Is my setup correct?

Compuwiz

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 16, 2003
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yep that is pretty much the idea... there may well be some "debate" on your speaker choice and for my part the lepai amp choice (i'm a big fan of the fairly large amount more SMSL SA-S3 (own this) or Topping amps.... but meh)

with the lepai you might want to locate a new 12V power supply w/ 5+ amps rather than the wall wart w/ 2A btw... you will likely find the overall performance improved by a higher amp power supply.


but the set up is correct (you have speaker wire and rca cable?


right now I'm listening to my little SMSL SA-S3 T-amp

as follows

ESXi (win8.1 preview VM) > Behringer UCA222 ($29) > SMSL SA-S3 ($60~ shipped ..came w/ 4A liteon power supply) > Optimus Pro X5 (used /not quite vintage yet) speakers $10 for the pair).


all in all pretty decent for the monies ...and the size footprint (my optimus pro X5 speakers are rather diminutive indeed) but sound pretty good...especially near-field.)
 
I'd return ALL of it. Not even joking.

The DAC should be the last thing you buy. Spend that $170 on better speakers. This isn't the early 2000s, even onboard DACs are passable. You'll get the biggest improvement from better speakers.
 
I'd return ALL of it. Not even joking.

The DAC should be the last thing you buy. Spend that $170 on better speakers. This isn't the early 2000s, even onboard DACs are passable. You'll get the biggest improvement from better speakers.

I would agree with this.
 
in fairness i did warn you.... I wanted to avoid sandbagging the stuff you have just got

the dac is nice..but i'm not sure that it makes sense to have a pretty expensive dac with the cheapest t-amp and sony speakers.

I would sort of be in favor of returning stuff and trying again.. a cheap xonar DG /DGX and a SMSL / Topping / Muse t-amp and maybe some cambridge S30 speakers

$19.99 (after rebate) dg / $60~ shipped SMSL SA-S3 (my t-amp ...awesome t-amp) and say $220~ for the cambridge S30's

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132020

(smsl sa-s3 (about $60 on ebay or $65~ from amazon marketplace)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B008Y7RZAE/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new


and

http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-S30...id=1373657562&sr=1-2&keywords=cambridge+audio


i think if my understanding of math is right this would be about $50 more than your other stuff (cause the speakers are much more but soooo nice this would be)

and you could choose different speakers and save big

I have soooo many used speakers that i've paid $50~ for that would kill if you can make room for them

right now playing JBL L1s ($40 used) or my JBL J2050's $45 or Klispch KG2.5's $50 or B&W V202's $20

or bigger DCM Timeframe TF250 $25 and Bang Olufsen RL 60.2 ~$60

you get the idea used speakers can be awesome and cheap

but skipping that

ebay polk direct monitor 30's $69 (very nice budget speakers ...will kill them sony's ) or Accessories 4 Less has

MORDAUNT SHORT Carnival 1 Bookshelf Speaker Cherry Pair

for $99

http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...rnival-1-Bookshelf-Speaker-Cherry-Pair/1.html


just some thoughts....
 
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I'd return ALL of it. Not even joking.

The DAC should be the last thing you buy. Spend that $170 on better speakers. This isn't the early 2000s, even onboard DACs are passable. You'll get the biggest improvement from better speakers.

:( :( That's never fun hearing to return everything you just got. Bust.
Are the speakers I got really that bad??

To be honest, I essentially just went to Amazon and found the most and highest rated speaker and amp and got them. I was a little sceptical of the amp being low power, but didn't really want a big receiver for just my computer. I get confused with all of the different speaker specifications and not really sure what attributes to focus on. I knew the AudioEngine DAC would be good and heard that having a really good DAC would really help, but agree that a good DAC doesn't help bad speakers.

I was originally going to get the AudioEngine A5+ but read a lot of people saying passive > active, so that's how I picked my current setup.

@atarione - what amp would you suggest I get then? Your suggested setup doesn't list an amp.
 
I took the speakers and connected them to my existing/working home theater system and can barely hear anything out of them on all settings; I think seller sent me a bad set and now I dont think they're returnable. Agghh! May have to file a dispute with Amazon/AmEx....
 
