Looking for advice on a AIO unit upgrade that would have HF and LFE, as well as a sub recommendation in a 10x10x8 room.

[rvcjew]

Hi all, I would like some advice on my best options to simplify/upgrade my nearfield setup for a small room (10'x10'x8'). My Budget is probably 1200-1500 USD all in (AIO AMP/Sub).

First my current used/in storage gear that could be in this room depending on the situation:

Sources/Amps:
1. Loxjie A30
2. SSL 2
3. TX-NR525
4. TX-NR596

Speakers:
1. Klipsch R-15M
2. HS8
Sub:
1. Dayton SUB1200

Years ago I had the Fluance SX6 5.1 setup on the NR525 with the Dayton for projector use and it worked well. I had the R-15M off a switch to swap the L/R channels on the avamp between the Fluance and the Klipsch to allow a HPF of 70Hz on the Klipsch and use the Dayton in the mix while I sat at a desk to the side of the projector for nearfield use.

Fast forward to now and I have my desk near the middle of this space and a bed behind it and have treated the room acoustically (some decent panels/Bass traps) and have on the desk an SSL 2 for the HS8 and an A30 for the Klipsch with no sub.

I know my sub sucks for pretty much all but basically explosions in movies and I do share a common wall with a room next over so wanted to upgrade to a nice sealed one to have tighter bass in more of the full range but perhaps won't boom as much. I have been looking at some and think the SB-1000 pro fits my budget and size needs (would like to have it under the desk near my legs if I can swing it acoustically) it seems to go down to 20hz but really realistically 25hz if you push it, but in nearfield I don't think it would have to be driven very hard. So I don't think any of that or its 50hz hump matters for what I'm wanting and it should be leaps above the sub1200 I would think. I would say I listen to all genre's of music minus rap. so EDM, classical etc. is on the table. I feel the SB vs PB sub's will get me less thump but be better for my space.

I am looking for a AIO that would fit on the desk as AVRS are so large and make lots of heat. What I'm trying to find in such a thing would be at least these things:

1. A good DAC that I can use USB in (I do not have Optical or toslink out of my pc's)
2. I want to be able to HP my Mains (preferably selectable as they they seem best from memory at 70hz but maybe I would go higher if the sub can take over from there fine.
3. XLR out, as well that the XLR is HP too (IDK if this exists as an option at all)
4. Preferably Class D as they don't run very hot, my A30 is never even warm to the touch vs the AVAMP just being on gets real warm

Currently my SSL 2 runs the HS8's and they are fine I just wish I could add a sub for some more punch, as well as to go lower in the range but to add a sub like the SVS I would have to have an unbalanced out that I could pass to it but then the HS8 will still not be HF.

The A30 is the same way, I can use it's LFE out to the SVS but then still have full range mains and really the r-15m's need HP to sound good imo (I did try the RP-500m ii and they sound great but I rather have a sub for the money and I'm happy with the r-15m knowing there limitations).

Amps I have looked at:

Wimm amp: seems good but doesn't have XLR, but does have a good amp, HF and LFE (though the HF is just a curve and not a cutoff line atm?). It has tons of stuff I don't need though like all the streaming stuff.

Sabaj A30a: Seems to have adjustable HF on the latest FW but no XLR and I hear the volume doesn't raise the sub out correctly?

I'm open to suggestions on subs, keeping the avamp and using it as it can HP and LFE, A DAC/Amp stack, AIO unit

Hope this all makes sense on what I'm looking for.

Thanks for your time.

 

[ppataki]

If you are using a PC as the source, you can just get a multichannel DAC (you can go the pro-audio route like Volt 4 or get a Topping DM7) and hook it up with the amps you like (I would recommend the Topping PA5 II or the PA7)
That will give you best possible sound quality

You can also go with the Wiim Amp although it is not a SOTA solution for that matter:

My WiiM Amp tests

Well, not finished. Yet. But let's start with some facts. The Amp seems to be a class D BTL H-bridge amp with a single power rail (find someone smarter than me for an explanation), and with an advanced temperature monitoring through some sensors to deliver "optimal performance and safety" which...

forum.wiimhome.com

 

[rvcjew]

If you are using a PC as the source, you can just get a multichannel DAC (you can go the pro-audio route like Volt 4 or get a Topping DM7) and hook it up with the amps you like (I would recommend the Topping PA5 II or the PA7)
That will give you best possible sound quality

You can also go with the Wiim Amp although it is not a SOTA solution for that matter:

My WiiM Amp tests

Well, not finished. Yet. But let's start with some facts. The Amp seems to be a class D BTL H-bridge amp with a single power rail (find someone smarter than me for an explanation), and with an advanced temperature monitoring through some sensors to deliver "optimal performance and safety" which...

forum.wiimhome.com

Thanks for the replies. I understand that if I go the multichannel route it would make it easy to attach all the parts but what I'm confused on is how would I add things like a hf or lfe bypass? Is this all done at the dac lvl now or pc lvl or with an entire separate device? Like do I have the dac say channels 1-3 are tied together? Like a mini dsp or something. Like I guess I need a ELI5 on this sorry.

