Switchers - How to properly connect multiple amps to one DAC output

hey there... in the same predicament - SW51+ arrived this week, and I would like it and Feliks Echo to run from the same SE output of my J2 DAC. anyone here has experience with SOLUPEAK ST42 (https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005002639135838.html)? this might be just what I need for future scaling too, as at the moment I am gunning for an affordable R2R DAC, and may add a TT too in the future. I am also open to suggestions of products similar to Mapletree Audio but easily available (or perhaps even produced) in the EU - those fees and taxes really begin to annoy me. I suppose I am ready to pay EUR 150 or so...

also, might daisy chaining be an interim solution here? I can't find the input impedance specs of SW51+ listed, but I imagine it should be comparable to that of Echo, which is 100 kOhms.

thank you!

 

I am currently down to 2 amps and for my XLR out on my DAC, I am just using a split XLR cable. I am sure some purists would look at that as a poor solution, but it sounds fine to me. For three or more, I use passive switchers.

 

This is exactly why I only buy a DAC if the manufacturer will add a 2nd RCA output pair on the back.

I have 3 DACs* with this feature (2 NOS DACs + 1 multibit). It allows me use two HP amps off a single DAC, something I'm totally used to by now.

I know there are good passive devices out there that can accomplish the same thing, maybe just as well. But a really good passive switch costs more than any mfr would charge me for adding that 2nd output...and also uses more wire & metal to make it happen.

This might be more difficult if I ran HP amps strictly on balanced outputs from DACs, but I just don't...

*Very likely the multibit will go up F.S. after the 2nd NOS DAC finishes burn-in.

 

which DACs if you don't mind me asking? J2 has 1 pair of XLR and 1 pair of RCA outputs, do you mean that the DACs you own have 1 pair of XLRs and 2 pairs of RCAs?

 

No XLR outputs on any of these 3 DACs. They're pure single-ended in & out.

There actually was a 4th DAC w/dual RCA outputs (forgot it because I sold it):

• Audio GD NOS-19: My first NOS DAC, replaced by the next NOS DAC in the list. With this particular design (same exact case & I/O layout as the DAC in 3rd bullet), Audio GD made it especially easy & cheap to swap out their proprietary ACSS output pair for a 2nd RCA output pair (add'l $5!!) so I took them up on it. Once I lived w/the flexibility of dual RCA outputs, I never want to be w/o it.
• MHDT Labs Orchid: NOS DAC with a tube buffer circuit. Love the sound. I think I paid $50 for the U.S. distributor to add the 2nd RCA output pair.
• Audio GD DAC-19 (10th Anniversary model): This was from the final run of this longtime best-seller multibit offered by Audio GD. I still have it in my side-system, which is headphone only. I happily paid the extra $5 to get the 2nd RCA ouptut. I'll probably sell it when the next DAC is finished burning in
• Audio GD R2R-11 MK2: It's an all-in-one, NOS DAC + single ended HP amp. It'll burn in for another 2 weeks, then replace the DAC-19 in the side-system. This time they charged me $30 for the add'l output (well worth the cost).

I did consider a few DACs with a pair of RCA outputs + a separate pair of XLR outputs. But in certain cases the mfr advised against using these outputs simultaneously (which is exactly how I wish to use the DAC); and even for those models w/o that issue, I'd have to use 3-pin XLR female-to-RCA-female adapters (a PITA & potentially signal-lossy tactic).

 

I see, thanks. well, the XLRs of my J2 are connected to Cavalli LCX, so what I am aiming at is actually to run 3 amps off the same DAC I have emailed @Zampotech about the output impedance of SW51+ and will then ask Geshelli their opinion on connecting the Echo and the SW51+ via the Y-splitters, at least as an interim solution. I am leaning towards giving SOLUPEAK ST42 a try though, I think it's convenient to have a device like this at hand.

 

Wow, 3 amps off a single DAC. I know of a few passives that would do the trick (at least for single-ended applications), but the acoustically transparent ones cost real money.

Good luck with your switching adventure.

 

Schiit along with many people in this thread have expressed concern for loading DACs with multiple amps. A good switcher is the recommendation. I have links to a lot of options in the first post in this thread. All the best switchers I could find.

The best would be to DIY one with

Elna switchers
VH Audo OCC copper hookup wire (or other OCC copper hookup wire)
Neutrik gold plated or better connectors
Wired correctly so there's no ground or crosstalk issues

But that takes skill. It's too bad there are no ORFAS commercial switchers out there made like this. They'd probably cost 2k though, because the parts alone for the above cost $500 or so. I asked Mapletree Audio to make me one like this and got no response.

What we really need someone to make is a switcher that not only takes care of multiple amps connected to one DAC, but incorporates transformers into it as well for SE outs. ->

ORFAS switcher
One balanced input that leads to a 5 way Elna switcher. The first 4 positions go directly to 4 balanced outs. The 5th position goes to a pair of Cinemag transformers. this then goes to a second Elna switcher with 4 positions that lead to 4 SE outputs.

That would take care of everything in one box. Of course, one with just 2 balanced outs and 2 SE outs or somethign could be offered as well. But I think that would sell really well. So many people here use the Schiit Freya to do this, but it's not ideal.

 

That's odd. @jnak00 just posted about his earlier this week.

You could go all out on this with the TVCs...
https://www.thebespokeaudiocompany.com/

 

I ran four amps off of my BF2 using split cables. I then bought passive switchers for a different reason. I wanted all four amps to have the option of EQ with my Schiit Loki via SE. And I wanted three amps to have the option of direct XLR input.

I sold the Liquid Platinum and the XLR switch box almost two weeks ago. Before that I sold my Little Dot MKIII.

I rarely use the Loki any more and am thinking about moving it and the switch box. The ups and downs of gear collecting.

 

Mine is just their standard one, it doesn’t have the fancy parts he is recommending. I suspect they don’t want to build something one-off like that.

 

Looks nice, but this is just a little over the top. I just wanna switch my shit and turn the volume knob up and down.

 

There's the Hattor builds. Either 3in/2out or 5in/4out with stepped attenuators for <$1k, but no passive transformer XLR<>RCA shenanigans though I suppose one could ask if that's a possibility for extra.

 

And then there's the minor issue of $10K USD cost (I know...petty of me).

I have a far smaller & cheaper transformer-based passive (NHT PVC) which sadly only has 1 input & 1 output. If it had 2 outputs, I might have saved myself a lot of time & expense looking for passives + transformers + multiple outputs (the few, the proud, the expensive).

The sound of this little box is very transparent, or at least as much as my current systems can reveal.

So I'm interested in a distant/intellectual sense in the Bespoke Audio box, but can neither afford it nor fit it in either of my systems. In a real way, that's a good thing...

 

Well on the cheaper end of TVC preamps, you have Promitheus for ~$500 USD:
http://www.promitheusaudio.com/frontpage.html

 

Makes me wish I still had the Stereo Knight Silverstone, which I picked up from @Armaegis no less.

https://witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php...ne-balance-transformer-volume-control-review/

 

Access Denied - Sucuri Website Firewall

Did you send too much traffic their way?

 

I think the site's just wonky, I got a couple of 404s then it worked fine.

Silverstone is a TVC based switcher with XLR-RCA conversion and the most beautiful guts I've ever seen. Only challenge was no remote. It went away during the ampocalypse .

 

Wow, that looks amazing! If I'd only known back then ...

Looks like they don't want any visitors from around my parts.

 

One of the few things that I've regretted selling, but like all things in this hobby one must always move on to the next toy.