1. Get THE BEST SPEAKERS you can afford.
2. Next, spend the remainder on the amp.
3. LATER - get a DAC if the music sounds bad.
4. SERIOUSLY LATER - Room treatments, speaker mods, etc.

It isn't that your choices are bad when you look at them one item at a time. Its just a poor allocation of resources when you look at the whole setup.

Here's my recommendation:
Keep the Lepai amp. It's not the best, but it is ok for a small computer based nearfield setup.
Get this. It's nice. http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-820CH-4...23?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item4d0e6cc16f

More expensive? Absolutely. But it'll play louder than the Sony's due to higher sensitivity and it'll sound better too. Omit the DAC. Totally superfluous in this setup.
 
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I would only want speakers for a desk near-field and whole-room listening close to monitor. These seem pretty big and yeah expensive. Wouldn't the Lepai not provide enough power to those speakers?

Would these speakers suffice? (Looked at these earlier)

Thanks for input.
 
so... I've had a bit to ponder this situation you have here

and this is what I think...

DAC.. UP to U.. that dac you have is nice if you can afford it keep it... it is nice

AMP .. meh keep the lepai since you already have it.. maybe see about a upgraded power supply such as

http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-a...1373689748&sr=1-1&keywords=lepai+power+supply

this 5A unit should help the lepai out performance wise



Speakers ...in my view the sony's are the weakest of the stuff you have (especially if they are not functioning properly)

i provided some speaker suggestions before

Used (with luck and patience you could do very well w/ used speakers)...


if not used

Cambridge S30 $220
Carnival 1's $99
Polk Monitor 30s (from polk direct $90~ on ebay)
Micca Motion MB42 $60
http://www.amazon.com/Micca-MB42-Bookshelf-Speakers-Tweeter/dp/B009IUIV4A/ref=pd_bxgy_pc_text_z

many many other choices... i think the 4 i listed above are very solid choices however.
 
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A DAC/Soundcard are the biggest bang for buck in my opinion. Next I would get speakers.
 
I would only want speakers for a desk near-field and whole-room listening close to monitor. These seem pretty big and yeah expensive. Wouldn't the Lepai not provide enough power to those speakers?

Would these speakers suffice? (Looked at these earlier)

Thanks for input.

As I said they should be better matched to the Lepai due to having high sensitivity (87 in the Sony and 90 for the JBL). I've seen the JBLs used for nearfield before and I believe a few [H] members use it for NF as well.

"Would these speakers suffice?" Are you talking about JBL's I linked or something else?

Also, they are $360 w/free shipping. That is only a little over $100 than your intended setup.
 
So, I'm pretty convinced that the speakers I bought are defective. I filed a complaint with Amazon and hopefully will get a refund.

In the meantime, I appreciate everyone's input! Thanks so much!
I stopped by Best Buy and listened to the AudioEngine A5+ -- VERY impressive! Although the $400 price tag is intimidating, although I like that it has an amp that supports the speakers 75W Max output natively, the sensitivity decibiles are high, and the frequency response range is broad.

I read this speaker writeup "2013 best bookshelf speakers" and agree that the Klipsch B-20 is very impressive as well on all levels; 92db sensitivity, broad frequency range 62Hz-23KHz (compared to the AudioEngine's 50Hz-22kHz) and is right about $238.

Does this sound like a much better speaker selection?
I also think the DAC is the pinnacle foundation to a hi-fi setup, so I may keep the D1 DAC also.
 
you know what klispch would be worth it???

mah KG 2.5's I paid $50 for (mine are VG condition and kind of rule)




pretty much the op should get a refund on them sony's (if possible) and pic any number of much better ~$100ish bookshelf speakers ....
 
Speakers are, obviously, what put sound into the air around you, and as such they play the largest role in producing quality (or not-so-quality) sound. But a lot can happen to the sound between your speakers and your ears, too.

There is no clear definition of required room treatment(s). There can't be; everyone's listening space is different. But most people listen in rooms which are varying degrees away from the ideal listening environment, and so most people will see benefits from room treatments.

It's a game of balance. Aesthetics, budget, and (as with most things audio) diminishing returns typically limit the extent that treatments are applied. Most people shouldn't go out and purchase a dozen 4 inch thick panels, measuring equipment to determine placement, and etc.. But sticking some foam under your speakers to decouple them from your desk (and raise them to ear level) can do wonders.

