The active speakers club

[muljao]

Mackie MRs are powered passives I'll think you'll find. The HR range are active.

Thanks for that. I was 99% sure looking at the schematic, but didn't want to contradict someone in case

*drinks*

No, they are actives

(i Hope)*unknw*

I don't think they are.

Mackie use the term powered throughout the product description/specs etc (i know 'powered' and 'active' are often incorrectly used as interchangeable terms, but i don't think that's the case here) and they only list single class a/b amp in the MR6 specs, rather than separate LF and HF amplification you'd expect to see.

http://mackie.com/products/mrmk3-series

Yes, I had noticed that. I downloaded the specs sheet and there is a high frequency and a low frequency amp in them. I'm not very up in the tech so I could still be wrong

On page 14 there is a schematic that clearly shows the crossovers come before the LF and HF amplifiers.

Thanks, was only 99 percent sure.

For info, tried posting earlier but issue with forum i think

 

[Andrewjvt]

Mackie MRs are powered passives I'll think you'll find. The HR range are active.

Thanks for that. I was 99% sure looking at the schematic, but didn't want to contradict someone in case

*drinks*

No, they are actives

(i Hope)*unknw*

I don't think they are.

Mackie use the term powered throughout the product description/specs etc (i know 'powered' and 'active' are often incorrectly used as interchangeable terms, but i don't think that's the case here) and they only list single class a/b amp in the MR6 specs, rather than separate LF and HF amplification you'd expect to see.

http://mackie.com/products/mrmk3-series

Yes, I had noticed that. I downloaded the specs sheet and there is a high frequency and a low frequency amp in them. I'm not very up in the tech so I could still be wrong

On page 14 there is a schematic that clearly shows the crossovers come before the LF and HF amplifiers.

Thanks, was only 99 percent sure.

For info, tried posting earlier but issue with forum i think

I would also say welcome but im not up and running myself yet

 

[Andrewjvt]

Benchmark has arrived in london and arriving tomorrow.
I'll stick some pictures on of everything

 

[Vladimir]

Finally you can enjoy some tunes.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Just hooked everything up.
I dont have the correct sensitivity yet but im letting it just run a bit.

So far:

The little jbls: beautiful sound nice and detailed.

The benchmark. Goodquality. Nothing like the same build quality as m dac like what hifi said in review.

Headphones: amazing clarity and details

 

[muljao]

Just hooked everything up. I dont have the correct sensitivity yet but im letting it just run a bit.

So far:

The little jbls: beautiful sound nice and detailed.

The benchmark. Goodquality. Nothing like the same build quality as m dac like what hifi said in review.

Headphones: amazing clarity and details

What is "the benchmark"?

 

[Andrewjvt]

Just hooked everything up. I dont have the correct sensitivity yet but im letting it just run a bit.

So far:

The little jbls: beautiful sound nice and detailed.

The benchmark. Goodquality. Nothing like the same build quality as m dac like what hifi said in review.

Headphones: amazing clarity and details

What is "the benchmark"?

Its my preamp/dac

 

[muljao]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

 

[Vladimir]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

 

[muljao]

Thanks Vladimir

my my, thats a fairly high end unit

 

[Andrewjvt]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

 

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi
Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu
Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

 

[Vladimir]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

 

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

But the sound is too loud too early on both settings atm. It needs to be matched i think.

Benchmark say -10db to start with and try how it sounds.

My aim is volume level after 11 oclock on the benchmark volume (according to the manual)

The shops not far and its easy to do so ill report back soon.

 

[Vladimir]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

But the sound is too loud too early on both settings atm. It needs to be matched i think.

Benchmark say -10db to start with and try how it sounds.

My aim is volume level after 11 oclock on the benchmark volume (according to the manual)

The shops not far and its easy to do so ill report back soon.

At what volume settings are the speakers on the back? Should be no more than 7.

- Speaker sensitivity at -10dbv

- Speaker volume at 2 o'clock

- DAC volume at 12 o'clock

This is how I have mine and works great.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

 

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

But the sound is too loud too early on both settings atm. It needs to be matched i think.

Benchmark say -10db to start with and try how it sounds.

My aim is volume level after 11 oclock on the benchmark volume (according to the manual)

The shops not far and its easy to do so ill report back soon.

