exaSound e18 - e20 - e28 - Info and Experiences Post All Here

[thestewman]

I am using e20 mk ii for 3 months now and this for sure is a keep. I ordered too Paul hynes sr3 psu for exa and multirail for caps zuma, coming this september.

 

Has anyone tried here a separate pre amp for exae20? I remember ted_b used a separate pre amp when he review exa but its worth more than 10k usd alone. Currently i am auditioning at home a new Audio Research LS27 tube preamp for 3 days only. What i am hearing now is a very tight and punchy base after a day of playing different flac files. One album i tried is Bob Marley.

 

I learned that this preamp needs more than 200 hrs to break in and i will not reach that to hear its potential. I hope maybe some guys here has any experience with a separate pre amp and can share it.

Thanks a lot.

 

I see you have an Anthem D2v 3D. How are you using or plan on using an analog audio preamp and the Exasound DAC with the Anthem ?

[thestewman]

You currently Have all the units I am thinking of incorporating into my system.

Would it be possible for you to compare your current setup with the Arc LS27 and then only using the Anthem 2 channel in ANALOG DIRECT without the Arc LS27.

In other words first with the Arc preamp and then only the Anthem in Analog Direct.

 

I would be most appreciative.

 

Stew

have all the

I am using Anthem for movies and concerts and some music with DSP engaged. For 2 channel I am using ExaE20 plus the ARC LS27 as pre amp (for now).

 

Arc LS27 has a HT Bypass input called PROCESSOR input. I connect ExaE20 as CD input to LS27(via RCA cable), and connect Anthem D2V to Processor input (via RCA cable). ARC LS27 has Unity Gain when using the Processor Input which will disable the VC of LS27. ARC LS27 is connected directly to my 2 channel Bryston power amp. If I want to watch movies, I will just push the button "PROC" from ARC remote control and the Anthem can use now the Bryston power amp to power the main speaker.

 

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[thestewman]

^

 

Jhameeh

 

Thank you

[thestewman]

As you may know I reviewed the exaSounds twice, once an informal review of the E20, and 45 days ago a formal CA front page review of the E28. In both cases I made a huge issue about the design of these DACs that they would allow external ps's. I then went on to describe the major upgrade I got (blacker background, more solid soundstage, fleshed out mid to lower bass, better microdynamics) when I plugged in my Hynes SR3-12. You will not be disappointed (I consider it a must-have, but then I stole mine for $180 3 yrs ago ) especially given your patience to break it in properly.

 

Brian, the SR5-12 is a 5A version of the 12V ps; our SR3-12's are 3A versions. I would expect better stability, more of everything (including dollars).....but at some point the amperes are lost to heat. I also own a Hynes SR7-18V5 (the first one Paul built in his EHD case) that is internally adjustable from 12V to 19V (18V5 represents what was needed to externally power a MAc Mini, which is what I had Paul build it for a couple years ago) and I would love to try it, in 12V mode, on the DACs like Exasound and Chord but it currently powers my CAPS Zuma pico psu (which I am quickly determining is a waste of good ps).

 

Ted

 

Are you aware that Exasound has now started building and supplying a PS with addition filtering etc for their DACs ?

I sent George Klissarov an email asking him for information as there is nothing about it on their web site.

 

Stew

[thestewman]

Stew, I spoke to George about that a month ago and he does not expect it to be to market for about six months at that time. I have heard from other sources that it might retail for around $1,000. I hope not.

 

George had it on display and operating at RMAF. When I talked with him he said the E28 PS was so well done it was unnecessary but many audiophiles were asking him to build it. I should have asked him to let me use it on a trial basis.

And yes I think it was priced somewhere above $800.00 US

 

Stew

[thestewman]

No you cannot switch them on the fly. And why would you want to ?

[thestewman]

Just got my E28. First question: There are 8 RCA outputs marked 1-8. I can't find anywhere which ones go to which channels. I connected 1-2 to L-R front, 3 to Center, 4 to SW, 5-6 to LR Rear, 7-8 empty. No sound yet, but I still am not sure about the other settings. I am using A+. Thanks, Larry

 

exaSound does need to mark the channel assignments on the outputs. No question.

 

Ted et al, why then is there channel 7 and 8? I guess this "future proofs" the E28.. but could the E28 be used for 7.1 movies?..I've asked before whether there is some sort of setup where you could feed the E28 movie soundtracks, but nobody took the bait.. As everyone knows, half decent available multichannel music pretty much max's out at 5.1.. Are these extra channels for BluRay music tracks that might be able to be played 7.1 analog out via JRiver? Is there such a thing as a 7.1 HiRez music download available anyway?? I'm not interested in doing this right now, but I'm just curious..

 

From George at Exasound

 

The channel mapping can be different for different players, that’s why we use numbers.

For J River the mapping is:

 

1 – Front Left

2 – Front Right

3 – Center

4 – LFE

5 – Surround Left

6 – Surround Right

7 – Back Left

8 – Back Right

 

Foobar allows for custom channel mapping, it is configured in the ASIO driver settings.

On Mac the channel assignments is controlled by the settings in Audio Midi Setup.

If necessary Exasound has two Flac files to trace and confirm the channel mapping

[thestewman]

I'm looking at several small size options for audio serving to place on my audio rack next to my Exasound E22 - ethernet to small computer, then USB to Exasound. My options today force me to add $140 for Windows Pro (for remote desktop control) to a $300 computer build, instead of being able to stand up a cheap tiny single purpose Linux computer. I find I can control what all goes in in a Linux box much better than I can playing whack-a-process with Windows.

 

Not exactly sure what where you are going with a small size option but here is a possibility

Use Logitech Media Server software on Linux and then control it with your cell phone or other ethernet device

[h=1] Logitech Media Server software on Linux[/h]

[thestewman]

Interesting setup and glad you enjoy the sound of it so much.

I also use a Logitech Transporter to stream Tidal, Spotify etc and Flac sources from my Unraid Nas which runs Logitech Media Server.

I wonder how you are routing the signal to the Transporter and then to the Exasound I found the sound is influenced by how it is routed. I found it best to not use any of the Transporters analog connections. They sound bad.

I have ethernet into the Transporter form the nas. Then Spdif from the Transporter to my E28. The E28 is used both in Stereo and Multichannel so I have the MC E28 outputs feeding an Audio Research MP1 MC analog preamp in home theater bypass. Flac, Wav, and streaming sources sound very good.

[thestewman]

Connected my Transporter to the E22 via coax for the experiment. I'm streaming direct and wireless to the Transporter, no computer involved - no Tidal here yet... until I can get a proper compact computer close to the equipment rack. I have the Transporter in our family room connected to the preamp via the line out connections, since I found the digital processor of the Marantz doesn't sound as good with streaming as the Transporter (by itself, or with the Transporter feeding it.) In my studio system, I've got the Transporter connected via balanced connections.

 

I really like the Logitech Media Server, and use it to stream to my studio and office. In the main house system, though, it's JRiver and JRemote.

 

Just to clarify a couple of points of interest.

You do now you can run Tidal on the Logitech Media Server without having a computer by using Ickstream.

You only need a computer for the setup.

When you say " I have the Transporter in our family room connected to the preamp via the line out connections, since I found the digital processor of the Marantz doesn't sound as good with streaming as the Transporter (by itself, or with the Transporter feeding it.) In my studio system, I've got the Transporter connected via balanced connections."

 

Do you mean you are using the analog balanced or analog single ended lineouts to the Marantz ?

If so, the Transporter sounds much better if you take the transporter's SPDIF output to the Exasound and the Exasound analog output to your preamp..