You don't need to use expensive foam either. Packaged solutions are easiest, but making your own solutions is cheaper and just as effective. (My work was throwing out dense foam sheets used to protect servers during shipment. I brought a bunch home and made treatments out of them.)

Anyway, (basic) treatments are often overlooked, when they really shouldn't be. More "advanced" or extensive treatments, however, probably belong at number 4.

1. Get THE BEST SPEAKERS you can afford.
2. Next, spend the remainder on the amp.
3. LATER - get a DAC if the music sounds bad.
4. SERIOUSLY LATER - Room treatments, speaker mods, etc.

***snip***
 
Speakers are a very personal thing so its a bit difficult to say what you like OP. Speakers like the Klipsch have always been characterized to have a "bright" sharp sound. If this is your preference then they would be good. Other speakers like I think the Swans active sets are said to have a warmer "soft" sound. Some speakers are very bass or mid heavy for rock or movies while other speakers like the Yamahas are said to be very precise and neutral. Some speakers make bad music sound better while other speakers make bad music sound BAD (for precision sake). Most audiophiles tend to look for accuracy, tight response, good imaging, no major resonance peaks in the spectrum, and a overall flat response curve. In short, people like speakers that accurately recreate the sound as close to the original source as possible.

I just listen and use what I like since I am no audiophile. :p

I tend to like a laid back overall neutral sound that is a bit in the warm side. My bookshelves are laid back overall neutral but slightly in the bright side (I think the RS28AS tweeters are a tad bit to the bright side). Still they are very nice so I keep using them. I don't have time or the equipment to measure the frequency spectrum of a speaker so I just go by what the experts say.

As most people say, the speakers are the most crucial component of a sound system so take some time and listen to a few speakers. $400 is a decent amount of cash to spend so read up on what people often sugguest (go to Audioholics, AVS, HeadFi and other forums for suggestions). For actives, aside from the Audioengine and Emotivas, there are the Swans, KRKs, JBLs, NHTs and others. You can go to Guitar Center and listen to a few. For the NHTs, Swans and Emotivas you will have to go by what people say since they are only available on the net. If you want to go passive, there are a whole boatload of speakers to choose from. One speaker you can check out is the Infinity Primus, which often are brought up as being good budget speakers. Polks are always a standard speaker people purchase for their systems. Another speaker that I found interesting was the Usher s520 as well as the NHT Absolute Zeros (I still am considering these for my wife's PC since the speaker is quite cute :rolleyes:) but they are more expensive.

Edit: Just a quick look at some brands I have been interested in

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html
http://hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html
http://www.aperionaudio.com/speakers/intimus-home-theater-speakers/intimus-4b-satellite-speaker (speakers are a bit small so the bass is limited)
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/prod...d=184&osCsid=8f05088e04a9c284a7ee1df04c4da8a9
http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/speakers/products/airmotiv4
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108P16...696585&awat=pla&awnw=g&awcr=6535433305&awdv=c
http://www.paradigm.com/shift/powered/A2/index.php
http://www.guitarcenter.com/JBL-LSR...-Powered-Studio-Monitor-105318471-i1435841.gc
http://www.guitarcenter.com/KRK-Rok...d-Studio-Monitor--Each--104908710-i1403132.gc
http://www.guitarcenter.com/ADAM-Audio-F5-5--Near-Field-Monitor-108438656-i2771539.gc


Sorry the price jumps all over the place. Also noticed that the Usher speakers are no longer available. :(

Anyway, happy hunting. :D
 
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So I ended up getting the Klipsch B-20 on ebay, used for $175 shipped, pretty good deal I think. The speakers sound great. I attribute a lot of this to the AudioEngine DAC; it sounds amazing!! I'm going to keep the DAC.

I'm still using the Lepai small amp. Not sure how the 2A to 5A power supply will help? What would that do to the music quality from speakers?

I'm bummed that I no longer have a subwoofer, but oh well. Not sure how I would add one even if I wanted to. If my setup flow is like this...
Computer USB ==> AudioEngine D1 RCA (red/white) to ==> Lepai Amp ==> Speaker cables to Sony SS-B1000 speakers.

