2. home-theater
  3. 1127508148

Theater Pass Through wtih EMM DCC2

Plan on acquiring DCC2 Preamp/DAC. Is anyone using a home theater bypass with their DCC2?

It is my understanding that connecting the analog balanced outs (front L & R only, of course) from my surround processor to the analog balanced ins on the DCC2, then setting the DCC2 volume control to 99 (the highest), will achieve unity gain on the DCC2 and allow me to use volume control on the surround processor. I would then run analog balanced outs from the DCC2 to my amplifier.

The alternative is to leave the surround processor alone and continue to run its analog balanced outs to my amplifier and also connect single ended outs from the DCC2 to the amplifier, then use the toggle switch on the amplifier to select between the balanced versus single ended inputs.

Looking for thoughts from the collective as to preferred method of connection, based on previous experience and, of course, sound quality.
rmaidenberg
jhc
4 posts
 
Interesting, I had call EMM Labs for this question, was told by setting the volume at "88" will provide unity gain...
rmaidenberg OP
32 posts
 
Well, my dealer confirmed with both Ed Meitner and Greg (I think his last name is Soo) that 99 is the unity gain on the DCC2.

I will be connecting mine tomorrow and will post my findings.
cincy_bob
270 posts
 
Rmaidenberg, I am intrigued to hear about your findings. A volume setting of 99 on the DCC2 will apply maximum gain to the signal at the variable output jacks. If your dealer is saying that maximum gain equals unity gain, then what I think he are saying is that the preamp in the DCC2 is a passive preamp (i.e., it is strictly a volume attenuator that is not capable of providing any active gain of its own).
rmaidenberg OP
32 posts
 
Well, I finally got around to connecting the analog balanced XLR outs from my surround processor into the analog balance XLR inputs on the DCC2. Before doing so, I ran pink noise through my processor in order to confirm what volume setting on my processor produced 75dB on my SPL meter. After bringing the DCC2 into the chain, I can unequivocally confirm that a volume setting of 99 on the DCC2 analog balanced XLR input is unity gain.
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
wont turning it up all the way introduce siganl noise?
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