Need your help and advice on a configuration

[mrpropre]

Good day from Paris,

First things first, apologize for not being an audio guru... I'm more a passionate individual than a professional.
But still, I hop you will be ok to share with me your best guidance, advice and experience !

My objectives are :

1. Get the most of my system (quality wise) on both stereo and Home Theatre.
2. Try to keep a decent user friendliness, I have a wife and possibly future kid .

I made a few drawings to summarize where I am today so it can be easier for everyone.

Thanks !

Gaël

 

[Darvis]

Hey there southern neighbor

Generally speaking I think your life will be easier with a receiver or preamp, option 1 then. The XMC-1 has been tested and wasn't good (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...urements-of-emotiva-xmc-1-gen-2-pre-pro.9225/ ), of course the XMC-2 could very well be great. In any case, everyone will tell you that Dirac is a valuable addition, so there's that.

Maybe wait for a test of the new NAD 778? It's 1K less expensive and has power amps in case you need them in the future. With a bit of luck it measures really well.

 

[HTNut1975]

Hmm.. I would think the Xmc 2 might have more in common with the RMC-1 than the XMC-1 gen 2. But I agree, the t778 looks sharp and may be worth considering as well. I think xmc-2 could end up being a super bargain if they can finalize a stable unit with Dirac. If the rmc1 is any indication, that may end up being the best measuring unit in this generation of processors.

 

[rccarguy]

Get a avr.

Or get divorced, get your own place, man cave and go stereo analogue pre, stereo DAC, av pre, 16 monoblocs,77" oled for TV series, 4k laser projector for movies, 85" qled for games, four subwoofers, and one lazy boy next to a mini fridge

 

[renaudrenaud]

Welcome. I think the advice for divorce is the best one. After that, you will have plenty of time to test all off your ideas.

 

[North_Sky]

You know what you're doing, it's obvious (Option 1)

Stay safe stay entertained ...

 

[kaa]

I have tried and so far have been unable to separate the A/V path for HT use because I wanted to share the Audio path with 2ch music with a good DAC. It gets far too complicated even if it can be achieved.

 

[JeffS7444]

Okcto does not appear to decode Dolby or DTS surround so I'm thinking it's not appropriate for your needs?

 

[rccarguy]

I have tried and so far have been unable to separate the A/V path for HT use because I wanted to share the Audio path with 2ch music with a good DAC. It gets far too complicated even if it can be achieved.

Dead easy I've done it myself. Squeezebox, dac, analogue pre amp, av amp, power amps

 

[mrpropre]

You made my day guys ! I’ll divorce then, tempted by the idea of having this lazy boy near the fridge . More seriously, entertainment is indeed the ultimate goal, an AV Processor might be the best option then... but how can these expensive machines can have such poor performances ? Unbelievable.

@rccarguy, thanks for the idea but I lost you. Could you describe in more details how you achieved it ?

 

[HooStat]

Is there a way to get the 6 digital signals for the 5 channels + 1 sub out of the Mac? Or does that require a special PC with a specific card?

 

[Inner Space]

Or get divorced, get your own place, man cave and go stereo analogue pre, stereo DAC, av pre, 16 monoblocs,77" oled for TV series, 4k laser projector for movies, 85" qled for games, four subwoofers, and one lazy boy next to a mini fridge

We need ASR testing on mini fridges. Most are noisy. Got to be a quiet one somewhere.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is there a way to get the 6 digital signals for the 5 channels + 1 sub out of the Mac? Or does that require a special PC with a specific card?

HDMI or USB or Ethernet

 

[zeromodulation]

You made my day guys ! I’ll divorce then, tempted by the idea of having this lazy boy near the fridge . More seriously, entertainment is indeed the ultimate goal, an AV Processor might be the best option then... but how can these expensive machines can have such poor performances ? Unbelievable.

@rccarguy, thanks for the idea but I lost you. Could you describe in more details how you achieved it ?

I am likely very wrong, couldn't you simply you apply a HDMI Arc/I2S splitter/extractor prior?

 

[Racheski]

Get a avr.

Or get divorced, get your own place, man cave and go stereo analogue pre, stereo DAC, av pre, 16 monoblocs,77" oled for TV series, 4k laser projector for movies, 85" qled for games, four subwoofers, and one lazy boy next to a mini fridge

The new LG OLEDs are g-sync compatible, so you can skip the 85 in QLED for games and put the extra cash towards a Kegerator.

 

[HooStat]

HDMI or USB or Ethernet

Into what? A miniDSP? Or perhaps all the DSP is done in the Mac, so just straight into the DAC then?

 

[McFly]

Get a avr.

Or get divorced, get your own place, man cave and go stereo analogue pre, stereo DAC, av pre, 16 monoblocs,77" oled for TV series, 4k laser projector for movies, 85" qled for games, four subwoofers, and one lazy boy next to a mini fridge

Or get a partner thats also into it and helps you build speakers

 

[HooStat]

Into what? A miniDSP? Or perhaps all the DSP is done in the Mac, so just straight into the DAC then?

I guess my real question is, if we have more than 2 channels, how do we get information from the HTPC into multiple 2-channel DACs? Or can this only be done with multichannel DACs?

 

[mrpropre]

I guess my real question is, if we have more than 2 channels, how do we get information from the HTPC into multiple 2-channel DACs? Or can this only be done with multichannel DACs?

@HooStat, very good question indeed. I guess the Mac can do the DTS/DD processing right ? If we succeed in splitting the 6 signals from the Mac then we can use multiple 2-channels DAC or a multichannel DAC (Okto dac8 Or similar).

The flow would be the following :

STEP 1 : You Play Music Or A Movie On Your Mac
↓
STEP 2 : Your Mac (or an additional external device) Decodes the Digital Audio Signal (DTS-HD, DD, etc.) and split it in 6 outputs
↓
STEP 3 : External HIGH QUALITY DAC(s) (multichannel or multiple 2-channels DAC) Receives the 6 outputs signalsPs : ideally the Okto dac8 would do this part and the global Volume Control
↓
STEP 4 : Signal is sent to my Active Studio Monitors.​

So the big question is : how to get the 6 signals out of the Mac ? Any idea ?

 

[rccarguy]

Av pre amp pre outs into a stereo analogue pre amp into HT bypass input or live level inputs.

Cd player and Squeezebox into dac
Dac into stereo analogue pre amp line level inputs
Stereo pre amp pre outs into power amp

Calibrate levels.
If stereo pre amp has HT bypass, in av mode then in use volume control on stereo pre does nothing

If stereo pre amp lacks HT bypass then need to use line level input then set to marked level (say 12 o clock) whenever you use in av mode.

That's my system above (stereo pre amp lacks HT bypass) not difficult to use but I'd say for family a bit much