vertical_mammal
Member
Hello! My TEAC AI101-DA is dying so I need to replace it in my desktop computer setup. It handles everything for me - USB DAC, headphone amp, and speaker amp. I posted a separate thread for specific component recommendations, but during my research I had a question that I can't seem to find a clear answer to. Basically how much does bitrate/frequency matter, will any bottlenecks be audibly perceptible? Hopefully I'm not muddling/misusing too many terms, please don't hesitate to correct me or ask for clarification. For all examples assume I'm using a USB DAC capable of 32bit/768khz. I need to drive a pair of HiVi 3.1As (passive 4ohm 10w-150w speaker) and an SVS SB-2000 Pro powered sub. None of my headphones are anything special but I have the THX/Drop Pandas on order.
Say I send the audio for my passive speakers from a DAC into a Crown XLS1002. This will run an incoming analog signal through a 48khz AD/DA process to facilitate DSP. But 48khz is DVD quality/above CD quality, and my hearing stops at like 15khz, how much would I really be missing? Is there still a benefit from running a DAC even at 98khz into such an amp? What about 768khz?
In another potential build I may employ a MiniDSP 2x4HD, which also runs an analog signal through AD/DA, albeit at 96khz. Will there be a huge difference versus a bottleneck of 48khz? Or any perceptible difference, all other things being equal?
In both builds, the DSP will let me take the bass out of my speakers. My sub has a crossover but my speakers do not. If there is in fact a perceptible benefit to not bottlenecking at 48/96 at any point, is what I would lose with a bottleneck worth any potential clarity I would gain by crossing over the speakers to take out the bass? I've heard this will make for a cleaner and flatter sound in general.
TL;DR are either the "bottlenecked" AD/DA conversion or not taking bass out of my speakers really bad? If so, how bad? Which is the lesser of two evils?
Thanks a bunch!
Say I send the audio for my passive speakers from a DAC into a Crown XLS1002. This will run an incoming analog signal through a 48khz AD/DA process to facilitate DSP. But 48khz is DVD quality/above CD quality, and my hearing stops at like 15khz, how much would I really be missing? Is there still a benefit from running a DAC even at 98khz into such an amp? What about 768khz?
In another potential build I may employ a MiniDSP 2x4HD, which also runs an analog signal through AD/DA, albeit at 96khz. Will there be a huge difference versus a bottleneck of 48khz? Or any perceptible difference, all other things being equal?
In both builds, the DSP will let me take the bass out of my speakers. My sub has a crossover but my speakers do not. If there is in fact a perceptible benefit to not bottlenecking at 48/96 at any point, is what I would lose with a bottleneck worth any potential clarity I would gain by crossing over the speakers to take out the bass? I've heard this will make for a cleaner and flatter sound in general.
TL;DR are either the "bottlenecked" AD/DA conversion or not taking bass out of my speakers really bad? If so, how bad? Which is the lesser of two evils?
Thanks a bunch!
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