Dac/soundcard for Yamaha HS80M

gasolin

Well-known member
I was at 4sound (Denmark) today to listen to the new active Yamahas NHS5/7 they haven't recived the 8" model, i also listent to the HS80M/50M i knew i wouldn't buy one of the small ones because of the bass, the HS7 sounded good but was so new it hasn't been propperly burned in (atleast that's what i thought), the HS80M might not be a new model but it had more bas, more open midrange (more burn in?) compared to the HS7 and there where about 15% of the price.

So i think now is the time to upgrade my usb soundcard http://us.store.creative.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-XFi-HD-Sound/M/B004275EO4.htm to a dac used or new what ever is the best for the money for a set of Yamaha HS80M (neutral and uncollered sound).

I'd like a dac that can play musik with 24 bit and 96000hz or better, mabye a soundcard, but what? A used cambridge Dacmagic?

If i can connect a subwoofer to the sound card it would be nice to have this option, price under 115£ or 134€ (remember i am from denmark so if it's cheap and it has to be shipped to denmark it still has to be under 115£,134€ i am thinking about max 100£ or 110€)

I have the option of usb or a Optical cable from my pc

Give me you best choice
 

ID.

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From my understanding you'd actually need a DAC that also functions as a pre-amp, unless you plan to control volume using the gain controls on the back of each speaker.

Something like this perhaps

http://www.nuforce.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=26&Itemid=189/

I think you can use the DAC Magic plus as a preamp.

Not sure what else is available and cheap. If I remember correctly, Beresford have a DAC (DACs?) that can be used as preamps. Not sure whether that is a satisfactory sonic solution.

Others may have a better idea of what is available.
 

Fuzzy Bear

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Might want to take a look at the

- Nuforce Icon-UDAC2

or

- Audioengine D1

+1 for the suggestion from Overdose. I've seen people using the Yahama hs50m with Focusrite products too.
 

gasolin

Well-known member
ID. said:
From my understanding you'd actually need a DAC that also functions as a pre-amp, unless you plan to control volume using the gain controls on the back of each speaker.

Something like this perhaps

http://www.nuforce.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=26&Itemid=189/

I think you can use the DAC Magic plus as a preamp.

Not sure what else is available and cheap. If I remember correctly, Beresford have a DAC (DACs?) that can be used as preamps. Not sure whether that is a satisfactory sonic solution.

Others may have a better idea of what is available.

No i don't, have bought this http://www.tcelectronic.com/level-pilot/ today i bought this souncard, but in another forum 1-2 hours after i posted what i bought, someone said it isn't good enough (only need it for listening to music no recording) http://global.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i2 he also mentioned it wasn't good for games (not every day i play games, but i do listen to music every day) and balanced output only is an advantage for cables about 10 meter/30 feet or more.
 

gasolin

Well-known member
Fuzzy Bear said:
Might want to take a look at the

- Nuforce Icon-UDAC2

or

- Audioengine D1

+1 for the suggestion from Overdose. I've seen people using the Yahama hs50m with Focusrite products too.

One of the chepest dac from nuforce has terrible balance problems, audioenigne to expensive (focusrite price is okay)
 

pauln

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gasolin said:
Overdose said:

LOOOOL i have just bougt this today, but as i mentioned someone said it isn't god enough

Someone said it isn't good enough? and what do they know? that one person is qualified to make that judgement?

It's a product aimed at musicians to record to a computer and to play back music from a computer. It's not an "audiophile" product so it's probably very good value for money! Equivalent to an audiophile product costing 5 times as much.

How does it sound?
 

Fuzzy Bear

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Didn't know about the new Yamaha range until you mentioned it. I have had a few listens of the old line for a computer system. I was mainly looking at the 50s but the 80s were excellent.

Are you turning it into your main system? Be interested to know about the sound from further distances given their NFM status.
 

Overdose

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gasolin said:
Overdose said:

LOOOOL i have just bougt this today, but as i mentioned someone said it isn't god enough

I'm not quite sure what is meant by 'not good enough'. Focusrite is a very well known company and makes very respectable products. I think that you will find it up to the job. I have used the previous incarnations to the Scarlett range, the Saffire Pro and very good it was too.

The headphone and monitor outputs were relatively noise free and it was just a case of plug and play.

Make sure that you get the correct cables. You will need 1/4" jack plug to either RCA or XLR. XLR would give you more gain and a more secure connection, but there would otherwise be nothing between the two. If you wanted a longer run of cable, then XLR would be better again. The cables are relatively inexpensive and you will be able to get them from the supplier of the interface.
 

gasolin

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It's for me all about getting someting neutral sounding (not agressive) and uncollored so i can hear the music as the musicians want's us to experience it, in 24 bit and 96000hz as a minimum (i actually have some music in 24 bit 96000hz).

