RME advise

[Blacksabbath25]

Hi
have some questions to ask that has been bugging me since owning a RME Dac so want to make sure its set up correctly

1. CD Player is connected to my amplifier by using XLRs in bank one of my amplifier to Cd player which the CD player only has one set of connections for XLRs then i use Coaxial lead out of the digital out into the RME Coaxial input but not sure what the Coaxial lead does to honest weather its used to take over the CD player internal Dac or run the display of the RME ???? not sure why i need the extra leads for as i thought the XLRs would cover everything but in order to listen to CD playback i use the the balanced 1 sector on the front of my amplifier

2. In order to stream music i use the OPPO 203 so in order to get a signal i then use XLRs in bank 2 of my amplifier to the RME Dac and then a optical lead from my RME to the OPPO in order to get music playback and the display on the RME to work but in order to listen to streamed music i select balanced 2 on the front of my amplifier .


Now in regards of reference level playback on the RME Dac i set the volume to 0000 db and the Reference level to +7 dbu not 13 dbu as setting the reference level to 13 dbu will cause distortion as the Dac start clipping out as this may be down to using XLRs in the chain but no distortion is herd at 7 dbu and read on the RME forum that someone said you have to lower the Ref level to stop the distortion then someone else said that they had to send there's back to RME to fix the problem so not sure on that one .



and the software is up to date on the RME to 4.8 version

 

[dhansak]

On point 1 you are using the DAC in your CD player when on the XLRs and you‘re using the RME when using coax.

You should be able to quickly compare by switching between the CD input and the RME input on your amp to see which DAC you prefer.

 

[StingRay]

Yes I agree with Daniel. You need to use Coax to use the RME DAC. Digital out will bypass your cd's Dac.

You should compare to see which you prefer. One thing to watch though is the output levels maybe different between your CDP's DAC and your RME DAC, for comparisons you should level match them, some DACs you can adjust the output.

I don't understand your point 2, why not just send the Oppo output to the RME DAC?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

On point 1 you are using the DAC in your CD player when on the XLRs and you‘re using the RME when using coax.

You should be able to quickly compare by switching between the CD input and the RME input on your amp to see which DAC you prefer.

I am only using the RME Dac 1. to take over CD players internal Dac on selector 1 on my amplifier
2. taking over the OPPO internal Dac and using selector 2 on my amplifier .
So the RME Dac is running Cd player & OPPO but depending on weather i use streaming or Cd player

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Yes I agree with Daniel. You need to use Coax to use the RME DAC. Digital out will bypass your cd's Dac.

You should compare to see which you prefer. One thing to watch though is the output levels maybe different between your CDP's DAC and your RME DAC, for comparisons you should level match them, some DACs you can adjust the output.

The coax is connected to my Cd player and then to the RME Dac

 

[Blacksabbath25]

What's confusing is what job do the XLRs have as i am using a set between Cd player / amp and a set between RME / amp ? i think switching between cd player and OPPO

 

[StingRay]

The coax is connected to my Cd player and then to the RME Dac

Yes I know. To get the RME DAC you need to select the correct input on your amp selector, don't know what it will be called. Using XLR you are using the CDP dac.

 

[StingRay]

What's confusing is what job do the XLRs have ? i think switching between cd player and OPPO

XLR will be analogue output. IE already converted by the DAC inside the device.

I would disconnect all of the XLRs and then see what music you get. You should be getting both sources via the RME DAC.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

XLR will be analogue output. IE already converted by the DAC inside the device.

I would disconnect all of the XLRs and then see what music you get. You should be getting both sources via the RME DAC.

Ok i will try this but then there is no connection to the amplifier ?

 

[StingRay]

Ok i will try this but then there is no connection to the amplifier ?

You need to connect the RME DAC to your amp. of course with analogue cables, not familiar with your DAC, can you use XLR outputs from your RME to amp?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

currently XLRs are doing amp / Cd
RME / amp

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Ok now its like this in the chain i have taken out a set of XLRs from the Cd player / Amp so now the Cd player only has a Coax that's connected to RME Dac and moved a set of XLRs to balanced 1 on my Amp to RME Dac
but still using optical cable from OPPO to RME Dac

 

[StingRay]

Ok now its like this in the chain i have taken out a set of XLRs from the Cd player / Amp so now the Cd player only has a Coax that's connected to RME Dac and moved a set of XLRs to balanced 1 on my Amp to RME Dac
but still using optical cable from OPPO to RME Dac

Good, that sounds right. Is it working?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Good, that sounds right. Is it working?

yes it is but how do i level match ?

 

[Paul55]

The RME DAC has two digital inputs, coax and optical. You switch between them using the DAC controls. So when you have your preamp switched to 'bank 2' you are listening to the RME output, if that's switched to coax then you hear the CD, if optical then the streamer.

If the preamp is switched to 'bank 1' then you are listening to the CDP's analogue output, the RME is not involved. So you can play a CD, have the RME set to 'coax' and compare the performance of the CDP onboard DAC to that of the RME by switching your preamp between input 1 and 2. Take care if the levels don't match.

If you're happy with the RME then you can remove the XLR connection from CDP to preamp.

You may then find you can lose the preamp altogether by using the attenuation facility of the RME.

 

[Paul55]

yes it is but how do i level match ?

Do the levels between the two digital sources not match?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

The RME DAC has two digital inputs, coax and optical. You switch between them using the DAC controls. So when you have your preamp switched to 'bank 2' you are listening to the RME output, if that's switched to coax then you hear the CD, if optical then the streamer.

If the preamp is switched to 'bank 1' then you are listening to the CDP's analogue output, the RME is not involved. So you can play a CD, have the RME set to 'coax' and compare the performance of the CDP onboard DAC to that of the RME by switching your preamp between input 1 and 2. Take care if the levels don't match.

If you're happy with the RME then you can remove the XLR connection from CDP to preamp.

You may then find you can lose the preamp altogether by using the attenuation facility of the RME.

Yes that is correct i use optical to run the OPPO to RME to take over the OPPO internal Dac and the coax to take over the Cd players internal Dac well that is the idea

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Do the levels between the two digital sources not match?

i will have to find that one out .....

 

[Blacksabbath25]

OK Cd player is a lot louder at the same volume as i would use for streaming and streaming is a lot lower in volume

 

[Paul55]

So either the RME can be set to apply attenuation per input, or the CD or streamer have digital volume controls. Don't know enough about any of it. You want no digital attenuation anywhere, and the RME analogue output level set (if it's configurable) to put the preamp volume control in a convenient place for normal listening.

(Or the material you chose to compare is mastered such that it gives a different impression of loudness?)