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The official "Theta" thread - Page 123

post #3661 of 5067
4/6/12 at 11:35pm
We're using a PSA 5 regenerator with absolutely no problems, and stellar results. It cuts the THD on the line from 3.5% to .3%. It's running the CB HD, an Aesthetix Calypso Sig & Rhea Sig, PSA PWD, Oppo BDP-95, and Oracle Delphi TT PS. It's only at 35% of capacity with this load.
Monster is junk. Norm
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post #3662 of 5067
4/7/12 at 6:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tyree91 View Post

We're using a PSA 5 regenerator with absolutely no problems, and stellar results. It cuts the THD on the line from 3.5% to .3%. It's running the CB HD, an Aesthetix Calypso Sig & Rhea Sig, PSA PWD, Oppo BDP-95, and Oracle Delphi TT PS. It's only at 35% of capacity with this load.
Monster is junk. Norm

I've had two PS Audio P5s in my AV racks ever since I got the CB3 HD upgrade back a year ago. Do not laugh - I really only need one for my front end components - but I am older now with a bad right hip, and having two means that each one is at the outside rack bottom, three racks, and its easy to go to the side to plug and unplug stuff. Saves me a lot of physical aggravation and perhaps hospital trips!! Bet you never heard of a power conditioner doing that before. And yea, my P5s are running at only a fraction of their capacity, too! HA!
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post #3663 of 5067
4/7/12 at 8:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruzonsky View Post

I've had two PS Audio P5s in my AV racks ever since I got the CB3 HD upgrade back a year ago. Do not laugh - I really only need one for my front end components - but I am older now with a bad right hip, and having two means that each one is at the outside rack bottom, three racks, and its easy to go to the side to plug and unplug stuff. Saves me a lot of physical aggravation and perhaps hospital trips!! Bet you never heard of a power conditioner doing that before. And yea, my P5s are running at only a fraction of their capacity, too! HA!

I suppose this is what I was referring to in my previous post about "hospital-grade" conditioners being acceptable...
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post #3664 of 5067
4/7/12 at 12:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruzonsky View Post

I've had two PS Audio P5s in my AV racks ever since I got the CB3 HD upgrade back a year ago. Do not laugh - I really only need one for my front end components - but I am older now with a bad right hip, and having two means that each one is at the outside rack bottom, three racks, and its easy to go to the side to plug and unplug stuff. Saves me a lot of physical aggravation and perhaps hospital trips!! Bet you never heard of a power conditioner doing that before. And yea, my P5s are running at only a fraction of their capacity, too! HA!

I can sympathize. Having slipped a disc in my back a few weeks ago, it made me realise how much of a hassle moving AV gear around is when you are not 100%. My back is mostly all better now, but I always have that worry when lifting anything. Physiotherapist said my injury was a 1 out of 10 no big deal but I sure felt sorry for myself for a few days...

Sean
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post #3665 of 5067
4/8/12 at 10:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by k_lewis View Post

That sounds reasonable. Does the new power supply protect from overvoltage conditions? For example, all last week here our power on the block was pushing 138-140v due to an incorrectly tapped transformer. My Fuhrman conditioners shut down all of the power to my computers and AV gear, and they are really only designed to protect from overvoltages or drastic drops on the circuit. My single directv receiver in a guest room, which was on a simple power strip fried along with the power strip. If my CBIII (not my new HD, my other CBIII) and Elite TV had fried, I'd really have been bummed.

I'd also like to add that Monster conditioners are IMHO retail store garbage.

k lewis, Hope all is well with u and ur system. I have a Pioneer Elite Kuro 151 and CBIII (Non-HD) and a Furman (20amp version) on a different system. Question: Which Furman do u have? And does the power cord connected to the Furman feel warm to the touch closer to the end that is plugged into the wall outlet? I'm also using a Richard Gray 400S for the HT system.
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post #3666 of 5067
4/8/12 at 10:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks81 View Post

k lewis, Hope all is well with u and ur system. I have a Pioneer Elite Kuro 151 and CBIII (Non-HD) and a Furman (20amp version) on a different system. Question: Which Furman do u have? And does the power cord connected to the Furman feel warm to the touch closer to the end that is plugged into the wall outlet? I'm also using a Richard Gray 400S for the HT system.

