Does an analog amplifier affect the DAC signal?

[Killingbeans]

The situation is that my amplifier with bookshelf speakers at extremely low volume with Dali Spektor 1 or Polk Audio Signature S15 does not sound like everyone here writes that you can separate the instruments in the room.

They sound more like under a pillow, however, it must be admitted that if you turn on both speakers, at least the stereo effect created by the upper sound is produced. Only at higher volumes does the dynamics show. There is vocals but that's it. The average sound is bad.

Tomorrow I will receive the Heko Aurora, but I don't know if it will help me.

One thing I'm noticing is that you're mentioning only rear ported speakers. If you have those flush mounted with books, that's definitely not optimal.

 

[sniegs]

No, not at all. The DAC in the amp will not participate. It receives electricity because it's "on". The analog mode is to turn that off.
The DAC in the amp would only participate if the mblu DAC were connecting to the Denon via optical or SPDIF.


That there is your main problem, not your electronics.

Is a PC DAC-processed signal already traveling via bluetooth and the DAC does not participate in the amplifier?

 

[sniegs]

So when it comes to the white bookshelf speaker and the books, I'm thinking about the balance between design and sound. Nothing more. Very simply, I don't want to live between speakers, it's not that important to me. Just for the price of balanced systems, which I think I have. This is probably the maximum level for speakers placed on a shelf, and that's what I understood when asking a question in this forum (that I don't need another DAC because it won't be the weak link in the circuit).

 

[sniegs]

Does that amp have a loudness contour to help out at lower volume?

What does that mean?

 

[sniegs]

One thing I'm noticing is that you're mentioning only rear ported speakers. If you have those flush mounted with books, that's definitely not optimal.

Other speakers come with plugs that close the tube. They didn't come with me, but I can put something in there and the problem is solved?

 

[MaxwellsEq]

About the room and listening position. I won't change anything. And in general I like partial echo.
I have white bookshelf speakers on the shelf with the books and will stay that way. I am not a big analyst, just a listener. I'm just thinking about what else I can do for good sound.

There's no point changing electronics to improve your sound. Any such money spent will be wasted. Enjoy the music.

 

[jsilvela]

Is a PC DAC-processed signal already traveling via bluetooth and the DAC does not participate in the amplifier?

you mentioned:

PC with foobar or spotify > mblu dac > amazon basic rca

Once you are connecting via the RCA inputs, the DAC in the amp is not used at all. The "analog" mode has the effect of turning the DAC off so all the electricity can go towards amplification.

 

[ZolaIII]

@sniegs DAC is a short for digital - analog converter. As BT codec is digital DAC doesn't participate in transmission. When received and decoded it goes to DAC integrated into amplifier BT board.
You of course can re process the sound (DSP it) on the PC/phone player in digital form and send it like that to receiving BT device which then does decoding and uses it's DAC to convert it to analog signal.
Play with bass/trable controls on your amp (which is to compensate to loudness/tonal balance or equal loudness compensation if you wish).
If you need help EQ-ing your speakers, positioning them, crossing with sub ask for it. For start read a bit about basics hire and elsewhere.

 

[tomtoo]

Is a PC DAC-processed signal already traveling via bluetooth and the DAC does not participate in the amplifier?

No, bt is converted by the internal(receiver) dac to analog.
But.. the dac or amp is not the problem. To get a good instrument seperation number 1 is the speaker and the positioning of it in the room.

 

[tomtoo]

So when it comes to the white bookshelf speaker and the books, I'm thinking about the balance between design and sound. Nothing more. Very simply, I don't want to live between speakers, it's not that important to me. Just for the price of balanced systems, which I think I have. This is probably the maximum level for speakers placed on a shelf, and that's what I understood when asking a question in this forum (that I don't need another DAC because it won't be the weak link in the circuit).

Yes, nobody would say that a good place for a speaker for serious listening is a bookshelf. So what ever you put in, it will get destroyed by the placing of the speakers. The shelf resonates, books and other corners produce interferences.....name it.

 

[Chrispy]

What does that mean?

Some of the old 2ch gear had a loudness contour switch you could apply, it would boost the bass and treble at lower volumes to give it some of the characteristics you'd normally enjoy only at higher volumes (look up Fletcher Munson curves). In modern avrs they've improved upon such to scale properly with volume (called Dynamic EQ, an Audyssey feature). Doesn't appear your Denon has such after I took a look....

 

[DMill]

They sound more like under a pillow, however, it must be admitted that if you turn on both speakers, at least the stereo effect created by the upper sound is produced. Only at higher volumes does the dynamics show. There is vocals but that's it. The average sound is bad.

