Lumin T2 with Anthem STR preamp signal going through both DACs?


To use bass management with my Anthem STR preamp, I have to convert the analog signal back to digital hence then using the Anthem’s DAC to process the final signal.

So in essence, the signal is being "dac’d" twice ?? That seems detrimental to the signal even with good dacs.

I did not know this had to be done to use subwoofers.

Is that normal and has this just escaped me all this time? Or am I missing something?


Addl info:
-- The setting on the Anthem you must turn on to use subs is in the Input settings and called "Convert Analog 32/192"
-- The subs will not turn on if that setting is "off"
dtximages
Yes, unless you have the Anthem set to analog or digital bypass, the  analog  signal from your T2 is  altered by the DSP of the Anthem.  IMO, this degrades the signal.  You can try it both ways and see which sounds better.  I found putting my Classe Sigma SSP in digital bypass mode sounds much better.  Of course you lose bass management this way.  I got around it by connecting my suvs to the RCA outs from the Classe and manage  the Bass directly with my JL Audio F 113 sub.
Gotcha, that might be what I end up doing.  The lumin does have RCA outs and the SVS subs are controllable via app.  

It just seems like I wasted money on the Lumin T2 when I'm actually hearing the Anthem's DAC.  Shoulda just went with the Lumin U1 mini I guess idk.. Then at least there's only one signal conversion in the chain.
I would strongly suggest you listen for yourself here.

We can talk tech but your ears are the only arbiter.  I would be personally disinclined to get a fancy DAC and then do DSP after though, seems like a a waste, but some do just that.
@dtximages depending on how the ADC -> DAC is occurring within the Anthem, it may differ from what would happen if you were feeding digital into the Anthem for DAC. You may wish to ask Anthem if the DAC signal path is the same in both cases.

You could also try listening for any audible difference in sound quality (avoiding frequencies around and below the crossover point) with the setting turned on or off. It may be inaudible, in which case you will still get the sound character of the T2 instead of the sound character of the STR DAC chips.
Not sure if you stream tidal, but I don’t think the Anthem DAC is fully MQA compatible, whereas the Lumin T2 is.