I’m looking to make some changes and I would like to hear what others have done or are considering doing. I want to add a Multi Channel (MC) digital music server to my system. I’ve tried to do some research into what’s involved, and I am unsure of exactly what is needed and how it all connects. I would hate to buy something only to find it doesn’t do what I expected.
But in the process of looking into all this I feel like I’ve come to a bit of a fork in the road.
There seems to be two directions one can take to build a MC system these days: In terms of the extremes, you can aim toward a high quality MC analog preamp along with sources that can output analog audio ...
OR…
move toward a digital control center and use sources that output digital audio.
At one extreme you can buy a digital front end that offers only digital inputs and no analog inputs at all. It seems like offerings of this type of product are growing.
At the other extreme you can buy a dedicated MC analog control center that has no digital inputs at all, only analog. These offerings are getting few and far between and they always seem to be offered by high end companies and tend to be somewhat expensive. There are no bargain priced MC analog-exclusive preamps.
In between these two extremes is the multitude of devices that try to be both a high quality digital and analog control center, a hybrid of sorts. My old B&K Ref 30 serves this purpose now, but it is an old model. Using its 5.1 analog inputs in direct mode it functions like a decent MC preamp, and using its digital inputs I can decode Dolby 5.1 from satellite TV. But there are no HDMI connections or Hi-Res codecs. So any Hi-Res playback has to come from the Oppo’s analog outputs. I also run an Outlaw ICBM inserted ahead of the power amp for bass management. This makes the vinyl purist in me happy since all my bass management is accomplished in the analog domain and I don’t need to digitize my vinyl playback (that would just be crazy talk).
Enter the problem: How do I plug in a digital music server. There is only one set of 5.1 analog inputs.
I don’t want a switchbox. I don’t need another box to cram into the works along with the resulting increase in spaghetti style analog connectivity. Besides, its time for an upgrade. My B&K is 15 years old with few service options if it breaks down (alas…my favorite and local Hi-Fi manufacturer has closed its doors). I am also missing out on all the digital room correction stuff available today in more sophisticated units.
A possible choice, and one I had been considering and lusting after, is a Parasound Halo P7 which is totally analog. It includes a built in analog bass management solution for stereo sources and has two 7.1 analog inputs. It even includes a decent phono preamp. For the music server I am assuming I could use something like this:
https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/u-dac8
I’m thinking it plugs into the 2nd set of MC inputs on the Parasound and a PC running JRiver software plugs into it. Thanks, Jim the Oldbe, for the miniDSP link you mentioned in a different post. Those miniDSP devices are interesting and reasonably priced components.
But still, this dosent provide digital bass management for the server or any room correction functions for any of the digital sources. And I would still need to integrate Dolby decoding for broadcasts.
For the same $2000 or so I could also get an Emotiva XMC-1. I think I can run all my digital sources, via HDMI or coax through its D/A converters, and use the direct mode stereo analog input (along with my ICBM) for my Vinyl setup. This also allows me to use modern digital room correction, which I currently do not have. I am also assuming that I can connect a JRiver enabled PC for use as a music server directly via USB.
Am I right on all of this? What are the pittfalls and the inaccuracies in my thinking? The Emotiva or an equivalent model (I’m sure there will be a different recommendation or two) is looking more and more like the more logical route and it can be had for less cost. The only issue I can see is I would need to output SACD as PCM for the Emotiva. No problems with any of the older DTS or DVD-A disks??
I’d like to hear your comments and experiences.
But in the process of looking into all this I feel like I’ve come to a bit of a fork in the road.
There seems to be two directions one can take to build a MC system these days: In terms of the extremes, you can aim toward a high quality MC analog preamp along with sources that can output analog audio ...
OR…
move toward a digital control center and use sources that output digital audio.
At one extreme you can buy a digital front end that offers only digital inputs and no analog inputs at all. It seems like offerings of this type of product are growing.
At the other extreme you can buy a dedicated MC analog control center that has no digital inputs at all, only analog. These offerings are getting few and far between and they always seem to be offered by high end companies and tend to be somewhat expensive. There are no bargain priced MC analog-exclusive preamps.
In between these two extremes is the multitude of devices that try to be both a high quality digital and analog control center, a hybrid of sorts. My old B&K Ref 30 serves this purpose now, but it is an old model. Using its 5.1 analog inputs in direct mode it functions like a decent MC preamp, and using its digital inputs I can decode Dolby 5.1 from satellite TV. But there are no HDMI connections or Hi-Res codecs. So any Hi-Res playback has to come from the Oppo’s analog outputs. I also run an Outlaw ICBM inserted ahead of the power amp for bass management. This makes the vinyl purist in me happy since all my bass management is accomplished in the analog domain and I don’t need to digitize my vinyl playback (that would just be crazy talk).
Enter the problem: How do I plug in a digital music server. There is only one set of 5.1 analog inputs.
I don’t want a switchbox. I don’t need another box to cram into the works along with the resulting increase in spaghetti style analog connectivity. Besides, its time for an upgrade. My B&K is 15 years old with few service options if it breaks down (alas…my favorite and local Hi-Fi manufacturer has closed its doors). I am also missing out on all the digital room correction stuff available today in more sophisticated units.
A possible choice, and one I had been considering and lusting after, is a Parasound Halo P7 which is totally analog. It includes a built in analog bass management solution for stereo sources and has two 7.1 analog inputs. It even includes a decent phono preamp. For the music server I am assuming I could use something like this:
https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/u-dac8
I’m thinking it plugs into the 2nd set of MC inputs on the Parasound and a PC running JRiver software plugs into it. Thanks, Jim the Oldbe, for the miniDSP link you mentioned in a different post. Those miniDSP devices are interesting and reasonably priced components.
But still, this dosent provide digital bass management for the server or any room correction functions for any of the digital sources. And I would still need to integrate Dolby decoding for broadcasts.
For the same $2000 or so I could also get an Emotiva XMC-1. I think I can run all my digital sources, via HDMI or coax through its D/A converters, and use the direct mode stereo analog input (along with my ICBM) for my Vinyl setup. This also allows me to use modern digital room correction, which I currently do not have. I am also assuming that I can connect a JRiver enabled PC for use as a music server directly via USB.
Am I right on all of this? What are the pittfalls and the inaccuracies in my thinking? The Emotiva or an equivalent model (I’m sure there will be a different recommendation or two) is looking more and more like the more logical route and it can be had for less cost. The only issue I can see is I would need to output SACD as PCM for the Emotiva. No problems with any of the older DTS or DVD-A disks??
I’d like to hear your comments and experiences.