I will try to adjust the sound on the back of the speakers so it neutral so i can hear the difference in the recording where every genre has it's charme with a deep bas and lots fast sound,rythme in dubstep/techno and the fine sound from a orcestre playing with a rock band, soft pop or just good old loud ROCK (Deep purple, Queen, Pinkfloyd, led zeppeling, the who)
 

gasolin

Well-known member
Fuzzy Bear said:
Didn't know about the new Yamaha range until you mentioned it. I have had a few listens of the old line for a computer system. I was mainly looking at the 50s but the 80s were excellent.

Are you turning it into your main system? Be interested to know about the sound from further distances given their NFM status.

Yes i am, i am then gonna use my zensor 1 close to a wall with my subwoofer and my little denon reciver for my tv, i have a 3.1 surround system (amputated) so for many month i havn't watch a movie in surround and i don't miss it, mabye a dali zensor 5.1 is gonna come in a year or so (used) along with a good 5.1 reciver.

Have used a krk rokit powered 5 for about a year, with no hifi bug, now i have it again, buying stands that i have wanted for more then a year soundcard, new speakers ........
 

gasolin

Well-known member
Overdose said:
gasolin said:
Overdose said:

LOOOOL i have just bougt this today, but as i mentioned someone said it isn't god enough

I'm not quite sure what is meant by 'not good enough'. Focusrite is a very well known company and makes very respectable products. I think that you will find it up to the job. I have used the previous incarnations to the Scarlett range, the Saffire Pro and very good it was too.

The headphone and monitor outputs were relatively noise free and it was just a case of plug and play.

Make sure that you get the correct cables. You will need 1/4" jack plug to either RCA or XLR. XLR would give you more gain and a more secure connection, but there would otherwise be nothing between the two. If you wanted a longer run of cable, then XLR would be better again. The cables are relatively inexpensive and you will be able to get them from the supplier of the interface.

Have trs-trs cable (big jack), i am gonna use it only for listening to music, not gonna record anything(love to listen to music), i have a hifi soundblaster usb soundcard (the 100€ one) and i think it is good enough for a set of krk rokit powered 5's (some say the sound are more hifi then studio monitors about the krk's), the Yamaha hs series are really good actually better then the krk's i had, krk has a slightly boost in the bas (liked that) an a bit sparkeling top, yamahas is very neutral with a clear sound, it has all the adjustmens that you could need to fit it to your personally taste and room.

I thought the 8" version of the yamahas are in a difference league then the krk's (the price of the hs and rookits are pretty much the same), i thought/think that i needed a much better soundcard (or dac) then the soundblaster usb soundcard and that a studio soundcard is more neutral and revealing, not like hifi which yamaha monitors in the hs series isn't (but then again midrange up you get a ns 10m midrange boost and down it would sound more like a "good" hifi speaker),there is nothing wrong with having good hifi speakers or a hifi soundcard but i still think if you like the monitor sound it would best with studio monitors and studio monitor soundcards (the same general sound).

Just somebody questions me, if the focusrite soundcard is the best by saying it isn't, thought daaam have i chosen the best soundcard for the money and the Yamahas? I got balanced output,24 bit and 96000hz , alle reviews on the website from where i bought it, all was positive, and the computer guy in the store didn't advise me to get something else, another thing is (havn't unboxed it) it's one hell of a sexy looking soundcard with it's red colour
 

ID.

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I'd say use waht you've already got and see how it sounds. I'm sure it will sound really good. You can always upgrade the DAC and volume control piece by piece in future.

Please share your impressions of the Yamahas. I have been considering a set on stands for my main system.
 

Overdose

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Gets a lot of praise, but shouldn't sound any different from the 2i2. The 2i2 will be more flexible for connectivity and also includes a headphone amp.

I certainly don't think that you need to be spending much more to get what you need though.
 

gasolin

Well-known member
New information discovered today, theHS80M has low cut, room control,mid eq,high eq.

HS8 i have change my order to, because the HS80M is and older model and the cabinet/tweeter is diffrent, there may be som other difference i don't know about,(only first ordered the HS80 because of delivery time and more open midrange then the new HS7, which i think is because of burn in time) the HS8 only has Room control and high trim (2khz), i went to the store and talked with them about the controls on the back of the speakers(don't have perfekt acoustic like in recording studio's where i am gonna listen to them) and got the Presunos 22vsl instead of the focusrite, because it had the missing controls,mid and high parametric eq (alos had low eq), why yamaha removed high eq and low cut i dont know, on the hs8 high trim is 2 khz, what mid and high trim frequency is on the HS80M i dont know, 2khz is upper midrange or lower treble and got the missing cables i had to get, got some wrong cables the first time because we both forgot the tc electronic level pilot was xlr (got trs-trs)
 

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