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Building New System, Advice Needed

DJNX

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Hello,
I'm in the process of rebuilding my entire system. This is how I plan the final setup to be:

-Onkyo TX-RZ50, since gaming and movie watching will take place in that same system, but most of all, getting this for the Dirac Live.
-KEF R3 as main speakers.
-KEF Q150 surrounds.
-Rythmik L12 subwoofer.
-Topping PA5 Amp, for the KEF R3.

Now, I've done plenty of research to get to this particular build, however I still have a few rather basic questions:

-Am I correct that in using a RCA-to-TRS to connect the Onkyo to the Topping, I won't get any degraded performance since the Onkyo can output more than 2 volts?
-Any objections/notes about powering the KEF R3 this way?

-I'm on the fence of going properly to a 5.1 setup or doing 4.1 as currently planned. If I were to implement a center channel, it would be a KEF R2c. However, due to room restrictions, the easiest way to add the center channel would be to place it right next to the wall. Any other solutions would be more costly and aesthetically dubious. In fact, in my current system I'm using 4.1 and can't say been missing the center channel that much. That being said, I have no idea on the technical details on what exactly the AVR does when set to 4.1, specially when the Xbox is set to surround sound (as far as I know), it sends either a 5.1 or a 7.1 signal. So I have no idea what are the drawbacks of this.

-With only one subwoofer, the built-in bass management should be enough, right? Considering the lack of DLBC.
-Any info on whether the number of taps for Dirac Live is reduced in Onkyo hardware?

Very low priority doubts/questions:
-What if I'd just go for the LS50 Meta? Obviously I'm going for a speaker that measures flat. I don't really listen loud at all (maybe one or two songs each session), but considering the inflexible crossover point in the Onkyo (from what I've read) I'd say the R3 are the safer bet.
-I won't be doing upmixing (at least not considered at this point) for music. So the surrounds will be only for typical ambient surround. I still kind of wonder if I'm undershooting with the Q150, though. Something that makes me wonder this, is that games tend to use surrounds more aggresively, unlike the usual ambience in movies. However, considering Dirac Live, plus small room, I still think it should be enough.

Any other thing that I should consider in this system? The main goal of this system, by the way, is high quality 2.1 music listening.
Thank you.
 

Triliza

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Why are you considering getting another amp besides the AVR? I'd say drop the Topping and just use the AVR's amps for all speakers. If you find that you need more power then you can add more power with an amp. Personally I'd wait for the Denon x3800 to be available and see what it brings on the table. It'll offer Dirac as a choice (although it seems you'll have to pay extra for the license).
 
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DJNX

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Have you read the PA5 thread? I wouldn't purchase it until it's fixed by Topping.

There’s plenty of options on the market.
What else is in the price range that can be bought on Amazon?
 

sweetchaos

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What else is in the price range that can be bought on Amazon?
I recommend Buckeye Amps Hypex NC252MP Amplifier, 2-channel, for US$580

But there's plenty of other options in this spreadsheet:
 
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DJNX

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I recommend Buckeye Amps Hypex NC252MP Amplifier, 2-channel, for US$580

But there's plenty of other options in this spreadsheet:
OK, let's say I go for the Buckeyes. What about the RCA-to-XLR requirement, anything to consider there?
 

sweetchaos

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OK, let's say I go for the Buckeyes. What about the RCA-to-XLR requirement, anything to consider there?
Regarding RCA connections, Hypex themselves recommends using XLR even if the source signal is unbalanced with a proper RCA to XLR cable vs. using an RCA to RCA cable.

So get a quality RCA to XLR cable, one that is properly wired like this:
rca-xlr.png


Examples include:
World Best Cable:

Ghent Audio:

Monoprice:

Most cables on amazon are aweful (bad quality components, soldering, connections, etc) and are wired incorrectly (which will have unnecessary noise). A properly wired cable, like above, won't have these issues.
 

NiagaraPete

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Have you read the PA5 thread? I wouldn't purchase it until it's fixed by Topping.

There’s plenty of options on the market.
Who’s to say it hasn’t been fixed?
 
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