Active Monitors - DAC and DSP

[Wolven]

I have a question. So, most studio monitors have DSP, with some exceptions like Elac ARB-51, which I think don't.
Is this path correct? -> desktop computer sends digital signal to DAC which converts to analog, and then the DSP in the monitor changes everything back to digital, and then back to analog for the drivers to produce sound.

Is it possible to send digital signal to the speaker and skip a step, since most of those monitors appear to have a DAC?
If it is not possible, how much degradation is there between the steps, assuming my interpretation of the signal path is correct?

 

[RayDunzl]

Is it possible to send digital signal to the speaker and skip a step, since most of those monitors appear to have a DAC?

Only if it has a digital input.

If it is not possible, how much degradation is there between the steps, assuming my interpretation of the signal path is correct?

Should be small, and less degradation than the speaker driver itself imposes upon the audible signal.

---

Elsewhere on this site is 8x encode decode loop that is indistinuishable from the original except by those who think they hear a difference.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-choose-the-8th-generation-digital-copy.6827/

 

[MarsianC#]

So, most studio monitors have DSP

Not all, but the trend is clear. Nemann is still 100% analog (minus KH80 DSP) and many other too.

Is this path correct?

Yes. Most cheaper speaker work like that, e.g. JBL LSR30x and Adam Audio T-Series.
"Better" (read more expensive) speakers usually offer digital input via AES. Adam S-Series, JBL 70x...

Degradation? Maybe. No worries here.

 

[Χ Ξ Σ]

Most studio monitors do not have DSP. They just have active analog crossover and acoustic control switches, which are often mistaken for DSP.

Check out the block diagrams for Neumann KH120A and KH80 DSP. Very typical layouts.

 

[BDWoody]

Most studio monitors do not have DSP. They just have active analog crossover and acoustic control switches, which are often mistaken for DSP

Looks like some have more capability in that area than others.

Here's a page from the JBL 7 Series manual. Seems to offer more than the absolute basics at least.:

[/QUOTE]

 

[Χ Ξ Σ]

Right, JBL 705P and 708P have digital inputs.

 

[Purité Audio]

Both the Kiis and D&D8C’s have both digital and analogue input, placing two pairs of 8Cs next to each other one analogue the other digital I couldn’t detect any differences in SQ.
Keith

 

[andreasmaaan]

Is this path correct?

For some but not the majority of active monitors, although it's becoming increasingly common.

If it is not possible, how much degradation is there between the steps, assuming my interpretation of the signal path is correct?

Unless there is something amiss, the amount of signal degradation involved in the ADC-DSP-DAC stages will generally be either negligible (inaudible) or small in relation to the degradation resulting from the amplification stage and (in particular) the conversion of the amplified signal to acoustic output by the speaker drivers.

 

[BDWoody]

Both the Kiis and D&D8C’s have both digital and analogue input, placing two pairs of 8Cs next to each other one analogue the other digital I couldn’t detect any differences in SQ.
Keith

I've done the same with the digital and analog inputs on the 705's and 708's. I didn't set up a blind test, but on close listening had no reason to think I should. I couldn't tell them apart.

 

[Wolven]

Thanks everyone, a lot of information, I'm going to have to digest this. It turns out the answer is a little more complicated.

 

[notabenem]

Apologies for resurrecting this thread. There are some things I don't understand in the
Digital Source->DAC->(some balanced cables)->Speaker( [ADC->DSP->DAC] -> Amplifier->Driver ) setup.

Responses above seem to indicate that the amplifier and drivers will have the biggest effect on the result. OK, Got it. But then:
1. why do I need a pure DAC (e.g. SINAD>110db, or 18bits+) right after the source? Why would I even care?
2. Assuming I can get a Speaker with a digital (COAX, USB, etc) input and skip the dedicated DAC completely, should I care about the DAC of the speaker at all?

 

[Purité Audio]

If the dac is built into the speaker, then you don’t need another dac, you simply connect a digital source usually AES/SBU into the loudspeakers, you just need a method to attenuate the signal, either a traditional preamp, through software, or if the speakers have their own inbuilt attenuation.
Keith

 

[notabenem]

The question was more about why aren't we so much concerned about the quality of the ADC/DAC in the speaker(s), if it seems we are quite concerned about the quality of a standalone DAC?

 

[Purité Audio]

Because if the dac has been properly engineered then it will be audibly transparent, just look at the list of measured dacs in this very forum.
The really important point is the quality of the loudspeaker as a whole, which is characterised by its measurements.
Keith

 

[Katji]

This all was a major factor in my getting Edifier S3000PRO. (Think if it as "poor man's KEF LS50W". I would get Genelec or Kii but that is much more expensive. - As in much more.) [If you think Edifier is just computer /"multimedia" speakers, we could talk about use of Klippel NFS in design process.]


USB input. Very few Edifier models have USB input, most have only S/PDIF [because of background in multimedia/etc.]
I have never used S/PDIF, not interested, I did not want to bother with any converter/adaptor questions, I wanted Keep It Simple.

The DAC is TI PCM5242 ... somewhat "old." 94 dB SNR iirc. ...Guess what. [ok, I'll spell it out. The whole package sounds better than every setup before - as in various speakers but all with SMSL M8 (ES9018) and Yamaha AX-497.

Before that is XMOS and DSP. PCM5242 DAC has integrated 4-mode DSP but Edifier used separate DSP chip TLV320AIC3268, implemented as crossover mode /"voicing", as in Monitor / Dynamic / Classic / Vocals. Not as in speaker location.

Then amplifier/s TPA3251. analog inputs.

ADC is there of course but I have never used it. If I want to use phone/tablet input, I will use USB C out to speaker.

No cables. Just USB from source. And 2 power cables. At first I sort of amused myself thinking about "upgrading" the power cables. But big lurid blue/purple Fig.8 connectors are not an upgrade.

Synergy built-in.
I'm confident /reasonable assumption - that Edifier know what they're doing with TPA amp implementation and their in-house speaker drivers.

No speaker cables. No cable between speakers. Kleernet [German company, apparently used mostly in wireless headphones.]