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Post by quattroll on Jul 5, 2020 11:22:15 GMT -5
Would you go analog into the XMC1? My understanding is the dacs are better in the XMC.
Just wondering because I am moving things around/out.
Thanks in advance.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 5, 2020 11:28:51 GMT -5
Would you go analog into the XMC1? My understanding is the dacs are better in the XMC. Just wondering because I am moving things around/out. Thanks in advance. What are you doing now? Balanced or Digital? Nevertheless, I’d add whichever you don’t have so you can compare. Personally I’d probably use Coax S/PDIF, but I’ve never heard an ERC3. |
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Post by creimes on Jul 5, 2020 11:49:17 GMT -5
You could compare the AES/EBU digital connection and Balanced Analog connection, though you would need a AES/EBU XLR cable and a set of standard XLR cables to do this, Monoprice has both those types of cables at a reasonable price. Monoprice AES/EBU CableMonoprice XLR CablesChad |
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Post by quattroll on Jul 5, 2020 11:52:09 GMT -5
Well I was using it in another location with AES going into a DC-1. That was very good, but I was considering selling it, after I pulled out a Sony DVP S7000 I believe, and used that as a transport. It has nice build quality and a cool motorized door besides the tray.
I’m trying to decide if it’s worth selling or putting it next to the XMC1, in case I want to spin some discs. I can do that with my blu ray though. On the other hand keeping it in storage might make sense for the day when one of those devices breaks. I still have a lot of CDs.
Mostly wondering if it is wasted if you aren’t using the dac.
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Post by creimes on Jul 5, 2020 12:15:29 GMT -5
Not a bad piece to keep around for sure, it would be up to your ears if there were any discernible difference between the DAC in the XMC-1 and ERC-3.
Chad
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 5, 2020 12:31:56 GMT -5
Personally I prefer one disc player for everything and use an Oppo with RMC-1 DAC for CD (and previously with XMC-1), I’d probably use the Sony with XMC-1 for CD and sell the Emo, but if having a backup is important, there you go.
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Post by quattroll on Jul 5, 2020 13:15:32 GMT -5
Umm I had not been using a specified AES cable. I think I asked Emotiva and they said it’s the same as a balanced cable. Maybe I should try that before I do anything.
Some say quality transports don’t matter, others disagree. I’m leaning toward they do. The ERC3 is pretty heavy!
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Post by teaman on Jul 5, 2020 13:19:26 GMT -5
I prefer the XLR analog inputs on my Sherbourn pre/pros. It was a substantial improvement over the AES/EBU and much better than the optical toslink.
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Post by quattroll on Jul 5, 2020 13:38:03 GMT -5
I prefer the XLR analog inputs on my Sherbourn pre/pros. It was a substantial improvement over the AES/EBU and much better than the optical toslink. Thanks, that’s enough to get me to rig it up and see what happens! My wiring/setup is not that easy to deal with but I should definitely do it before I consider selling. Prices not that strong anyway. Could be kind of cool because I can use those XLR inputs with the RCAs being used for a turntable. All analog into the Preamp. Old school baby! |
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Post by creimes on Jul 5, 2020 14:57:39 GMT -5
Umm I had not been using a specified AES cable. I think I asked Emotiva and they said it’s the same as a balanced cable. Maybe I should try that before I do anything. Some say quality transports don’t matter, others disagree. I’m leaning toward they do. The ERC3 is pretty heavy! AES/EBU is digital XLR is analog Although the interconnect is the same. AES/EBU cable is 110 ohm balanced. XLR is typically 66-75ohm cable BUT you could use a regular XLR as an AES/EBU cable (just like you could use a regular old RCA cable as a coax S/PDIF cable), just know it would be more susceptible to noise and interference. Cheers, Chad |
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 5, 2020 15:45:05 GMT -5
