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Anyone got any sources on how to obtain firmware for AVR's that Denon now deem a legacy product? Have an AVR-X2000 I picked up cheap a year and a half ago that had no HDMI output and just the other day I bought a second one that had a dead amplifier circuitry and I switched the board with the HDMI switching from this new one into my existing one which worked no bother. Unfortunately, that board also has the main processor and firmware chip on it too and its not been updated to support Spotify connect like I had done with my one. And it now refuses to update since Denon have now marked this unit as legacy since June last year according to the entirely useless Denon customer support person who also seems unable to send me the firmware directly. So now I'm torn, cause I use the Spotify connect feature more than I ever actually use the video output of the thing, but it then makes my entire purchase of the second reciever a massive waste of time and money. I also probably could locate the ROM chip on my old board and switch it to the new one, but I don't have the equiptment or skills to be able to pull off such a procedure without entirely destroying everything... It's just frustrating casue these have the ability to be updated "locally" via the web gui as far as I'm aware, and failing that, there is a USB port on the front wired up for data and I'm led to believe It can be used for updating, but Denon just seem to refuse access to the firmware. Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate it if anyone has any suggestions.

Hi, I'm debating to buy the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm.I've read that if you want to get the most out of it, you need an amp. I don't have the slightest clue about amplifiers, what's good, what's overkill etc...Any suggestions about a good enough amp to run with them, that is not too expensive? I'd like to invest no more than 200$ (and that's a bit too much as well but idk the price range) on an amp.Which of the following Amps would be best here? If any? - Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC FiiO K5 Pro Headphone Amps Portable Desktop DAC and Amplifier 768K/32Bit TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro Type C USB dongle DAC Topping L30II NFCA Linear Headphone Amp - 6.35mm Jack 3.5mm FiiO E10K (OLYMPUS2) TYPE-C USB DAC Thanks

Fosi Audio is updating its offering of stereo amplifiers: the Fosi Audio V3 is probably the first of this new cycle. Completely renewed design and use of quality components that make it more attractive and make it sound better than the brand's previous series. Anyhow it remains a product with a truly affordable price. The packaging of the Fosi Audio V3 is truly basic and includes only the amplifier itself, the power supply and a manual. The Fosi V3 amplifier looks slim, it hasn’t tone controls but only a pot that serves as on/off switch and volume control. On the upper part of the chassis there is a series of holes, in a circular shape, which helps heat dissipation since there is also a corresponding series of holes on the bottom: this makes the heat dissipation of the power chip more effective. A concession to aesthetics is the second volume knob that you can purchase separately. It is bright orange color and it is very easy to replace instead of the black one. The potentiometer is logarithmic rather than linear, meaning that the increasing in volume will be much more gradual up to the later stages. The status LED is blue and is clearly visible, without being excessively bright. The build quality seems to be excellent and in fact it is surprising that the cost of this unit is so convenient, since that it is very well built together and has no defects to report. The Fosi Audio V3 only has RCA input, but in addition to the usual speaker output it also offers a preamp output via a 3.5mm connector. This 3.5mm output is not controlled by the potentiometer and the signal is transmitted at full volume. Fosi Audio V3 uses the Texas Instruments TPA3255 amplifier chip for the power part and two TI NE5532 operational amplifiers that can be replaced with other performing chips, thus allowing you to refine the sound to your liking. The amplifier is capable of producing a fair amount of power, depending on the power supply you use: Fosi states that the V3 can produce up to 300 W, but it is not possible with the standard 32 V power supply which provides only 160 W. You need to buy a different one to get that result, as the V3 supports power supplies up to 48 V. I tested the Fosi Audio V3 using an Aiyima A1 as DAC and a pair of JBL E50. The V3 sounds clean and clear. Even with songs where many instruments appear the sound remains clean and with excellent instrumental separation. The V3 offers a neutral sound performance that doesn’t color the sound, allowing you to listen to your music without alterations. Transient response is fast, with drum/snare hits immediate and dynamic. The amplifier is very silent: I set the volume knob to maximum by acting on the volume of the DAC/pre. Furthermore, there is no audible noise even when I get close to the speakers. The V3 sounds very good, even with complex tracks at both low and high volume levels, which is quite significant at this price range. Fosi can still certainly improve something in this device: for example, I am quite sure that the addition of a toggle switch for turning it on/off would get better the reliability and longevity of the potentiometer intended only for regulating the volume. The Fosi Audio V3 offers great value as it provides great sound quality at a very favorable price. For these reasons I can only recommend it. We look forward to seeing what Fosi will do as a company after this first promising step.

