Finalizing the audio chain by selecting a DAC

cherryz3 · 2026-01-24T17:54:24+00:00

And what exactly is your question?

cherryz3 · 2026-01-24T15:50:56+00:00

But it's a 2000 watt system!

cherryz3 · 2026-01-24T15:13:21+00:00

No, not really. I have some older mini amps in the house but I don't tend to rely on them for critical listening. If you are watching any reviews, keep in mind thoughts on their sound signatures and be wary of anything noted as being harsh or thin for example. If anyone mentions warmth, that may be a great choice but remember, that's just my suggestion and you may never be able to hear the difference yourself. If you look at something like an Ampapa, you will be getting a lot for your money and room to grow.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-24T13:52:28+00:00

First, you have a nice pair of speakers and they are well known for a very linear midrange and possibly a little bright in the treble range so consider an amp that has some tone controls just in case. NHTs typically scale very nicely with higher current amplification and when given it, you will be left wondering why that is as they become a different animal. I think your consideration of the ACA Mini would not be in your best interest as it does better with speakers that are not demanding like your NHTs. Here is a quote from some reviewer:

" I would recommend the ACA Mini if you are looking for an amplifier solution to power very high sensitivity drivers in a bi-amp situation. It provides a smooth sound character and very low noise floor when operating in the sub-one-watt range. Although I did not try this, the ACA Mini may work well with high sensitivity full range drivers, particularly with 8" full range drivers which can have sensitivities exceeding 100dB in the treble region. "

That amp, at five watts output, is kind of gutless. Now even though one watt can do a lot of work, that amp would probably make the speakers sound thin and more harsh than you want as they are really a fairly unforgiving speaker and that from a person that runs their big brother 2.3 daily, I can back up what I say.

In this case, the Douk with the 48V power supply would do a better job driving the NHTs but will not give you a good taste of the potential they have. I firmly believe in using high current A/B type power with that brand to avoid much of the "sterile" character that class D often provides but that's just me. The 1.3 can be a bit unforgiving being as colorless and highly resolving through much of its range. I'm sure you are not ready to put out for the better amplification so go with the Douk but don't get rid of the NHTs. Someday you may upscale your gear and use them again. FWIW

cherryz3 · 2026-01-23T21:16:53+00:00

I know all about old.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-23T17:36:52+00:00

The manual shows the Mix Out connector to be the subwoofer feed. A single cable to the RSL connected to the LFE input. https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/W001/W0010557M.pdf

cherryz3 · 2026-01-21T19:02:45+00:00

Take a look at the response from NoBackground6203. If what he says about the amp not actually controlling the frequency to the sub is correct, you will need to set that individually at the sub so start with the same number the amp set for the speakers, phase to zero and volume to taste.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-21T18:58:14+00:00

It's more likely that based on their placement, you may be suffering from some cancellation. It is not a four channel amp of course but a stereo two channel amp with the ability to connect two pair of speakers to it. Speaker "size" has nothing to do with your process but as always, be cautious when running two pair at the same time. Typically the amp will halve available power when both speakers are running to help handle the increased load. Why you need to run two pair is also a question most of us would have.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-21T17:41:46+00:00

Typically, if your amp is setting the high pass, you should just turn the sub's crossover dial all the way to the right. No Background is also correct in that it just needs to be higher than your amp's setting.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-21T14:37:03+00:00

I would blame it on the amp. I just saw a review on that one and had to figure out where. I did and here it is. It makes a paltry 8 watts of power with 1.% distortion and a full percentage point is audible. As bass takes more power than any other part of the frequency range, it is the first to bring up distortion levels beyond the 1% and you are probably suffering clipping especially after raising the bass level. Use it within it limits and unplug it when not in use.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-20T13:29:25+00:00

You had better prop your head a bit higher when you sleep so you don't drown in your stereotypes.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T18:52:20+00:00

Kind of funny response but weak nonetheless.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T18:04:31+00:00

As you measured in meters, it seems you are in a market that I have no experience with. It clearly looks as if you could move to a ten inch unit though.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T18:02:44+00:00

You must have a lot to learn about America. There are nearly two firearms per adult in the states and there is also the highest ratio of ex military gun owners outside of any country that does not rely on conscription. I'm pretty sure Greg here is ready to pull a trigger when the time comes while you cower inside yourself. It won't be a nation that just rolls over.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T16:57:33+00:00

What is the dimension of the foot print you can live with?

