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Post by Slinger on Nov 1, 2017 2:56:59 GMT
As mentioned in another thread I've just built a new PC which I am going to use mostly for making music and some gaming (sad old git that I am) etc. I even bought a cheap steering wheel and pedals set, which is perhaps a little odd as I've never actually learned to drive. Soundwise I'm currently using a Bushmaster DAC from the motherboard optical out feeding a little Topping Class D amp. I was stupid enough to investigate "all-in-one" solutions tonight and spotted the SMSL Q5 PRO, so I ordered one. Of course, one of the amp's features is a subwoofer output, so I found a used Eltax Thunder 8" sub on eBay, and bought that too. I am not buying any more speakers though. I'm using the last pair I had in the house that were (like me now) currently unemployed - the very first "hi-fi" speakers I ever bought, a pair of Celestion DL4 Series 2s. That'll make the third Chinese amp I'm using in various places around the house and bring the total of speakers used up to 15...and I'm living in a 2 up 2 down maisonette. Should I count the 2 guitar amps and the bass amp? Maybe not. So, that's the new box sorted I think. The Klipsch Image One headphones that I bought for it are a great success. They're light as a feather, extremely comfortable and sound pretty good too. I've got a Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen Audio Interface hooked up for guitar and any * shudder* vocal duties plus an Alesis 25 key USB/Midi Keyboard Controller. The only thing left for me to do is to start photographing the copious amounts of stuff I've been too lazy to sell up til now, and then wait for the next eBay "sell it for a £0.01p fee" event. I hate these nights when I have trouble sleeping. They cost too much.  |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 1, 2017 6:23:44 GMT
A Raspberry Pi streamer in every room and you'll be done!
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Post by Slinger on Nov 1, 2017 10:45:09 GMT
A Raspberry Pi streamer in every room and you'll be done! A bridge too far methinks.  I must admit, I'm really having fun with these little Chinese amps and DACs. I don't know if I've just been lucky so far but they really do seem to excel in the bang for buck department. |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 1, 2017 10:57:23 GMT
SMSL are good, I like the amp I'm using on my home PC.
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Post by Slinger on Nov 4, 2017 0:30:24 GMT
The SMSL Q5 PRO turned up today and slotted straight into the system. So far I think it's an absolutely brilliant piece of kit. If you want improved sound from your computer and you've got a spare pair of speakers sitting around then this is definitely worth trying out. DAC and amp combined, it'll take audio from your computer via optical and co-ax S/PDIF or USB. It supports up to 24 bit sampling rate (auto detected) and the USB sampling rate is 44.lKHz-96KHz while the optical and coaxial is 44.lKHz-192KHz. It has 7 preset EQ modes and more importantly a setting that switches them off, a dedicated subwoofer out which I haven't tried yet (the sub should be arriving on Monday) and it came with a USB lead (cheap and nasty, but it works) and a UK figure 8 power lead for the 24v brick. It has a small footprint (137mm x 103mm) which is great on a crowded desk, a nice clear, bright, and comprehensive display and the finishing touch is a neat little aluminium remote control and not the cheap plastic variant that is so often seen. At £65.99 these are stupidly cheap. Sorry if that all sounds like a bit like an advert, but I really do think it's a great little DAC...errr...amp...errr...Damp?  |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 4, 2017 8:37:18 GMT
Looks tempting, Paul.
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Post by Clive on Nov 4, 2017 10:23:57 GMT
A Raspberry Pi streamer in every room and you'll be done! I'm thinking about buying more Pis. How does volumio.local work when there are more than one Pi on the same wifi? |
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Post by Stratmangler on Nov 4, 2017 10:39:37 GMT
I'm thinking about buying more Pis. How does volumio.local work when there are more than one Pi on the same wifi? The same as a Squeezebox/LMS would. The players will all have their own unique Mac addresses, and their own IPs on the network. It's easier to give them names. Select the player/s and tell 'em what to do. |
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Post by Clive on Nov 4, 2017 10:53:01 GMT
I'm thinking about buying more Pis. How does volumio.local work when there are more than one Pi on the same wifi? The same as a Squeezebox/LMS would. The players will all have their own unique Mac addresses, and their own IPs on the network. It's easier to give them names. Select the player/s and tell 'em what to do. I get that....volumio.local translates to the IP address for he Pi. This works fine for me around the house using any device I care to pick up. What happens to volumio.local when there's there's more than one Pi. Of course I can use the required unique IP address in the first place but volumio.local is quite convenient. Does it become volumio.local1 and volumio.local2? Edit: I've just read that the 2nd one becomes volumio-2.local |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 4, 2017 11:44:32 GMT
I find it gets confused, despite naming them Volumio, Volumio2 etc.
It's easiest to use an IP scanner and browse to them by IP address.