So I found out I can get the fiio k5 pro ess for 120 dollars (including shipping) with a sale now on AliExpress on the official fiio store. I was wondering if it's a good price or if there is anything else at this price that's better. I was looking at the k5 for a while now and it's on sale till the 18th so I would really like some help thanks.

I'm interested in experimenting further with my audio setup. I'm particular about getting an interface that allows me to control most audio aspects without opening audio settings. I'm looking for some Budget Options mostly or gaming, content consumption and lite content creation. This Behringer USB audio interface is what started me on this journey so do let me know if it's any good or if you have any experience with the Behringer brand. As far as I can tell, they seem to make somewhat decent knockoffs of Beyerdynamic's stuff and others. My Region is Malaysia Headphone: Samson SR850s Microphone: BM800 (apparently a knockoff of the Neewer NW-800, having watched a few youtube vids it apparently works well if given some power) My main perquisites is that it has to have: 1. Headphone Amp (or whatever the thing that drives more power to the headphones that makes it sound fuller/richer/louder) 2. Mic Amp (i have a shitty XLR mic that apparently works well if supplied with some power) 3. Some kind of Volume Control (i like dedicated hardware controls)

I was just gifted a Pyle PD3000BA Pre-Amp. I have an old set of 240watt audio/video monitors(I have no clue what that actually means) they have one large(maybe 12-16 inch) speaker, and two smaller speakers in each enclosure. They have the typical speaker wire clamp connections on the back, as well as 2 connections that would fit a cord from a guitar or microphone. I believe I will need to purchase an amp to make it all work together, but I am still clueless on how to set it up. It appears that the optical cable plug on the preamp is an output only. So I would have to use an aux to rca adapter to get the input from my tv. Then hook up an amp to the speaker output from the preamp, then from the amplifier to the speakers? I can add pictures tomorrow to help clarify things. I’m honestly not super into audio quality and volume, but I see this as an opportunity to learn a bit about technology that I know nothing about. I also do not have an amp yet and am open to budget suggestions. And any advice or knowledge you can share on speaker wire is greatly appreciated.

i know it is sound weird but im new to this audio world... I have a old amplifier with 2 old speakers and they work great! But i want to connect another 3 speakers, canter and two rears My problem is that i don't know if after i connect the speakers i will get good stereo sound, In the audio world can be a bottleneck like in the pc world ? For example good amplifier and good speakers but the aux cable is not good? And there is a special drivers that i need to install like Dolby atoms and stuff? or the the windows drivers are fine? I will happy to know what can make my audio sound the best!

I was planning to buy a pair of "good" headphones like the beyerdynamic DT 550 or 990 which have a pretty high impedance at 80 and 250 Ohms respectably. The Amp I am using is an Yamaha RX-V571. How high is the impedance on the 6.3mm jack there; so In can know what pair to buy.

Hello guys! Recently i bought a marantz sr6200 amplifier and i am trying to hook a speakers to it. But i don't have luck. When i hook my speakers to other amplifier they work perfectly. But i tried connecting them with aux, digital cable and still cant get any sound of the amplifier i played with all the options read the manual and still can't solve it. The only thing i see is a little red speaker icon which isn't mentioned anywhere around the internet. Is it mode or option that i am missing? The amplifier is second hand so if the issue isnt in the options it may be in the hardware. Thank you!

So either my ears got hyper sensitive somehow to nuances in audio frequency or my WXA-50 got damaged. Should an amp produce static noise of any kind, on passive speakers? My Desk Setup: Mac Mini M1 + WXA-50 + 3020i Pair (with 3.5mm to RCA & Nakamichi banana plugs w/ 12 gauge spool) I quite literally HEARD the static noise, for the first time today. I thought it was an outside noise and ignored it at first, but then when I went close to the speakers, turns out there was indeed a noise coming out of the twitter, on both channels. It boggles my mind as to why this is the first time I'm listening to the static. I've been using this since August 2020 and at the time I was in a very quiet place too, compared to where I am right now. But never before; weird. So, here are things that I observed, and did to find out why it might be happening (while playing nothing). It's barely audible from normal desktop sitting position but the noise is there; if I'm in a quiet room and wxa50 has -10db or higher, you'll hear the noise. Specially if you switch to bluetooth from aux, you'll feel the speakers suddenly went quietER. The noise increases as I turn up the volume on the wxa-50 and it's not the aux-rca cable either cause I unplugged the aux cable from mac mini. Interestingly, the noise is tripled when there is nothing connected in the RCA input. But bluetooth input the noise is significantly reduced, like 1/3rd. And for optical it's the quietest (like almost non existent noise) So it's not the fault of the speakers either I guess. I turned off every electrical equipment including lights in my house to see if this issue is due to an electrical fault somewhere else. But the noise remains. For the past 5 months, I've noticed that sometimes when a fan or light in another room is turned off, there is a noticeable crack/pop in my speaker. Not exceptionally loud but loud enough to startle you when you are sitting alone in a quiet room. The fact that the speakers are not dead silent even when my computer is turned off is bothering me. Again, the noise isn't too much to interfere with daily tasks but with aux input it's really annoying me, and I can't figure out why I haven't noticed this before. If I touch the 3.5mm end of the 3.5mm to rcacable (rca connected to the amp), there is a strong tingling/vibrations. I'm using an outlet from the wall that is grounded and using a Honeywell surge protector that shows "Protected" in a green dot. Despite that, I discovered this noise today. Even right now, I have the max volume on WXA-50, and nothing playing from the computer side - there is a significant hiss / static noise going on. What is this? And how do I get rid of this?

