Help connecting my Simaudio gear please

[RoseKloud666]

I have this gear

 

 

Simaudio 280-D dac

 

 

Simaudio 220 i amp

 

 

PC windows 7

 

 

RSA darkstar headphone amp

 

 

 

 

I have no ideaa how all this comes together ( I havent had any amp since the meitner in early 80s and have never owned a DAC nor headphone amp . Hooking stuff up has changed since left and right in and out lol

 

 

The manual is basic , and i cant see it even with my specs on .

 

 

I sussed Sim out of DAC goes to sim in of amp ( am i correct ? )

 

 

If i want to use darkstar i go sim out dac to appropriate in s on darkstar ( ? )

 

 

Speakers are a no brainer i know where they go LOL

 

 

And once i get all this above sussed , Ie now i want to play music from my pc ( i ran DAC sim out to Darkstar in ,turned on pc and dac . Wasnt sure what to choose on dac , and how to confic the pc/software either ( i imagine in software Ie Jriver i have to make settings ? )

 

 

I setup as above and only got sound from pc , none in darkstar/HD-800s

 

 

I hope someone can help me sort this out .im real lost here and am jonesing to get it

 

all goin

 

 

It sounded amazing in the auditioning room

 

 

Cheers

[E8ArmyDiver]

PC>DAC via USB cable>220i via analog output(RCA Stereo cable).In order to also run the headphone amp you will need an RCA Splitter.This is a 1 plug in/2 analog device(integrated amp/headphone amp)out adapter.You will also need another pair of RCA Stereo cables(Interconnects).

[RoseKloud666]

Tnx mate

 

When you say " 220i via analog output(RCA Stereo cable) You obviously mean DAC out to Amp in ?

 

"The only analog out on DAC is xlr/balanced . So ill need to purchase a xlr to ? where

 

does it go into on amp ? But DAC does have a sim out and its a mini jack style not rca

 

Amp also has sim out and in (Not sure what these are for ? )

 

The only other options on amp are cd-dvd-tuner-video-aux-pre out ,also an RS232 that looks similar to vga ad IR in (Assuming thats infa red )

 

Once this is all sussed , and i open music on jriver or foobar (Likely Jriver ) do i have to set anything up here , or will i just hit play with amp and dac on and speakers plugged in ?

 

Any ideas what i choose on front of dac as source ?

 

Thanks for patience and help

 

Cheers

 

[iago]

But DAC does have a sim out and its a mini jack style not rca

 

Amp also has sim out and in (Not sure what these are for ? )

 

The small 3,5 mm connectors are probably to interconnect devices so that you can control both remotely from one remote control. They are not intended for audio.

 

From what I have seen in pictures via Google, you need two XLR to 1/4" phone plug (TSR) cables for the DAC. Connect between "analogue out" on the DAC and select one input of your choice, probably CD, because it's easier to reach. The amplifier seems to have a monitor out also, this would be where you connect the headphone amp. This requires two more TSR to XLR cables.

 

/1/ male XLR and TSR phono plug

 

Since XLR connections are directional, you need a female XLR to TSR cable for the DAC and a TSR to male XLR cable for the headphone amplifier -- but please check yourself, I always get confused with XLR.

 

/2/ female and male XLR

[jwr]

Tnx mate

 

When you say " 220i via analog output(RCA Stereo cable) You obviously mean DAC out to Amp in ?

 

"The only analog out on DAC is xlr/balanced . So ill need to purchase a xlr to ? where

 

does it go into on amp ? But DAC does have a sim out and its a mini jack style not rca

 

Amp also has sim out and in (Not sure what these are for ? )

 

The only other options on amp are cd-dvd-tuner-video-aux-pre out ,also an RS232 that looks similar to vga ad IR in (Assuming thats infa red )

 

Once this is all sussed , and i open music on jriver or foobar (Likely Jriver ) do i have to set anything up here , or will i just hit play with amp and dac on and speakers plugged in ?

 

Any ideas what i choose on front of dac as source ?

 

Thanks for patience and help

 

Cheers

 

 

Hi,

 

The 280D has both RCA (unbalanced) and XLR (balanced) analog outs. You don't need any adapters to use ordinary RCA interconnects out of the 280D into the 220i. Just plug your RCA cables into the RCA analog outs of the 280D (they're right next to the XLR outs) and then into the CD RCA inputs of the 220i. (Any of the RCA inputs on the 220i would work for this, but CD makes the most conceptual sense.) Be sure to check for directionality on the cables. Signal travels away from the 280D and toward the 220i.

