[Fingerling]

Hi,
 
I simply need some opinions about a change in my modest hi-fi configuration.
 
I have a SMSL SA-50 paired with a V-DAC. I plan to replace them by a home cinema amplifier: the Yamaha HTR-3067. I will keep my Eltax Monitor III as speakers.
 
I know that home cinema amplifier are not recommended for hi-fi, but compared to my class D amplifier and my mid-range DAC, how will music sound with this AV receiver? Not as good, better, differently?
 
Thanks in advance

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I simply need some opinions about a change in my modest hi-fi configuration.
I have a SMSL SA-50 paired with a V-DAC. I plan to replace them by a home cinema amplifier: the Yamaha HTR-3067. I will keep my Eltax Monitor III as speakers.
I know that home cinema amplifier are not recommended for hi-fi, but compared to my class D amplifier and my mid-range DAC, how will music sound with this AV receiver? Not as good, better, differently?

 
My two cents.
You can replace the SMSL SA-50 with the Yamaha HTR-3067, but still use the V-DAC.
Connect the V-DAC to the RCA analog input on the back of the Yamaha.
 
Check out this link, this place seems to have some nice prices for A/V receivers.
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html?skip_redirect_suffix=&view_id=57616b5e4aa3223f42e302cd69ecd5bf06802ec3&mode=&search_query=&category=&thumb_sort=store_price.asc
 
I understand replacing the SMSL SA-50, but does it have to be with an A/V receiver?
Might be better to buy a nice stereo amplifier?
 
What sources are you using for audio?

 

[Fingerling]

Thanks for your answer.
 
This receiver already include a DAC (Burr Brown), what is the interest in still using the V-DAC?
 
Thanks for the link, but I live in France so the shipping and fees will cost me more than here.
 
I'm satisfied with my SMSL SA-50, but I want to enjoy the surround sound (especially via the Silent Cinema phone out) and have more connections. 
 
I use FLAC files (16-44.1 and 24-192) on my PC (JRiver) which is actually connected to the V-DAC. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Thanks for your answer.
This receiver already include a DAC (Burr Brown), what is the interest in still using the V-DAC?
Thanks for the link, but I live in France so the shipping and fees will cost me more than here.
I'm satisfied with my SMSL SA-50, but I want to enjoy the surround sound (especially via the Silent Cinema phone out) and have more connections. 
I use FLAC files (16-44.1 and 24-192) on my PC (JRiver) which is actually connected to the V-DAC. 

 
I myself own the Yamaha RX-V671 receiver and like it's sound.
 
The HTR-3067 is a lower priced Yamaha receiver (but I guess living in Europe with it's high taxes all receiver are high priced).
Burr-Brown may have a good reputation, but Yamaha does not list which model of Burr-Browns are used in the HTR-3067, so it might be the cheapest ones.
You can test the sound with the V-DAC hooked up and without the V-DAC hooked up, see what sounds better.
 
The V-DAC will only provide two channels of audio, which is fine for music, but you could not use it for 5.1 speaker audio.
or if you want to use the Yamaha's Silent Cinema for headphone surround sound (which requires 6-channels of audio to function).
 
If a computer preprocessed the headphone surround sound, then you could use the V-DAC and just use the Yamaha as a headphone amplifier.
Which brings up the point, what sources are you going to be using with the Yamaha and how would they be connected together (if not using the V-DAC)?
 

 

[Fingerling]

Headphone surround will be use for gaming and watching Blu-ray movies via my PS3 or my PC. What is the interest in Silent Cinema if I preprocessed the headphone surround sound? Music (lossless) will be played on my PC (JRiver) or my iBasso DX50. 
 
If I stayed with the HTR-3067, that's how I plan to connect it:

1. PS3 on HDMI 1
2. PC on HDMI 2 (for movies) and AV 2 (for music) if I keep the V-DAC
3. DX50 on AUX (Jack) or AV 1 (coaxial)

 

 
I have several questions about the Yamaha amp:
 

1. what about the quality of the phone out (power, noise)?
2. you mention 6 channels for Silent Cinema to work, but DTS and Dolby are 5.1 surround technology right?
3. did my iBasso DX50 can be connected via the Jack AUX entry (numeric/analogic signal problem?)?
4. if I want to listen to stereo music, can the 5.1 be bypassed to play with only the front speakers?
5. did the LFE is redirected to the front speakers if there is no subwoofer (too costly and noisy for my apartment) in my home cinema setup?
6. with my connections, if I listenning to music from my PC, will the amp allow me to choose the entry between HDMI 2 and AV 2?