I guess all will be well when I get my CBIIIHD back from Theta, thanks for asking

I am using two p-1800pf units with components split across them. http://www.furmansound.com/product.p...01&id=P-1800PF

Each unit is on it's own 20a circuit, and the receptacles are 20a hospital-grade. Nothing feels warm on any of my power cables.
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post #3667 of 5067
4/9/12 at 6:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by VGI View Post

Guys

There are hundreds of CB3HD's running with great success. There have been some issues when power drops to lower voltage than normal and the HD can do some weird stuff. We are also finding that due to the enormous new power supply that plugging your HD into a conditioner will cause more problems.

The Cb3HD's power supply has enough torroid and Cap space to be its own conditioner and we do not want you to use a power conditioner on the Cb3HD. Its unnecessary and may possible cause some issues.

I had a disaster years ago with Monster Power conditioners where Pioneer Elite Tv's for some reason would not stay on or turn on sometimes. We found out that there was something that the conditioner was putting on the line that totally screwed Elite TV's up. The head of Pioneer engineering was flown out here from Japan to diagnose this problem and found that the Tv's power supplies were so good that conditioning them caused issues. I am not saying that this is the problem with what some people are having but just something to note.

Craig

I thought this to be a reasonable response as well. It probably doesn't answer the full mail on this issue but it helps highlight possible reasons why.
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post #3668 of 5067
4/12/12 at 4:07am
Last month I bought a couple of Citadels. The serienumbers are 026979 and 026980. Now I have seen on the Theta pricelist that numbers between 25584 and 28102 can be upgraded. Can anyone tell me what this upgrade is.
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post #3669 of 5067
4/12/12 at 7:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raypete View Post

Last month I bought a couple of Citadels. The serienumbers are 026979 and 026980. Now I have seen on the Theta pricelist that numbers between 25584 and 28102 can be upgraded. Can anyone tell me what this upgrade is.

The upgrade became available back in 2008, and reports were that the already marvelous sounding Citadels with the upgrade sound appreciably better!

I've had a pair of Citadel 1.5s for about a year now and I just luv em!

Have you checked the Theta website to see if their is info their about the upgrade?

Last month Esoteric Audio in Phoenix still hadn't sold their silver pair of Citadel 1.5s, and one can get them for a real good price!!!
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post #3670 of 5067
4/12/12 at 7:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruzonsky View Post

The upgrade became available back in 2008, and reports were that the already marvelous sounding Citadels with the upgrade sound appreciably better!

I've had a pair of Citadel 1.5s for about a year now and I just luv em!

Have you checked the Theta website to see if their is info their about the upgrade?

Last month Esoteric Audio in Phoenix still hadn't sold their silver pair of Citadel 1.5s, and one can get them for a real good price!!!

I bought them from a officil dealer in the Netherlands (220V). Next week I see him and will ask what the upgrade is like. On the Theta site I can't find anything about the upgrade.

I also bought a new Casablanca 3HD with two premium dacs. Because I have a 7.2 system I need another card. I can buy another card, but I would regret this if there will be new cards coming out. Is there already new information about release of new dac cards by Theta?
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post #3671 of 5067
4/12/12 at 11:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raypete View Post

I also bought a new Casablanca 3HD with two premium dacs. Because I have a 7.2 system I need another card. I can buy another card, but I would regret this if there will be new cards coming out. Is there already new information about release of new dac cards by Theta?

I would say it depends on what level of dacs you intend to buy. VGI posted that they would be 6 Channel Ultra HQ Dac Cards. That suggest better than the current Xtreme dacs which cost about 1250.00 per channel. If current pricing holds the new card could potentially cost about 7500.00 for 6 channels. The CBIII HD currently only supports 12 channels and you already have 8. With a new 6 channel card, you would only be able to use one of your current Premium cards. If they are better than the Xtreme dacs, combined with an actually effective room correction system, it may be, I suspect it will be, a new standard for surround processors.
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post #3672 of 5067
4/13/12 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulldogger View Post

If they are better than the Xtreme dacs, combined with an actually effective room correction system, it may be, I suspect it will be, a new standard for surround processors.

