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Post by audiosyndrome on Nov 29, 2023 13:22:25 GMT -5
Are the XDA-3 analog outputs variable only? Or can they be set to fixed? Fixed outputs into the upcoming XSP-1 preamp replacement would make for a killer full featured DAC and full featured preamp combo. 👍 While we’re at it. How about a 1RU phono stage and a 1RU streamer. One can dream, all four would be an incredible two channel stack. 👍👍 Russ They are adjustable with no fixed setting. Lonnie told me setting it at 0 would be the equivalent of fixed as there is no gain and no attenuation. Spoke to Damon a day or two ago. He indicated that ”the XSP-1 replacement preamp won’t be available until (optimistically) the end of the first quarter 2024, or (realistically) the end of the second quarter 2024”. So I’m good with the variable volume out for a half-year or so. That also gives me time to study the tech sheet for the Japan Radio NJW1195A volume control used in the XDA-3. www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/294/NJW1195A_E-259014.pdf. Which pin to ground or hold high to set the volume to unity? 🤞🤞 Russ |
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Post by audiosyndrome on Dec 11, 2023 23:10:47 GMT -5
Installed the XDA-3 this evening and I’m very happy with the results so far.
TT through balanced in ✅
XM Radio through RCA in ✅
rOON through USB in ✅
Cable box using ARC ✅
In fact the ARC input is out performing the ARC input of my XMC-2 which exhibits loud pops and crackling noises when changing channels. In addition, the ARC lip sync is perfect with the XDA unlike the XMC. Very happy so far.
Russ
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Post by rcheliguy on Dec 12, 2023 11:54:05 GMT -5
I'll post a quick post mortem.
After returning my XDA-3, I purchased an Eversolo DMP-A8.
It took care of every issue I had with the XDA-3 and the A8 sounds much better.
The volume control defaults to .5 dB per click which feels faster than the snail crawl of the XDA-3, but it is also configurable to be up to 3dB per click or less than 0.5dB if desired AND it has a physical knob I can grab.
The interface issue to my external Volumio music server issue was rendered moot, because it has an excellent music server built in that very quickly indexed and sorted my 8,000 uncompressed tracks on the internal M.2 drive.
It streams from Spotify and Tidal directly and the results are much better. I no longer lose the first couple seconds when changing tracks on Spotify.
The DAC is absolutely superb! My Martin Logan speakers are a bit analytical and with my previous Oppo 105D ESS Sabre DAC and the XDA-3's DAC some tracks still sounded raspy or harsh and couldn't be listened to past a certain volume or they sounded off. Now everything sounds better and there are no volume limits.
It has a strong 5Ghz WiFi with 3 antenna, and displayed a QR code for my smart phone to download the driving app.
I ordered a $31 slim USB disk player that will plug directly into the A8 in case I ever need to rip any music.
While I realize the DMP-A8 at $2,000 is in completely different price range, it is a Music Server, Streamer, DAC, Preamp with so many features that is truly simplifies my listening experience.
However if the A8 is a good indication, the Eversolo A6 priced similarly to the XDA-3 may be a better choice for many.
So I can write this off to looking for the wrong product to take care of my needs.
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Post by jdubs on Dec 12, 2023 13:07:03 GMT -5
I tried mine with arc on my Sony TV and it just confused the TV. So I just use optical out.
