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

[wappinghigh]

Wap, as long as you are in PCM you can have JRIver do a channel map (have any channel mapped to any output). It is slightly useful for those weird DVD-A's that don't follow the l/r/c/lfe/ls/rs map. It's in the parametric eq section (Weird but oh well). I use that section to let JRIver know that when I play PCM mch to do a bass boost in the lfe vs when playing DSD (and the DSP section is not active for DSD anyway, so no need to remember).

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9245[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]9246[/ATTACH]

Ted thanks so much for that (as always). Generally I'm not into DSP.. but when the need arrives. Good to know how it's done! Curious.. now you've raised this, can the E28 be used with JRiver for Movie soundtracks straight out of the PC? Obviously not the Mac (yet)..but can you use this DAC for Home theatre sountrack processing?

[wappinghigh]

My planned multichannel music surround setup..with one error (R rear for the E28)..

 

E28 directly attached to Rotel 6 Channel Power Amplifier RB-976 mkII Bridged 3 channels L, R,C Rotel RKB2100 Surrounds (rear) KEF speakers

 

JRiver Control on mixing desk. Side wall of studio.

CCE00000.pdf

[weedos123]

One of the pleasures I really look forward to with my E28 when it arrives is the totally simplicity of the surround set up. It's just going to be plug it into the MAC, each analog out to a power amp> Speakers > manually trim the channels and I'm done.. No processing, no HDMI, nothing. It's going to be bliss…

 

 

I've had an e28 for about a month now and that's exactly how I've set it up. Bootcamped mac mini running Jriver (till the mac version catches up)Works for every music and video file I've thrown at it. Good enough for my ears and equipment, probably could be improved by fiddling, complication and more cash but. Simple bliss indeed.

[Kal Rubinson]

^ OMG.. I *so* agree with the above post by Kal.

 

One of the pleasures I really look forward to with my E28 when it arrives is the totally simplicity of the surround set up. It's just going to be plug it into the MAC, each analog out to a power amp> Speakers > manually trim the channels and I'm done.. No processing, no HDMI, nothing. It's going to be bliss…

Welcome to the club. I insert a high quality analog preamp between the e28 and the power amps for 2 reasons. One, it allows me to switch to other sources easily. Two, it allows me to control the volume with a remote control more easily than with the exaSound pop-up.

 

OTOH, I am not so sure we are in complete agreement. I am advocating the use of room correction for both MCH and stereo since it is needed in the vast majority of listening rooms, regardless of the number of channels or the number of ears in use.

[wappinghigh]

..I'm happy to settle for room correction with the sub.. Because I haven't the faintest clue about selecting the correct settings or positioning for a sub.. So what small sub would ya 'll recommend to work with the E28? Musical sub of course.. Would something like one of the Velodyne EQMAX series be OK?

[Kal Rubinson]

..I'm happy to settle for room correction with the sub.. Because I haven't the faintest clue about selecting the correct settings or positioning for a sub.. So what small sub would ya 'll recommend to work with the E28? Musical sub of course.. Would something like one of the Velodyne EQMAX series be OK?

I don't know what the e28 has to do with a choice of subwoofer since all the DAC does is convert any .1 (LFE) signals to analog.

 

You need to select a sub to suit your room and the power levels of the main channel speakers. Not sure how you intend to EQ the sub.

[wappinghigh]

Thanks!..The idea being I use a sub like the Velodyne with it's own automatic roomEQ in it (for sub only)…simply because I find it hard to manually equalise subs.. the other channels I leave to manual adjustment..

[wappinghigh]

Sorry still confused. So how is it best to set up a sub direct to the E28?

 

Which kind of sub and via what connection would be best for music?

 

Several subs (my current one is a REL) have both a hifreq (via speaker connection back to the amp..to be used to add base to a set of stereo speakers) and a low frequency sound (RCA or "LFE" input for movies).

 

What's the best sub setup with the E28? I won't be using a preamp.

 

I"ll obviously have to plug in the sub via RCA to get the sub channel playing, but do I also have to connect up the sub to HiFreq as well?

 

Or should I just swap subs to something that just handles everything via the RCA (LFE) output…

 

If so..what sub? Maybe the Paradigm..say the DSP3200?

 

Thanks again.

[Kal Rubinson]

Sorry still confused. So how is it best to set up a sub direct to the E28?

 

Which kind of sub and via what connection would be best for music?

 

Several subs (my current one is a REL) have both a hifreq (via speaker connection back to the amp..to be used to add base to a set of stereo speakers) and a low frequency sound (RCA or "LFE" input for movies).

 

What's the best sub setup with the E28? I won't be using a preamp.