I believe this could be true even if the new DACs are not better than the Xtremes. What SSP will be better? I guess the new $40,000 ADA would be in the contest!.
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post #3673 of 5067
4/13/12 at 10:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by audioguy View Post


I believe this could be true even if the new DACs are not better than the Xtremes. What SSP will be better? I guess the new $40,000 ADA would be in the contest!.

I hear great things about the Meridian 861 V6. I believe the Casablanca HD is running at 48/16. We will not know what the Xtreme dacs can really do until the are feed what they were conceived for, 24/96. David Reich has made improvements to each generation of products released under his watch. I will buy the new dacs just based on his track record. I like to see improved specs. I suspect there will be a significant boost there.
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post #3674 of 5067
4/17/12 at 7:43am
this is all very exciting. Even though I haven't invested in the CIII-HD yet, I'm watching this thread as all of the new items are being ironed out. I've heard the CB with Extremes and was very happy with what I heard (non-HD at the time). Thus, this piece is on my buying block. While I almost made the jump last year, I've decided against it until the house is finished. At least by then I can appreciated the sound. I can live with the sound of the Integra DTC-9.8...even though fed through all of my Enterprises. It sounds good, but I know it can be better...but good enough for the temporary room it's in.

I may have missed it in reading through the past several pages in this thread. When does this new 6 channel DAC card come out? And, I'm assuming that with 6 channels on a card with three slots available, I could do up to 18 channels? (11.2 + five dedicated sub woofers?)
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post #3675 of 5067
4/17/12 at 2:39pm
I should be receiving my CB3HD from Surgery tomorrow. Hope she is all better.
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post #3676 of 5067
4/17/12 at 3:08pm
Theta will being shipping the new 6 Channel Fully Balanced Digi Output Card starting this week.

I have attached a picture of the card ! Its very nice and check out the 6 XLR's on one card, who would have ever thought this possible.

The card will plug and play in a CB3HD machine with a software update (V2.16 and Tdd 2.03) which we have available for people who purchase the card. The new Software doesn't change anything else except add the ability for the new card to function so don't run out and install this software for no reason.

The specs are awesome. The card will immediately have 24/96K output and everything coming to it will be up-sampled to 96K for feeds to the Gen VIII S3. The card fully supports 192K output and when the new PR3 Card becomes available and the internal bus speeds are running at 192K internally the Digiout will automatically then output 192K to the Gen VIII S3.

I am very excited and I know you guys will be as well as this is more proof that Theta is doing it right and bringing us the finest American Designed and Built high end audio products.

Thanks
Craig
LL
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post #3677 of 5067
4/17/12 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VGI View Post

Theta will being shipping the new 6 Channel Fully Balanced Digi Output Card starting this week.

I have attached a picture of the card ! Its very nice and check out the 6 XLR's on one card, who would have ever thought this possible.

The card will plug and play in a CB3HD machine with a software update (V2.16 and Tdd 2.03) which we have available for people who purchase the card. The new Software doesn't change anything else except add the ability for the new card to function so don't run out and install this software for no reason.

The specs are awesome. The card will immediately have 24/96K output and everything coming to it will be up-sampled to 96K for feeds to the Gen VIII S3. The card fully supports 192K output and when the new PR3 Card becomes available and the internal bus speeds are running at 192K internally the Digiout will automatically then output 192K to the Gen VIII S3.

I am very excited and I know you guys will be as well as this is more proof that Theta is doing it right and bringing us the finest American Designed and Built high end audio products.

Thanks
Craig


Thanks, Craig, for calling me, placing my order, and my new Digiout card is on its way to me!!!!

HEAVEN is Oh so close with Theta Digital Gear!
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post #3678 of 5067
4/17/12 at 4:25pm
It's amazing the momentum that Theta is building.
Very impressive
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post #3679 of 5067
4/17/12 at 8:38pm
Does the digi out card just feed Theta DACs or other DACs as well. I assume if other DACs are included, the non-Theta DAC output would need to go into the volume control box since Theta only does analog volume control? Is this correct?
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post #3680 of 5067
4/17/12 at 8:59pm
Its really designed for ease of use with a Gen VIII DAC. You of course could run the outputs to any dac but synchronizing the volume could be tricky. There is no industry standard volume syncing method unfortunately.