I'm trying to decide on a new router for my apartment. I currently have the ISP's inhouse modem router combo, which I hate with a passion. I have a Netgear CM1000 on order and I'm trying to debate on which router I should go with. My Current internet Speed is 500Mbps Down and 10 up. The router is basically going to site in the open front either wall mounted behind the TV stand or sitting front and center on top of the TV stand itself due to the limitation of my coax keystone drop location. I live alone and have about 10 devices wired and about 10 devices on wifi. I'm currently using 3 8 port Ethernet switches, 2 are daisy changed and one is stand alone. The Daisy chained ones are basically running a raspberry pi, 2 smart TVs and their sound bars, so nothing really major on those switches. I would personally like to give each switch a home run to the router and take my desktop off the stand alone switch and direct homerun it. I also have a raspberry pi server with a external storage drive connected to it. I also do some online gaming like GTAV, Call of Duty, World of Tanks, etc on console and PC. What I'm trying to debate on is which router I should purchase. If I go with front and center, I'm leaning towards either the Amplifi Alien, mostly due to its looks and reviews I've seen, or the Netgear RAX70-100NAS If I go with the wall option, I was thinking of going with an ASUS RT-AX88U or Netgear RAX48-100NAS If you have a better recommendation of a router than what I have listed, feel free to add it.

I'm a bit new into this whole amp and high impedance headphone thing so I don't know much about it. I did a lot of research and found that the Schiit Magni 3+'s would be suitable for my case. This will be my first amp and I have a budget of around €100. I'm mainly using these for music production and critical listening so audio quality is a priority for me. Let me know if the Schiit Magni 3+ is good or maybe write any suggestions for other amps. I know most people are here for gaming related stuff but I'm NOT looking for something for gaming, I produce music and want serious answers from people who arre into this topic.

Hello, Amp (external) included with my old Solo pro1 suddenly died. Now, i search for a replacement. The pinned topic is wrote around amps for headphones. Is there any suggestion to choose a new amp for these speakers (I do not want to go over 100€, ideally ~50€)? Characteristics of speakers: Impedence 8 ohm RMS 70 W (2x35 watts)

Can you guys suggest the best wired headphones that don't require an amplifier? I just want to listen to Spotify on my phone. My first pick was the xm4, but every forums says they sound bad.

As of April 17, 2020, the linear amplifier Drop + THX AAA 789 has dropped in price from USD400 to USD300. For anyone in the market for a new standalone amplifier (no built in DAC), this may be your go to now. Crystal clear sound, with power to drive any headphone in the market. It really offers a fantastic value for what you get, and it would be the next tier after the likes of Schiit Magni Heresy and JDS Atom (similar sound signature, but cleaner). Product page: https://drop.com/buy/drop-thx-aaa-789-linear-amplifier/talk Although my opinion is that you should care less about measurements and more about how things sound to your personal tastes, here you can see how it performs objectively: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-massdrop-thx-aaa-789-amp.5001/ Tip of the decade, free of charge: DO NOT cheap out on your DAC, especially when going with the Drop 789. Based on personal experience, I can say that its clean nature easily allows you to tell the difference between good and bad sources. DACs are not only about giving you multi-functionality, but also making the sound be more accurate. You will, however, get more functions when spending big bucks, with the ADI-2 being my recommendation in that category, especially considering the price (not cheap, but a good value nonetheless).

