source direct

[Airplay355]

why the fuck does pressing the source direct button on my receiver make my speakers sound so much better? the difference in imaging and clarity it very apparent, youd have to be deaf to miss it. does this mean that the DAC in my receiver is worse then the one in my cheapo dvd player? if so, that really pisses me off. why would the DAC in my dvd player be better then the one im my receiver?

could this be the result of something else? is there any way i can get the of the source direct button being on without disabling all the surround functions?

[RuSsMaN]

The direct switch is just that, straight from the input stage to the output stage.

You are hearing how noisy and nasty all those bells and whistles you paid for really are. You've bypassed all the B.S. tone controls, etc. and gone with a (more) direct path.

Anything in the loop will make noise, period. Congrats on passing one of the tests towards your own Audio Nirvana.

Less IS more.

Cheers,
Russ

[Airplay355]

i feel like kicking myself in the ass for buying a receiver now

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

The Direct switch (or whatever my NAD preamp calls it) - makes very little difference in the sound.

I dont know if it is the fact my NAD preamp is almost 100% analog...with nothing really to get in its way or what, but it sounds practically the same. Although I leave the direct switch on all the time.

Who knows...

[RuSsMaN]

No, its because the rest of your back end, cables, DAC, source, EVERYTHING basically sucks. That with a little added that the NAD is reasonably well built also.

Sorry.

Cheers,
Russ

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

Oh well,

We all cant be a perfect jackass, like you ;)

I personally like my Denon CD Player....

As for cables, thats on my list

Must ask though, if my NAD is well built, and when switching to my CD player dacs yeilds little difference - then how can my CD Player dacs suck too?

Russ..I think you need to stop drinking.

I would like everyone to stand...and honor Russ, God of Audio, and worship his cd players, cables, and dacs - this way, we can all sing along to the perfection of songs he also plays through his perfect, god like speakers.

Buahahaha, it's like magic. Give me a break.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[dragon1952]

.The Direct switch (or whatever my NAD preamp calls it) - makes very little difference in the sound.

I think what it's tellin' ya Sid is that you've got a decent preamp that doesn't fuck with the sound a whole lot.

As far as Airplay, how is your DVD connected? If it's connected using analog then here's what happens:
Without using Direct mode -
Your DVD does a digital to analog conversion, then your receiver does a analog to digital conversion for bass management (tone controls) even if you have them set to flat, then turns around and does a digital to analog conversion before outputing to the amplifier section. That's a total of 3 conversions, plus a lot of additional preamp circuitry!
Direct mode-
Your DVD does the digital to analog conversion and the receiver just passes the signal straight out to the amplifier. One conversion and no unnecessary circuitry.

Of course if the DVD is connected digital, you never are using the DVD DAC. In direct mode the receiver would just do one conversion from digital to analog. Without direct mode I guess it would still do only one conversion but the signal would have to traverse the tone control circuitry regardless of the settings.

I guess to tell which DAC is better you'd have to compare DVD analog and direct mode to DVD digital and direct mode. Both ways there should only be the one conversion and no unnecessary circuitry to traverse.

is there any way i can get the of the source direct button being on without disabling all the surround functions?

Nope!

[Airplay355]

i have it hooked up digitally.....so this means that the source direct button just means my receiver bypasses its own tone controls but is still using its own dac? as long as i have it hooked up digitally the dac in the dvd player is never used?

[F1nut]

Correcto mondo

[madmax]

Originally posted by RuSsMaN

You are hearing how noisy and nasty all those bells and whistles you paid for really are. You've bypassed all the B.S. tone controls, etc. and gone with a (more) direct path.

Anything in the loop will make noise, period. Congrats on passing one of the tests towards your own Audio Nirvana.

Less IS more.



!!!!!!! What he said! Good ears.
madmax

[Airplay355]

well i feel better now, before i thought the source direct was using my dvd players dac's, but its not.

stupid bells and whistles, i dont even use them anyway

[phipiper10]

My Onkyo has direct audio which is just the the front two channels - no sub. It says uses "minimal processing". It also has a pure audio feature that takes this a step further. Power to video circuitry is turned off and minimizes other possible noise sources. The front display of the receiver is also turned off.

This definitely makes a nice difference.

Enjoy!

[amulford]

I get the same with my receiver, but it's actually not very bad musically any way. Minimalist is where it's at, man.

[Ferres]

The only times you may want to 'process' the signal is when the performer has a high sibilance and if your speakers are on the 'bright' side.

You'd want to tone down the trebble. :P