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Rack Mount Preamp


Dave A

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Does anyone have any recommendations here? I would like to keep all the electronics mounted in my rack and be able to safely transport them if needed. I have an Integra 50.4 which will work for a preamp. I have no idea how well it will do so and I am not thrilled about the audio output from it. I have the Crowns right below the Integra and the Integra stays off for95% of the time. Seems a waste to use that big box just for a preamp even though it is a bird in the hand.

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10 hours ago, rockhound said:

I have a rane m24 mixer that I use as a pre for my rack works very well mated to the crown. Has plenty of inputs for sources. 

OK so when I read about mixers these function as preamps too? How is the fidelity compared to these dedicated purpose only preamps?

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Dave I used one of my emotiva pre amps before buying the mixer. I noticed no loss in sound quality when I installed the mixer. Mine sounds really really good to my ears the only down side is it only has one set of outputs so I will need to add an active crossover when I intagrate the 684 sub. I think you would be fine with a quality mixer.

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Dave... A mixer without power amps built in is really no different in theory form a preamp. It will just have a lot of preamps buit in, i.e., each input works as a separate pre and can then be routed to the ouput of your choice.

 

Fidelity would be the key here, along with flexibility. Most line level, 1U (1.75 inch) units will not have any tone controls, all the way up to parametric eq on every input... but it's a bigger mixer.

 

Are you staying analog? Lots of options depending on tje route you want to take.

 

Bruce

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49 minutes ago, Marvel said:

Dave... A mixer without power amps built in is really no different in theory form a preamp. It will just have a lot of preamps buit in, i.e., each input works as a separate pre and can then be routed to the ouput of your choice.

 

Fidelity would be the key here, along with flexibility. Most line level, 1U (1.75 inch) units will not have any tone controls, all the way up to parametric eq on every input... but it's a bigger mixer.

 

Are you staying analog? Lots of options depending on tje route you want to take.

 

Bruce

The pieces to the puzzle I have so far are a Xilica xp3060 and two Crown xli800 amps. The intent is to use a laptop or PC as the source, feed the preamp which will feed the two Crowns. Does that make me analog or digital? I am assuming I am digital at this time and the sound card will allow for up to 192kbs.

I have an Integra 50.4 which I can use to and should I just go that route? It can't be rack mount and is big though. Convenience is secondary to fidelity here though and I don't want to have to do this over.

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You are def. digital.

 

You can go digital from the pc to the xilica > crown amps. You wouldn't need another pre unless you have other sources that need to get.

 

Does the xilica of yours have analog or digital inputs?

 

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A few of the present day digital mixers are small enough to be rack mountable. Heck there's even mixers in a rack mount box and the control surface is an iPad or a phone. Having level, gain,  and pan controls as well as parametric eq and mixing controls make it super flexible. You've got to be careful though as they are mainly slanted towards microphone inputs and maybe shy of line level inputs.

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On 2/12/2019 at 9:47 AM, Dave A said:

The pieces to the puzzle I have so far are a Xilica xp3060 and two Crown xli800 amps. The intent is to use a laptop or PC as the source, feed the preamp which will feed the two Crowns. Does that make me analog or digital? I am assuming I am digital at this time and the sound card will allow for up to 192kbs.

I have an Integra 50.4 which I can use to and should I just go that route? It can't be rack mount and is big though. Convenience is secondary to fidelity here though and I don't want to have to do this over.

50 Channels plus 4 subs, wow, and I though my 11.2 Yamaha had more channels than I needed. Must be a prototype from Japan in trade for some Super MWM's with K402's and TADs!!

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15 minutes ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

50 Channels plus 4 subs, wow, and I though my 11.2 Yamaha had more channels than I needed. Must be a prototype from Japan in trade for some Super MWM's with K402's and TADs!!

So That's what all those little holes on the back side mean?

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  • 3 weeks later...

@Dave A  The Integra 50.4 is indeed rack mount capable with the IRK-180-4A rack mount kit.  IF you can find one, that is.  Might call some Onkyo/Integra dealers and see if  they do.  Or, put it on a shelf and drill holes in the shelf where the feet would sit and attach the receiver using those.

 

I was the Onkyo/Integra rep for OK, AR, & north TX for 10 years back when they started using these.

 

https://integraworldwide.com/nz/products/dtr504/index.htm

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