TOPIC:

Hi
I just ordered a PWR-ICE125 that is planned to be used as a subwoofer amp. My plan is to go digital from my Squeezebox Touch (SPDIF) to the PWR-ICE and then out AES/EBU to my Dynaudio AIR20 speakers. Do you think this would work? At present I go digital directly from the Squeezebox to the AES/EBU input on the speakers. I only use a RCA to XLR plug.

vidarje wrote:

Hi
I just ordered a PWR-ICE125 that is planned to be used as a subwoofer amp. My plan is to go digital from my Squeezebox Touch (SPDIF) to the PWR-ICE and then out AES/EBU to my Dynaudio AIR20 speakers. Do you think this would work? At present I go digital directly from the Squeezebox to the AES/EBU input on the speakers. I only use a RCA to XLR plug.

Don't ever use an RCA to XLR adapter if you want the lowest jitter system. Always match impedances. The easiest solution for you is to purchase an impedance-matching transformer from Canare or Neutrik. www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home...&Q=&is=REG&A=details

However, If you can open up the PWR-ICE, and find the 110 ohm termination resistor, you can change that for a 75 ohm. Then you can use your RCA to XLR adapter. There is some cost in causing impedance bumps with the physical adapters in the line, but this is far less jitter-inducing than the impedance mismatch of 75 to 110 ohms.

Thanks for the reply!
The Neutrik converter was nice and not very expensive. I'm not sure how jittersensitve the AIR speakers are. In my opinion they sound exellent with just the plug, but they might sound even better?

vidarje wrote:

Thanks for the reply!
The Neutrik converter was nice and not very expensive. I'm not sure how jittersensitve the AIR speakers are. In my opinion they sound exellent with just the plug, but they might sound even better?

The AIR speakers probably use the JET PLL which was largely developed by TC Electronic, so they should already be pretty jitter-immune. But you may notice an improvement!


Bob

Thanks for the advice. I will look into it when the sub is up and running. The amp was shipped today.

It works! SPDIF in (RCA/XLR plug) and AES/EBU out to the speakers.

I do think that jitter might be an issue. I think the sound has lost some resolution compare to when I went straight to the speakers with SPDIF. I will try with an SPDIF to AES/EBU converter like this: www.amazon.com/Hosa-CDL-313-Coaxial-SPDI...U-Link/dp/B000068OGS

Another issue is that depending on the source of SPDIF I sometimes hear low noise hiss when it should have been absolutely quitet, is there any explanation for this?

@ vidarje

We haven't seen this issue before but actually, when you input SPDIF, you're SPDIF out (not AES-EBU out). In other words, you're unbalanced out (SPDIF) vs Balanced (AES-EBU). That might be the reason why you can't go long length. In general doing a SPDIF to AES-EBU and running on long length is the best way.

Never heard of this complaint of hiss though.. Not sure how we'd be able to reproduce that but we can investigate. Let's see once the adaptor comes in.
DevTeam

Thanks for the reply.
I will try an easier and cheaper solution first, by using the two digital outputs on the Squeezebox and convert the optical signal to coax and feed it to the sub and route the other SPDIF directly to the speakers. Maybe I can connect an oscilloscope to the different SPDIF sources I have and look for differences in signal level etc. I have ordered this: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOSlink-Optical-to-CO...&hash=item337dfa169a

Hello
I have 3 ICE250 Amps. Is it possible to connect this tree amps together via SPDIF in/out for a 2.1 twoway system? Left 2way, Right 2way and Subbass mono.
When I connect SPDIF in on the first amp and goes out SPDIF to the second amp SPDIF in it works perfect. But when in connect the 3. amp form SPDIF out of the second amp to the SPDIF in of the 3. amp result in no sound. Only to amps are connectable via SPDIF in and out. Also daisychain SPDIF to all three SPDIF ins result in only 2 amp sounds. Give it a solution for my project?
Thanks.

@hoerbyjurt,

mmmh, most likely running into the limitation of a low level SPDIF input signal (i.e. from your source) combined with long distance.
SPDIF can range from 0.5v to 3v, with different manufacturer having different levels.
I wonder if in your case, you'd be better off with the using a SPDIF to AES-EBU level converter. You could go AES-EBU over very long distance and solve that issue.
Something like this:http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CDL-313-Coaxial-SPDIF-AES-EBU-Link/dp/B000068OGS

Let us know if that trick works,

DevTeam