 

I"ll obviously have to plug in the sub via RCA to get the sub channel playing, but do I also have to connect up the sub to HiFreq as well?

 

Or should I just swap subs to something that just handles everything via the RCA (LFE) output…

 

If so..what sub? Maybe the Paradigm..say the DSP3200?

 

Thanks again.

This is OT, of course, but what are you trying to accomplish?

1. Using the sub only for LFE

2. Using the sub for bass management (i.e., bass redirected from main channels)

3. Both

[ted_b]

Wap, I'd ask that you take your sub (bass eq) questions to another thread. They have NOTHING to do with an exaSound DAC choice.

[wappinghigh]

Sorry Gents. Appols. I thought my sub q was OK..because I thought it was relevant to the E28: The sub being the most difficult thing to get right in a surround setup as you know. Given the E28 is clearly designed to be plugged direct into power amps or powered speakers. (and therefore not into a preamp that might be able to give you bass management and room eq)…. It's actually recommended by Exasound that you set the E28 up that way BTW.. Anyway, so given this set up: what to do about the sub? (which at the end of the day is basically just another powered speaker!) That's why I thought it was relevant. Oh well. Sure. Ive asked about subs that have independent room EQ elsewhere..

[astrotoy]

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

[ted_b]

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

 

Yes, yui guessed right.

[bmoura]

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.

[wappinghigh]

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..

[bmoura]

Ted et al, why then is there channel 7 and 8? Is that for 7.1 movies?..Because as everyone knows multichannel music pretty much max's out at 5.1.. I've asked before whether there is some sort of setup where you could feed the E28 movie soundtracks but nobody took the bait.. Are these channels for BluRay music tracks from JRiver? Or could they be used in a Movie playback setup? I'm not interested in doing this but I'm just curious..

 

I assume that exaSound made the e28 an 8 Channel DAC to allow for up to 7.1 playback. You can look at it as future proofing for beyond 5.1 playback. At the price, it's a deal.

[wappinghigh]

^Sure.. Man oh man... I'm beside myself waiting for this thing!!! I just about can't even sleep hahaha

[bmoura]

^Sure.. Man oh man... I'm beside myself waiting for this thing!!! I just about can't even sleep hahaha

 

I just received the Paul Hynes SR3 Power Supply that Ted and others here have raved about. Looking forward to adding that to my e28 setup.

[wappinghigh]

^Unreal! Yeah.. I forgot that.. it can be powered off grid.. Awesome..!! Bring on JRiver running on a battery operated fanless Linux NUC..Or Miska's HQPlayer running on something even smaller..

[astrotoy]

I got my e28 running this evening. So far, a lot of fun playing multichannel - the reason I bought it. One interesting thing I have found so far - most of the albums (which all come from my SACD rips) are 5.0 as indicated on the control panel of the e28. I have found one 5.1 indicated, that is the Telarc Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony. I can tell that my sub is rumbling there.

 

One question - I am using A+ to play the mc files on the e28. I followed the directions from the website blog and had to disable settings I use for playing the A+ through my Berkeley USB/BADA2. I am assuming that I will have to reset the preferences in A+ (and maybe the Audio Midi settings too ) to get back to the sound of the A+ through the Berkeley system. For convenience, I tried to play one of my CD rips on the e28 and it worked fine. Don't think the sound was as good as the BADA2, but I couldn't easily do a comparison, not a comparison with DSD files played through both.

 

One idea I had was to create two instances of A+ with different preferences so I could much more easily switch. Is this possible? I don't mind buying a second license, although I wouldn't be playing both at the same time.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks, Larry

[tgx78]

 

Teddy Pardo 12/2 Power Supply arrived few days ago..

It's been continuously burn-in for 72 hours and settling in nicely.

using Nordost Vishnu power cable to the power supply, sound is simply crystal clear..

as matter of fact, I had to change my speaker position..

tweeter facing outside to calm down whole thing little bit.

[ted_b]

I just received the Paul Hynes SR3 Power Supply that Ted and others here have raved about. Looking forward to adding that to my e28 setup.

 

Let it break in quite a bit. During the process the sound is all over the place, unfortunately.

[ted_b]

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks, Larry

 

Larry, I don't use A+, I use JRiver. In that player there is only one variable I change in the DSP studio (along with picking the 8 channel driver, of course). The remaining issues like bass management, etc have to do with channels other than the fronts (channels 1 and 2) so they are not affected when playing stereo, and automatically turned off when playing bitstreamed DSD in either case..

[Kal Rubinson]

One question - I am using A+ to play the mc files on the e28.

What is A+?

[The Computer Audiophile]

What is A+?

Audirvana +