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In Reply to: RE: Is there a DAC in the speakers? If not posted by Kody on September 22, 2016 at 19:23:40
Hmm...the XEO 2s have multiple inputs on the master speaker itself, and can also connect to the XEO hub wirelessly. I assumed that the same would be true for the more expensive XEO 4s. However, after much internet research, it looks as though the XEO 4s don't have any inputs on the speakers themselves. It's looking like they are completely wireless. I think I have no choice but to buy the XEO Hub.To answer your question G Squared, apparently the optical input goes to nothing.
Edits: 09/22/16Follow Ups:
Gosh it is hard to find the required information on the XEO4.
Yes, I think that you have to buy the Hub. It is via this box that the speaker(s) connect to the source. However the Hub provides 2 RCA jacks for analogue input and toslink, co-axial,USB and ethernet. These latter are all digital inputs so the Hub either converts an analogue input to digital or "conditions" a digital input signal to then send a digital signal wirelessly to the speaker. This must therefore must contain a DAC.
So you do not need to buy the DAC with optical output you were thinking of. You just plug the computer into the Hub as far as I can tell.
You asked rarlier what is the best way of connecting computer audio to speakers. As I think you know the conventional answer is to use a good external USB DAC. But in this case I am not so sure as the output from the DAC is, of course, analogue. Therefore you would connect it to the RCA sockets on the Hub where presumably it would be re-digitised for wireless transmission. So that sort of undoes whatever good the external DAC gave in respect of sound quality. SQ is dependent on the ADC in the Hub and the DAC in the speaker. You are also limited to a maximum of 24/96 files should higher rates be of importance to you. But the XEO40 has great reviews so I guess that these inbuilt digital devices are pretty good.
I hope that after all of your work and disappointment with the MM-1s you will have now got what you want and I wish you the happiest of musical listening.
Nt
Very hard. It's just not out there. Yesterday, I used www.worldwidestereo.com's chat function to ask one of their techs if he could explain the differences between the XEO2 nd XEO4. He offered no technical specifics. All he could tell me was the XEO4 is more musical and has a richer sound. He said that Audiodyne closely guards a lot of their technical specifications. Sure, however, I'm not asking for their trade secrets and access to their proprietary design data, just some general technical information.So I was up LATE last night (took the day off today) researching and working this stuff out. Man when I get something in my head. Anyway, after realizing that (unlike the XEO2s) the XEO4s have no physical inputs on the speakers themselves, and after realizing I had to buy the XEO Hub, I changed the plan - yet again.
New plan. Actually, no longer a plan as I executed last night and have everything on order. Busted my budget again.
Everything:
- Dynaudio Excite X14A Satin White $1600 (Amazon Prime)
- Cambridge Audio Azur DacMagic DAC $499 (Amazon Prime)
- Cambridge Audio BT100 Bluetooth Receiver $99 (Amazon Prime)I came to the realization, why buy wireless speakers when I can buy a wireless-capable DAC? Dropping the XEO4s for the X14As allowed me to get the DacMagic instead of the XEO Hub. I assume that the DacMagic is a better quality DAC than the XEO Hub, and should improve my listening experience? As well, my wife can stream from her iPhone (via Bluetooth) directly to the DacMajic rather than to the speakers. I assume that this may potentially improve her listening experience as well. Lots of assumptions. Also, the X14A doesn't have the ridiculous looking display pod plopped on top of the XEO4.
The one thing that I don't like with the X14A is the lack of digital inputs (one RCA and one XLR only). Though I doubt I would hear a difference anyway.
So now I wait. With some luck, I may be up and running by tomorrow afternoon.
I'm placing the speakers in the corners of a very small 12'x12' study. Should I place them at a sitting, ear-level position, or a bit higher?
Edits: 09/23/16 09/23/16 09/23/16 09/23/16
" The one thing that I don't like with the X14A is the lack of digital inputs (one RCA and one XLR only). "
Well if they had a digital input then that could only feed an onboard DAC so you would be back where you started in a manner of speaking.
" I'm placing the speakers in the corners of a very small 12'x12' study. Should I place them at a sitting, ear-level position, or a bit higher?"
Putting speakers into a corner is one of the the worst places acoustically. Even worse with a rear ported speaker like your Dynaudios. You are almost guaranteeing boomy bass, especially in a square room.
Try as hard as you can to just move then in from the corners even if it is only a small amount that you can manage.
