2 Channel Upgrade Help

[Phylos]

1st time poster.

I’ll try to be brief. Old fart dusting off some equipment and want to up my game for digital audio and integrate the same space for 5.1 surround.

Current setup (Vintage?, lol):

Integrated Amp: Sansui AU-X911DG - in for servicing and awaiting estimate.

Speakers: Linn Kaber (passive) tri-wired

Components: Harmon Kardon tuner, Sansui CD player (same vintage early 90s)

Audio:

I want to add streaming and lossless formats for selected music. My music collection is a limited number of CDs and about 140GB worth of MP3s. Looking at doing Roon with either Qobuz or Tidal. Would appreciate any input on streamers, DACs, combos and connections for the amp. Trying to get up to speed, but could use any help on how these components get connected / controlled.

Also, I want to add a sub and wondering about pros/cons of active/passive again with the amp in mind, along with the best connection option.

AV: (If this doesn’t belong here, please ignore)

I’m thinking about integrating a 5.1 or 7.1 receiver but would like to use the Kabers as my L/R and add a center and satellites (preferably wireless). Any steer on how to do this, gear to look at etc. would be appreciated. Also control of volume thru the Sansui, along with the other 3 channels.

I’m pretty open on price ranges, just don’t want to go super high-end. The Sansui is a great amp but obviously pretty old. If the estimate for cleaning or fixing the attenuator and (possible recapping) is too high, I’ll be looking at replacement options. Audio is my focus so don’t want to settle on mediocre sound with an AV receiver.

Any inputs appreciated!

 

[Phylos]

Wow, no opinions?

 

[NiagaraPete]

First thing is to tri-amp the Kabers. Buy a 200.00 DAC and a streamer. Unload the rest and you’re done.

Or

Unload it all buy a pair of Genelec’s the best you can afford, a 200.00 DAC and streamer. You’re done.

 

[Trell]

First thing is to tri-amp the Kabers. Buy a 200.00 DAC and a streamer. Unload the rest and you’re done.

Or

Unload it all buy a pair of Genelec’s the best you can afford, a 200.00 DAC and streamer. You’re done.

Quick googling seems to imply no internal crossover do external crossover needs to be added. Not for me.

 

[jae]

Budget..?

 

[NiagaraPete]

Quick googling seems to imply no internal crossover do external crossover needs to be added. Not for me.

With Linn you need Aktiv crossovers in the amps. Option 2 is better.

 

[Trell]

Consider active monitors for your new setup.

@sweetchaos has made a list of active monitors for people in USA but separate lists for outside USA.

Active Speaker Recommendations for USA (by @sweetchaos)

I'm constantly asked which speakers to purchase...so, here you go! :D This guide is for ACTIVE speakers. For PASSIVE speakers go here. Click on the "Spoiler" buttons below to expand each section. Readme: Legend: Active Speakers (aka Studio Monitors): Bookshelf speakers (when turned 90deg)...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[DVDdoug]

I'll leave the streaming advice to others...

Integrated Amp: Sansui AU-X911DG - in for servicing and awaiting estimate.

The sound-quality should be perfectly adequate (once it's repaired).

Speakers: Linn Kaber (passive) tri-wired

Bi & tri-wiring doesn't gain you anything except doubling or tripling of the wires which lowers the resistance and that's no different from using heavier-gauge wire, and usually 16-gauge wire is "good enough" that lower gauge (fatter wire) doesn't make an audible improvement. (Wire resistance depends on gauge and length so with very-long speaker-runs you need heavier-gauge wire.)

Bi & tri-amping can sometimes be worthwhile. I have a tri-amped setup in my van. The main advantage is more power to the woofer than the other channels. A home theater with an active subwoofer can have the same advantage. My van was a reliability nightmare with 3 amps and an active crossover. So when the bass amp blew for the 2nd time I found a 5-channel amp with built-in crossovers. So far, so good... Less wiring and fewer components so (hopefully) less to go-wrong.

Also, I want to add a sub and wondering about pros/cons of active/passive

Here's where things get "interesting" - A home theater receiver (or AVR = Audio Video Receiver) is the "standard solution" and it's the easiest and usually the best solution. The subwoofer output is line level so normally an active sub is used (with the other speakers passive) but of course you can use a passive sub with a separate amplifier.

