I’m considering SAM-series Genelec speakers for my living room system. What would be cool is if I didn’t need a DAC or preamp at all. Since these speakers are pricey at least that would save money. The Genelecs do their own volume control so I don’t need another one of those, just source switching.
I’ve got one analog source (turntable preamp), two Toslink sources (TV and Apple AirPort Express for AirPlay 2), and one USB (iPad) which could be converted to Toslink or coax using a Topping D10.
My thought is that I could run the turntable preamp straight to the Genelecs, but I can’t do that with the digital sources since there are three of them. I’d need some sort of a switchbox or, maybe more expensively, a DAC with digital output (therefore not really using the DAC part of the DAC, just the switching capabilities).
So… are there holes in this idea? If not, any suggestions on suitable devices?
PS: I’d like to be able to easily power off the switching device so the Genelecs will understand to play the turntable if there’s sound coming from it.
PPS: Just had the idea to use a Bluesound NODE for this. It does have digital out and can do fixed volume, but it only has 2 digital inputs. This could still work since it does AirPlay 2 (so no need to connect an AirPort Express) has HDMI eARC (which I could use from the TV instead of Toslink) and then the iPod’s USB gets converted to Toslink by the Topping D10 and then can connect to the NODE. The turntable still goes straight to the Genelecs (even though the NODE would digitize it, but the input port is shared with Toslink so it’s not feasible).
As a followup to the NODE sub-question, am I correct in assuming that the best sound would be achieved by controlling volume at the Genelecs and not at the NODE, or similar device, which would have to mess with the digital signal to do volume?
Sorry for the rambling post.
I’ve got one analog source (turntable preamp), two Toslink sources (TV and Apple AirPort Express for AirPlay 2), and one USB (iPad) which could be converted to Toslink or coax using a Topping D10.
My thought is that I could run the turntable preamp straight to the Genelecs, but I can’t do that with the digital sources since there are three of them. I’d need some sort of a switchbox or, maybe more expensively, a DAC with digital output (therefore not really using the DAC part of the DAC, just the switching capabilities).
So… are there holes in this idea? If not, any suggestions on suitable devices?
PS: I’d like to be able to easily power off the switching device so the Genelecs will understand to play the turntable if there’s sound coming from it.
PPS: Just had the idea to use a Bluesound NODE for this. It does have digital out and can do fixed volume, but it only has 2 digital inputs. This could still work since it does AirPlay 2 (so no need to connect an AirPort Express) has HDMI eARC (which I could use from the TV instead of Toslink) and then the iPod’s USB gets converted to Toslink by the Topping D10 and then can connect to the NODE. The turntable still goes straight to the Genelecs (even though the NODE would digitize it, but the input port is shared with Toslink so it’s not feasible).
As a followup to the NODE sub-question, am I correct in assuming that the best sound would be achieved by controlling volume at the Genelecs and not at the NODE, or similar device, which would have to mess with the digital signal to do volume?
Sorry for the rambling post.