Accuphase DG-68 in bound

[Masterlu]

New DG-68 is in the house!

[SAM992]

Well, just ordered one of these from Ivan....

now to figure out the absolute best route for wiring this into my current system ... so as to minimize the effect on the signal path, and not cut my dCS DAC out of the digital loop...

Open to any ideas.. suggestions.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by SAM992

Well, just ordered one of these from Ivan....

now to figure out the absolute best route for wiring this into my current system ... so as to minimize the effect on the signal path, and not cut my dCS DAC out of the digital loop...

Open to any ideas.. suggestions.

Sam... put your DG-68 directly between your analog connections from your McIntosh C1100 Pre-Amp and McIntosh MC462 Amplifier. That is the ideal place for it to be placed.

[SAM992]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Sam... put your DG-68 directly between your analog connections from your McIntosh C1100 Pre-Amp and McIntosh MC462 Amplifier. That is the ideal place for it to be placed.

that's my plan so far, but I'm thinking out loud for a minute ...

What if I use the HS link to connect my DP-560 to the DG-68... and then I no longer need to use the two very expensive XLR cables that I connect the DP-560 to the C1100 (for playing SACD)... and I can use those Balanced cables to connect my DG-68 to my C1100 (where before the dCS Rossini was coming in).. and then the C1100 into the Amp (as it is right now).

Because those cables are only being used for SACD playback, but then I can do that via the DG-68 since HS-Link supports SACD, right? This way I also get the better, newer DAC in the DG-68 when doing SACD play back since they've upgraded from the ESS9018 to the ESS9028 in the 68?

It's a bit of a mind bender trying my hardest not to take the dCS out of the digital loop, while getting the most out of this setup.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by SAM992

that's my plan so far, but I'm thinking out loud for a minute ...

What if I use the HS link to connect my DP-560 to the DG-68... and then I no longer need to use the two very expensive XLR cables that I connect the DP-560 to the C1100 (for playing SACD)... and I can use those Balanced cables to connect my DG-68 to my C1100 (where before the dCS Rossini was coming in).. and then the C1100 into the Amp (as it is right now).

Because those cables are only being used for SACD playback, but then I can do that via the DG-68 since HS-Link supports SACD, right? This way I also get the better, newer DAC in the DG-68 when doing SACD play back since they've upgraded from the ESS9018 to the ESS9028 in the 68?

It's a bit of a mind bender trying my hardest not to take the dCS out of the digital loop, while getting the most out of this setup.

That would also definitely work; the HS-Link supports SACD.

[SAM992]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

That would also definitely work; the HS-Link supports SACD.

Right.. I'm reading your old DG-58 thread now and there's a flurry of activity around page 8 or so with how guys are connecting theirs...


The main question is...

Is there a benefit or any sort for the signal path having the DG-68 provide input to the C1100 (basically between my DAC and preamp)? vs putting it between the C1100 and the MC462?

In other words, does having it before the pre-amp hamper it's ability to do it's job?

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by SAM992

Right.. I'm reading your old DG-58 thread now and there's a flurry of activity around page 8 or so with how guys are connecting theirs...


The main question is...

Is there a benefit or any sort for the signal path having the DG-68 provide input to the C1100 (basically between my DAC and preamp)? vs putting it between the C1100 and the MC462?

In other words, does having it before the pre-amp hamper it's ability to do it's job?

None whatsoever, I have done many installs taking full advantage of the DG’s versatility on how to implement it.

[SAM992]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

None whatsoever, I have done many installs taking full advantage of the DG’s versatility on how to implement it.

Ok then, unless convinced otherwise (and I stirred up the old DG-58 thread incase those guys are still around).. I plan to connect as follows.



DP-560 ---> HS-Link to DG-68 (only for SACD playback with newer Accuphase DAC )
DP-560 ---> coax SPDIF ---> dCS Rossini DAC (all other digital streaming & disc playback)

then.. the chain will be

dCS Rossini (DAC)--->balance XLR --->DG-68---> balance XLR--->C1100 preamp --> MC462 Amp.

I would put the DG-68 between the pre-amp and amp as you initially suggested, but then I'd lose volume control when playing SACD back.

God this is enough to give me a migraine

Once I get the unit here, I will be doing a bit of messing around for sure it appears.

[meltemi]

Originally Posted by SAM992

Ok then, unless convinced otherwise (and I stirred up the old DG-58 thread incase those guys are still around).. I plan to connect as follows.



