1) Does the Eversolo feed 🡢 the McIntosh preamp which feeds 🡢 the Moon amp?
2) One possibility is explained - here - @ 8 min. 48 sec. If so, use the RCA out instead of XLR out.
Do Audiophiles usually keep the gain of the digital source at around 80%?
My setup is:
A8 Eversolor DAC and streamer
McIntosh C12000 preamp
REL sub 810
Focal Sopra n1 speakers.
861 Moon amp
I keep my McIntosh preamp usually between 50-60% volume. Any higher would make the sound thin like.
For the Eversolo streamer (which I am enjoying quite a bit for the money), I keep between 75% -85% max gain. With older songs that are recorded at lower volume, I have it at 85%. But with songs that are recorded louders (mostly newer songs) it would cause some/slight clipping at that level so I to have lower the gain to about 75% max gain.
I saw that there was a max volume throughput option on the Eversolo, but when I try that I can’t really get the system as loud as I want it without clipping and distortion setting in early.
Is this normal for Audiophiles to keep the gain on the digital signal about 80%?
Wasn’t sure if this should go into digital forums or preamps since both are used here, so I posted here.
Showing 3 responses by steakster
OP: You might want to revisit my previous post. According to these Eversolo 8 specifications - the XLR output is 4.2 volts. The RCA output is 2.1 volts. Hans says this difference in voltage may cause clipping, Cue up Hans’ video here - 8 min. 43 sec - 9 min. 29 sec. This is why RCA might be better than XLR for this particular issue. If using the RCA output remedies up the clipping issue, set the digital volume at 100% - as everybody suggests. |
No. XLR is not automatically better than RCA. Many uber-expensive components have RCA only. The talented engineers designed the circuitry that way on purpose. (Example) Each brand has its own design philosophy. - - - There’s plenty of confusion about: - Analog: RCA - Single-Ended vs XLR - Fully-balanced. - Digital: RCA - S/PDIF (75 ohm) vs XLR - AES/EBU (110 ohm). The above are discussed thoroughly in the Audiogon archives. - - - Bottom line: Get rid of distortion. Otherwise, it's not high fidelity. |