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Hodgepodge System Using AES/EBU vs Analogue XLR: One Digital to Analogue Conversion, vs Easier to Upgrade System?

stevenswall

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How many of you have a system where your monitors can take an AES/EBU or TOSLINK signal and do the conversion internally? My guess is that it's transparent even if you compare it to XLR input with an analogue signal, and I'm a little torn:

On one hand, maybe I'll want Genelec subwoofers to pair with my 8260 system at some point. They can use AES/EBU and I like the idea of keeping everything digital as much as possible.

On the other hand, Rythmik subs seem a much better use of my money, but they don't have digital inputs from what I can see.

This really only matters because I'm looking at a MiniDSP to upgrade to, and I'm wondering if eventually I go to a 5.2 system, if it will be better to have as many digital connections as possible, or if I should cut the number of digital connections and also have some analogue connections.

Right now I'm just using the RCA outputs from my SHD model, and have XLR converters on them to plug into the Genelec 8260 monitors. The is a tiny bit of hiss that I think I can get a little lower with a balanced connection or by keeping things digital, but I'm at a bit of a crossroads as I can't find something with 8 digital output and 8 analogue outputs that can do room correction.
 

RayDunzl

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stevenswall

stevenswall

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Do they hiss without any signal connection?

Need to test this again, don't remember. Not enough to hate them, as it's really soft and I can't hear it from the listening position, even when there's an input connected. Curious if the conversion to digital and then back to analogue from 10 years ago makes an audible difference. Thinking about a desk though for the middle of the room which is why I want to get rid of hiss, and just for the principle of it.
 
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