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Post by audiosyndrome on Dec 12, 2023 20:45:19 GMT -5
I'll post a quick post mortem. After returning my XDA-3, I purchased an Eversolo DMP-A8. It took care of every issue I had with the XDA-3 and the A8 sounds much better. The volume control defaults to .5 dB per click which feels faster than the snail crawl of the XDA-3, but it is also configurable to be up to 3dB per click or less than 0.5dB if desired AND it has a physical knob I can grab. The interface issue to my external Volumio music server issue was rendered moot, because it has an excellent music server built in that very quickly indexed and sorted my 8,000 uncompressed tracks on the internal M.2 drive. It streams from Spotify and Tidal directly and the results are much better. I no longer lose the first couple seconds when changing tracks on Spotify. The DAC is absolutely superb! My Martin Logan speakers are a bit analytical and with my previous Oppo 105D ESS Sabre DAC and the XDA-3's DAC some tracks still sounded raspy or harsh and couldn't be listened to past a certain volume or they sounded off. Now everything sounds better and there are no volume limits. It has a strong 5Ghz WiFi with 3 antenna, and displayed a QR code for my smart phone to download the driving app. I ordered a $31 slim USB disk player that will plug directly into the A8 in case I ever need to rip any music. While I realize the DMP-A8 at $2,000 is in completely different price range, it is a Music Server, Streamer, DAC, Preamp with so many features that is truly simplifies my listening experience. However if the A8 is a good indication, the Eversolo A6 priced similarly to the XDA-3 may be a better choice for many. So I can write this off to looking for the wrong product to take care of my needs. Nothing wrong with the XDA-3 volume control if used properly. Hold down continuously to get to where you want and then click, click, click to fine tune. Easy Peasy nice and fast. 👍 3dB clicks?? Ridiculous! rOON streaming perfectly through the USB input. No problems so far although see below. Russ |
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Post by audiosyndrome on Dec 12, 2023 21:02:45 GMT -5
I tried mine with arc on my Sony TV and it just confused the TV. So I just use optical out. I’m using ARC with my Samsung TV. Works very very well with one little glitch discovered this morning. Unlike an XMC (RMC) where you can adjust the CEC / ARC to do a bare minimum, that option is not available with the XDA-3. As a result, turning off the TV turns off my new. ATI amplifier. ☹️ This can’t be fixed in the Samsung either. Fix; disconnected the trigger from the XDA trigger out to the ATI trigger in. The ATI turns on quickly with music and turns off after 10 minutes of silence. 😊 Russ |
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Post by rcheliguy on Dec 13, 2023 8:23:59 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with the XDA-3 volume control if used properly. Hold down continuously to get to where you want and then click, click, click to fine tune. Easy Peasy nice and fast. 👍 3dB clicks?? Ridiculous! rOON streaming perfectly through the USB input. No problems so far although see below. Russ I've read a number of other people complaining about how slow the volume is, so opinions on this vary. I did hold the XDA-3's remote volume adjustment button down and it's easy, but it's progress was still very slow. I'm happy that you are happy with it. FWIW, I did leave mine at 0.5dB which is still more responsive than the XDA-3's remote. I'm still very happy with my XPA-2 Gen 2 which is very compatible with my ML's low impedances. |
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KeithL
Administrator 
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Post by KeithL on Dec 13, 2023 11:35:21 GMT -5
Just an added note here... I stand corrected from what I might have said before... The XDA-3 DOES respond to some CEC commands... I don't have details, and it might vary depending on what other devices are connected, but the XDA-3 will respond to some CEC commands. (Probably On and/or Off and Volume Up and Down... ) (There is no way to configure this on the XDA-3.) However, just FYI, CEC control signals are sent and received on a sort of common command bus - which is carried on the HDMI cables. So any CEC-enabled device can talk directly to any other CEC-enabled device via a separate line in the HDMI cables. (Each CEC-enabled device has its own "identifier", and can decide whether to "listen to" or "send" CEC commands, but none can control what other CEC-enabled devices do.) As far as I know the Trigger Output on the XDA-3 simply turns on when the XDA-3 is on... I tried mine with arc on my Sony TV and it just confused the TV. So I just use optical out. I’m using ARC with my Samsung TV. Works very very well with one little glitch discovered this morning. Unlike an XMC (RMC) where you can adjust the CEC / ARC to do a bare minimum, that option is not available with the XDA-3. As a result, turning of the TV turns off my new. ATI amplifier. ☹️ This can’t be fixed in the Samsung either. Fix; disconnected the trigger from the XDA trigger out to the ATI trigger in. The ATI turns on quickly with music and turns off after 10 minutes of silence. 😊 Russ |
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Post by audiosyndrome on Dec 13, 2023 18:30:04 GMT -5