For height you should tryto get the tweeters roughly at ear level.
You will also find that how you angle the speakers towards your seat (this is called toe-in) will alter the sound particularly the illusion of depth.
You may also be about to find that the cables you use also have an effect. Best not to go there this weekend :-)
Just one passing comment: there is currently some difficulty being experienced by Win 10 users with Bluetooth streaming. I thought it worth mentioning if you are a user of this OS and find that you can't get it to work. It is a known problem. Maybe MS have fixed it by now as there have been quite a few Win 10 updates recently.
Hi PAR,
PAR "Well if they had a digital input then that could only feed an onboard DAC so you would be back where you started in a manner of speaking."
You know, I have been pondering this the last few days. Why would a digital to analog converter have digital outputs? It's contradictory. However, I then considered that maybe (due to digital's rise) DACs had evolved beyond their original purpose, and that some might have the ability to clean the signal and output in digital as well. A hybrid DAC if you will.
PAR "Putting speakers into a corner is one of the the worst places acoustically. Even worse with a rear ported speaker like your Dynaudios. You are almost guaranteeing boomy bass, especially in a square room."
Damn, I just installed new corner shelves for the speakers. However, I absolutely do not want boomy bass. Unfortunately, due to the small room size, placement of my and my wife's desks, our 60" flat panel TV, and the fact that I have three 27" displays on my desk, I am pretty much forced to place them in the corners. The speakers do have a setting that can be chosen to adjust for placing them in corners. Hopefully this is effective. If not, I'll have to get creative.
PAR "Try as hard as you can to just move then in from the corners even if it is only a small amount that you can manage."
The shelves are large enough that I have some wiggle room with speaker placement. I'll post pics when I have the speakers on them.
PAR "For height you should try to get the tweeters roughly at ear level."
I did manage to get this right.
PAR "You will also find that how you angle the speakers towards your seat (this is called toe-in) will alter the sound particularly the illusion of depth."
I did read that you want the listener and the two speakers to form an equilateral triangle. Again, however, and unfortunately, not possible when I'm sitting at my desk (very wide-based and squat triangle). My reading chair, however, does come very close to forming the correct triangle configuration.
PAR "You may also be about to find that the cables you use also have an effect. Best not to go there this weekend :-)"
Cabled have been on my mind. I'm wondering if the speakers will ship with cables, and if so, will they be long enough and of good quality. Thinking I will end up buying some high-quality XLR cables.
PAR "Just one passing comment: there is currently some difficulty being experienced by Win 10 users with Bluetooth streaming. I thought it worth mentioning if you are a user of this OS and find that you can't get it to work. It is a known problem. Maybe MS have fixed it by now as there have been quite a few Win 10 updates recently."
This is a concern. Thank you for the head's up. I also read in a Crutchfield user review that the DacMagic only streams Bluetooth from the headphone jack - a deal breaker if true. I am hoping this was a one-off occurrence, and if not, has been successfully addressed.
As usual, thank you for the wealth of great information PAR. Again, I'll post pics of the setup when the speakers arrive.
Hey PAR,
Thank you for the information. It further reaffirms my research from last night. This helps tremendously as I was a bit frustrated, tired, and rushed.
Have a great weekend! I'll post again when I fire up this setup and give it a good listen.
Might have some features you like and an amp the frees up speaker choices.P.S. you sound like a budding audiophile. Advice above.
Edits: 09/23/16
Hi G Squared,G Squared "Might have some features you like and an amp the frees up speaker choices."
I do believe that the X14A will give me more flexibility for upgrade than the XEO4.
G Squared "P.S. you sound like a budding audiophile. Advice above."
This concerns me. My father-in-law is a true and longtime audiophile and has spend vast and untold sums of money chasing sonic perfection. Unfortunately, he went nearly deaf in one ear last summer. At the moment I'm painting my new speaker shelves and listening to Spotify over my integrated Samsung display speakers. It's gross.
Hope you are having a great weekend.
Edits: 09/24/16
Hi all,
Had a busy weekend. Installed and painted my speaker mounts, and mounted my X14As to them. They sound amazing. Just one thing left to do - pinpoint and eliminate the source of a quite audible hiss coming equally from both speakers.
I ordered a Jitterbug. Figured that is a good place to start.
Jitterbug installed. It didn't do anything to reduce my speaker hiss - just changed it a bit. As well, my inexperienced ear can't distinguish a difference in sound quality. I'll keep it just in case it did.
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