear is simple thanks to the triggers and as mentioned previously, the volume on the XDA was a 80.

After lowering XDA volume, I insert my first musical choice:

Eagles; Hotel California track from the Hell Freezes Over CD

First thing I notice is nothing..... Track starts and I'm thinking oh wow... but then I can't help thinking, something's not quite right, somethings missing... It took me about 15 times of restarting the Hotel California track to realize what was missing... Noise! nothingness, complete and utter quiet. With all the equipment I've ever owned I have never had anything this completely dead quiet!

So, now that my brain has finally accepted this I start the song again, music starts playing and I'm thinking; very nice, I can actually hear the guitar strings being plucked, music plays on other instruments start in...wow huge sepration... then I close my eyes and next thing I know Don Henley starts singing and it's so clean and clear it's like I'm right there... Next thing I notice as the bass starts is... Holy crap! Bass is so much tighter and percise..

Excitedly I move on to my next song choice:

Sarah McLachlan's; Angel from her Surfacing cd

Oh my, can that angel sing! Again no back ground noise, only clean, clear prestine vocals.

On to Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven & Layla.... Absolutely stunning sound quality & Prestine vocals.

Next up is:

Loreena McKennitt's Tango To Evora from The Visit cd

I chose this song because of how many instruments are used in it. They use:

Harp, Keyboards, Accordian, Guitar, Balalaika, Udu drum, Percussion, and Fiddle. Much to my delight, you can pick out everyone of them.

Everything I played from Nickelback, Enya, Niel Young, Pink Floyd, Donald Fagen, Diana Krall, Rush, Tracy Chapman, Train, Norah Jones, Carol King, James Taylor, Van Halen, Slade, AC DC, Etc, Etc... sounded totally amazing.. All vocals were sharp, crisp and clean... Bass was tight with great extension, and all instrumentals were easy to destinguish between...

Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler never sounded so good and my 683's have never sounded better ;D ;D ;D

I would recommend the XDA to anyone...

Ooops..... Almost forgot... The volume control on the XDA is not an issue for me and I have had it up to 30 or more on a few occasions!

[UT-Driven]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the XDA-1. It sounds like it has a great synergy with your setup. I have to say that I love your musical selections.

Doug

[Topend]

You have the ultimate XDA-1 setup, that is that you have connected it to a pair of XPA-1 amps via XLR connecters. Congratulations on owning a great system and thanks for the write up.

Dave.

[corgidog59]

wowfactor

I will fully concur with your assessment of noise. The XDA-1 eliminates most if not all background noise, at least, that is my assessment. That is what I like best about the XDA-1.

[bobbyt]

Nickelback?! In the same sentence as Rush etc?

[moodyman]

So I don't understand...The ERC-1, as awesome as it is, passed audible noise that your XDA somehow eliminated??

Honestly..if you had noise before you inserted the XDA I would say you had a problem somewhere...

[wowfactor]

Jan 4, 2011 21:40:06 GMT -5 moodyman said:

So I don't understand...The ERC-1, as awesome as it is, passed audible noise that your XDA somehow eliminated??

Honestly..if you had noise before you inserted the XDA I would say you had a problem somewhere...

No Problem before! That I know for sure. All recording material carries some sort of noise, just listen to older songs that have been put to cd. While the ERC did a great job the XDA eliminates quite a bit more noise.. Yes, there are still songs that I can here it in. Also, if the song was badly recorded to begin with, it really sounds bad with the XDA...

[corgidog59]

My point that I was trying to make is that the background "atmospherics" (for want of a better term) of recorded material appears to be quieter when using the XDA-1.

[wowfactor]

Jan 5, 2011 10:40:48 GMT -5 corgidog59 said:

My point that I was trying to make is that the background "atmospherics" (for want of a better term) of recorded material appears to be quieter when using the XDA-1.

Exactly my point! Thanks!

[GMan]

What preamp did you use before you bought the XDA-1?

[wowfactor]

Jan 5, 2011 11:37:33 GMT -5 GMan said:

What preamp did you use before you bought the XDA-1?

I used the Yamaha in pure direct mode. While I was waiting on the XDA though I tried out several different DAC's and Pre's. Non of which sounded as nice as the XDA..

[corgidog59]

My experience withthe XDA-1 differs from yours. I did a non-scientific A/B test between my DVD Player via HDMI cable to my AVR. (using AVR's DACs) and the XDA-1 to my AVR in pure direct mode and I can't tell the difference. I found no noticable improvements using the XDA-1. I will continue to run my "tests" and hope that I have an "Ah Ha" moment. I feel like I am looking at one of those pictures that has some figure that will appear if you stare at the picture long enough. Some people see it imediately and others, like me, just can't seem to see what others see. LOL

[Trey]

You're broken....sell me your XDA-1.

[brubacca]

Corgidog, no worries.That is why they have the return policy. They want you to try it in your room with your equipment. Hope you find that a-ha moment that others have.
Good luck.