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Clean integration with home theater?
#1
I'm running my Expert 200 in a 2.1 setup for mostly music, but increasingly home theater as well. 

I'd like to add a center channel and potentially go to a full 5.1 setup. 

For folks who've got something similar, what's your setup? 

I'm considering getting an AVR with pre-outs (likely slim Marantz NR1200), running the center off the AVR and the subwoofer off either the AVR or the E200. 

Questions:

- Is there a simpler way to just get a center channel working? e.g. extract the center channel signal from HDMI and put it in a powered speaker? I"m really after improved dialog clarity. Any Devialet settings to explore? 

- In bypass mode, I presume the E200 will act as a power amp for the analog input being fed by the pre-outs of the AVR, and I'd use the AVR's volume control?

- I like listening to music 2.1, if I leave my sub connected to the Devialet, I'll miss out on the LFE channel in 5.1 mixes, but I can live with that. Is there a way to have the sub connected to the AVR but still enjoy some 2.1 listening?
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#2
I've got a 5 channel AV receiver that has pre-outs for the front left/right channel. I set inputs on my Devialet in bypass mode and just run interconnects from the AV receiver preouts to my Devialet. I default my Devialet to start with the bypass channel so watching TV for others is a bit simpler. In the Devialet config, I did set the bypass at -5db instead of the default -15.

Not quite sure how the Devialet would relate to a center channel. If you're wanting to use a powered center channel, then your AV receiver will need to have pre-outs for that as well. Most modern day AV receivers will give you good control in the setup so center channel shouldn't be an issue.

Haven't a clue how to share a sub with both Devialet & your AV receiver, but perhaps it's possible to take the AV receiver pre-outs for the sub and feed it into another bypass channel in your Devialet... not sure about that.
Devialet 440 Pro (two 220s)- Oracle CD transport - Kuzma Stabi S/Stogi S turntable - Von Schweikert VR-35 speakers - JPS SC3 SCs - PI Audio power conditioning -
Triode Wire Labs ICs and PCs - Roon on NUC 8i7beh running ROCK
Durham, NC USA
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#3
I bought my original 250 because I wanted decent HiFi that would work with my Denon AV 6400 System. It is very easy to set up using the PreOuts on the AV amp to the Line 1 on the Devialet. You need to remember to check the Pass Thru on Special Modes of Line 1. I set the bypass level at 0dB because if you get this wrong you may not get any sound at all, which happened to me, and I don’t care what volume is passed through to the Devialet as neither the Devialet or my B&W speakers will be troubled. The sub and all other channels work off the Denon. Tune your whole thing in using Audyssey or whatever tool is provided with the AV amp. Have the Devialet configured to power up on Line so it will be available and controlled by the AV amp’s volume controller. I use Roon for normal day to day HiFi so it automatically starts the Devialet amp on Roon Ready.  The AV amp will not automatically power on the Devialet so you may have to remember to do this. My setup is 5.1 with PMC speakers that pre date my Devialet or B&W acquisitions.
Devialet 1000 Pro CI, Chord Signature Reference speaker cables, B&W 803 D3 speakers

Roon lifetime licence, Tidal.
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#4
I can only comment on REL subwoofers, but mine (twin G1 Mk2) have two separate connection paths, one for LFE and one low level / high level for amplifier connection. The LFE is connected to the AV receiver and then the low level connectors are connected to the sub out on each of the 2 units of my 440 Pro. This way you get your effects channel for movies but then get all the subby goodness for music, and absolutely fantastic it is too! The subs can take input from both connections at the same time so no faffing around having to change connections over.
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#5
Thanks for the tips! 

I've done some investigation and I can also attach two inputs safely to my subwoofer which solves that potential problem.