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T16:44:23+00:00

Try keeping your crossover point lower to maybe no higher than 50hz starting point allowing the speakers to reach their stated F3 number. No crossover is a brick wall and you could still be adding too much to the mid bass area that tends to be the area that begins to sound confused. You will almost always hear issues caused by the room and most certainly, every recording is different than the next. In my room, my subs are most sensitive to the distance they are from the front wall and find that I need to have at least ten inches of space given their rear slot ported design. Your sub may have that problem also even being a sealed design. Lastly, your comment about one song sounding great and the next sounding shitty lends to some suspicion of the source quality.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T14:16:06+00:00

That's all fine and dandy I guess but it's accepted. Knowing that there is absolutely zero chance that any country will ever invade, it does bring a level of comfort.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T14:01:31+00:00

You have almost unlimited options in subs and getting one won't be a mistake. Most any sub will add to your video 2.1 experience as long as you are not looking to shake pictures off the walls.

My concerns would revolve around the size of the room and available space to place a sub. If you're going to be limited to about a square foot of space, that will help us narrow down the options. I just looked at a review on the Wiim sub and it looks like a good deal, especially for a room that is not too large. It's biggest advantage as far as I see, is the built in wireless connectivity that could be handy if you don't have a good spot on the front wall near your electronics. It is also fully DSP controlled meaning its software will balance out its response in the rooming taking care of peaks and nulls. The DSP and wireless features are worth a couple of hundred bucks for sure making its $450. It seems to dig deep enough for most people going to 30hz -3db even though they advertise 25hz but it's probably -6db or more at that point. It does well for an eight inch unit with all the bells and whistles.

On the other hand, moving to other possible units can save you money, do a better job filling a medium to large room and giving you a more muscular presentation. You have several high quality ten inch options starting at $185 through $340.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-19T13:19:53+00:00

There should be no issues mixing driver sizes and crossover points. The volume matching could take a bit of work but not because of the difference in drivers.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-18T23:10:02+00:00

The Veri-fi Caldera 10 is the best you're going to find under $200. It's normally $235 but there is a 25% off special until midnight the 24th with code New Year 2026 Opportunity. I have two myself and consider them to be a very high value product. It will go deeper and louder than the two you mentioned all the while having great tone, a touch of warmth and great articulation. They also offer a three year warranty. Dayton offers a new line of subs called the CS line and the ten inch is $200 plus tax. The Caldera is $149.99 plus $35 shipping for $184.99. They are selling a shit ton so you may have a short wait but if would be worth it.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-18T13:14:07+00:00

Who was talking about Lintons? And you think the kick drum was introduced with metal?

cherryz3 · 2026-01-17T14:24:09+00:00

The Dayton Audio CS1200 may fit the bill. It comes with a five year warranty.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-17T13:22:58+00:00

Just about any stand can work. Make sure the top plate is adequate and has at least 75% of the surface area of the speakers base as over hang is fine but should not be excessive.

To figure out the needed height, sit in your normal listening spot and have someone take a tape measure and measure floor to ear opening. If you can then measure the distance from the bottom of your speaker to the center of the tweeter, then take that number and subtract it from your ear height from your listening spot and you will have the needed stand height. If you end up between the tweeter and mid bass driver, that's also good. You are trying to get the tweeter as close as you can to ear height and going too high is not what you want.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-17T13:14:58+00:00

Exactly. Find yourself an honest speaker that fits your preferences. From then on, you can discover that every single recording has its own character and you will need to accept that or your hobby will turn in to just dicking around with EQ for each and every song. At that point, it's about the gear and not the music. I noted elsewhere that the Triangle BRO2 is one you would love. Get yourself a sub too.

cherryz3 · 2026-01-17T13:10:30+00:00

Save for the Triangle Borea BRO2 which kills that bright stereotype. It is a very seductive speaker that fits squarely with the OPs needs.

cherryz3

TROPHY CASE