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 4, 2017 12:05:43 GMT
I just keep them as shortcuts on favourites lists - Volumio Main, Volumio Upstairs etc
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Post by julesd68 on Nov 4, 2017 12:14:39 GMT
The SMSL Q5 PRO turned up today and slotted straight into the system. So far I think it's an absolutely brilliant piece of kit. I nearly bought one of these, they look superb. I'd definitely have one for a second system if I needed one. I bought a simpler SMSL without the DAC to be used with the TV. Perfect for the job, the clarity is fantastic. Which sub did you order? |
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Post by Slinger on Nov 4, 2017 13:32:06 GMT
The SMSL Q5 PRO turned up today and slotted straight into the system. So far I think it's an absolutely brilliant piece of kit. I nearly bought one of these, they look superb. I'd definitely have one for a second system if I needed one. I bought a simpler SMSL without the DAC to be used with the TV. Perfect for the job, the clarity is fantastic. Which sub did you order? I got a used Eltax Thunder 8, Jules. Nothing special but it'll fit where I need it to, which is under a small side table. I'm using a pair of Eltax HT-2 "bipolar" speakers for the rears in my 5.1 system so I know the brand, whilst far from top-drawer, is at least serviceable. Does your telly have an optical out, Jules; mine does? If so it might be worth considering one of these, or something similar, as a possible step up in sound quality...and you could add a sub.   |
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Post by julesd68 on Nov 4, 2017 13:54:56 GMT
Yes my TV does have digital outputs but wasn’t sure whether having a digital amp would make much difference with TV sound. Could be something for a later date … I'm kind of tempted to try one of those 5 quid DAC's that ChrisB found. One thing my baby SMSL does have is sub out - the only problem is that my mrs is quite averse to any more bass in the place … I do quite fancy a Yamaha YSTF-SW050 which is small for a sub, but probably not quite small enough for me to sneak in unnoticed.  |
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Post by Slinger on Nov 4, 2017 14:58:52 GMT
The Yamaha's a nice looking little unit and quite wife-friendly, although I'd be looking at something with a slightly larger driver; at least 8", probably a 10". I use a 10" Wharfedale.
The common misconception about subs is that they sound like that idiot in the car next to yours at the traffic lights when in fact they should be one part of the palette used in your sonic painting, not three coats of red gloss on the bloody wall. In reality you shouldn't notice a subwoofer, you should just notice that your movies sound a bit more like the studio intended them to sound. A decent powered sub will let you adjust not only the volume, but the crossover frequency too, so it doesn't have to BOOM all the time.
As you know I'm a 5.1 lover, and I've embraced 3D, but ONLY when it enhances my experience. Perhaps it's just me, but if the 'hero' is in the woods, and someone is sneaking up on him, and I hear a twig snap behind me and to the left, that's good, it's how the studio wanted me to hear it. The same as having the sub filling out the sound and only making the room shake a bit when there's a huge explosion or similar. My golden rule is that the first thing you need to get sounding right is the speech, and then you build on that.
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Post by MartinT on Nov 4, 2017 23:09:09 GMT
There are plenty of frequency spectrum phone apps around, which will help with the basic setup (crossover frequency and gain) before fine tuning.
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Post by julesd68 on Nov 5, 2017 13:24:58 GMT
The common misconception about subs is that they sound like that idiot in the car next to yours at the traffic lights  |
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Post by Slinger on Nov 5, 2017 16:51:38 GMT
The sub arrived at lunchtime, much to my surprise after yesterdays aborted delivery, and my first impressions are positive. The Celestions still provide a decent enough sound after all these years and the addition of the sub just fills it out nicely.
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Post by rfan8312 on Dec 23, 2017 21:45:09 GMT
I noticed the mention of waffling, therefore I felt less guilt when considering the abundant inanity of the following question.
My set of headphones, the Grado 325e, magical, they sound twice as good when plugged into the old laptop that I was given as a hand me down gift from my mom when she got a new laptop.
I almost bought the red DragonFly USB DAC, and now I don't need to because just plugging 325e into the laptop is enough to gain soundstage, bass extension, clarity, imaging. It's some of the best sound I've ever heard, I don't know why I would need much more from headphones. I'll buy a Jotunheim soon though.
How is it possible if there were never any upgrades made to the laptop? It just has it's stock DAC in there.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2017 22:28:53 GMT
Yes my TV does have digital outputs but wasn’t sure whether having a digital amp would make much difference with TV sound. Could be something for a later date … I'm kind of tempted to try one of those 5 quid DAC's that ChrisB found. One thing my baby SMSL does have is sub out - the only problem is that my mrs is quite averse to any more bass in the place … I do quite fancy a Yamaha YSTF-SW050 which is small for a sub, but probably not quite small enough for me to sneak in unnoticed. I till have a Yamaha HS-8S' Sub i was using with a pair of Yamaha 'HS-7' Active monitors. My Synthesizers are boxed away now so never gets used. I might give it a try with the stereo. |
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