Digital Preamp

James Tanner · « **on:** 12 Oct 2012, 08:51 pm »

Hi Folks

I have been thinking about the idea of a Digital dedicated preamplifier given most sources today are digital outputs.

Thoughts ??

James

Marius · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Oct 2012, 08:57 pm »

Great thought!

only preamp, or combined with the BDP? Maybe with some kind of extra in/output for us analog addicts too?
nice paradigm change, instead of adding digital sources to the analog amps, we'll be adding analog to the digital world...
I'm in!

Marius

skunark · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Oct 2012, 10:19 pm »

I would love to see a a digital preamp that include at least one HDMI with ARC and a reasonable selection of optical, coax and AES/EBU.

James Tanner · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Oct 2012, 10:24 pm »

Quote from: skunark on 12 Oct 2012, 10:19 pm

I would love to see a a digital preamp that include at least one HDMI with ARC and a reasonable selection of optical, coax and AES/EBU.

What's ARC? - remote?

James

skunark · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Oct 2012, 10:43 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 12 Oct 2012, 10:24 pm

What's ARC? - remote?

James

Audio return channel.. For those that want the uncompressed over-the-air video feeds (vs the poorly compressed video from the cable provider), most TVs I've seen these days have lost their analog outputs and you can only get audio to a preamp by HDMI w/ARC or an optical output if that is even included. I don't believe it will send audio from the TV HDMI inputs or other sources though.

Jim

mrhyfy · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Oct 2012, 11:13 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 12 Oct 2012, 08:51 pm

Hi Folks

I have been thinking about the idea of a Digital dedicated preamplifier given most sources today are digital outputs.

Thoughts ??

James

James,,how about morphing the Dac 2 with volume control??

James Tanner · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Oct 2012, 11:23 pm »

Quote from: mrhyfy on 12 Oct 2012, 11:13 pm

James,,how about morphing the Dac 2 with volume control??

That's one option but I was thinking if we go down this road HDMI in might be a feature people want?

James

saveloy · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 12:05 am »

James,

I was thinking about this only yesterday. The addition of a pre-amp in the BDA-2 would be wonderful. The only issue is what to do with my phono stage........

Kyri

mrhyfy · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 12:45 am »

Quote from: James Tanner on 12 Oct 2012, 11:23 pm

That's one option but I was thinking if we go down this road HDMI in might be a feature people want?

James

that will be for the dac 3 pre!!

DustyC · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 04:37 am »

Digital preamp? Glad you asked.
How about:
1. ADC, for getting vinyl into the computer
2. DAC, for decoding CD's
3. Digital phono (RIAA curve done in digital realm, not analog)
As long as the signal is in digital form,
4. Digital tone controls
5. Digital "loudness" control
6. Room equalization w/ supplied microphone
7. Digital crossover (for bi-amping 2 power amsp)
8. Digital outputs (for a power DAC to drive loudspeakers thus keeping the whoile thing digital until the loudspeakers)

I think most of this could be "programmed in" on boards.

MellowVelo · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 02:06 pm »

James,

A digital preamp with a couple of HDMI inputs is exactly what I hope for. It would allow me to integrate my stereo system and home theater system.

Marius · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 02:34 pm »

Hi James,

What ever the technical innards of it will be, please make it connect to the existing Bryston lineup without compromise (like the rca tapeouts for the BHA and the BP26, having only 1 set of Balanced connections resulting in the hassle we have now with connecting the BDA the BHA/Bp26). Providing double pre outs or passthroughs would enable connecting New with the existing lineup.

multiple HDMI would be high on the wishlist, as in audio-deembedding Bluray/dvd/sacd audio playing. Somehow recording this digital stream would have to be possible, a problem i now have with live internetstreams. Don;t know what would be necessary for that technically, but I bet you do

I hope you can tell us about your plans, since i wouldn;t like to order a BDA2 when a BPD (? ) would have the same specs, and a bit more to beat it. How would these two machines exist next to each other? Coming to think of it, we started this thread because of the future window of the bdp2, so in fact there are 3 machines in the digital realm that coexist?

Thanks,
Marius

Quote from: James Tanner on 12 Oct 2012, 08:51 pm

Hi Folks

I have been thinking about the idea of a Digital dedicated preamplifier given most sources today are digital outputs.

Thoughts ??

James

James Tanner · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 03:38 pm »

Hi Marius

The SP-3 is really the product for those requiring multi-channel and stereo capability in one product. I was leaning more towards the customer with a dedicated stereo setup wanting a stereo digital preamp.

