Preamp + DAC to replace HK 3490? Parasound 2100 + CA DacMagic?

I currently have the following setup:

1. Two digital sources (computer and TV)
2. Harman/Kardon HK-3490 being used as a pre-amp
3. QSC RMX2450 power amp
4. Salk Songtower QWT speakers
5. Old Paradigm PDR-10 subwoofer (to be replaced when funds permit)

I want to replace the HK3490 with a "pure" preamp. I'm quite happy with my current sound quality. I want two things out of the replacement: something physically smaller than the HK3490, and something that uses less power/puts off less heat (it seems that the power amp is still run, even when its not being used; that or the circuits just run hot).

Also: recently my HK3490 started randomly changing the volume on its own. I haven't had a chance yet to try using the reset button, but, even if that fixes it, I've lost confidence in this unit. Plus it puts my speakers at risk, given how powerful the QSC 2450 is.

The thing is, I'm struggling to find an equivalent preamp that doesn't cost over $1k.

Where I'm leaning now is this: Parasound 2100 preamp + Cambridge Audio Dac Magic. I was hoping to get away with only spending about $500 on this replacement, but that doesn't appear to be possible.

What I want in a preamp is as follows:

• Remote volume control (remote input switching is ideal)
• Two digital inputs (ideal is if both are optical)
• Decent output power (what I've read suggests that pro amps like the QSC I have like higher powered inputs)
• Balanced XLR outputs would be nice (although RCA-to-XLR is acceptable)
• Physically smaller than HK3490
• Black face
• Subwoofer output (or multiple outputs that can be used simultaneously)

I've spent a lot of time looking for such a beast, and nothing seems to exist; certainly not at a $500 price point, and very little options at the $1k price point.

Any suggestions on something I may have overlooked? Or comments on the solution I've proposed?

Thanks!
Matt

I have looked at the Emotiva (on the web anyway). I forgot about it when I made the post!

But I had sort of scratched it off my list due to some concerns with it:

• Can both outputs be used simultaneously (i.e. the XLR to my power amp and the RCA to my sub)? Honest question, I really don't know. If the answer is "no", it's a deal-breaker.
• The volume control issue
• The low-powered (1 Volt nominal) XLR outputs (see comments here about 2/3 the way down)

Thoughts?

Edit: Answer to my first question appears to be yes, according to this thread.

That makes the XDA-1 look a lot more appealing, particularly at nearly 1/3 the price of my originally proposed solution.

Edit 2: Another post on the Emotiva forums suggests that the volume issue is resolved. (The issue was: linear vs logarithmic volume control. Original units shipped with linear, generally speaking, logarithmic is probably what most people want. Looks like log is the default now.)

Edit 3: The last item on my list is a non-issue. I now have an XDA-1 and it works perfectly with the QSC RMX2450. More details in my post below.

First off, I got the Emotiva XDA-1 and have absolutely no problems with the amount of power coming out of either the XLR or RCA outputs (for connecting to my QSC RMX2450 power amp).

I didn't take any measurements, but I believe the Emotiva actually puts out more power, or at least is a better impedance match to the QSC. Here are my observations:

• When I first got the QSC (and started using the HK3490 as a preamp), I expected an enormous difference in available volume (nearly 4x the wattage). However, whereas we used to run the HK with the integrated power amp around "-30", we maybe averaged around "-35" with the QSC. And that was with the gain on the QSC turned all the way up.
• The front of the RMX2450 has green "signal" LEDs for each channel. When using the HK3490 as a pre-amp, the LEDs barely lit up, and when they did, they were quite dim.
• Having replaced the 3490 with the XDA-1, I find that the signal LEDs light up almost constantly, and are significantly brighter.
• With the XDA-1, I've also turned the gain down on the QSC, to less than half. Even at this point, I have way more volume than I could ever want.

I sent an email to Harman/Kardon technical support, asking what the output voltage and impedance was on the HK3490's preamp outputs. Their reply:


The specifications for the RMX2450 say that the input impedance is "10k ohms unbalanced / 20k ohms balanced".

My understanding is that XLR inputs are usually balanced, and RCA is unbalanced. When using the HK3490 as a preamp, I was using RCA-to-XLR cables, so I'm not sure if that's considered balanced or not.

I'm not sure what the output impedance of the XDA-1 is (although I asked the question on their forums).

Anyway, I have to admit to this being just above my head. But the impression I get from HK's response is that the 3490 wasn't really designed to be used as a standalone preamp.

Also, as a side note: for being a huge conglomerate, Harman/Kardon has nice, personal technical support. I bought my HK3490 off of ebay, which I assume means I have no warranty. Still, I was able to go to their website, send them a question, and get an actual, useful response within 24 hours. I've asked HK other questions about the 3490 before, and received similarly quick, helpful replies.

Right now I'm not using the sub. But, when I do, my intent is to just send the full-range signal to the sub, and use the sub's controls for bass management (crossover, gain, etc).

-Matt

Keep in mind I'm not using a sub right now (probably won't buy one for a while; quite happy with the Songtowers by themselves).

I'm sending a full-range signal out of my DAC/pre-amp (Emotiva XDA-1) to my power amp (QSC RMX2450). The power amp actually has a limited high-pass filter: it can either be disabled (i.e. send full-range signal to speakers), or set to 30 Hz or 50 Hz. It's not actually a hard cutoff, but a "rolled off" filter. You can read the manual for details. I have mine set at the 30 Hz filter.

-Matt

What I originally wanted is a DAC+preamp, which is basically what I now have with the Emotiva XDA-1. If I had a separate DAC and preamp (e.g. DACMagic + 2100), then the preamp would feed two devices as you describe. In other words, don't think of it as a DAC feeding two devices, think of it as a preamp feeding two devices, and that preamp just happens to have a built-in DAC.

Of course, in the case of the XDA-1, the preamp is of somewhat limited functionality, at least in regards to high- and low-pass filters. But that's OK with me: my power amp has a high-pass filter (see my previous post), and (when I get a sub) I'll do bass management via the sub itself.