TOPIC:

I think the best solution at all would be to connect the SHD through a preamplifier equipped with a tape loop (or processor in/out).
This solution makes possible to:
- set volume via SHD
- connect a bunch of different sources
- have a standard line level input for minidsp
- benefit of the more drive provided by the pre out towards the main amp

Excellent idea! Problem is my preamp does not have a tape monitor loop. I do like the idea to be able to easily put the SHD in and out of the system. A tape monitor loop would do this nicely. I would need one with XLR balanced connections.

I don't know if this helps but I have a Parasound P5 preamp, A23 power amp, and SHD with 2 passive speakers and 2 self-powered subwoofers.

I have all my analog sources connected to the P5 and all my digital sources connected to the SHD. The record outs (fixed-output single-ended connections) on the P5 are connected to the SE analog ins on the SHD and the ch1 and ch2 XLR outputs of the SHD are connected to the A23 and the ch3 and ch4 SE outputs of the SHD are connected to the subwoofer LFE inputs. Of course if your preamp doesn't have any fixed-level outputs then this won't work.

This allows me to use the phono section and analog source switching of the P5 while bypassing its volume, balance, and tone controls, and use the SHD to control system volume, crossovers, digital source switching and streaming, DAC duties, and Dirac filtering. It works and sounds great.

thanks, I will have to try a few of these options.

Jeff328gts wrote:

I don't know if this helps but I have a Parasound P5 preamp, A23 power amp, and SHD with 2 passive speakers and 2 self-powered subwoofers.

I have all my analog sources connected to the P5 and all my digital sources connected to the SHD. The record outs (fixed-output single-ended connections) on the P5 are connected to the SE analog ins on the SHD and the ch1 and ch2 XLR outputs of the SHD are connected to the A23 and the ch3 and ch4 SE outputs of the SHD are connected to the subwoofer LFE inputs. Of course if your preamp doesn't have any fixed-level outputs then this won't work.

This allows me to use the phono section and analog source switching of the P5 while bypassing its volume, balance, and tone controls, and use the SHD to control system volume, crossovers, digital source switching and streaming, DAC duties, and Dirac filtering. It works and sounds great.

Wow, this is super helpful. I have a P6 with an A23+ and SHD that just arrived yesterday. I am trying to figure out the best way to hook it up. I need the theater bypass of the P6 and also have two powered subs and several analog sources. The DAC of the SHD really doesn't work for me since it doesn't process MQA. I have a Cambridge Audio DAC that is dual mono analog into the P6. I guess if I want Volumio and the streamer functions of the SHD, there is no way to loop it back through the P6 or Cambridge as an analog source? I was wondering if I should have just ordered the 2x4HD instead. Right now, I'll probably just put a WiiM on the Cambridge and forego the streaming functions of the SHD.

"Wow, this is super helpful. I have a P6 with an A23+ and SHD that just arrived yesterday. I am trying to figure out the best way to hook it up. I need the theater bypass of the P6 and also have two powered subs and several analog sources. The DAC of the SHD really doesn't work for me since it doesn't process MQA. I have a Cambridge Audio DAC that is dual mono analog into the P6. I guess if I want Volumio and the streamer functions of the SHD, there is no way to loop it back through the P6 or Cambridge as an analog source? I was wondering if I should have just ordered the 2x4HD instead. Right now, I'll probably just put a WiiM on the Cambridge and forego the streaming functions of the SHD."

You should try the DAC in the SHD. I also have a Pro-Ject DAC that does MQA and is a Stereophile Class A recommended device and I think the DAC in the SHD sounds at least as good. I use Roon so it does the first MQA unfold on my Roon server. 

Also, EVERYTHING you run through the SHD gets digitized/re-sampled at 96khz/32bits anyway. 

The 2x4HD doesn't sound as good as the SHD, it's ADC/DAC is much lower performance.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. I also use Roon, so probably won't be able to tell the difference anyway. Good to know about the downsampling, I was unaware. I may have a Cambridge Audio to sell, lol. If I was to use a 2x4HD, I would only use it to optimize the subs and use the crossover in P6 with the LR going strait to the A23+. I went with the SHD to see if DIRAC stereo correction could help more than just using REW in my room. The Volumio server was interesting as well since I was considering a RPI for that. If it doesn't make much of a difference, I'll use the SHD in another room and try the 2x4HD for subs only. The imaging is good with the P6, but the low frequency standing wave issues are bad in my room. Thanks for the info, this is exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to try using the level line outs as soon as my interconnects come in. I was setup for XLR before reading this post.

I bought my SHD primarily for the Dirac room correction and subwoofer integration. Just using the x-overs built into the P5 I had massive problems with the bass in my room and a lot of experimenting with REW and Dirac has made a massive difference. My subwoofers are connected wirelessly and due to the latency in that setup I had to delay the mains by 25 milliseconds to get the subs time-aligned. That in itself made a large difference, then with Dirac handling the fine-tuning it now sounds better than I ever thought it could.

I still use my Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital to listen on headphones at my desk, also using Roon.

And I am a big RPI fan, I have 3 Roon endpoints running Ropieee and feeding into USB DACs of various kinds on a few vintage systems.

I’m new to Roon and now wondering why I went all in on Sonos. Roon endpoints are the way to go. After thinking about this, I don’t think I’m going to be able to use the line level outs. My biggest issue is that I need the home theater bypass of the P6 to also allow use of the LR+Subs by my HT prepro. My two best options seem to be P6->XLR->SHD->XLR->A23+Subs. This would allow me to not only use DIRAC but also REW for delays, EQ of the subs, etc. My understanding is that I would set the volume fixed on the SHD and control with the P6 or with the prepro when in bypass. My concern here is the input voltage limits of the SHD. The other option is SHD->SPDIF->P6->XLR->A23+Subs. This would allow me to get DIRAC room correction but I couldn’t set individual delays on my two subs. I’ve always heard to EQ the subs first before applying room correction. In this setup, I lose the LFE channel and only use the subs as part of the stereo output. The optimal solution may be SHD->SPDIF->P6->A23+->XLR->LR+2x4HD->subs. This way I get DIRAC room correction when listening in stereo mode through the P6, but when in theater mode, the 2x4HD equalizes the subs but allows the HT prepro to apply it’s 7.1.2 correction and still utilize the LFE channel. Thoughts? What’s another $249 at this point lol.