Best way to use the C1/C2 for 2ch listening

**blownrx7** · 17 January 2012, 21:02 Tuesday

Just off the top of my head I would guess you could use any of the audio inputs. They are all treated the same.
You can still get the manual downloaded on the parasound website:
Parasound download page

hth

**slayer** · 17 January 2012, 23:44 Tuesday

I was hoping there was a bypass or direct input that would pass the signal straight to the analog volume control and then to the amp.

**Peter Nielsen** · 18 January 2012, 10:09 Wednesday

If I recall correctly, only 2-channel XLR can be bypassed, so if you can't use the XLRs you're out of luck...

**slayer** · 18 January 2012, 15:53 Wednesday

I think the 7.1 inputs also bypass the processing. But then the sub won't work. Hmmmm.

**Chris D** · 20 January 2012, 04:47 Friday

Hmmm... so you like the idea of adding a DAC to your Halo system?

**slayer** · 21 January 2012, 02:23 Saturday

Actually, I'm still dialing it in. I have a Toshiba SD-9200 DVD Audio player that is a really well built unit. For years I have gone back and forth between the digital and analog inputs on my Halo. I have both hooked up so I can choose either. The SD-9200 has a higher resolution dac than the Halo, yet the Halo sound just as good. But in my short time with the Tri-Vista, I'm really liking it. I am going into the front channels of the 7.1 inputs on the Halo. So my mains are receiving a fullrange direct signal from the Tri-Vista dac. They sound incredible but I need more bass. I am toying with the idea keeping the mains as they are, but also splitting the signals off the dac to also feed my Velodyne SMS-1 so that I can blend my subwoofer into the mix. Or send the signal from the dac to the audio inputs of the Halo, apply the Halos bass management on my mains for protection, and use the sub out of the Halo to power the SMS-1 to blend in my sub. Did I confuse anyone ; ) I'm just worried about the Halo changing the sound from the Tri-Vista dac. Keep in mind, this will only be for 2ch music. My PS3 I use for BluRay is fed with a Toslink to the Halo. The sub out on the Halo will still be able to feed the SMS-1 in either setup as long as I use some form of a splitter at the rca inputs.

**slayer** · 22 January 2012, 22:59 Sunday

OK, update. I've spent a couple days listening here and there. Same material. Basicaly going through my small collection of DVD Audio discs. I set my speakers to Large and am playing with no subwoofer. Out of the DVD Audio player, I'm going into the Halo with both a Digital Coax and an Analog stereo pair. I'm also going out of the player with a Toslink going to the Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista Tube Dac which then sends an Analog stereo pair to the Front L/R channels of the 7.1 analog inputs on the Halo. I can listen to the same track and compare the Dacs in the Toshiba player, Halo C2, and the outboard Tube Dac. For me it was hands down the best with the Tri-Vista Tube Dac. While some of my discs did not kick out enough bass for my tastes, others had plenty. I need my sub back in the mix. I'm going to split the signal off the Tri-Vista to also go to my Velodyne SMS-1 and use it to mix my sub in with my mains. The SMS-1 will have a preset just for this setup(2ch) since the mains will be playing fullrange as they are being bypassed through the Halo. No option for Bass management. Theater mode will have the speakers protected with the Halo's bass management and the sub will have it's own preset based on the different setting needed.
I'm hoping it all works well. I've never been unhappy with my theater performance. My system has never dissapointed. It was always my 2ch performance that made me want more. Problem is I've heard some really good 2ch systems, but that's all they were. I'm just trying to get my system better in that area and I really think the Tri-Vista has made a positive improvement. Once the sub is blended in, I will start comparing regular CD's. I also have the 96/192 setting on the Dac to play with!!!

**Chris D** · 23 January 2012, 09:07 Monday

A few of my thoughts, Slayer:

- First, remember that DVD-Audio can not be passed over toslink (or most other digital connections). Same applies to SACD. So if you're comparing your connections, you're not quite comparing apples to apples. Playing a DVD-A disc over toslink or digital coax to either your DAC (again, interesting that you're one of the people that would like to add a DAC to your Halo system)

or straight to your C2, your DVD-Audio player is likely reading a simultaneous 2-channel PCM stream on the disc and outputting that, NOT the high-res DVD-A recording. Now, over the analog RCA plugs, your player probably IS reading the high-res DVD-A track, decoding, and outputting in analog. What you have to be careful of there is if you're playing a multichannel DVD-A, your player may be decoding it into multichannel analog (up to 7.1) but if you only have the front main 2-channel analogs connected, you may be missing out on all the information your player decoded into ALL of the other channels--including subwoofer!

- While I'm generally a purist, I *am* one of those who likes to use a subwoofer with 2-channel audio. It's simply a matter of speaker construction. Unless you have $20k+ speakers, they likely are just not able to produce full bass like a subwoofer can. (although this admittedly is less true for 2-channel music than it is for full-range home theater with LFE) So my advice is not to be afraid of using your setup, either in the C2 or something like low-pass filters on your speakers, to split the bass to a subwoofer.

- Yes, on your C2, if you really want to bypass all processing, then your only options are the balanced XLR inputs or the 7.1 analog inputs.

- My own desires, I very much want a JC 2 to run my 2-channel stuff and be...AWESOME. But until then, I gotta tell ya, I'm quite happy with the 2-channel performance I'm getting from my C1, both from the digital and analog connections.

- So, bottom line, my advice to you: You seem to like your DAC, so I would use your transport to output 2-channel analog to your DAC (but remember, that doesn't include DVD-A or SACD) and then analog from the DAC to any audio input on your C2. Don't use any other processing on that input, other than setting the speakers to "small" and using your sub as well.

- Otherwise, if you do NOT use the DAC, just use a normal digital connection from your CD transport to your C2, and use the C2 as normal! (but I think the point here is you're not fully satisfied with that)

Hope that helps.

**slayer** · 23 January 2012, 15:26 Monday

Yes, I'm aware of that. I always select the High Res Stereo tracks rather than the multi channel. I'm sure it is downconverting it to CD quality and then the Dac is upsampling it. It still sounds better than when I had the 7.1 analog outputs on the DVD Audio player hooked up to the 7.1 inputs on the Halo. That for sure was playing the higher res recordings. I'm just not a fan of the multi channel music and the Stereo mixes for some reason didn't make me happy. I may hook it back up and compare again as it's been a while.
Let me ask you this, is there any difference between the analog inputs 1-6 labeled Video versus the analog inputs labeled Audio? Or is it just that a Video input is tied to the first 6?

**Chris D** · 24 January 2012, 01:26 Tuesday

You got it right--no difference in the audio quality! The inputs are all also assignable, you may remember.

**slayer** · 25 January 2012, 14:35 Wednesday

I read it but wasn't sure how to assign a specific video input to a certain audio input. I'm gonna come out of the Tube Dac and go into one of the video inputs so that I can see the display of my player. I can also go back to the analog outputs off my DVD Audio player into the 7.1 input of the Halo to hear the High Res offerings of the DVD-a discs and be able to compare them to the Tube Dac. Thanks for the advice.

Best way to use the C1/C2 for 2ch listening

Best way to use the C1/C2 for 2ch listening

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