Topping E70 -> X3800H -> Audiophonics as power amp - bottleneck

[Darek K]

Hi.

How narrow bottleneck is X3800H as preamplifier ?
I am aware best solution is direct connection between Topping and Audiophonics but...
...when I connect X3800H to rca inputs and Topping to xlr inputs in ampplifier, I hear 50Hz(?) buzzing when switch is on rca side.
When I unplug xlr's buzzing stops in rca "channels"

Regards.
Darek

 

[staticV3]

Loudspeakers and room acoustics are bigger bottlenecks than any somewhat decent DAC, Amp, or Preamp could ever be.

 

[Darek K]

Agree - a few weeks ago I had my desk set in a room corner corrected.
I use method described here

.
Result was wanderfull.

And disagree - a few years ago I bought a 120W power amplifier from Audiophonics. I made a set: RaspberryPi + dac-hat (I don't remember what it was) connected to AVR260 (Harman Kardon) and via preamp output to the Audiophonics. The result was poor, the same or similar to the Logitech Duet + AVR260 combo.
However, I tried to connect the RaspberryPi directly to Audiophonics and then a miracle happened. The difference was like replacing a dirty window glass with a view without any glass at all. The same room and the same speakers.

Thank you for cheering me up