Of course, a home theater receiver has an active crossover and "bass management" so you can send all of the bass to the sub and filter it out of the other speakers. Or, if your other speakers are adequate for "regular bass" the sub can be used just the "point one" LFE channel (low frequency effects).

If you're listing to the stereo downmix from a 5.1 or 7.1 recording you'll get the "regular bass" from the 5 or 7 channels, but the LFE is just thrown-away. If you want the LFE a separate subwoofer is required.

Most active subwoofers have a low-pass filter so if your regular stereo receiver has volume-controlled "preamp outputs" you can use those. Or, many subwoofers also have "speaker inputs" (with a built-in attenuator) so you just connect it in-parallel with your existing speakers. (Of course, the bass is still going to your other speakers too, which usually isn't the end of the world.)

...When I'm listen to stereo music on my home-theater system I use one of the Pro Logic II effects to get delayed reverb in the rear. A hi-fi/audiophile "purist" wouldn't do that, but I like the sound of a big room and I like to pretend I'm in one!

 

[SMc]

1st time poster.

I’ll try to be brief. Old fart dusting off some equipment and want to up my game for digital audio and integrate the same space for 5.1 surround.

Current setup (Vintage?, lol):

Integrated Amp: Sansui AU-X911DG - in for servicing and awaiting estimate.

Speakers: Linn Kaber (passive) tri-wired

Components: Harmon Kardon tuner, Sansui CD player (same vintage early 90s)

Audio:

I want to add streaming and lossless formats for selected music. My music collection is a limited number of CDs and about 140GB worth of MP3s. Looking at doing Roon with either Qobuz or Tidal. Would appreciate any input on streamers, DACs, combos and connections for the amp. Trying to get up to speed, but could use any help on how these components get connected / controlled.

Also, I want to add a sub and wondering about pros/cons of active/passive again with the amp in mind, along with the best connection option.

AV: (If this doesn’t belong here, please ignore)

I’m thinking about integrating a 5.1 or 7.1 receiver but would like to use the Kabers as my L/R and add a center and satellites (preferably wireless). Any steer on how to do this, gear to look at etc. would be appreciated. Also control of volume thru the Sansui, along with the other 3 channels.

I’m pretty open on price ranges, just don’t want to go super high-end. The Sansui is a great amp but obviously pretty old. If the estimate for cleaning or fixing the attenuator and (possible recapping) is too high, I’ll be looking at replacement options. Audio is my focus so don’t want to settle on mediocre sound with an AV receiver.

Any inputs appreciated!

I have an old set of Kabers with an early version of the tune box active crossover. It proved to be much easier to put them in long-term storage than to go to the trouble of setting up six channels of amplification. I did manage to get a matching center that's still in use.

Look at ASR reviews of Denon AV receivers to reassure yourself about sound quality. An AVR will much easier to set up.

I am tantalized by Canton's Smart Amp. Too bad about the US price!

https://www.canton.de/en/products/smart/smart-amp-5.1

 

[Phylos]

Budget..?

Jae, sorry I missed this. Like I said I'm pretty open, but obviously don't want to throw top end money at unneeded or small incremental improvements.

Example: I get that low price DACs are just that and basic. Where I struggle is $1K and up for same; worth it? Right now considering a SMSL VMV D120e and pairing it with a Bluesound Node. Since I'll be using Roon, this seems sensible, but is it overkill?

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Jae, sorry I missed this. Like I said I'm pretty open, but obviously don't want to throw top end money at unneeded or small incremental improvements.

Example: I get that low price DACs are just that and basic. Where I struggle is $1K and up for same; worth it? Right now considering a SMSL VMV D120e and pairing it with a Bluesound Node. Since I'll be using Roon, this seems sensible, but is it overkill?

If you want to save money without compromising on sound and fiddle just a tiny bit. Instead of the Bluesound a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 running Volumio or Moode streams Quobuz just as nicely without Roon. The Pi shows up as a UpNP device and eg mconnect let’s you stream Quobuz or Tidal from any IOS device or direct from PC or via a local NAS. Etc.

I used to use this happily for quite some time to feed my Auralic Altair DAC.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Linn Kaber (passive) tri-wired

Passive Kaber here as well, love them.
For movies I have a different set up 5.1 just for movies in a different room.
Placement is very important for the Kaber to sing. It is of course room dependent.