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Why aren't we pushing for more 4-8 channel DACS for a quality Stereo setup

Kal Rubinson

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I believe it's because George at Exasound said that the e68 delivers better sound quality.

Again, regarding the other inputs on the e68, it was George who told me that they don't compare favorably with the USB input. Evidently, your e38 didn't have that problem,
and there's apparently no fix forthcoming for the e68. About as valid an excuse as there is, I'd say, since it's all what I was told by brand.
I was not talking about the e38 having a problem with the coax and Toslink inputs because I never used them except to insure they worked before I sold it. The minor problems with them on my s88 were cured (although I still have no use for them. It seems clearer and clearer than you are looking for problems that, in practice, do not matter. Overthinking it.
 

Toni Mas

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I have the opposite take, I think free software DSP on cheap hardware (RPi4) has changed the game. It is now easier than ever to implement an active system using high performance USB DACs. Besides the usual multichannel DACs (Okto, MOTU, Focusrite, RME, etc) things like the miniDSP U-DIO8 or the RME Digiface also allow you to sync multiple stereo DACs.

Michael
Even non-xmos based, old fashioned adaptative mode USB interfaces are not so bad at all... I have no plans for "upgrading" my ESI gigaport (8 channels) Dac ... Though Camilladsp allows to combine different input and output devices, I think that async USB dacs reduce to much this oportunity , offering only marginal sound wise improvement, considering the flexibility lost in change...
 
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NiagaraPete

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AS MY TITLE CAUSED CONFUSION- THIS IS FOR A STEREO SETUP (NOT THEATER OR SURROUND)
It seems that the optimal way forward with sound quality is to get everything refined in the digital world, before sending it to great amps. In my opinion, this means using software to set active crossovers and DSP, then sending it through a great reclocking and DAC setup, and then having separate amps/amp modules for their respective driver(s). Not having the expense of passive crossover components, better signal preservation, more efficiently, and the ability to easily do steep roll offs is a big deal, IMO. However, it seems that there is not really a big push for this, in that there aren't really any great measuring DAC's for 4-8 channels.

MiniDSP has good software, but products don't really measure well. Motu has some workable things but they tend to be more professional use, so they are often huge with way more stuff than you need (because it is recording studio stuff). Allo has the Piano DAC, which is fine for what it is, but nothing stellar.

I looked at just taking something like 2 Topping DAC's, but apparently there are issues with not having a master clock to synch them together.

So, I am just wondering, why more people aren't wanting to do this type of setup, and if people do want this- how can we lobby to get Topping/SMSL/Etc. to make a DAC so we can start ditching our passive crossovers and get everything dialed in better than ever.
Topping has a 7 channel DAC, just use 4. It measures well and is priced well.
 

dped90

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I was not talking about the e38 having a problem with the coax and Toslink inputs because I never used them except to insure they worked before I sold it. The minor problems with them on my s88 were cured (although I still have no use for them. It seems clearer and clearer than you are looking for problems that, in practice, do not matter. Overthinking it.
So what if you have no use for a DAC's SPDIF input; but I certainly do, as explained.

And nope, the only thinking on my part was when I had initially asked George about what I had wanted to use the e68's coax/optical inputs for-and to which it was he who replied about their lower performance issues.

WTF. For the last time, you had reviewed the s88, which, regardless of any similarities, is not the e68. Again, George said nothing about expecting any SPDIF/TOslink upgrades on the e68. Or would you have me believe that all e68 serial #s had magically received the upgrade?
 
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dped90

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I will admit that the Okto Pro 8 would be a very big bang for the buck, especially if SPDIF output is bit perfectly compatible with AES digital in.

But how concerned should owners be with lack of US-based support?
 

dped90

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I did not see you explain this and I am curious. In a 5.1 system what is the use of a stereo SPDIF input? I assume you have a stereo SPDIF source that you would only use with 2 channels of the 5.1 system?

Michael
My post #296. Yes, when not using my pc's BD drive to play BD movies (5.1 audio), sometimes I'd want to use my Oppo 95 and/or Pioneer LX500 BD players, albeit two channel sources, for BD and DVD movies. My collection is large and the local public library offers plenty of regional borrowing. So I don't plan on doing streaming any time soon.
 

Kal Rubinson

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Or would you have me believe that all e68 serial #s had magically received the upgrade?
Don't know but I would hope so.
 

mdsimon2

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Even non-xmos based, old fashioned adaptative mode USB interfaces are not so bad at all... I have no plans for "upgrading" my ESI gigaport (8 channels) Dac ... Though Camilladsp allows to combine different input and output devices, I think that async USB dacs reduce to much this oportunity , offering only marginal sound wise improvement, considering the flexibility lost in change...

Can you explain adaptive mode USB a little more? I don't know much about it. My understanding is that adjusts the DAC clock based on how data is received from the USB host. I believe this is similar to an interface that can be clocked by a SPDIF/AES input where a PLL is used to recover the clock.

I know jitter performance is worse but I like interfaces that can be clocked by a SPDIF/AES input as it eliminates all the fussing with rate adjust / resampling in CamillaDSP which I think is what your comment about more flexibility was about but I am not entirely sure.

What I would really like is an interface with a built in ASRC based on an internal oscillator (like the miniDSPs) as that seems the most flexible.

Michael
 

raymondvanmil

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I to want to make speakers with active crossovers.. So I've read half of this thread and skimmed over the other half. There is clearly a solution to the issue at hand, the Topping TM7 https://www.tpdz.net/productinfo/862560.html Bit of an anti climax that the op didn't celebrate this as far as I can tell.

Anyway. A few issues remain. Amplifying. Volume control. Input.

Maybe the is no quad-size solution for every input.

The Topping TM7 has one usb input. That's fine for using Roon from my pc. But what about vinyl and cd's? I have a rather extensive collection.

So even if we forget about cd's, vinyl and my stax headphones for a moment.

Amplifying. You could add 4 x 2 x hypex modules, or 8 x 1, or something a little cheaper. They have no volume control, which solves the problem how to control 8 channels. So it needs to happen at dsp level. Volume control through Roon? But what happens when the roon opens @ 100% ?

Input? Not ready to connect the cd player to my pc (it has a bluray drive which I come to think of it never used), they are in another room which is fine beauce of roon and a 6 meter usb cable. But again, what kind of pre-amp does usb output so I can use it as a input selection.
 

dualazmak

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You can rip all of your CD into HDD or SSD digital library. You can also do it for 96 kHz 24 bit DSD layer of SACDs.
Or, your JRiver or Roon can hear digitally CDs on any of PC's or USB attached CD/DVD/BL player, CD ROM drives.

You can incorporate your vinyl TT (and phono preamp) through audio interface (ADC) into your PC-(DSP)-JRiver (or PC-(DSP)-Roon) digital setup for on-the-fly vinyl listening by JRiver or Roon; my post here and here would be of your reference, I assume.

You can find my latest setup including TT here on my project thread.
 

Sal1950

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You can find my latest setup including TT here on my project thread.
I'm waiting to see you take that approach to the next level and do a 7.4.6 immersive-multich configuration. ;)
 
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