I Have a Connection Problem...Simple but not

[mtrycrafts]

Well my solid state system sparkles, fills and sound stages all over the place too.

All over the place? How can you localize that center channel dialogue?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have a connection problem too but cannot talk about it here.

 

[PENG]

Got it!!

And to TLS Guy>> Not a Bunch of BS. Not at all. Sound is WOW!!

And...Thanks to PENG for your thoughts. Almost what you stated.

The DAC is now included. TV is working. Speakers sound like the sub is on--but it is not! Sound is room-filling, and the stage is taller, wider, and a bit deeper.

OK, so here is the cable/connection route:

1. Just Music: Toslink from Oppo to DAC. RCA's from DAC to Preamp. RCA's from Preamp to Parasound a21. (Aux 1)

2. Movies/TV: HDMI from Oppo to Denon 3808ci. Denon pre-outs to Preamp HT inputs. (switch to HT Bypass)

No need to have two different systems. That is why the BYPASS switch is there.

Just had to sleep on it. We all have to remember the REASON for an AV Receiver. It's a routing machine. There are a ton of I/O on the rear. THIS is what they are fore. But unless you have spent $$$$$!! on a top-flight receiver, the DAC's inside are NOT on the level of an outboard DAC. And it doesn't matter if it's R2R or delta design. Now the last editions of Oppo might be higher level.

(my Oppo was earlier edition Oppo 93)

None-the-less, I can discard any concerns about the Focal 1028's. They are outrageous! THIS is the reason I am excited about audio.

Very Happy. The SOUND is alive with sparkle, not overly bright, and a roundness that is hard to explain but WAS NOT there before.

!!!

And wow too, how come you have the 3808 (had the similar 4308), Oppo 93 (I have 3 Opps), A21 and the 1028 Be (have one each), that's so similar to what I have. I have never use my A21 with the 1028 Be. Anyway, congrats to your success, as I mentioned before, no one can deny you of "hearing" "better" sound quality by using a separate preamp vs that of the AVR-3808CI. If it sounded that much better to you, then it is much better for you, no bs..just that it may be different for others.

 

[PENG]

@TLS Guy
My, my , my. Last week the word of the day was "parsiminous" from one of your posts.
I can't have the same word of the day this week just because you used a derivative.
But I can use the phrase of the day, "illogical dogs dinner", as my new choice for the word of the day.

Doc, you can turn a phrase. My compliments.

I read the entire thread and was bemused at several points but refrained from commenting once I saw that Doc was on the job. I am happy the whole thing turned out well enough. With both @PENG @Pogre and Doc on the job you guys had it pretty well covered. Anytime someone says their special sauce DAC is better than the obvious junk most of us are listening to my ears prick up. I think the whole thing came out OK.

Illogical dogs dinner indeed

Actually even to me (one who won't just go by ears/brains), what rightslot is doing makes sense, almost perfect sense except the Primaluna bit. That is a subjective matter though, if you can believe their specs, the Primaluna preamps would likely have 10 to 100 times higher distortions than the Denon's preamp that is based on their home made chip instead of the Prima's discrete circuit involving tubes. But then, some people may prefer the distorted sound and perceived it as "better" sound quality. It is subjective but is still science based, real and not imaginary.

 

[PENG]

So how do you level match for your comparison? Sighted only?

Have you considered the fact that many tube gear, at least those Prima ones, do have distortions at level above the threshold of audibility? Such threshold may be debatable as it has been stated by various seemingly reliable sources as 0.1%, 0.01%, even as low as 0.005% (though rarely) or as high as 1%, but 0.5% would likely be audible under some conditions by people who don't have golden ears, depending on the harmonic profile.

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you considered the fact that many tube gear, at least those Prima ones, do have distortions at level above the threshold of audibility? Such threshold may be debatable as it has been stated by various seemingly reliable sources as 0.1%, 0.01%, even as low as 0.005% (though rarely) or as high as 1%, but 0.5% would likely be audible under some conditions by people who don't have golden ears, depending on the harmonic profile.

I'm just more curious how he compared. Supposedly the better tube gear is transparent, or not, or may simply be enhanced fondling their soft glow with one's eyeballs, or their velvety knob action.

 

[PENG]

I'm just more curious how he compared. Supposedly the better tube gear is transparent, or not, or may simply be enhanced fondling their soft glow with one's eyeballs, or their velvety knob action.

That's why I single out the Primaluna, that is obviously not designed for transparency such as McIntosh's. It may be "better" though, only subjectively speaking.

 

[lovinthehd]

That's why I single out the Primaluna, that is obviously not designed for transparency such as McIntosh's. It may be "better" though, only subjectively speaking.

I know little of tubed gear as I don't want to fuss with such, but seem to remember Primaluna having some silly gear with silly pricing....plus a darling of the "audiophile" mags/blogs and such so tend to discount their use already