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One DAC to Rule it All

Sorry for the "click-bait" headline. The digital side of my system is an Auralic G1 sending to an OKTO DAC8 Stereo. I like the sound a lot, but I also use a DBX Venu360 digital crossover system to split the signal to my mains and subs. The DBX gets an analog signal from my preamp (Benchmark HP4), but to do its function the DBX unit converts to digital, then back to analog at 96Khz. My question is, since the DBX unit has the capability to receive a digital signal (AES/EBU), would it be better to use just one DAC (DBX) to do it all, or stick with the double converting and keep the OKTO in the system?

koestner
ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
2,859 posts
 

You system is so convoluted that I'm not sure upgrading a DAC is going to make a difference. When it comes to the audio chain, simpler usually is better. I've heard this proven more than once.

 

 

mahler123
3,081 posts
 

I’m with @soix ​​​​@ozzy62 .  Why so involved?  Now, to play Devils Advocate, I doubt that anyone here has actually heard a setup like yours, and your ears are the ultimate judge, but the conversion back and forth would be enough to drive me nuts 

koestner OP
626 posts
 

Convoluted? It's really nothing more than an active crossover (in digital form) splitting the signal between my mains and subs at 100Hz. I realize I could send the full range signal to my main speakers, and just use the DBX to the subs, but as I said I had done that for a long time and recently found that keeping the <100Hz from the main speakers gave me a nice increase in resolution. Other than going to a DEQX Premate to do all these features including the DAC from my server, I don't see any other way to get a 48db/oct. slope out to both the mains and subs for a reasonable cost. Also a 48 db/oct crossover in the analog world would be quite a complex and convoluted thing as well.

koestner OP
626 posts
 

I also want to thank everyone for sending in their thoughts. I suppose dipping my toe into the digital realm more than once is considered blasphemy in home audio, but I am getting very enjoyable sound. I am considering the DEQX route as their internal AD/DA are of a higher quality. So even though I am seeking advice, you're all correct in the fact that I just have to try out all these configurations to see for myself. I will experiment and keep everyone apprised.

davetheoilguy
122 posts
 

From my medium technical understanding, the main concern with digital replay is jitter, which is largely a function of timing, followed distantly by sample rates.

A large culprit in jitter is a mismatch or misfit in the clock or something effecting timing, from hardware limitations to design issues to noise from various power sources.

Every truly resolving system I’ve heard had separate, but matched, streamer and ;DAC in a different box with an external or otherwise isolated clock.

Nagra, Lumin, Esoteric would be what I’d be looking at, probably Esoteric for all components.

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