 

The mini-plug ins and outs on the back of the MOON by Simaudio products don't pass music signal. They're for control signal only. On your units, the main function will be to be able to put the units in and out of standby together (e.g., engage standby on one and both go into standby). Read the SimLink section of your 280D manual.

 

You'll plug your PC into the 280D with a USB cable, which will plug into the USB in on the back of the 280D. So you'll need to set the DAC source to USB. Just cycle through the inputs until the USB light on the front panel is lit.

 

You will need to choose some settings on your playback software so it outputs to the 280D. I'm afraid I'm a MAC guy, though. So I don't know exactly where to find those settings on a PC. (I did, however, just buy a PC laptop so I can remedy this!)

 

I expect you'll be very happy once you get this running. What are you using for speakers and cables?

 

I'll just say that the sort of help you need here is the reason local dealers are so important. A local dealer worth his/her salt would see all of this set up for you and explain it on the spot. (Disclaimer: I'm an authorized Simaudio dealer.)

 

Hope this helps.

 

Good listening,

 

Jeff

[jwr]

To get your head amp into the mix, just take an analog out (RCA or XLR) from the 280D and run it to the appropriate type of input on the Darkstar. So you'll need one set of RCA interconnects and one set of XLR interconnects. One you'll use for the 280D to 220i connection. The other you'll use for the 280D to Darkstar connection. When listening with speakers, select an unused input on the Darkstar. When listening with headphones, select an unused input on the 220i. This should work.

 

Jeff

[RoseKloud666]

Tnx mate

 

Working well now

 

I havent got Darkstar in mix yet ho . I had to order cables for that

 

Cheers

 

Right now i have 2 cheapy cables running and am waiting a few days on new ones

 

Maybe thats why im hearing Amy Winehouses voice a tad sharp

 

Are there any optimal eq ? settings i can try in Jriver

 

Cheers

[FlymetotheMoon]

did you install the Simaudio driver on your pc? And also in JRiver, Simaudio recommends using wasapi settings. And please before using any eq make sure everything is setup properly. I find that eq kills the beauty of the 280d and remember the breaking in period. What is Darkstar by the way?

[RoseKloud666]

Thank you

 

All works now

 

i likely wont EQ

 

The darkstar is Ray Samuels headphone amp

 

The 280-D sounds amazing

 

My fave Miles Davis kind of blue ...wow

 

And too many other to mention

 

Oh and Martin taylor and Steve Howes releae

 

Cheers

 

did you install the Simaudio driver on your pc? And also in JRiver, Simaudio recommends using wasapi settings. And please before using any eq make sure everything is setup properly. I find that eq kills the beauty of the 280d and remember the breaking in period. What is Darkstar by the way?

[RoseKloud666]

Thank you mate

 

The small 3,5 mm connectors are probably to interconnect devices so that you can control both remotely from one remote control. They are not intended for audio.

 

From what I have seen in pictures via Google, you need two XLR to 1/4" phone plug (TSR) cables for the DAC. Connect between "analogue out" on the DAC and select one input of your choice, probably CD, because it's easier to reach. The amplifier seems to have a monitor out also, this would be where you connect the headphone amp. This requires two more TSR to XLR cables.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22552[/ATTACH]

/1/ male XLR and TSR phono plug

 

Since XLR connections are directional, you need a female XLR to TSR cable for the DAC and a TSR to male XLR cable for the headphone amplifier -- but please check yourself, I always get confused with XLR.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22553[/ATTACH]

/2/ female and male XLR

[RoseKloud666]

Right now im using Tannoy NFM 8 speakers . Im using the original vampire wire i bought with them

 

Cheers

[RoseKloud666]

Cheers

 

I got it now mate

 

To get your head amp into the mix, just take an analog out (RCA or XLR) from the 280D and run it to the appropriate type of input on the Darkstar. So you'll need one set of RCA interconnects and one set of XLR interconnects. One you'll use for the 280D to 220i connection. The other you'll use for the 280D to Darkstar connection. When listening with speakers, select an unused input on the Darkstar. When listening with headphones, select an unused input on the 220i. This should work.

 

Jeff