.Hi guys,
This is a useful thread ...... have just bought a XR70 amp-reciever and a S97 DVD player plus a pair of Wharfedale Evo 30s. I'm a relative newby to quality audio although have always had an interest .......
The panny pair I bought because both have HDMI and the S97 will also upscale standard DVD to 720p and 1080i. Keen on HDMI because it seems to be the future ..... just one plug and lead does it all or nearly all ..... seems to me soon everything will have a HDMI, just like the USB is now almost the universal computer interface.
Also attracted to the digital amp in the XR70 .... and with the HDMI interface between the XR70 and S97 its a straight through digital process almost to the loudspeaker, excepting I think the final LC smoothing circuit. So no DAC's in the digital path and much more power efficient, less heat, smaller unit, more positioning options etc etc.
Interesting description of digital amps at:
http://sound.westhost.com/articles/pwm.htm#1In the meantime have been setting up the panny pair and bi-wired and bi-amped the A and B channels to the hi and low frequency binding posts on the Evos. Results seem pretty wonderfully stunning .... but dont really have much experience to make an "audiophile" judgement.
But can say the base from the Evos feels to be well extended ..... I do have a small Aiwa sub, but for most listening the sub seems to quickly add too much base (room is about 17 x 13 feet), so mostly set the sub volume to about 0.35 FS and select 60 hz cut off. On the XR70 have of course selected "Large" for the two R and L front channels (so amp does not apply the 100hz cut off to the Evos). Then use the remote to set the sub-woofer to about 5/20 for classical music. So I am getting base from both the Evos and the sub as per previous posts re the XR70 set-up for subs etc.
Max sub setting on the XR70 is 20 units and in combination with the Evos thats way too much ..... terrible base booming, so have put the sub setting to about 5, and the opening to Also sprach Zarathustra then comes through with an impressive but well behaved basal line.
For pop music with the usual heavy base, the Evos seriously pump out the low end and the room shakes and I dont seem to need the sub at all, so mostly set the XR70 sub control to zero for pop/rock ...... but then I am not into heavy duty metal .....
The XR70 specs indicate the response is near flat out to plus 80khz ..... some digital amps are reputed as being too bright and clinical. However the trebble from the XR70 plus Evos is to my ear is detailed and textured but not shrill, hard or bright .... I read that Wharfedales are generally neutral to warm rather than bright re trebble, apparently the use of silk or textile tweeter material (rather than metallics) is part of the story. Anyhow the Wharfedale Evos seem to compliment the XR70 just fine.
The XR70/S97 were well priced here in Auckland, NZ ...... particularly compared to Denon analog equipment. OK Denon has a very solid name in quality audio ..... but I see from a bit of web surfing re digital amps that Denon are using TriPath digital amps in some of there smaller systems. Time will tell where the digital road is heading.
Waaihoek