The BDA-2 with a few enhancements like a quality output gain stage, volume control and HDMI inputs?

james

saveloy · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 03:41 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 13 Oct 2012, 03:38 pm

Hi Marius

The SP-3 is really the product for those requiring multi-channel and stereo capability in one product. I was leaning more towards the customer with a dedicated stereo setup wanting a stereo digital preamp.

The BDA-2 with a few enhancements like a quality output gain stage, volume control and HDMI inputs?

james

James,

Make it!!!! Please, please, pretty please.

Kyri

Marius · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 03:44 pm »

James,

I'm strictly a stereo listener up to now. What I meant with the hdmi audio-deembedding was aimed at that too. Since those disc-players don't offer digital outs, the only way of getting the digital hires out of it is through their hdmi outs. your new BPD could de-embed that?
Marius

Quote from: James Tanner on 13 Oct 2012, 03:38 pm

Hi Marius

The SP-3 is really the product for those requiring multi-channel and stereo capability in one product. I was leaning more towards the customer with a dedicated stereo setup wanting a stereo digital preamp.

The BDA-2 with a few enhancements like a quality output gain stage, volume control and HDMI inputs?

james

James Tanner · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 04:01 pm »

Quote from: Marius on 13 Oct 2012, 03:44 pm

James,

I'm strictly a stereo listener up to now. What I meant with the hdmi audio-deembedding was aimed at that too. Since those disc-players don't offer digital outs, the only way of getting the digital hires out of it is through their hdmi outs. your new BPD could de-embed that?
Marius

OK I will look into that - Stereo hi-res only of course from the HDMI. Also be aware that we have run into a lot of DVD players that downsample the hi-res material internally due to copy code requirements We are seeing this a lot with the SP-3 because it displays what the Native file coming in is. I fear a lot of people think they are listening to 176 and 192 hi-res files and in fact are downsampled to 96. Another great reason for owning the BDP-1 or BDP-2 digital player.

james

PS - by the way the DUNE DVD player I have outputs 192/24 on the Optical out

geowak · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 04:09 pm »

I've got a Parasound HALO P3. It's a mid-fi unit with balanced inputs and a digital volume control. I like it very much since it's a good mate to the DACS I have and the Parasound HALO A21 stereo power amp.

I really don't know if it's a digital preamp. I guess it is. I don't have a TT or any analog equipment.

Marius · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 04:33 pm »

thanks James.

on some discs, my ud7006 doesn't even play over the digital out, only analog out. Wished for the hdmi, to get it in digital format, even if it will be down sampled. Or would you think otherwise?
`i solve this now by having the tv digital out into the bda1, but would think a bryston DA-circuit would be the way to go.

Another thing, if your aiming at this, please consider lip-sync adjustment. It is a terrible nag not to be able to correct the video with the audio-lag. or vice versa.

This the Dune: http://dune-hd.com/eng/

Marius

Quote from: James Tanner on 13 Oct 2012, 04:01 pm

OK I will look into that - Stereo hi-res only of course from the HDMI. Also be aware that we have run into a lot of DVD players that downsample the hi-res material internally due to copy code requirements We are seeing this a lot with the SP-3 because it displays what the Native file coming in is. I fear a lot of people think they are listening to 176 and 192 hi-res files and in fact are downsampled to 96. Another great reason for owning the BDP-1 or BDP-2 digital player.

james

PS - by the way the DUNE DVD player I have outputs 192/24 on the Optical out

saveloy · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 04:38 pm »

James,

If you decide to proceed with this, when can we realistically expect production to begin? Also, will the volume control be motorised?

Kyri

Alpha10 · « **Reply #19 on:** 13 Oct 2012, 04:39 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 13 Oct 2012, 04:01 pm

OK I will look into that - Stereo hi-res only of course from the HDMI. Also be aware that we have run into a lot of DVD players that downsample the hi-res material internally due to copy code requirements We are seeing this a lot with the SP-3 because it displays what the Native file coming in is. I fear a lot of people think they are listening to 176 and 192 hi-res files and in fact are downsampled to 96. Another great reason for owning the BDP-1 or BDP-2 digital player.

james

PS - by the way the DUNE DVD player I have outputs 192/24 on the Optical out

Still think you should build us a BVP-1 (Bryston Video Player) to do all this properly and work with the SP3. The BDP-2 must be 90% of the way there with its extra horse power.....

Cheers