Umm I had not been using a specified AES cable. I think I asked Emotiva and they said it’s the same as a balanced cable. Maybe I should try that before I do anything. Some say quality transports don’t matter, others disagree. I’m leaning toward they do. The ERC3 is pretty heavy! AES/EBU is digital XLR is analog Although the interconnect is the same. AES/EBU cable is 110 ohm balanced. XLR is typically 66-75ohm cable BUT you could use a regular XLR as an AES/EBU cable (just like you could use a regular old RCA cable as a coax S/PDIF cable), just know it would be more susceptible to noise and interference. Cheers, Chad Correct, though an AES (110 Ohm cable) can be used for both analog or digital without any compromise. I’d still run a digital cable of some type to be able to hear the XMC-1’s DAC. |
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Post by creimes on Jul 5, 2020 16:44:40 GMT -5
Umm I had not been using a specified AES cable. I think I asked Emotiva and they said it’s the same as a balanced cable. Maybe I should try that before I do anything. Some say quality transports don’t matter, others disagree. I’m leaning toward they do. The ERC3 is pretty heavy! AES/EBU is digital XLR is analog Although the interconnect is the same. AES/EBU cable is 110 ohm balanced. XLR is typically 66-75ohm cable BUT you could use a regular XLR as an AES/EBU cable (just like you could use a regular old RCA cable as a coax S/PDIF cable), just know it would be more susceptible to noise and interference. Cheers, Chad Correct, though an AES (110 Ohm cable) can be used for both analog or digital without any compromise. I’d still run a digital cable of some type to be able to hear the XMC-1’s DAC. I'm sure using a standard XLR cable connected between the ERC-3 and XMC-1 AES/EBU would be totally fine in a home environment as well, in a recording studio or live performance setting with all the other cables and such you may want to for sure use a AES/EBU cable. |
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Post by Gary Cook on Jul 5, 2020 23:19:41 GMT -5
Would you go analog into the XMC1? My understanding is the dacs are better in the XMC. Just wondering because I am moving things around/out. Thanks in advance. The choice between analogue versus digital input is not that simple because the XMC-1 does not do analogue bass management. It only does bass management digitally, which means if it receives an analogue input the XMC-1 will convert it into digital using an ADC, then perform the bass management and then convert the digital to analogue via a DAC for passing to the power amplifier/s. That means 3 x DAC/ADC/DAC conversions and you will be hearing the XMC-1 DAC anyway (not the ERC-3 DAC) as it is the final DAC. So if you want to run 2.1 stereo then the digital input would be my choice as it involves only the the 1 DAC conversion in the XMC-1. Cheers Gary |
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Post by quattroll on Jul 6, 2020 2:13:55 GMT -5
Yes all that is true, but I think that reference mode on the XLR or RCA tiffany connects is straight analog, no digital domain. It’s cool because then tou get stereo bass, only what your two speakers can do. Right now I have subwoofer which doesn’t have a visual “on”, but in the past I have, so I’m confident that is not happening. I will hook up a digital connection to see if the XMC dac is better. I’m not sure which is best, but there is a chance analog might be nicer. My towers make some good bass and it’s fun to see what they can do on their own. I currently like the reference RCA input for phono, so an equal comparison to cd should be fun.
I did switch to the PA-1s this year and I like them very much. Was using XMC-100s. Maybe it’s my room, but I think the detail and punch they offer is better.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 6, 2020 3:09:58 GMT -5
Yes all that is true, but I think that reference mode on the XLR or RCA tiffany connects is straight analog, no digital domain. It’s cool because then tou get stereo bass, only what your two speakers can do. Right now I have subwoofer which doesn’t have a visual “on”, but in the past I have, so I’m confident that is not happening. I will hook up a digital connection to see if the XMC dac is better. I’m not sure which is best, but there is a chance analog might be nicer. My towers make some good bass and it’s fun to see what they can do on their own. I currently like the reference RCA input for phono, so an equal comparison to cd should be fun. I did switch to the PA-1s this year and I like them very much. Was using XMC-100s. Maybe it’s my room, but I think the detail and punch they offer is better. You are correct that when using ‘Reference Stereo’ the signal path is all analog, to be clear however, when you’re using that mode, bass management is not active and there is no output from the subwoofers, stereo or otherwise. |
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