[ajstark]

 
I just bought a Audioengine P4 and Audioengine N22 for my iMac.
 
I listen to classical music and watch movies on my iMac.  My favor composer is Beethoven - I love his symphonies.
 
For the best sound quality do I need a DAC for this combination?   
 
Also do I need a sub woofer for classical music?
 
Al

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

I can't speak on the DAC but as for a sub, with Beethoven I'd recommend it unless you've got some really nice speakers. Mozart tended to stay a bit higher but Beethoven isn't afraid to play around with some darker tones. If nothing else, a decent sub will give you a more full-bodied sound, I'd say.

 

[ajstark]

 
Audioengine also makes a sub.  The Audioengine AS8 - Subwoofer.
 
I have to see how I connect this to the other two components.   More importantly I not sure I have the desk space for the sub.
 
Thanks for the answer.

 

[rockcreek]

I shouldn't think you'd want to put the AS8 - or really any subwoofer - on your desk. I thought in most home spaces, bass is largely non-directional, so you can put it a bunch of places out of the way.
 
I don't typically into a lot of noise from poor shielding, but that's just me. An external DAC will set you back a little bit; dunno if it's worth it. As for the signal chain, I'd go:
 
Mac -> AS8 -> N22 -> P4
 
Audioengine's support has been very good, for the rare time I had to use them. (I have A2s.) Please let us know how they sound, I'd love to know.

 

[ajstark]

 
I am going to put the the S8 on the floor under my desk.
 
Any particular  reason why you would hook things up like this:  Mac -> AS8 -> N22 -> P4.

 

[ajstark]

 
I just finished Beethoven's 5 Symphony conducted by Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.   When I heard the beginning of the first movement I thought WOW.   It really sounded good.   
 
I am a newbie to audio equipment and this is the best set up that I ever had.  I do not know the jargon.  All I can say is that music sounded good.
 
I hooked hook up the system this way mac -> n22 ->  S8 and P4

 

[ajstark]

I added a Cambridge Audio DacMagic to my speaker system for my Mac.
 
I do not hear much of a difference with and without the Dac.  I am taking the digital optical out from the Mac to the Dac.  
 
The only notable different is that I do not double application of the Mac and N22.  But a sound quality improvement is probably there but my ears are not sensitive enough to hear it.  
 
Either way I am enjoying this combination.  My classic music sounds really good.
 
 

 

[sizzlincok]

I dont recommend the AudioEngine S8 sub. For the price, it's not worth it honestly.
 
There are better out there for the same price.
 
If you get a quality DAC that'll increase the quality of the sound.
Same goes with the amplifier. I'm pretty sure there's better amps thank the N22.

 

[JRG1990]

There are better amps for the same price as the N22, the n22's crosstalk is quite bad at -50db and it doesn't have much power.
I don't know about the imac but it looks like the only audio output is the headphone out which is not suitable for a speaker amplier, it's also double amping which degrades the sound quality and a headphone out can't provide the correct 2vrms signal the speaker amp needs.
Any cheap dac will do you want usb in and stereo rca out thats all.

 

[ajstark]

 
 
On the iMac.  The headphone out is also a digital optical output.  I am using the digital optical output to  a DacMagic DAC.
 
What is cross talk at -50db?  
 
The music that comes from this combination of components sounds good to me.  But this is my first attempt at buying components.   Good sound quality is probably lost on me because I never experienced  it.
 
I listened to classical music and only classical.  I am not sure if that makes a difference in terms of sound quality.

 

[JRG1990]

You already have a good quality dac then you don't really need anymore or new dacs.
Crosstalk is the sepration of channels, basically a lower - number means it will be more mono sounding a higher - number means the channels are better seperated so it's more stereo sounding.
From wiki,
Crosstalk The introduction of noise (from another signal channel) caused by ground currents, stray inductance or capacitance between components or lines. Crosstalk reduces, sometimes noticeably, separation between channels (eg, in a stereo system). A crosstalk measurement yields a figure in dB relative to a nominal level of signal in the path receiving interference. Crosstalk is normally only a problem in equipment that processes multiple audio channels in the same chassis.  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_system_measurements , you should read that so you can make a more informed choice in ampliers.
 
-50db means the crosstalk is 50db below the signal, i'm not sure how audiable crosstalk is to the human ear, just -50db seems to high as other amps are generally -70 to -90db , even if that level of crosstalk is nothing to worry about i'd still question the design and quality of certain parts of the amp.
 

 

[sizzlincok]

I suggest skipping the DAC Magic. It's been proven that there are better DACs for the same price or lower.
 
Perhaps pick up a T-Amp for your P4's.
 
Look into the Topping TP21. 

 

[Hawaiiancerveza]

Is the TP21 more versitile than the N22?  I get what your saying about the crosstalk but are you suggesting that the N22 isn't really strong enough to push the P4 as the TP21 would?  I did see about a hundred dollar difference in price but I also noticed that the TP21 doesn't have any optic in or anything like that.  It kind of reminds me of a car amp.  I bring this up because I am interested in the N22, P4 and a dayton sub but I am doing my homework before pulling the plug on these beauties.   
 
Quote:

I suggest skipping the DAC Magic. It's been proven that there are better DACs for the same price or lower.
 
Perhaps pick up a T-Amp for your P4's.
 
Look into the Topping TP21. 

 

 

[Roseval]

The first thing I would advise is to do nothing at all.
As the gear is brand new, familiarize yourself with the sound before buying additional gear.
The moment you are thoroughly acquainted with the sound, that is the moment you can really judge what an additional component can do for you.
 
Subwoofer.
A lot of people like bass, in fact it can’t be load enough.
In case of classical a bass heavy system is a disaster.
It simple destroys the balance.
If possible, hear a symphony orchestra live.
Listen carefully to the double bass and the kettles drums.
They sound like ‘Zoom’.
On a lot of gear they sound like ‘Boom’
With a sub it often becomes ‘BOOM’
 
DAC
iMac analog out is not the best there is.
But a lot of cheap DACs do not really improve much on the on-board audio.
 
 

 

[Hawaiiancerveza]

I have the mac book pro.  And I have no way to familiarize with the sound.  There is no where here for me to test them out.  I can only go by reviews.  There isn't any place in hawaii that carry these products found on head-fi.  
Quote:

The first thing I would advise is to do nothing at all.
As the gear is brand new, familiarize yourself with the sound before buying additional gear.
The moment you are thoroughly acquainted with the sound, that is the moment you can really judge what an additional component can do for you.
 
Subwoofer.
A lot of people like bass, in fact it can’t be load enough.
In case of classical a bass heavy system is a disaster.
It simple destroys the balance.
If possible, hear a symphony orchestra live.
Listen carefully to the double bass and the kettles drums.
They sound like ‘Zoom’.
On a lot of gear they sound like ‘Boom’
With a sub it often becomes ‘BOOM’
 
DAC
iMac analog out is not the best there is.
But a lot of cheap DACs do not really improve much on the on-board audio.