Also in playing with the Devialet config to get my head around the passthrough mode, I came across the "ICM" or "Intelligent Cinema Mode" - seems to be a mid-range boost to give dialog a lift and it has a noticeable effect in my system. So much so that the main motivation for going 5.1/3.1 (getting a center channel for clearer dialog) is greatly reduced so I'm going to live with this for a while before wondering if I want the hassle of a true center channel.
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#6
Sorry for hijacking your thread a bit but I was trying to find out the best way to get sound from my LG C8 to my 220 Pro CI.
I wasn't sure if optical toslink to mini 3.5 optical or optical toslink to toslink was the way to go. I presume you don't need to spend daft money and an audioquest pearl 1.5 m would be just fine? I was using a soundbar but the sub is a pita to fit in the room due to spoiling my stereo sound when I have to put it close to my speakers. Has anyone else used their expert to get TV sound? My soundbar was only £599 so I'd expect the Dev and £6,000 speakers to sound considerably better even if it's only stereo.
D220 Expert Pro CI. Totem Acoustic Tribe Tower Loudspeakers.
Phantom Reactor 600 for Mrs Oz.
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#7
(09-Aug-2020, 21:19)Ozzzy189 Wrote: Sorry for hijacking your thread a bit but I was trying to find out the best way to get sound from my LG C8 to my 220 Pro CI.
I wasn't sure if optical toslink to mini 3.5 optical or optical toslink to toslink was the way to go. I presume you don't need to spend daft money and an audioquest pearl 1.5 m would be just fine? I was using a soundbar but the sub is a pita to fit in the room due to spoiling my stereo sound when I have to put it close to my speakers. Has anyone else used their expert to get TV sound? My soundbar was only £599 so I'd expect the Dev and £6,000 speakers to sound considerably better even if it's only stereo.

I use a 6m cheapo optical toslink/toslink To connect my ageing Sony Bravia flatscreen TV to my Dev. Works like a charm and sounds great. I don’t think you need to spend a lot of money on these kind of cables.
Project Eperience X Pack with Ortofon Rondo Red MC, Oppo BDP 105D, 2 x Sonos Connect, QNAP HS251+ NAS with 2 X 6TB Western Digital Red, Mac 5K 32GB running Lifetime Roon, iPad Pro 12.9" for remote control.  Etalon Ethernet Isolator, Devialet 440 Pro CI, Sonus faber Olympica ll with Isoacoustics Gaia ll feet, Auralic Taurus Mkll headphone amp.Denon AH-D5000, Sennheiser HD600 and HD800 with Cardas cable,  Van Den Hul The First Ultimate and Crystal interconnects, Furutech power cables, GSP Audio Spatia speaker cable.
South Coast England
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#8
I connect mine the same way as recommended - any decent optical Toslink cable. Optical because it sounds decent, and also because it is provides galvanic isolation - don't want the nasty EMI from your TV polluting the Devialet through an electrical cable.
Devialet 1000 Pro CI - AQ Diamond AES RCA-XLR Link
PC - ifi iDefender+ - FIBBR Alpha Optical USB + "Studer 900" LPS - Singxer SU-6 - AQ Diamond AES
PSB Imagine T3  AQ William Tell Zero / Tornado / DBS Level-X  -  PliXir Balanced AC
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#9
(12-May-2020, 23:46)Laura Wrote: I can only comment on REL subwoofers, but mine (twin G1 Mk2) have two separate connection paths, one for LFE and one low level / high level for amplifier connection. The LFE is connected to the AV receiver and then the low level connectors are connected to the sub out on each of the 2 units of my 440 Pro. This way you get your effects channel for movies but then get all the subby goodness for music, and absolutely fantastic it is too! The subs can take input from both connections at the same time so no faffing around having to change connections over.

Hi @Laura - just an observation - if you're using RCA cables, then the way you connect the subwoofers now may be introducing a ground loop between your two Devialets through the subwoofers and AVR:

Devialet A --- Sub A --- AVR --- Sub B --- Devialet B
+-------------- Master-Companion RCA --------------+

Here's an idea for a tweak if you're willing to experiment - galvanic isolation of the subwoofer from the Devialet.

You might want to try putting audio isolation transformers between the sub and Devialet. This is to prevent a ground loop between the sub and the Devialet. I tried this specially designed transformer from Jensen and it works well. No degradation of the subwoofer sound as far as I can tell, and it makes me feel better that the subwoofer connection is not adding EMI to the Devialet.

https://www.jensen-transformers.com/product/sub-2rr/
https://www.jensen-transformers.com/product/sub-1rr/

Interestingly, after connecting this isolation transformer, I can confirm that the Devialet disconnects its subwoofer RCA output when powered off. I can hear the subwoofer hum from the cable floating when the Devialet is off. When powered on the Devialet connects the circuit and no more humming.
Devialet 1000 Pro CI - AQ Diamond AES RCA-XLR Link
PC - ifi iDefender+ - FIBBR Alpha Optical USB + "Studer 900" LPS - Singxer SU-6 - AQ Diamond AES
PSB Imagine T3  AQ William Tell Zero / Tornado / DBS Level-X  -  PliXir Balanced AC
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