 
And a bonus question (!!!) which if answered will save me to start a new thread: I plan to buy the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro, but its coiled cable is a real defect in my situation. I know there is a Premium version which have a straight cable, but it is costly. I finaly found a Limited Edition with straight cable for a good price here, but I have doubts: I haven't found any discussion about this version while there is a lot of people who soldering themselves a new cable. And I have never buy on this site. Do you know this version?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Headphone surround will be use for gaming and watching Blu-ray movies via my PS3 or my PC. What is the interest in Silent Cinema if I preprocessed the headphone surround sound? Music (lossless) will be played on my PC (JRiver) or my iBasso DX50. 
If I stayed with the HTR-3067, that's how I plan to connect it:

1. PS3 on HDMI 1
2. PC on HDMI 2 (for movies) and AV 2 (for music) if I keep the V-DAC
3. DX50 on AUX (Jack) or AV 1 (coaxial)

I have several questions about the Yamaha amp:
what about the quality of the phone out (power, noise)?
you mention 6 channels for Silent Cinema to work, but DTS and Dolby are 5.1 surround technology right?
did my iBasso DX50 can be connected via the Jack AUX entry (numeric/analogic signal problem?)?
if I want to listen to stereo music, can the 5.1 be bypassed to play with only the front speakers?
did the LFE is redirected to the front speakers if there is no subwoofer (too costly and noisy for my apartment) in my home cinema setup?
with my connections, if I listening to music from my PC, will the amp allow me to choose the entry between HDMI 2 and AV 2?
 
And a bonus question (!!!) which if answered will save me to start a new thread: I plan to buy the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro, but its coiled cable is a real defect in my situation. I know there is a Premium version which have a straight cable, but it is costly. I finally found a Limited Edition with straight cable for a good price here, but I have doubts: I haven't found any discussion about this version while there is a lot of people who soldering themselves a new cable. And I have never buy on this site. Do you know this version?

 
Gaming consoles (PS3) do not do any headphone surround sound processing, so the Yamaha would do it.
You PC may or may not have decent headphone surround sound processing, so the Yamaha could do it.
About 250-Ohm is what i think is a sweet spot for getting headphones to work decent well on any stereo amplifier or A/V receiver.
(easy enough to drive and also able to deal with the high impedance out on a stereo amplifier or A/V receiver)
Did not have a noise issue with my Yamaha, never listened to the model your looking at.
DTS Headphone and Dolby Headphone and Silent Cinema Headphone all need 6-channels (5.1) or 8-channels (7.1) of digital audio to work well.
There are some older versions of Dolby, like Dolby Pro Logic (DTS and Silent Cinema maybe?) which will try to fake headphone surround sound (fake 5.1?), using a source with only 2-channels of audio.
As you using HDMI, getting the 6-channels of audio to the receiver is not an issue.
If listening to music (2-channel), the Yamaha has the option of expanding the 2-channels of audio to the 5.1 speakers, it's a feature of Dolby Pro Logic.
I'm assuming almost all modern A/V receivers can be set to output just thru the 2 Front speakers.
I would assume a modern A/V receiver normally redirects the low end to the speakers, when no sub-woofer is present, I lived in an apartment for 7 years with only a 5.0 speaker setup (sub-woofer collected dust in the closet).
The Yamaha will allow you to choose which source you want to use HDMI (1, 2, 3, 4) or AV (AV being optical, coaxial, RCA).
 
So the DT990 listed at Thomann is a normal DT990 Pro 250-Ohm, just with a black paint job and a straight cable (best guess).

 

[Fingerling]

Thanks for your time.
 
This amp seems OK.
 
Last questions:

1. did my iBasso DX50 will work through the AUX entry (jack)?
2. have you experienced Silent Cinema?
3. if the phone out input is crappy, can I use a headphone amp in addition without lost the surround process from Silent Cinema?
4. did the amp allows to adjust the sound without any correction or additive effects, just the sound from the source?
5. do you know if fake products are common on Thomann?

 

[PurpleAngel]

You mean, will the iBasso DX50 be able to connect to an aux input jack (like the RCAs) on the Yamaha?   Yes.
 
I used the Silent Cinema for watching Blu-ray movies and just about anything that came from my ATT or Comcast TV service and I was fine with it.
 
Does the Yamaha allow to be adjusted the sound without any correction or additive effects with out lost from the surround process from Silent Cinema.
I believe there is a Pure Source setting that bypasses adjustments that the Yamaha might make to the sound, which I'm assuming also includes bypassing Silent Cinema.
I doubt Thomann knowing carries fake products and chances are does not carry any fake products, it would be too easy for them to get caught and would be bad for their reputation.
People that sell fake products need to be able to "disappear".
Fake products seem to be "Name Brand" stuff you buy from Asia (China?), off eBay.

 

[Fingerling]

OK. I ask for the DX50 because it produces a numeric signal and I have read that the AUX jack input of the amp only accept analog signal.
 
I think the same about Thomann. I just didn't understand why people are soldering new cable while there is a Limited Edition with straight cable avalaible for good price.
 
And with a headphone amp, Silent Cinema or not? Do you hear a real difference with and without Silent Cinema?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  OK. I ask for the DX50 because it produces a numeric signal and I have read that the AUX jack input of the amp only accept analog signal.
 
I think the same about Thomann. I just didn't understand why people are soldering new cable while there is a Limited Edition with straight cable available for good price.
 
And with a headphone amp, Silent Cinema or not? Do you hear a real difference with and without Silent Cinema?

 
The iBasso DX50 comes with a separate line-output port, which it what you use to connect the iBasso to an external amplifier, external amplifier being the Yamaha.
Sometime it's nice doing a custom cable, you get the length you want and a nice looking plug (1/4" or 1/8"), maybe even better shielding.
I never tried to turn off Silent Cinema on the Yamaha, not sure if you can even turn off Silent Cinema.

 

[Fingerling]

Again, thanks for your time. I think I can go with this amp.