Hi all I am considering upgrading my audio solution for my PC. I am currently using an O2-ODAC Rev B from Mayflower, and am really enjoying it. But i am aware that it's an older product, and there are some new devices that I am considering. I've been seeing a lot of praise for the Monoprice THX AAA desktop amp and DAC combo, and am very curious about it. However, are there any other options really worth considering in this price bracket? Or would an upgrade from the ODAC even be worth it? Ideally I am looking for a single unit for connecting headphones and powered speakers, and being able to switch between them. Thanks a heap all

I have 2 of these speakers laying around , which were used in DVD player. Can i use them in my computer ? googled about this and came around to know about amplifiers , if with amplifier i can reuse them then which amplifier to buy because i don't know the wattage of these speakers (non branded) and nothing is mentioned on the back also Images of one speaker attached Thanks in advance

Hello Guys, I am currently looking to completely overhaul my audio equipment, meanig I want to buy a new microphone, a new pair of headphones and any interfaces or amps that are required to get the most out of these peripherals. I want to spend a total of 500€ but since some brands (like Sennheiser) are cheaper here while some are more expensive let's just assume a budget of 500$. I was thinking about splitting the money about 50:50 for mic(+mixer) : headphones(+amp). I have already done quite a bit of research, but I really want to hear you guy's opinions on what I considered to be good choices, nevertheless I am completely open for entirely different advice of what to buy. I am gonna give you a brief overview of what I want to use the equipment for and what my surroundings are: My PC is currently in a medium large room with no acoustic isolation. However, I am soon moving into a smaller room where I want to place some acoustic panels on the wall. Microphone: I want to use the Microphone mainly for voicechat, voice recording and occational intrumental recording. I was thinking about a Rhøde NT-1A but I don't know if there is any advantage in terms of sound over the NTUSB. I would be potentially able to get a somehow decent USB Mixer Interface for about 40€. Headphones: I already have a good Gaming Headset (Logitech G933) but I want a pair of headphones exclusively for listening to music since I am a big fan of Jazz, Funk and occasionally Dubstep. I also do some music production and have a Nord Keyboard I want to use the headphones with, since the sound of my gaming headset is not ideal and my other headphones (beats mixr, don't judge me) ruin the sound of the keyboard. So I am looking for Studio Headphones, it would be cool if they could also pack some bass. I have considered AKG K 702's and also the top model of AIAIAI's modular headphones which Linus reviewed some time ago. USB Interface/Amp: I am not really sure if it is beneficial to buy a USB Interface for the mic or an amplifier for the headphones in my price range since this occupies a fairly large part of the budget. Do you guys have any opinions how I could solve this situation (for me the best solution would be a combo unit if there was one) or if I should just spend the entire money on the headphones and mic? Just a little notice on my soundchip: I have a Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H with integrated sound, until now it has served me fairly well, but I don't know if it is good enough to run my new headphones. Thanks in advance guys, I am really thankful for every response, especially because you guys have quite a bit more expertise than I do.

Hi, I'm just getting into Audio, and I wanted to know the answer to an important question. If I have a speaker of 60w power (70w peak), can I use an amp that has a wattage of 2x80w or 2x160w? Will the amplifier correct itself, so that it wont give too much juice to the speakers? Here is a link to a few amps that I have in mind: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabaj-A3-Bluetooth-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B01N10PF4B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496413975&sr=8-1&keywords=sabaj+a3 https://www.amazon.co.uk/SA-98E-TDA7498E-Stereo-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B015J0P7VM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496414025&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=drok+2x160w https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M662N3N?psc=1 THANKS! I actually really do appreciate the help.

