adding a topping d70 sabre DAC to a wiim ultra ?

[techsamurai]

Looking at the price of his current speakers, I guess these are outside of his budget.
That's why I suggested the Q7 meta.

Does the Q7 perform better with sidewalls like the Q6? The Q6 has a darker sound in the higher frequency which can be fixed with EQ but it will definitely be noticeable.

 

[techsamurai]

Revel any model as they measure their speakers.

Does anyone making speakers not measure them? I'd love to ask Danny from GR Research that question

 

[RHO]

Does the Q7 perform better with sidewalls like the Q6? The Q6 has a darker sound in the higher frequency which can be fixed with EQ but it will definitely be noticeable.

The Q7 meta has a little steeper downward slope than the Q6 meta. So I would guess it sounds even "warmer", "less bright", "darker"... whatever you want to call it.

 

[Coyotito]

Any thought on the Q11 meta ?
As far as i undserstand it, they have a very good review
https://www.spinorama.org/speakers/KEF Q11 Meta/ErinsAudioCorner/index_eac.html

Edit : looking at the review here i feel i should mention that on one side of the room, there is no wall...

 

[Nopiano]

Any thought on the Q11 meta ?
As far as i undserstand it, they have a very good review
https://www.spinorama.org/speakers/KEF Q11 Meta/ErinsAudioCorner/index_eac.html

Edit : looking at the review here i feel i should mention that on one side of the room, there is no wall...

I’d say that your QA5050 are good speakers, and now you own them, selling them get a different pair in a similar price range could be costly. I agree that a DAC change/tweak will make no meaningful difference if the basics aren’t satisfying you.

It’s very hard to diagnose, especially without knowing your tastes, expectations and seeing your room. Ironically, for ASR members, the cheaper (and more recent) QA 3050C is flatter in frequency response, and likely to be the objective choice. (Hifi News have reviewed both these QAs and the KEF Q11 meta. They measure them too, if you’re able to interpret the findings). In my experience that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll prefer them!

The KEF will sound ‘big and rich’ tonally as that’s their aim. Starting from scratch, today I would choose the QA 3050C. However, selling your newish 5050 may lose you a fair sum, with no certainty of the outcome. Is there any way you can audition these, even if you need to take a city trip?

However, before any of this, please use the Wiim room correction software. It will make more difference than anything I’ve just set out.

 

[techsamurai]

Any thought on the Q11 meta ?
As far as i undserstand it, they have a very good review
https://www.spinorama.org/speakers/KEF Q11 Meta/ErinsAudioCorner/index_eac.html

Edit : looking at the review here i feel i should mention that on one side of the room, there is no wall...

If you're looking into KEF, I would watch the review of CheapAudioMan on the Q Meta Concerto. There are also some recordings but I strongly advise you audition it. Many people don't like B&W finding them bright. The same goes for KEF but it's a different issue - I'd say it's the midrange to treble.

 

[jcarys]

I would spend some serious time with Wiim's RoomFit software before buying new speakers.

 

[techsamurai]

Thank you very much for the link (which i will explore more in detail, right now i dont even understand what im supposed to look for !)and taking the time to answer.
The room is about 20 square meters (square) with a ceiling at 2,5 meters.
I could spend around 3 000€ euros, i chose the q acoustic 5050 because they had great reviews for this price range and i needed a 5.1.
I might also get a sub, i just had no idea it could be helpful for hifi.

So you have a 5.1 system? Do you have an AVR?

 

[Coyotito]

So the complete installation is
- denon avc x3800h for the movies;
- musical fidelity m6i for stereo;
- the qa 5050 are plugged the m6i which in turn goes to the preout of the denon;
- the wiim goes to the m6i directly via rca;
- and for the speakers, q5050, and a pair of q5020 for surround (no sub).

I tried the wiim room correction but 1/ i still barely know what im doing, and 2/ i only have my phone mic, so i didnt get any clear result (except when it was so horribly wrong that i could actually hear the bass eat everything else or the treble shrieking.

I must say i m a bit disappointed : i thought with spinorama i had (at last) found a good (if nerdy) way of objectively choosing the best speakers, but i understand it's (again) more complicated than that.

As far as personal preferences go, i like analytical sound, in every range, and the qa5050, though they can produce that kind of sound without too much tweaking in the upper medium and treble, are a bit messy for me below that...

 

[techsamurai]

So the complete installation is
- denon avc x3800h for the movies;
- musical fidelity m6i for stereo;
- the qa 5050 are plugged the m6i which in turn goes to the preout of the denon;
- the wiim goes to the m6i directly via rca;
- and for the speakers, q5050, and a pair of q5020 for surround (no sub).

I tried the wiim room correction but 1/ i still barely know what im doing, and 2/ i only have my phone mic, so i didnt get any clear result (except when it was so horribly wrong that i could actually hear the bass eat everything else or the treble shrieking.