Then the DAC only provides 1 RCA output and the Amp only has 2 speaker outputs, no sub output. Would I need to get a different amp with 3 channels; 2 speakers and 1 LFE?

Thanks for input, everyone!
 
If your receiver/amp does not have a subwoofer output, you will need a subwoofer with inputs (usually called “high-level inputs” or “speaker level inputs.”)

Run speaker wires from your receiver (or your front left & right speakers) to the subwoofer’s high-level inputs. Don’t worry about speaker wire quality (the subwoofer’s amplifier is a resistive load meaning that, unlike speakers, all frequencies will be treated the same.) These high level inputs are not a lower quality input but they will not allow you to use the really cool crossover feature that’s built into most home theater receivers.
Since speaker wire is typically unshielded, it’s best to steer clear of household wiring. If it does need to encounter household wiring, have it cross at a 90-degree angle. If your subwoofer emits a buzz or a hum, this may be the culprit.
When using more than one subwoofer, its input wires can originate from the receiver, front left & right speakers or the inputs of the first subwoofer. Do not use the “high level outputs” to connect to other subwoofers. We recommend that these high level outputs not be used.

See this pic of the back of a HSU sub. Good subs btw.
http://home.comcast.net/~davemats/subwoofer_panel.jpg
 
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So I ended up getting the Klipsch B-20 on ebay, used for $175 shipped, pretty good deal I think. The speakers sound great.

That's great. So long as you like them, nothing else matters. Enjoy your new setup and keep us updated. :D
 
If your receiver/amp does not have a subwoofer output, you will need a subwoofer with inputs (usually called “high-level inputs” or “speaker level inputs.”)
This.

Or you can get a high to low level convert for a few £ from amazon if your sub hasnt got a high level input.
I'm using one as I write this to add a bit of extended bass to Mr Marley.
(My sub takes high level in but I havent got a connector and have a spare high/low converter.
Handy thing to have lying around, I use one on my seat shaker as well to get shakiness for everything fed to the front speakers, generally has a lot more going on than the LFE channel)
 
If your receiver/amp does not have a subwoofer output, you will need a subwoofer with inputs (usually called “high-level inputs” or “speaker level inputs.”)

Run speaker wires from your receiver (or your front left & right speakers) to the subwoofer’s high-level inputs. Don’t worry about speaker wire quality (the subwoofer’s amplifier is a resistive load meaning that, unlike speakers, all frequencies will be treated the same.) These high level inputs are not a lower quality input but they will not allow you to use the really cool crossover feature that’s built into most home theater receivers.
Since speaker wire is typically unshielded, it’s best to steer clear of household wiring. If it does need to encounter household wiring, have it cross at a 90-degree angle. If your subwoofer emits a buzz or a hum, this may be the culprit.
When using more than one subwoofer, its input wires can originate from the receiver, front left & right speakers or the inputs of the first subwoofer. Do not use the “high level outputs” to connect to other subwoofers. We recommend that these high level outputs not be used.

See this pic of the back of a HSU sub. Good subs btw.
http://home.comcast.net/~davemats/subwoofer_panel.jpg

Spaceman,
Not sure I'm following you. I'm not using a receiver in my setup.
Currently just a small Lepai T amp to my klipsch speakers.

Would I do:
Computer ==> AudioEngine DAC ==> SUB High Level Input ==> SUB High Level Output ==> Lempai Amp ==> Speakers??
 
Spaceman,
Not sure I'm following you. I'm not using a receiver in my setup.
Currently just a small Lepai T amp to my klipsch speakers.

Would I do:
Computer ==> AudioEngine DAC ==> SUB High Level Input ==> SUB High Level Output ==> Lempai Amp ==> Speakers??

No. Almost.

PC > Dac > Amp > SUB High Level Input > SUB High Level Output > Speakers

I think. I haven't done that one in forever.
 
Hmm. Then, if it went from Dac > Amp > Sub Hi ... > Speakers, then wouldn't my little Lempai not be enough wattage for a sub? Or since subs are mostly active powered, it doesn't matter, and that the sub simply takes wattage from amp and sends to speakers?

The sub itself doesn't act as an amp itself, right?

Thanks for reply.
 
Are you getting a passive or active sub? If active, the sub will be self powered and the Lepai's main purpose will be to send the analog signal to the sub and speakers and power the speakers.
 
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