At what volume settings are the speakers on the back? Should be no more than 7.

- Speaker sensitivity at -10dbv

- Speaker volume at 2 o'clock

- DAC volume at 12 o'clock

This is how I have mine and works great.

Ill change that on back from full to 7

 

[Vladimir]

Idiots at the factory deliver them at max and it should never be at max volume. You just turn the DAC louder when you want more.

 

[davedotco]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

The -10dBv input is the more sensitive, so in this case you should use +4dBu which is less so.

With the speaker volume at minimum, set the Dac to a sensible settiing (about 11 o'clock is fine), then increase the volume on the speaker to give you normal (proper) listening level, adjust carefully for L/R balance, then leave as they are. Use the volume on the dac as normal.

 

[muljao]

And here is me thinking with actives, turn them up fully, use the preamp to control volume. This setting up seems rather complicated

 

[Vladimir]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

The -10dBv input is the more sensitive, so in this case you should use +4dBu which is less so.

With the speaker volume at minimum, set the Dac to a sensible settiing (about 11 o'clock is fine), then increase the volume on the speaker to give you normal (proper) listening level, adjust carefully for L/R balance, then leave as they are. Use the volume on the dac as normal.

Yes. My bad, again. It's very counterintuitive with the dbu dbv thing. I have mine at +4dbu apparently, I just checked.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Yes, but is it just called the benchmark, or is it a specific model?

Benchmark DAC3

 

@AJVT which headphones are you using?

Hi Beyerdynamic dt880

Ive changed speaker input sensitivity to the +4dbu Now i have to change the jumper settings to - 10dbu in the benchmark as high volume is at 9 oclock and manual says get it to be betwèen 11 and 3

But now in not allowed to open up without a static wristband so im off to maplins. Cant wait for tomorrow.

I'll start looking at monster sub later.

Btw the sound quality improved to my ears (not sure if real) when i changed the sensitivity on speakers

You should have the speakers at -10dbv and not open anything or modify anything. +4dbu is for unbalanced (2Vrms) and -10dbv is for balanced (4Vrms). Read the manual.

+4dbu is too loud and you will have clipping and distortion in the preamp.

The -10dBv input is the more sensitive, so in this case you should use +4dBu which is less so.

With the speaker volume at minimum, set the Dac to a sensible settiing (about 11 o'clock is fine), then increase the volume on the speaker to give you normal (proper) listening level, adjust carefully for L/R balance, then leave as they are. Use the volume on the dac as normal.

Yes. My bad, again. It's very counterintuitive with the dbu dbv thing. I have mine at +4dbu apparently, I just checked. 

Yes vlad thisnis what confuse me also but in another post you made the correct call about this using the 4db. Thats why i changed it

I have the static wrist band
any idea where the best place to stick the croc clip? I was thinking the chassis but im not sure. Dacs been off now for a while so hopefully its lost its charge by now anyway.

 

[Vladimir]

Something that is earthed. If a unit is unpluged it wont do any good.

 

[Vladimir]

Interesting track for testing.

 

[Andrewjvt]

And here is me thinking with actives, turn them up fully, use the preamp to control volume. This setting up seems rather complicated

The benchmark also for the studio so has many settings so that its matches perfectly with lots of other sensitivities etc.
Its not hard once you get your head around.

Most dac preamps dont even go that far.
Its just so you can match your componants better

 

[muljao]

And here is me thinking with actives, turn them up fully, use the preamp to control volume. This setting up seems rather complicated

The benchmark also for the studio so has many settings so that its matches perfectly with lots of other sensitivities etc.
Its not hard once you get your head around.

Most dac preamps dont even go that far.
Its just so you can match your componants better

I see.

It seems like a fab bit of kit. Enjoy

 

[davedotco]

And here is me thinking with actives, turn them up fully, use the preamp to control volume. This setting up seems rather complicated

It's absolutely dead easy.

It is simply balancing the gain at various stages to avoid overloading the amplifiers. Most integrated amps in regular passive setups overload badly when the volume control is advanced beyond half way.

The kind of pro active speaker setup under discussion gets rid of this issue and allows far more sensible settings on the volume control. Some conventional pre-power amps allow you to do the same thing but this useful facility is now pretty rare.