I tried mine with arc on my Sony TV and it just confused the TV. So I just use optical out. I’m using ARC with my Samsung TV. Works very very well with one little glitch discovered this morning. Unlike an XMC (RMC) where you can adjust the CEC / ARC to do a bare minimum, that option is not available with the XDA-3. As a result, turning off the TV turns off my new. ATI amplifier. ☹️ This can’t be fixed in the Samsung either. Fix; disconnected the trigger from the XDA trigger out to the ATI trigger in. The ATI turns on quickly with music and turns off after 10 minutes of silence. 😊 Russ Need to correct myself (again), the TV is actually turning off the XDA-3, not the ATI amplifier. In turn, that’s turning off the amplifier. Need to figure that out. 😳 Going to call Samsung tech support to see if I can have ARC without all the CEC BS. Can’t figure that out from the online manual. Russ |
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ttocs
Global Moderator
I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with. (Elwood P Dowd)
Posts: 8,162
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Post by ttocs on Dec 13, 2023 20:24:08 GMT -5
Need to correct myself (again), the TV is actually turning off the XDA-3, not the ATI amplifier. In turn, that’s turning off the amplifier. Need to figure that out. 😳 Going to call Samsung tech support to see if I can have ARC without all the CEC BS. Can’t figure that out from the online manual. Russ Just a little FYI with regards to what a tv can do via CEC if it's unrestricted. My XMC-2 is set for LPS, Lowest Power Standby. If I turn on the LG 77G3 tv a couple seconds after hitting the ON button for the XMC-2, the tv will power up and immediately it will seek out what to see what's available on the CEC chain to communicate with, which happens to be my Panasonic UB820 - so it will turn on by request from the 77G3. Now, if I wait a bit longer after turning on the XMC-2 before turning on the tv, then the UB820 will not be requested to turn on and instead - sensing the XMC-2 now - the 77G3 will wait for the processor to boot. I'm pointing this out to show that CEC controllers can do some unintended things. So to answer your question about ARC, I'm guessing it'll work, just need to get the settings just right. |
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Post by Audiobliss on Mar 3, 2024 13:39:58 GMT -5
I have one solution for all this ARC crap,just don't use it. It has always been a PITA and always will.
I don't know why it's being including in everything. I certainly don't want my TV turning on my whole system, and the wife and kids certainly don't want it either when they just want the TV.
The HDMI on the XDA-3 can't even be used as a input for my bluray player so I could play my SACD. So it's useless to me.
As for the volume control, the .5db steps are OK, it just moves too sloooow.
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Post by geebo on Mar 3, 2024 14:30:49 GMT -5
I have one solution for all this ARC crap,just don't use it. It has always been a PITA and always will. I don't know why it's being including in everything. I certainly don't want my TV turning on my whole system, and the wife and kids certainly don't want it either when they just want the TV. The HDMI on the XDA-3 can't even be used as a input for my bluray player so I could play my SACD. So it's useless to me. As for the volume control, the .5db steps are OK, it just moves too sloooow. eARC works great for me and 100% of the time. It really comes in handy when watching an app on my TV while getting lossless Dolby Atmos sound on the RMC-1L over eARC. And it's easy to disable or enable what you want it to turn on or not. On my processor it only adjusts the volume and nothing else. It also works great with my Blu-Ray player, Xfinity STB and Xbox. The one and only downside is loss of the OSD but you can use an app on your phone for that. |
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Post by audiobliss on Mar 15, 2024 18:19:40 GMT -5
Is there a way to bypass the preamp section if I just wanted to use the dac section. If I set the volume to zero, does that bypass it?
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Post by geebo on Mar 16, 2024 10:00:34 GMT -5
Is there a way to bypass the preamp section if I just wanted to use the dac section. If I set the volume to zero, does that bypass it? Yes, according to Lonnie, the volume setting of zero = no gain. |
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Post by audiobliss on Mar 17, 2024 22:35:38 GMT -5
Thanks, was thinking of trying a tube preamp between the XDA-3 and my amp, but the XDA-3 sounds so good going straight into the amp, that i doubt it will be a improvement.
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Post by AverageNiceGuy on Apr 9, 2024 20:57:08 GMT -5
If I am streaming with an NVIDIA shield using USB to the EMOTIVA XDA-3, then balanced to two EMOTIVA XPA-DR1 Monoblock's ;
Am I thinking correctly that I do not need to worry about the new XDA-3 USB drivers?
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,273
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Post by KeithL on Apr 10, 2024 16:03:39 GMT -5
That would be correct... The drivers aren't required for Apple or Windows computers either. The drivers are ONLY needed if you require ASIO support... or plan to use DoP or direct DSD... which use the ASIO drivers. If I am streaming with an NVIDIA shield using USB to the EMOTIVA XDA-3, then balanced to two EMOTIVA XPA-DR1 Monoblock's ; Am I thinking correctly that I do not need to worry about the new XDA-3 USB drivers? |
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Post by AverageNiceGuy on Apr 10, 2024 16:26:49 GMT -5
Thank you Keith.