DP-560 ---> HS-Link to DG-68 (only for SACD playback with newer Accuphase DAC )
DP-560 ---> coax SPDIF ---> dCS Rossini DAC (all other digital streaming & disc playback)

then.. the chain will be

dCS Rossini (DAC)--->balance XLR --->DG-68---> balance XLR--->C1100 preamp --> MC462 Amp.

I would put the DG-68 between the pre-amp and amp as you initially suggested, but then I'd lose volume control when playing SACD back.

God this is enough to give me a migraine

Once I get the unit here, I will be doing a bit of messing around for sure it appears.

DP-560 supports both HS-Link Ver.1 and HS-Link Ver.2.
DG-68 supports both HS-Link Ver.1 and HS-Link Ver.2.
The difference between the two HS-Link versions is, that with Ver.1 the clock is embedded in the signal, whereas with Ver.2 the clock is separate from the signal. The HS-Link cable is the same.
(DG-58 only supports HS-Link Ver.1.)
(BTW I use Audioquest RJ/E Diamond as HS-Link cable. I Think Masterlu does the same.)

Since you cannot calculate filters or anything else on a native SACD (DSD) signal, the DG-68 seems to downsample DSD to 352.8kHz (DXD) and then seems to calculate the filters with 352.8kHz (DXD).
I write "seems", because Accuphase does not specify this for the DG-68.
(In the DG-58, which provides only HS-Link Ver.1, DSD is downsampled to 176.4kHz.)

A 352.8kHz (DXD) signal is only available on HS-Link Ver.2, not on the coax outputs.
(The 176.4kHz signal from a DG-58 however is available at its coax outputs.)

Wiring options:
1) digital SACD/CD
For SACD: DP-560 - HS-Link - DG-68 - XLR analog - C1100 (DG-68 DAC is similar to DP-750 DAC and is better than DP-560 DAC)
For CD: DP-560 - HS-Link - DG-68 - 75Ω coax - Rossini - XLR analog - C1100
This version requires 1 HS-Link, 1 75Ω coax and 2 pairs of XLR analog
2) additional digital sources
For additional sources (e.g. TV (PCM), T-1200, BluRay/DVD): Source - 75Ω coax or Toslink - DG-68 - 75Ω coax - Rossini - XLR analog - C1100
Only two additional sources possible with DG-68, one 75Ω coax and one Toslink.
Additional sources require 1 additional 75Ω coax and/or 1 Toslink.
(BTW my system is much more complex. I could use my DC-901 as a digital input switch, from where the signal chosen was sent via HS-Link to my DG-58 and back to the DAC. Unfortunately this ExtDSP function of the DC-901 is not available anymore on the DC-950, so I would have to do the switching in a different way. Result: I bought a Vivaldi DAC and a larger Z-Systems Digital Detangler. The latter not manufactured any more but some versions occasionally available on ebay; check configurations. And I also bought a Trinnov ST-2 Pro instead of changing to DG-68.)
3) digital streaming
Not possible with Rossini, since there are no digital outputs.
Streaming would be possible with separate dCS Network Bridge: Network Bridge - 75Ω coax - DG-68 - 75Ω coax - Rossini - XLR analog - C1100
4) analog (recommended by Accuphase)
For all analog sources connected to preamp: C1100 - XLR analog - DG-68 (choose 352.8kHz) - XLR analog - MC462
Volume control is done by C1100.

More migraine or less?

Bottom line: I'd suggest the following connections:

1) DP-560 - HS-Link - DG-68
2) DG-68 - XLR analog - C1100 (for SACD)
3) DG-68 - 75Ω coax - Rossini - XLR analog - C1100 (for CD)
4) Rossini - RCA analog - DG-68 - plus connection 2 (for streaming)

Requires 1 HS-Link, 1 75Ω coax, 2 XLR analog, 1 RCA analog

a) for SACD: on DG-68 select HS-Link input; on C1100 select first balanced input
b) for CD: on DG-68 select HS-Link input; on Rossini select first SPDIF input and choose upsampling to DXD or DSD; on C1100 select second balanced input
c) for streaming: on DG-68 select RCA analog input and choose 352.8kHz( DXD); on C1100 select first balanced input

This way you can use the Rossini DAC for CD and the DG-68 DAC for SACD and streaming via Rossini with room correction for all sources.
(For streaming c) is the only possible solution. For SACD however it might be possible to use the Rossini DAC, if you manage to run the DG-68 in HS-Link Ver.1 mode, i.e downsampling DSD to 176.4kHz.)

Hope I could help.

Martin

[Masterlu]

Martin... thank you for the informative post.