 

[ppataki]

Thanks for the replies. I understand that if I go the multichannel route it would make it easy to attach all the parts but what I'm confused on is how would I add things like a hf or lfe bypass? Is this all done at the dac lvl now or pc lvl or with an entire separate device? Like do I have the dac say channels 1-3 are tied together? Like a mini dsp or something. Like I guess I need a ELI5 on this sorry.

There is a (steep) learning curve, you are right
Here is the concept:
So your PC is the source connected to a multichannel DAC that is connected to a number of amps
All the DSP shall ideally happen at the source which is your PC
You would use a player software like Jriver that has state-of-the-art DSP capabilities, it will take care of the crossovers, shelf filters, EQ, delay, volume, etc. etc.
I have been having such a setup for a loooong time now, really love it - beats any AVR solution that money can buy (for a fraction of the cost)

 

[rvcjew]

There is a (steep) learning curve, you are right
Here is the concept:
So your PC is the source connected to a multichannel DAC that is connected to a number of amps
All the DSP shall ideally happen at the source which is your PC
You would use a player software like Jriver that has state-of-the-art DSP capabilities, it will take care of the crossovers, shelf filters, EQ, delay, volume, etc. etc.
I have been having such a setup for a loooong time now, really love it - beats any AVR solution that money can buy (for a fraction of the cost)

This exactly what I wanted to know. I already am using jriver since like MC 18. But I currently have the only thing on in the dsp section being the output resampler if a dac needs it. So to help me understand further then, since jriver has a single interface it interacts with at a time would the multi dac once selected through its driver be shown to jriver as all the separate channels it has then in dsp studio you would "map" them all to what you need? Also the DA7 is more then I'd like to spend right away I think but if this is the case would it show up to jriver any better/different then the volt 4 for example?

 

[ppataki]

This exactly what I wanted to know. I already am using jriver since like MC 18. But I currently have the only thing on in the dsp section being the output resampler if a dac needs it. So to help me understand further then, since jriver has a single interface it interacts with at a time would the multi dac once selected through its driver be shown to jriver as all the separate channels it has then in dsp studio you would "map" them all to what you need? Also the DA7 is more then I'd like to spend right away I think but if this is the case would it show up to jriver any better/different then the volt 4 for example?

DM7 and Volt 4 and all these kinds of DACs will be shown to Jriver (and to Windows) as one multichannel device
If you check Jriver's DSP - for example Parametric EQ --> Volume - you will see that you can select the channel(s) where you want to apply that particular filter on
That's it!
With this you can configure any filter(s) to any channel(s)
You can even use third-party VST plugins (that is what I do) - really the sky is the limit

 

[rvcjew]

DM7 and Volt 4 and all these kinds of DACs will be shown to Jriver (and to Windows) as one multichannel device
If you check Jriver's DSP - for example Parametric EQ --> Volume - you will see that you can select the channel(s) where you want to apply that particular filter on
That's it!
With this you can configure any filter(s) to any channel(s)
You can even use third-party VST plugins (that is what I do) - really the sky is the limit

Okay this works for pure music listening but I wonder how I could the take care of windows it self. Would something like eq apo work, also having it all done on the pc side sounds cpu taxing which for my desktop 5950x seems fine but my atm x1 carbon with an 1185G7 might struggle.

 

[ppataki]

Okay this works for pure music listening but I wonder how I could the take care of windows it self. Would something like eq apo work, also having it all done on the pc side sounds cpu taxing which for my desktop 5950x seems fine but my atm x1 carbon with an 1185G7 might struggle.

You don't need anything
Jriver has a WDM driver you just enable that and then all Windows sounds (Chrome, Tidal, etc.) will pass through Jriver's DSP engine

 

[rvcjew]

You don't need anything
Jriver has a WDM driver you just enable that and then all Windows sounds (Chrome, Tidal, etc.) will pass through Jriver's DSP engine

Oh so jriver just stays on all the time? Also for the price of the da7 I could get a mini dsp flex to do all of this on hardware I guess as another option. That would make it system agnostic and give me a larger volume knob over the fiio one I'm using. The knob on the a30 and ssl2 currently are great.

 

[ppataki]

Oh so jriver just stays on all the time?

Yes, correct

Also for the price of the da7 I could get a mini dsp flex to do all of this on hardware I guess as another option

Yes, that is also an option

give me a larger volume knob over the fiio one I'm using.

Just FYI if you use your PC for DSP you can use Jriver's internal 64-bit volume control - that is the highest quality digital volume solution that currently exists
It has a Volume Protection feature too to make sure you can't change the volume accidentally

 

[rvcjew]

Yes, correct


Yes, that is also an option



Just FYI if you use your PC for DSP you can use Jriver's internal 64-bit volume control - that is the highest quality digital volume solution that currently exists
It has a Volume Protection feature too to make sure you can't change the volume accidentally

Some times the pc setup changes frequently but I will look into all of this. Is the volt 4 the cheapest multidac you would recommend I could experiment with all of this with? I do not need any phantom power for a mic In or anything, my mic is just a simple Webcam or an atr2500.

 

[ppataki]

The Volt 4 is definitely not the cheapest, see a list here with 4 outputs (not sure how many output channels you need)

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You can start experimenting with a very cheap one but if you need quality I would choose the Volt 4 or similar