Dumb DVD-Audio Questions

[xandra]

My DVD Player does DVD Audio.

Is it necessary for my reciever to support the format also? Or... do I need to use multichannel inputs to get the benifits.

Also, can I assume this (DVD-Aud) and/or SACD are dead formats? If so what Audio Format(s) are replacing these?

[VSchneider]

Yes, you can use multichannel input on the receiver to connect a DVD-A (or SACD) player.

The formats are not dead, though it would not hurt to see more album releases.

[vonnie123]

Is your DVD player a dedicated DVD-A player. Sometimes the DVD player will play the DVD-As, but at a lower resolution. The 5.1 multichannel outputs you mentioned are analog, and can sound quite nice. I use them on occasion for a change of pace, but generally with SACDs. You would need 5.1 inputs on your receiver preamp for these to function. You can also listen to DVD-A via digital interconnect (optical, coaxial).

The number of DVD-A and SACD titles are limited, and many great discs that were produced a few years ago are out of production. You can still find some of the old ones on amazon.com, and ebay. There are still sources for newly produced and released DVD-A and SACD, but titles are limited.

[danger boy]

you need 6 RCA cables to hook up your DVD Audio player to your receiver to get true DVD-Audio.

and yes DVD-audio is dead.. it's being replaced by vinyl albums :p

[xandra]

Is your DVD player a dedicated DVD-A player

I'm not sure what you mean by 'dedicated' DVD-A player, but the manual (and the logos on front of the DVD player indicate) that it can play DVD-Audio discs. It's my Reciever that doesn't mention any DVD-A support... which is why I thought I need to use either a 'Direct Mode' or multichannel

hookup details:
The DVD Player has 6 multichannel outputs (Fronts, Center, Surrounds, Sub) Currently I have it connected via both Toslink cables AND Multichannel (it defaults to dig audio, button on Reciever front allows me to select multichannel input)My Reciever has multichannel inputs for all these, plus 2 for surr backs.

[danger boy]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'dedicated' DVD-A player, but the manual (and the logos on front of the DVD player indicate) that it can play DVD-Audio discs. It's my Reciever that doesn't mention any DVD-A support... which is why I thought I need to use either a 'Direct Mode' or multichannel

hookup details:
The DVD Player has 6 multichannel outputs (Fronts, Center, Surrounds, Sub) Currently I have it connected via both Toslink cables AND Multichannel (it defaults to dig audio, button on Reciever front allows me to select multichannel input)My Reciever has multichannel inputs for all these, plus 2 for surr backs.

receivers don't have to be any kind of DVD-Audio compatible. all they have to have are 6 analog RCA inputs. IF yours does. it will work.

Usually in the DVD-Audio player menu, sometimes you have to tell the player to play a DVD-audio using the analog connections. or it may default to digital audio connections. which you'll hear audio, but it won't be DVD-audio high resolution audio.

[phipiper10]

receivers don't have to be any kind of DVD-Audio compatible. all they have to have are 6 analog RCA inputs. IF yours does. it will work.

Usually in the DVD-Audio player menu, sometimes you have to tell the player to play a DVD-audio using the analog connections. or it may default to digital audio connections. which you'll hear audio, but it won't be DVD-audio high resolution audio.


I don't get this? Isn't this simply the difference between analog and digital without any resolution being lost. Outside of the "I can hear a difference in digital vs. analog cables" isn't this really the same (resolution wise)?

[danger boy]

I don't get this? Isn't this simply the difference between analog and digital without any resolution being lost. Outside of the "I can hear a difference in digital vs. analog cables" isn't this really the same (resolution wise)?

to me the sound is very close.. with the edge going to the high rez audio.

DVD-audio contains both a Dolby Digital track and a high rez DVD-Audio track.. which is what you want to play if your player can decode it. it's not a analog VS digital issue.

[phipiper10]

So my player can decode DVD-A but I have a digital out to receiver right now. So you are saying there are two sets of data on the disc with different encoding/bit rates and one can only be had by using analog out?

Sorry, I'm startled, I thought I knew what was going on seems like I'm wrong and need more cables to hear a higher resolution?

Want to buy an optical cable cheap? ;)

[Keiko]

Yes, you can use multichannel input on the receiver to connect a DVD-A (or SACD) player.

The formats are not dead, though it would not hurt to see more album releases.
And these damn kids with their mp3 players and ipods haven't helped.
Super Audio CD is clearly a superior format. Not that ipods are a bad thing I quess if you like convenience, and they are ok for casual listening but it's really too bad SACD isn't marketed/produced more aggressively. Alot of people just arn't aware of the format. IMO, I think if record companies and retailers would shift the focus and educate the consumer about these better sound technologies. Thus creating the demand for listeners who want more, there would be more titles available and less businesses closing their doors.

[VSchneider]

I see a lot of Jazz and Classical released on SACD - but these are not mass market Britney-Justin anyway.
The artists who know and respect their audience continue releasing SACDs.

Check out D. Krall's albums, for example.

[appadv]

There is still some DVD-Audio and SACD material around, which I enjoy to listen to, but I wished there were more releases.

Anyways, you should be able to get by with an optical cable, but DVD-A is limited to 48KHz over optical. Ideally, you would need six analog connections to listen to multichannel DVD-Audio. But I've used the optical connection with my HTPC and got great results.

[MGPK]

There is still some DVD-Audio and SACD material around, which I enjoy to listen to, but I wished there were more releases.

Anyways, you should be able to get by with an optical cable, but DVD-A is limited to 48KHz over optical. Ideally, you would need six analog connections to listen to multichannel DVD-Audio. But I've used the optical connection with my HTPC and got great results.

You can get by with an optical/coax digital output but it won't be DVD-A. The best you will get is DTS 96/24, which can sound good but won't have the dynamic range of DVD-A. The only components that have digital links (which are proprietary) are Pioneer and Denon. The reason you probably bought that player is to experience the high resolution of DVD-A, so you should listen to it in its native form. Any DVD-V player can play the lower resolution soundtracks that are found on DVD-A discs. Because of copyright issues:mad: no player will output the high resolution layer except as noted above (and maybe a few others that I don't know about).

[xandra]

Thanks MGPK
Your summary jives completely with the maze of footnotes, asterisks and other confusing verbiage in my (otherwise well written) Onkyo Reciever manual about the topic.
It's good to know that at least I'll get 96 bit audio - given the paltry number of dvd-audio disks out there, it hardly seems worth purchasing hardware to play it.
Guess I'll look into SACD's.
I find it ironic that in era where movie music has come so far, that hi-rez audio-only options are so limited.