I had a situation where the one channel on my amp wasn’t working properly due to a faulty interconnect. The system just sounded flat like you describe in stereo. It wasn’t til I used the balance control that I figured out it was the right channel. I spent hours changing speakers and flipping tubes in my amp and was convinced either the amp or speaker were broken, when I finally tried a different set of interconnects. If your system has been wired for a long time. Try rewiring and cleaning up any corrosion. Sometimes the solution is easy. Agree with other posters that a DAC or new amp (unless broken) are not going to give you nearly the returns of speakers

 

[sniegs]

@sniegs DAC is a short for digital - analog converter. As BT codec is digital DAC doesn't participate in transmission. When received and decoded it goes to DAC integrated into amplifier BT board.
You of course can re process the sound (DSP it) on the PC/phone player in digital form and send it like that to receiving BT device which then does decoding and uses it's DAC to convert it to analog signal.
Play with bass/trable controls on your amp (which is to compensate to loudness/tonal balance or equal loudness compensation if you wish).
If you need help EQ-ing your speakers, positioning them, crossing with sub ask for it. For start read a bit about basics hire and elsewhere.

That's what I'm doing for now. I listen quietly with adjusted tonality in the amplifier, but louder in Direct mode because there is enough dynamics. I'm still considering Direct mode for quiet, but with a SUB connected without PreOut, so changing the volume won't make it louder.

 

[sniegs]

Some of the old 2ch gear had a loudness contour switch you could apply, it would boost the bass and treble at lower volumes to give it some of the characteristics you'd normally enjoy only at higher volumes (look up Fletcher Munson curves). In modern avrs they've improved upon such to scale properly with volume (called Dynamic EQ, an Audyssey feature). Doesn't appear your Denon has such after I took a look....

Can such functionality also be achieved in the budget class, because my WHITE speakers do not make sense for expensive equipment.

 

[tomtoo]

That's what I'm doing for now. I listen quietly with adjusted tonality in the amplifier, but louder in Direct mode because there is enough dynamics. I'm still considering Direct mode for quiet, but with a SUB connected without PreOut, so changing the volume won't make it louder.

Why not just for a test get the speakers out, put them on stands(improvised) sit in the right stereo triangle and then listen to instrument seperation?

 

[sniegs]

I had a situation where the one channel on my amp wasn’t working properly due to a faulty interconnect. The system just sounded flat like you describe in stereo. It wasn’t til I used the balance control that I figured out it was the right channel. I spent hours changing speakers and flipping tubes in my amp and was convinced either the amp or speaker were broken, when I finally tried a different set of interconnects. If your system has been wired for a long time. Try rewiring and cleaning up any corrosion. Sometimes the solution is easy. Agree with other posters that a DAC or new amp (unless broken) are not going to give you nearly the returns of speakers

Checked with bluetooth!

 

[loafeye]

Other speakers come with plugs that close the tube. They didn't come with me, but I can put something in there and the problem is solved?

No. The port helps your speaker "breathe" with additional frequency response, depending upon where it is placed. Find a really good pair of rear-ported speakers on the internet, download the user manual, and read what the manufacturer has to say about "setting up the speakers". Or maybe you still have the manual that came with the ones you have. Or you could simply search on "rear-ported speaker placement". You're killing the speakers' response to the incoming music signal by where you have the speakers placed, and what's placed around them.

 

[sniegs]

Why not just for a test get the speakers out, put them on stands(improvised) sit in the right stereo triangle and then listen to instrument seperation?

That's my stupidity I'll do the same and I like experiments!
In general, I judge the speaker by the mono mode on the floor. So, for example, I turned on one of the two Dali and did not turn on the other at all, I realized that it was not. It was the same with Polk S15, but then I thought that I could try to connect both. The situation did not change much. Then I raised them higher, it was already better. Then I placed them farther from each other and that's better.

My bluetooth speaker Bose soundlink mini beats all hifi speakers in low volume in mono mode.

 

[ZolaIII]

That's what I'm doing for now. I listen quietly with adjusted tonality in the amplifier, but louder in Direct mode because there is enough dynamics. I'm still considering Direct mode for quiet, but with a SUB connected without PreOut, so changing the volume won't make it louder.

I didn't really paid full attention to your speakers. Their vertical twitter (high tones) dispersion is very narrow so it's very important that it's in line to your ears on listening position. They are back pasive difuzer ported so they nead to be at least 30~40 cm from back wall (wall to their back). With sub in most cases you have to do volume correction on it manually and its fuss.
Horizontally they straight up at 30° angle which is to much (to angle them that much) on lower angle they are a bit bright but it's not much of a problem as you prefer to listen on lower volume level's (just bost lows a bit more than higs when listening like that).

 

[Chrispy]

Can such functionality also be achieved in the budget class, because my WHITE speakers do not make sense for expensive equipment.

Depends on the gear, even some dacs have such a feature....all Denon avrs have it if it has Audyssey.