I must say i m a bit disappointed : i thought with spinorama i had (at last) found a good (if nerdy) way of objectively choosing the best speakers, but i understand it's (again) more complicated than that.

As far as personal preferences go, i like analytical sound, in every range, and the qa5050, though they can produce that kind of sound without too much tweaking in the upper medium and treble, are a bit messy for me below that...

You have a lot of options

Wiim has Graphic EQ and PEQ.

You could listen to it with Audyssey on the 3800h (m6i handling LR amplification) and see if it improves the bass. You can also easily change the tone adding treble and bass (-6/+6db). You can also get the Audyssey app for $20 and create your own curves.

What is it about the sound that you don't like? Obviously, you're missing something otherwise you'd be happy with your equipment.

 

[techsamurai]

I watched quite a few reviews of the 5050.

I'm having quite a hard time reconciling Erin's review and measurements of the 5040 and HiFiNews' 5050 and then the stellar reviews of almost everyone who has heard this speaker.

 

[jcarys]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I would say you've overcomplicated your system, and a simpler setup would help.
Have you tried connecting the Wiim directly to the Denon AVR (digital or analog, your choice, but digital should be slightly better), and then to your speakers? Running Denon's Audyssey room correction should improve it even further, if you haven't done that up until now. Audyssey is probably a little better than RoomFit at handling unusual rooms, and might be a little easier for you to use. If you don't understand what it's doing, just follow the instructions carefully and accept its results. You can always flip back and forth between off and on to test the sound. You can find forums galore with instruction on using Audyssey.

 

[Coyotito]

I watched quite a few reviews of the 5050.

I'm having quite a hard time reconciling Erin's review and measurements of the 5040 and HiFiNews' 5050 and then the stellar reviews of almost everyone who has heard this speaker.

Same here...I trusted what hi-fi on this, and they consistently awarded them 5 stars and "Best buy" etc. Pretty surprising once you see the number...

Don't take this the wrong way, but I would say you've overcomplicated your system, and a simpler setup would help.
Have you tried connecting the Wiim directly to the Denon AVR (digital or analog, your choice, but digital should be slightly better), and then to your speakers? Running Denon's Audyssey room correction should improve it even further, if you haven't done that up until now. Audyssey is probably a little better than RoomFit at handling unusual rooms, and might be a little easier for you to use. If you don't understand what it's doing, just follow the instructions carefully and accept its results. You can always flip back and forth between off and on to test the sound. You can find forums galore with instruction on using Audyssey.

I Will try that, but isnt the m6i better for handling stereo music ? Right now, i only use the denon for movies

 

[techsamurai]

Same here...I trusted what hi-fi on this, and they consistently awarded them 5 stars and "Best buy" etc. Pretty surprising once you see the number...

Well, how does music sound to you? You're the only one that matters in this equation. I have a feeling you're satisfied with the movie part.

I Will try that, but isnt the m6i better for handling stereo music ? Right now, i only use the denon for movies

When you set up the 3800h, did you run Audyssey?

 

[Coyotito]

Well, how does music sound to you? You're the only one that matters in this equation. I have a feeling you're satisfied with the movie part.

i have very low standards for movies : i only need it to go "boom" when i see "boom" on the screen and to give me audible dialogues the rest of the time

its harder for stereo : i like to hear detailed and clear sounds (i have had the occasion of hearing the linn majik 140 and i love them, for instance, but the installation was completely different so im not sure the speakers were the only ones involved in the difference) and as i said, the qa 5050 are a bit messy under the medium range: everything seems kind of "melted"

When you set up the 3800h, did you run Audyssey?

yes. And im currently experimenting with the android app too (which allowed a clear improvement in the bass section).

Il will try to experiment the wiim room correction / plugging only on the denon this weekend and come back to tell you if i managed to do something worthy of note.
I already bought a usb mic to have better measurements (hopefully)

Thank you all for your time and precious advice !

 

[techsamurai]

i have very low standards for movies : i only need it to go "boom" when i see "boom" on the screen and to give me audible dialogues the rest of the time

its harder for stereo : i like to hear detailed and clear sounds (i have had the occasion of hearing the linn majik 140 and i love them, for instance, but the installation was completely different so im not sure the speakers were the only ones involved in the difference) and as i said, the qa 5050 are a bit messy under the medium range: everything seems kind of "melted"


yes. And im currently experimenting with the android app too (which allowed a clear improvement in the bass section).

Il will try to experiment the wiim room correction / plugging only on the denon this weekend and come back to tell you if i managed to do something worthy of note.
I already bought a usb mic to have better measurements (hopefully)

Thank you all for your time and precious advice !

Well, let us know if you need help. Don't discount music in movies or games - that was the revelation of my old AVR. It was incredible in music but it made every show's theme song sound insane. Game of Thrones, Westworld, Stranger Things, Star Trek Discovery, you name it. Even bad themes sounded great. Formula 1 in the V8 era - my god

 

[ceausuc]

- the wiim goes to the m6i directly via rca;

are you using the wiim as DAC, right?