You could do it with RS232 and some fancy remote programming and have a series of preset volumes that could work for you but it would be some work.
Thanks
Craig
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post #3681 of 5067
4/17/12 at 11:26pm
Does anyone know if the Prometheus is available yet? I like to order one for my center channel.
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post #3682 of 5067
4/18/12 at 1:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raypete View Post

Does anyone know if the Prometheus is available yet? I like to order one for my center channel.

Current price list says it will be available in August.
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post #3683 of 5067
4/18/12 at 3:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by VGI View Post

Theta will being shipping the new 6 Channel Fully Balanced Digi Output Card starting this week.

I have attached a picture of the card ! Its very nice and check out the 6 XLR's on one card, who would have ever thought this possible.

The card will plug and play in a CB3HD machine with a software update (V2.16 and Tdd 2.03) which we have available for people who purchase the card. The new Software doesn't change anything else except add the ability for the new card to function so don't run out and install this software for no reason.

The specs are awesome. The card will immediately have 24/96K output and everything coming to it will be up-sampled to 96K for feeds to the Gen VIII S3. The card fully supports 192K output and when the new PR3 Card becomes available and the internal bus speeds are running at 192K internally the Digiout will automatically then output 192K to the Gen VIII S3.

I am very excited and I know you guys will be as well as this is more proof that Theta is doing it right and bringing us the finest American Designed and Built high end audio products.

Thanks
Craig

Craig - I'm sure you mentioned it b4 but what are the cost options?
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post #3684 of 5067
4/18/12 at 4:00am
Quote:


Theta Digital is also introducing two upgrades to the Theta Digital "Casablanca III HD Music and Theater processor". The first is a new 12-channel digital output card that features 6 pairs of AES/EBU balanced outputs. The new card offers wideband digital output (up to 192 kHz) for users who wish to route signals to an outboard DAC like our Theta Digital Generation VIII Series 3. MSRP for the new digital output card is $2,000 and will be available in February, 2012.

Quote:


The second upgrade adds "Dirac Live Digital Room Correction" to the "Casablanca" platform. "Dirac Live" is a state-of-the-art digital room correction system that uses mixed phase processing to improve in-room frequency response and phase errors, reduce first order reflections and improve system time-alignment. In the "Casablanca", "Dirac Live" is enabled by changing one internal circuit board and adding new firmware. MSRP for the Dirac Live upgrade is $3,995.00 and will be available in June, 2012.

I found these quotes from by gone posts but I'm still curious as to the cost options. Self install vs factory? Is there a price break if you spring for the Dirac upgrade along with the revised digi out?
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post #3685 of 5067
4/18/12 at 6:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by javry View Post

I found these quotes from by gone posts but I'm still curious as to the cost options. Self install vs factory? Is there a price break if you spring for the Dirac upgrade along with the revised digi out?

Theta Digital MSRP book at: http://www.thetadigital.com/msrp-book.asp

In a few days I am installing the new Digiout card myself.

As for Dirac upgrade, if you already have a CB3 HD, my impression is this is field upgradeable, simply changing out one internal card, plus new software.

As for price break if you buy new Digiout card with Dirac Live upgrade,none has been announced.
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post #3686 of 5067
4/18/12 at 3:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim HTPC View Post

I should be receiving my CB3HD from Surgery tomorrow. Hope she is all better.

Good luck! John will solve the issue.
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post #3687 of 5067
4/18/12 at 11:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruzonsky View Post


In a few days I am installing the new Digiout card myself.

So, what are we looking at exactly before you get this thing in and installed Steve-o, beginning of next week, next weekend, or what?

And, you will snap a few shots of the board before it's installed right?
I mean, I know you're packin a phone
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post #3688 of 5067
4/19/12 at 12:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigbrother52 View Post

So, what are we looking at exactly before you get this thing in and installed Steve-o, beginning of next week, next weekend, or what?

And, you will snap a few shots of the board before it's installed right?
I mean, I know you're packin a phone

Yes, a photo opportunity too good to miss!

Sean
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post #3689 of 5067
4/19/12 at 1:30am
In fact, how about photos throughout the whole uninstall/install process?
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post #3690 of 5067
4/19/12 at 6:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by javry View Post

In fact, how about photos throughout the whole uninstall/install process?

Whoever wants to fly in and do a detailed photo shoot with instructions is welcome to do so. My days of long windy posts, photos, special guests, etc are over. I paid by dues.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
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