Help me build my new system!

[lvdude]

Hi all:

I am a newbie who has been bitten with the Emotiva bug. These guys really seem to have their act together! Been lurking in the forum for about a month now.

I have been looking at the various product offerings as I am trying to piece together a system but I keep running into questions. I haven't called Emotiva yet as I thought I would try the forum (which I love BTW!).

Here is what I have:

Brand new Klipsch Cornwall III's
Sony DA3000ES Receiver (7 years old)
Panasonic DMP-BD30 BD/CD player (2 years old)
Apple 27in iMac

My goal is to build a very high quality audio system (ie not home theater) with music sources being CDs and FLAC/AIFF/ALAC digital files. (I know I want two of the mono-block XPA-1s - one for left and one for right).

But what else do I need? The only item in my list above that I want to keep is the Klipsch speakers. Everything else I want to upgrade.

1) From what I have read it sounds like balanced cable drops to all equipment is preferable and I would like to do this, but why doesn't the USP-1 have balanced I/O?

2) Do I need an XDA-1 AND a USP-1?

3) Is the Oppo 95 a better DAC/player and would it replace just the 'XDA-1' or the 'XDA-1 AND USP-1'? I haven't indulged in the SACD arena and not sure if I will. I sure like what I have read about the ERC-2.

4) The XDA-1 is on clearance - is there a new one coming?

5) I also get confused because I see many threads about Emotiva equipment that sound like people have just bought the equipment, but the equipment items mentioned in the thread are listed only in the 'retired' list. Kinda confusing!!

So let's start there. I am hoping some will help point me in the right direction. All advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Pops in Vegas

[geebo]

I'd start with the USP-1. Then most likely the Oppo 95. It'll play flac files for you in addition to CDs and has a very nice analog out section to feed into the very capable USP. The XPA-1's will then do a fantastic job of getting that fine audio signal to your speakers. You can store flac files on a DVD-R or CD-R, stream them, put them on a USB stick, or store them on an external hard drive connected to the Oppo as I've done.
The ERC-2 or ERC-2/XDA-1 would also sound very good but you'd also need something to play the flac files.
Either way, you're still going to need something to decode those AIFF/ALAC files of which I know nothing about. Chances are, whatever you use for that task will also decode flac. That decoded LPCM signal could then be fed to the XDA-1 or the Oppo.

[audiofile]

I agree with geebo ^^^^ and can only offer that I have two XPA-1's for my front speakers, the rest of the speakers (center & surround) each have their own UPA-1's. Great way to go, IMHO.

I use the XDA-1 as a DAC and it does a good job. Currently I run my Denon CD transport to the XDA-1, which passes it along to my Integra pre/pro then off to the amps.

I too am looking into lossless files and will probably start sourcing for a music server to hook the Sonus to for wireless streaming to the system.

Good luck with your upgrade!

[bobbyt]

Foobar to send FLAC to the XDA, then to your amps. Done.

[badronald]

Feb 11, 2012 0:49:45 GMT -5 bobbyt said:

Foobar to send FLAC to the XDA, then to your amps. Done.

How would he play SACD's??

OPPO directly to the XPA-1's and all bases are covered.

[pop]

Hey Pops in Vegas, I'm Pops in Austin. Welcome to the forum.

[bobbyt]

Feb 11, 2012 0:55:44 GMT -5 badronald said:

Feb 11, 2012 0:49:45 GMT -5 bobbyt said:

Foobar to send FLAC to the XDA, then to your amps. Done.

How would he play SACD's??

OPPO directly to the XPA-1's and all bases are covered.

He says he hasn't indulged in SACD and doesn't know whether he will. I have maybe a couple dozen of them, and rarely pull them out. Building a system that relies on discs, to me, is looking backwards rather than forwards. A system built around a big hard drive full of FLAC is much more convenient (meaning you'll listen more), and also allows the possibility of higher resolution tracks if you want to go that route.