PICTURES ARE BELOW Basically this was my system before. Core 2 Duo 1 x 2gb DDR3 Biostar G41D3C motherboard generic Mini-ITX case some ATI video output card 320GB HDD This system acted as my Karaoke machine. There were two ports on the ATI video card (see pics), one VGA connector and one yellow AV input (i believe is composite cable). When i turn on the system, it would turn on my monitor (only 1 VGA port) and load WIndows XP then the Karaoke software. Then I would switch my TV (3 x HDMI, 1 x AV) to AV mode. After I choose a song on the monitor, it would display the music video on the screen and via the audio cable from the PC to my amplifier then to the speakers. The music would thus play on the speakers. Now my ATI video card is spoiled. The video output would be totally corrupted. Here is the list of SPARE parts I currently have: 1 x MSI GeForce 210 graphics card (fully working) 1 x Zotac GTX 970 graphics card (fully working) 1 x HDMI to AV connector (fully working) 1 x Full screwdriver set 1 x Intel Core i7 3770 processor 1 x Intel Core i5 750 processor 1 x AcBel 400W power supply 1 x WD 1TB Caviar Black HDD 1 x Sandisk 16GB USB drive 1 x dual Molex to 6 pin connector 2 x Team Elite DDR3 2GB modules 1 x HDMI cable (fully working) 1 x male to male FULL AV input cable 1 x Cooler Master Elite 310 Casing Basically what I have done is since the current mITX case is too small, i put the motherboard into my CM case and plugged in the AcBel power supply cables, the hard drive, but changed the ATI graphics card to the GeForce 210 card (1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI, 1 x VGA). I plugged in the VGA cable to my monitor and the HDMI to AV connector into the HDMI port. I plugged the yellow AV cable into the connector. I also plugged the sound connector (the one the iPhone 7 doesn't have) into the sound IO on my motherboard's IO panel. There was no display. I tried it again, removing the VGA cable and my TV displayed the software albeit being slightly blurry. Removing the yellow VGA cable would also yield the same result, but it would be displayed on the monitor. I think the problem may be with the GeForce 210 card only allowing 2 displays but in this configuration (DVI and VGA), (HDMI and DVI) [according to NVIDIA forums]. I thought of using my GTX 970 (2 x DVI, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort) but since my monitor only has one VGA port, it would be kind of useless. So, I knew I was in a pickle and had to either get a graphics card that supported dual display (HDMI and VGA) or do something else. Just before my ATI graphics card spoiled, I was planning to upgrade my rig from an i5 750 to an i7 3770 gaming console killer system. (This is why i have those parts and my GTX 970) My motherboard has not arrived yet but I was planning to build my system into the CM Elite 310 system and connect it via HDMI to my TV. However, can I take advantage of this situation and get my Karaoke to run off the same system? Basically, I would plug the HDMI AV connector into the HDMI port on my GTX 970 and the yellow AV connector into the respective slot. Then, I would get a DisplayPort to HDMI connector and plug the DisplayPort into the GTX 970. I would get another HDMI port and plug it from the DP HDMI connector to my TV HDMI input. Lastly, i would get a DVI/DVI-D to VGA connector so I can connect it to my monitor. I would plug in my audio connector from my amp to my new motherboard (Biostar H61MGV3) When I am loading Windows 10 to play games, I would just change the input on my TV to HDMI which is where my game would display. My monitor would act as the temperature monitoring panel. The audio would come out of my BMB speakers. When I switch to Karaoke mode, I just have to change my TV to AV mode (must i plug out the DP to HDMI connector?) and i will choose my song on the monitor and it would play on the TV. Audio from speakers again. If my understanding of ports are correct, this should work? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Pictures are below!

I am thinking about converting my existing non powered computer speakers into powered ones. My only dilemma is that I dont know if by adding stuff to the inside it will significantly change the sound signature of the speaker and cause them to not sound good. Will this happen? Im planning on adding an amplifier, bluetooth cabapability, and and audio out. My speakers: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-b652-air-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-with-amt-tweeter-pair--300-651

I have the Asus Xonar DX 7.1 sound card and Pioneer SE - M531 headphones. I'm satisfied with my bass when the headphones vibrate on my head. I know, I know, feel free to judge me, but that's how I enjoy my music and stuff. The thing is that if I turn the volume up (usually past the 50% margin) the bass gets "squashed" sometimes. It's a very similar effect to having a normalization feature enabled (I don't actually have anything of the sort enabled). It's clear that these headphones can't take this much input just like that. So here's my thinking: I could set the volume to, say, 25% in Windows and then use a headphone amp to make it louder. In my head, at that point the headphones should be able to keep up with my demands because I would be supplying them with more power to drive the drivers. I don't know if that's how it works in real life though, because I'm not an audio engineer and I can't borrow a headphone amp from a friend because none of them have one. Before I spend money on an amp I'd like to know whether this will actually work. So here's my question: Will my headphones be able to output loud bass without a "normalization" effect if I amplify the output from my sound card? Or is it a matter of getting better headphones?

I'm creating a smart room with the echo dot and I want all of my desk electronics to turn on with a command. (amps, lights, pc) The cheapest way I've found to do this is get a Wi-Fi enabled plug socket and just connect my extension leads to that. However will I come into issues when it turns off my pc from the wall? I never turn off my PC with applications running anyway and if I was going to be running the command no programs would be running. I've already set in the BIOS so that the PC turns on when the power is on. Thanks

I got an Alienware Graphics Amplifier and I am looking for a 1080card that will fit into it without issues. I know that the blower style cards and the Founder edition will fit, but I want a card that is factory overclocked. Something like EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 SC. What card do you know will fit without any issues.