[kas]

I am close to buying a SP2 preamp/processor and have the following questions:
1) Think of an universal player that does Red Book CDs, SACD (multi-channel and two channel), DVD-Audio and DVD-Video.
I will have to hook up such player to pre-amp using both digital and analog inputs (analog will be required for example when playing SACD, as players do not output such signal digitally, unless we are talking about some proprietary players hooked up to proprietary processors).
So the question is, Can I make selection between analog input and digital input on pre-amp, to accommodate situation as described, as well as to have ability to chose whose DAC will do conversion (player's or pre-amp's).
The objective is to have flexibility to chose input on pre-amp, be that analog two channel or analog multi-channel, or digital, and to be able to play all formats (any sampling rate and any word length) in a way you see it fit.

2) please confirm that the DAC in pre-amp will understand all standard sampling frequencies (44.1, 48, 64, 192 kHz) and word lengths (16 or 24 bit).

thanks in advance.

kas

[Levi]

The SP2 has 2ch and 5.1 ch analog by-pass input so you can use your DVD-A or SACD player and at the same time you can connect SPDIF or Toslink if you want to use the processor dac.  I don't understand when you say playing all formats, obvously, you can only play SACD or DVD-A by selecting analog-by-pass mode.  Digital input can play the rest of the audio format.

The SP2 can only understand 24/96 Khz.  192 Khz or higher will be down coverted to 96 Khz.

I am close to buying a SP2 preamp/processor and have the following questions:
1) Think of an universal player that does Red Book CDs, SACD (multi-channel and two channel), DVD-Audio and DVD-Video.
I will have to hook up such player to pre-amp using both digital and analog inputs (analog will be required for example when playing SACD, as players do not output such signal digitally, unless we are talking about some proprietary players hooked up to proprietary processors).
So the question is, Can I make selection between analog input and digital input on pre-amp, to accommodate situation as described, as well as to have ability to chose whose DAC will do conversion (player's or pre-amp's).
The objective is to have flexibility to chose input on pre-amp, be that analog two channel or analog multi-channel, or digital, and to be able to play all formats (any sampling rate and any word length) in a way you see it fit.

2) please confirm that the DAC in pre-amp will understand all standard sampling frequencies (44.1, 48, 64, 192 kHz) and word lengths (16 or 24 bit).

thanks in advance.

kas

[Sasha]

Levi,

What happens when such player is connected via both analog and digital into preamp, and outputs signal on both analog and digital when playing Redbook CD?
Can you in that case make a selection of the input?
a) analog so that preamp will attenuate signal before pass it to the amp (not sure what is implied by analog by-pass, you can use volume controll on pre-amp, correct?)
or
b) digital so that preamp's DAC is doing the conversion.

[Levi]

Yes.  You got it for both a/b and 5.1 ch by-pass can be connected all at the same time.  It should work just fine.  Whichever input you select will then be used to ouput audio into your amplifier.  2ch Analog by-pass is the purest way in playing redbook CD if your CDPlayer has a good analog output.

Levi,

What happens when such player is connected via both analog and digital into preamp, and outputs signal on both analog and digital when playing Redbook CD?
Can you in that case make a selection of the input?
a) analog so that preamp will attenuate signal before pass it to the amp (not sure what is implied by analog by-pass, you can use volume controll on pre-amp, correct?)
or
b) digital so that preamp's DAC is doing the conversion.

[Sasha]

Levi,

Thanks for clarification.
One more question, how good in your opinion is DAC in SP2?
Where would you place it in the line-up of well known quality DACs (emphasis is on 2 channel)?
For example, how well does it compare to let's say oversampling DACs such as Musical Fidelity X-DAC V3?
Question is not only related to the choice of chip, but the rest of components in circuitry that define the final quality of analog output?

Sasha

[Levi]

I don't know.  I have not done any a/b on different DACs.  I have always like or used 2ch by-pass mode for stereo listening.  Someone should chime in about the SP2 DAC.  Cheers-Levi

[kas]

Levi,

Thanks for the response!

kas

[thomaspf]

Hi, after years of being a loyal follower I recently sold my SP1.7 when I got a chance to listen to a Lavry DA10 2-channel DAC. I was of the strong opinion that the differences in the converters would be so small as to not matter compated to the speakers and room treatments.

This comparison taught me differently and I switched to a processor that just gives me 3 decoded S/PDIF outputs that I can combine with DACs of my choice.

I can't give you any good technical explanation as to why the DA10 sounds so much better but I suppose their clever dejittering circuit is part of the secret. In the 2-channel DACs Brystn uses asynchronous recokcing chips that add their own sound signature while on the processors they lack an effective dejittering stage.

Compared to the SP1.7 the sound with the DA10 is very smooth and balanced and you can easily DBT the difference to the SP1.7. I found the the distortion test at http://www.klippel.de/aura/instructions.html an interesting tool for objective comparison of sound quality.

I have never heard the SP2.

Cheers

   Thomas