x-10D v3 as a preamp
Mar 8, 2018 10:53:06 GMT
Post by airman on Mar 8, 2018 10:53:06 GMT
Hi, I just recently purchased x-10v3 and really liked the changes it made to the sound of my DAC. I got excited and now I am considering to order an upgrade kit from rockgrotto. At my other place I have a pair of powered speakers, so it occurred to me that a tube buffer would be absolutely the best investment, should it have a volume control. DAC (that does all decoding and source switching)- x-10D (with volume control) - power amp (or powered speakers) would be a perfect, logical and elegant setup in my view. DAC technology changes (with DSD, hi-res and MQA on the rise). What differentiates a good DAC from an average one, I think, is an output stage, which is what X-10D is. So I would just in the future be able to change the DAC for new technology without spending a fortune, and still have a very good sound through my x-10D. I don't want to buy a separate preamp (active or passive), as I hate all extra gear and wires that would make the setup look very messy.
Within X-10D V3 it looks as though there is enough space for an attenuator and there is a set of connectors currently used for straight output that can be used for volume controlled output, so placement wise I should be OK.
Questions: 1. Has anyone tried to put an attenuator within x-10D v3? 2. Is that a stupid idea? 3. What attenuator (what max impedance) should be used? 4. What is the best place to connect the attenuator (just after the line out) ? Can Mike at rockgrotto include an attenuator together with the upgrade kit and and put a note for its placement?
On a separate note, MF says it should be left on all the time as the tube lifespan is over 100.000 hours (is this a joke with a regular tube lifespan less than 10.000 hours?). Is that a good thing? Respectively, should I add a power switch as well? Provided that I have a decent electrical filter before x-10 and all my audio gear, should I sill invest in a better power supply or the stock one in sufficient?
One other thing: A friend of mine asked me why don't I want to use x-pre v3, instead of messing with x-10d v3... There are 3 reasons in my view
1. Most important: x-pre has much lower input impedance, so it is not suitable as an output stage of a DAC, it is a much harder load on a DAC - I tried it and the sound is not to my liking.
2. I really don't need all that switching capability of x-pre, since it is done by my dac. It is redundant and as such is not logical, plus more costly.
3. x-pre v3 is much longer and it will not fit where I want to put it.
So I thought x-10D v3 with a rockgrotto upgrade, volume control and a power switch would probably be ideal. What do you think?
Thank you.
Val
Within X-10D V3 it looks as though there is enough space for an attenuator and there is a set of connectors currently used for straight output that can be used for volume controlled output, so placement wise I should be OK.
Questions: 1. Has anyone tried to put an attenuator within x-10D v3? 2. Is that a stupid idea? 3. What attenuator (what max impedance) should be used? 4. What is the best place to connect the attenuator (just after the line out) ? Can Mike at rockgrotto include an attenuator together with the upgrade kit and and put a note for its placement?
On a separate note, MF says it should be left on all the time as the tube lifespan is over 100.000 hours (is this a joke with a regular tube lifespan less than 10.000 hours?). Is that a good thing? Respectively, should I add a power switch as well? Provided that I have a decent electrical filter before x-10 and all my audio gear, should I sill invest in a better power supply or the stock one in sufficient?
One other thing: A friend of mine asked me why don't I want to use x-pre v3, instead of messing with x-10d v3... There are 3 reasons in my view
1. Most important: x-pre has much lower input impedance, so it is not suitable as an output stage of a DAC, it is a much harder load on a DAC - I tried it and the sound is not to my liking.
2. I really don't need all that switching capability of x-pre, since it is done by my dac. It is redundant and as such is not logical, plus more costly.
3. x-pre v3 is much longer and it will not fit where I want to put it.
So I thought x-10D v3 with a rockgrotto upgrade, volume control and a power switch would probably be ideal. What do you think?
Thank you.
Val
