Pre Am Needed?

nathankrs

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Hello,

I am needing some assistance.
I currently have the following gear.

1. Bluesound node 2i Streamer (APP - using this to control Volume) (Using Coax out into the Denfrips Coax In)

2. Denafrips Ares 2 DAC ( Using XLR cables out into the Elac Navis ARB51 Active Speakers)

3. ELAC Navis Navis ARB 51 Active Speakers.

This is my problem.

1. The speakers do not come out of standby mode when playing a song. i need to increase the volume a few times for it to turn on.

2. Also the sound very sluggish and terrible.

if i disconnect the DAC and run the Blue sound node via RCA cable using the Bluesounds internal DAC, the speakers turn off stand by and the music sound great. (Working as intended)

So my question is do i need a PRE Amp? Not to control the volume but obviously to boost the signal from the Denafrips Ares 2 into the Active speakers?? is this what a Pre Amp does ?

i assuming that the signal is weak by the time it gets to the speaker?

Any suggestion would be great as this is confusing me.

Thank You.
 
Have you tried using the RCA connections from DAC to speakers, rather than XLR?
 
There is a switch at the back of the speaker for selecting the RCA/XLR input (I just had a quick look at the online manual). I suppose you have this selected accordingly? The XLRs have plenty of output, so you do not need a pre amp, no.
 
Yes bot RCA and XLR give me the same issues.
There is a switch at the back of the speaker for selecting the RCA/XLR input (I just had a quick look at the online manual). I suppose you have this selected accordingly? The XLRs have plenty of output, so you do not need a pre amp, no.
 
XLR usually have a higher signal level that likely wake things. often the case with subwoofers ... where folk sometimes struggle to wake their subs from slumber until sufficient volume.. fix is usually to lower the volume on the sub and i dont know if your active speakers have an independent volume control as well.

i know folk using the blue sound node as a pre amp but usually with the analog L&R channel out... can you just bypass the dac and try this to see this works for you ? at least then might eliminate the gear in middle incase causing the issue ?

I use a blue sound node 2i my self but with a 2ch pre amp feeding a power amp that drives speakers. no issue.

yes using with a pre amp will mean not using the blue sound as a pre amp. possible something amiss in the digital ones and zeros :D when using as a digital pre amp and feeding your dac and then not enough oomph to awaken...
 
Thanks
XLR usually have a higher signal level that likely wake things. often the case with subwoofers ... where folk sometimes struggle to wake their subs from slumber until sufficient volume.. fix is usually to lower the volume on the sub and i dont know if your active speakers have an independent volume control as well.

i know folk using the blue sound node as a pre amp but usually with the analog L&R channel out... can you just bypass the dac and try this to see this works for you ? at least then might eliminate the gear in middle incase causing the issue ?

I use a blue sound node 2i my self but with a 2ch pre amp feeding a power amp that drives speakers. no issue.

yes using with a pre amp will mean not using the blue sound as a pre amp. possible something amiss in the digital ones and zeros :D when using as a digital pre amp and feeding your dac and then not enough oomph to awaken...
Thank you for the feedback. My speakers have no volume control but they do have a Low / Hi Gain on the Back i will try with High Gain and test.
 
If you’re drip feeding a curtailed digital signal from the Node, I’m not surprised you’re getting a mess of a sound.

Depending on the ‘volume’ level you have the digital feed coming from the Node I very much doubt the Ares is getting a serious signal.

If the Node is chopping off bits, and I’m sure it is, the signal when it arrives at the Denafrips will be virtually no signal at all.

As the speakers work properly from the Nodes analogue outputs, you’ll need to feed the full digital signal from the Node (no attenuation) into the Ares and then use a separate preamp for the Ares output into the Elacs.
 
Ps, a preamp will not boost the signal from the Ares. It will attenuate it. A full 2V (more from the XLRs) from the Ares into the Elacs will not be accepted in a friendly fashion by the speakers.

A preamp is a volume control.

The analogue signal from the Ares (or any dac) is far too potent for the power amps in the Elacs, or any other power amps, without being turned down.

The problem seems to be the signal to the Ares is woefully buggered.

And as the speakers won’t work at all from the Ares I’d suggest it cannot even lock onto the chopped down digital output from the Node.
 

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