And, Thank you also for all the previously answered questions.
This was new territory for me.
I'm really enjoying the EMOTIVA XDA-3-DAC and EMOTIVA XPA-DR1 Monoblock's.
I no longer wonder what loud enough is 😎
And,
A recent test of a WiiM Pro plus helped me to understand how nice the XDA-3 is.
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Post by craigl59 on May 4, 2024 19:46:58 GMT -5
Have been following the XDA-3 since its lauch as it fits exactly what I need for one of my bedroom setups -- TV, Cassette, R2R, and Computer running JRiver. The analog/digital design is brilliant and should serve Emotiva well for future product expansions.
My XDA-3 arrived today and setup was fairly easy -- the ASIO driver mentionned above works well in Windows System 7 and the HDMI/ARC sounds great with my Samsung TV -- once you get around the bizarre interface that Samsung forces you to use.
Had not ordered from Emotiva since 2018 so it was pleasant to remember the superior packaging and product refinement that Emotiva proffers. The slim chassis saves height issues when combined with other components and the heavy weight speaks to the unit's quality.
Was hoping that the preamp would support L/R balancing as this is helpful for pre-recorded tapes that have aged (when the outer leyer starts to lose volume). Misread the "Bal" on the remote as support for this feature. It is, of course, more complicated to produce balance control when you are using a ladder volume design. The trick is to have two mono ladders with identical resistors, and control them both with a more flexible digital control. Maybe for the XDA-3 gen2?
My equipment in this room is:
DR-M44HX Denon Cassette Deck
75" Samsung 4K TV
HP Computer running JRiver
Revox A77 R2R
Aleph 30 Custom Monoblock amps (DIY based on Randy Thatcher's clone of Pass's original)
CSS Criton 2TD-X MTM DIY speakers with upgraded crossovers
When the room was first setup this past summer it was carefully tuned with decorative wall and corner panels. This makes a tremendous difference.
One important goal was to control all of this stuff with as few remotes as possible and now all can be adjusted from the bed with the preamp, TV and computer remotes. Turn on/off is also easy.
SO, congrats Emotiva! Good to see that you are still pumping out this kind of exceptional gear. Those of us that are hardcore audiophiles don't want to suffer no matter what room we are listening in...
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Post by jdubs on May 8, 2024 8:37:16 GMT -5
Have been following the XDA-3 since its lauch as it fits exactly what I need for one of my bedroom setups -- TV, Cassette, R2R, and Computer running JRiver. The analog/digital design is brilliant and should serve Emotiva well for future product expansions. My XDA-3 arrived today and setup was fairly easy -- the ASIO driver mentionned above works well in Windows System 7 and the HDMI/ARC sounds great with my Samsung TV -- once you get around the bizarre interface that Samsung forces you to use. Had not ordered from Emotiva since 2018 so it was pleasant to remember the superior packaging and product refinement that Emotiva proffers. The slim chassis saves height issues when combined with other components and the heavy weight speaks to the unit's quality. Was hoping that the preamp would support L/R balancing as this is helpful for pre-recorded tapes that have aged (when the outer leyer starts to lose volume). Misread the "Bal" on the remote as support for this feature. It is, of course, more complicated to produce balance control when you are using a ladder volume design. The trick is to have two mono ladders with identical resistors, and control them both with a more flexible digital control. Maybe for the XDA-3 gen2? My equipment in this room is: DR-M44HX Denon Cassette Deck 75" Samsung 4K TV HP Computer running JRiver Revox A77 R2R Aleph 30 Custom Monoblock amps (DIY based on Randy Thatcher's clone of Pass's original) CSS Criton 2TD-X MTM DIY speakers with upgraded crossovers When the room was first setup this past summer it was carefully tuned with decorative wall and corner panels. This makes a tremendous difference. One important goal was to control all of this stuff with as few remotes as possible and now all can be adjusted from the bed with the preamp, TV and computer remotes. Turn on/off is also easy. SO, congrats Emotiva! Good to see that you are still pumping out this kind of exceptional gear. Those of us that are hardcore audiophiles don't want to suffer no matter what room we are listening in... I agree; perfect for that system. I've been curious about CSS kits... so many products, so little time, money, space... |
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