[rainier42]

As others have suggested, are you also planning on streaming digital music via Sonus or an Apple TV? If so, I would recommend an XDA-1 since it will cover both. With this, I would save some $s/spend on other components and opt for an Oppo BDP-93, since you could then bypass BDPs DACs in favor of the XDA-1.

[bootman]

With those speakers, can can same some $$$ and go with the UPA-1s to power them.

Just a thought.

[geebo]

Feb 11, 2012 22:06:17 GMT -5 bootman said:

With those speakers, can can same some $$$ and go with the UPA-1s to power them.

Just a thought.

And not a bad one I might add...

[lvdude]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

(And hi back atcha pops in Austin!)

To answer some questions:

a) bobbyt - I will be mostly streaming FLAC files the majority of the time. Thanks for the foobar suggestions but I am on a Mac - are there any equivalent Mac products to foobar or do I just stick with iTunes?

b) bootman - thanks for the suggestion of the UPA-1 in place of the XPA-1. That will save some serious coin and prolly be best for the Klipsch given their high efficiency rating. Any major differences between the UPA-1 and the XPA-1 other than 200W vs 500W?

c) anyone know if I use the XDA-1 will I also need a USP-1 preamp? Or can the XDA-1 drive the UPA-1 directly and give the same quality sound the USP-1 does?

d) the XDA-1 is on clearance sale - what's coming down the line to replace it? Anyone know?

e) the Oppo 95 is touting the new Sabre 32 DACs which I have seen advertised around the net as the latest and greatest. The XDA-1 uses the AD1955 DACs. Anyone know if the Oppo/Sabre is really gonna make that big a difference?

Thanks again to all for the help.

[bobbyt]

I don't know any Foobar-equivalents for Mac, but I'm sure there are plenty of Mac users who don't care for iTunes' bloat who've found something more streamlined and lightweight. In the meantime, no problem using iTunes if it'll play your FLAC files -- just don't do something silly like convert to Apple's reinvented wheel known as ALAC as you'll be going from an open, universal format to a locked-down, proprietary one.

The XDA is probably going to be replaced by an XDA 2. Features are anyone's guess, but I'm perfectly happy with mine and won't feel the need to upgrade unless they do something crazy like a smaller-footprint form factor.

I don't see any need for a USP either; can't imagine hearing a difference vs the XDA's preamp and half the point of the XDA is to combined the DAC & pre to reduce your clutter.

As far as the Sabre vs the AD1955, it could be higher quality, but the bitrate alone is pointless. I don't mean it's overkill or you won't need it; it's physically not possible to make use of 32 bits (192 dB!), as 24 bits is already well outside our ability to resolve (144 dB).

[Darksky]

Is one XPA-2 instead of monoblocks unreasonable? Maybe I am uninitiated, but are we actually using the power from these 500w amps in our two channel listening in our living rooms? I get bigger is better. Headroom and all the nuances, but is the difference in 300wpc and 500wpc noticeable at reasonable SPLs? Is the difference actually audible at less than 110dB?

Those Cornwalls are great, I can remeber hearing them at the cool kids parents house when I was young in the 70s.

[roadrunner]

With the Cornwalls, the UPA-2 is all you would ever need. I used to own the Cornwall and K-Horns. I wish the UPA-2 existed back when I owned them... it would have been almost the perfect amp for them.

[lvdude]

Thanks everyone for the input.

I can see why this forum can become addicting. Sharing of knowledge and information is extremely helpful to true music lovers. There's nothing quite like pure, clean music!! And Emotiva seems to get it.

I found the other threads about the new XSP-1 coming out (in May it was announced today).

I will prolly wait for it and start there - adding a couple UPA-1s or XPA-1s to the order as well. Maybe even the ERC-2 CD player. And maybe the USP-1. And maybe a couple 12 inch subs. And some XLR interconnects. Damn! Haven't even bought anything and already I am addicted!

Thanks again.