SACD and DVD-a output Question

[DeepCreatures]

Greetings all,

I recently purchased a full blown system for the first time after years of wanting to buy a decent system. The equipment purchased is as follows:

TV - Samsung LN46A550
Receiver - Onkyo TX-SR806
DVD Player - Oppo DV-981HD
CD Player - Onkyo DX-7555 (yeah, the DVD would do decent, but i had read such good things about these that i thought it worth it)
Speakers:
Fronts - Polk RTiA7s (PolkDirect is great...)
Rears - Polk RTiA1s
Center - Polk CSiA6
Sub - Polk DSWpro500

I have the DVD player (which is my SACD and DVD-a player also) connected to the reveiver using the HDMI and set to pass through. I setup the DVD player to playback SACD via "Multi-Channel" and to playback DVDa to "DVD-audio" as per the Oppo manual. I set the receiver to playback SACD via DSD. However, the receiver usually changes the output to Dolby EX or Multi-Channel for SACD/DVD-a output. This seems to give the proper 5.1 mix, but I question why the receiver will not output using DSD? I am under the assumption that this has to do with my lack of knowledge concerning such things. However, am I missing anything by using the Dolby EX and/or the Multi-Channel output setting from the receiver?

Thanks much for the help.

On a side note, I am thoroughly enjoying this setup, especially for red book cds. The majority of my collection has taken on new life. Now to get that Rega P1 in and hooked up :)

peace,
ts

[lumpy]

I am somewhat new to this as well - someone correct me if I am wrong here.

I think that the oppo should be set to bitstream in which case the onkyo receiver will need to decode the DSD/DVD-A. If this is how you have it set up and the receiver will decode the bitstream audio, then the onkyo may have a setting activated where it is adding the additional dolby surround processing.

If the receiver does not decode DSD then you will have to let the oppo player decode, then output via multichanel analog.

[DeepCreatures]

thanks lumpy. the Oppo manual is here:
http://www.oppodigital.com/dv981hd/download/dv981hd_manual.pdf
the digital output is set to raw. i need to check and see if the LPCM rate would make a difference on this now that i look. anyway, P.36 of the manual shows the setting options for DVD-a and SACD.

P.33 of the receiver manual says that it supports bitstream DSD. however, it does say in places that DSD is converted and handled as PCM. there is a DSD setting, mentioned on P.88. i am not home, but would think that mine is set to default which would mean that DSD signals are processed by the DSP when in Pure Audio or Direct Listening mode. would this not imply that it would be best to change this setting, which would not process the signal, and put the music mode to Pure Audio or Direct Listening?

thanks again.

[F1nut]

If the DSD is being converted to PCM, then it's not hi-rez.

[reeltrouble1]

what he said, well, its reading the high-rez layer but your not really getting it all as the conversion is done, its good not great.

I would write a book called from Good to Great except there already is one.

RT1

[WilliamM2]

This seems to give the proper 5.1 mix, but I question why the receiver will not output using DSD?

Because the 981 will not output DSD over HDMI, only multi channel PCM. To get DSD over HDMI, you need an Oppo 980, Pioneer DV48-AV, DV58-AV, or DV49-AV. These are the only players so far that will do that. There is also new Sony I think, but it won't play DVD-A.

[DeepCreatures]

Because the 981 will not output DSD over HDMI, only multi channel PCM. To get DSD over HDMI, you need an Oppo 980, Pioneer DV48-AV, DV58-AV, or DV49-AV. These are the only players so far that will do that. There is also new Sony I think, but it won't play DVD-A.

many thanks for the answer. are there any good SACD players that will not break the bank? obviously i could purchase a 980, but i am really happy w/the pic quality of the 981.

reeltrouble1 - it appears i may have to live with "good" for a while.

slightly disappointed at this outcome (should have looked closer at the specs on those two Oppo units), but at least i am able to finally get a semi-full effect from the SACD format.

peace,
ts

[WilliamM2]

None of the players I listed are very expensive. They were closing out the DV48 for $99 all last year, but I see they have finally ran out. The new model is almost identical:

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/486139504/pioneer-dv-49av

The 48 and 49 both use the same chips as the Oppo 980. Pioneer does have a longer warranty though.

[BlueFox]

many thanks for the answer. are there any good SACD players that will not break the bank?

What is break the bank? 10K? 5K? 1K?

I just ordered the Sony SCD-XA5400ES today for my living room stereo. It was just released towards the end of 2008, and lists for $1499. My pricepoint was $1000 with free shipping and no tax, and I found that today.

It has XLR outputs, and I bought a new preamp a few months ago specifically for this player. The preamp has 2 sets of XLR inputs, one for the Dac1 and the other for the SACD player.

This should complete the living room stereo upgrade need for at least a few months.

https://www.digitalcraze.com/Details.asp?ProductID=3528
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665537319

[DeepCreatures]

thanks for the responses. i haven't really thought much about how far "breaking the bank" will be, but i did just spend $5K on getting the above, building a rack for it, wiring, etc. also, #1 on the list is a turntable, but figured recommendations would never hurt. thanks again!

[reeltrouble1]

Welcome to the Rabbit Hole, stop by my little corner anytime to share some tea.

Good is Good, because without Good there would be no Great.

RT1

[vonnie123]

Check Audiogon.com for a used one. This used Pioneer (link below) is $50. I have a Pioneer DV578a as a spare player whenever my Denon is being serviced; it does a good job. Good luck.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1237316611&/Pioneer-DV-563A-cd--sacd--dvd-

[DeepCreatures]

many thanks all!

reeltrouble1 - thanks for the laugh. and i could stop by your Rabbit Hole as i just live a few miles above you in Chattanooga.

[lumpy]

for sacd and dvd-a, hook it up via the mulichanel annalog to the receiver. use an HDMI or an optical connection for dts and dolby

this should give you the great from good that you wish it would if it could but will not - via hdmi

[DeepCreatures]

i had thought of this, but talked myself out of it so to speak. so, it is possible to operate the deck using two different output options? i assume i need to do something in the setup to tell it what output to use and when. is this something i would just need to change in the setup when playing SACD or DVD-a and then change the output back to HDMI for DVDs?

[lumpy]

I have the oppo 980 and a cambridge audio dvd89. they both appear to have the same menues and opperating system. the oppo is hooked up only via hdmi, but the cambridge player is both multichannel annalog and optical out.

once the cambridge audio dvd89 was set up, there was no additional need to change any settings for different formats. My receiver has the multichanel annalog set to one setting specifically for multichannel annalog and another for the optical input (dvd for dts/dolby). I simply activate either multi channel or dvd with the receiver depending on the type of music disc the player is playing.

[DeepCreatures]

thanks lumpy - makes sense.

[SEH]

i had thought of this, but talked myself out of it so to speak. so, it is possible to operate the deck using two different output options?

Yes, it is, but if you're looking to do this to avoid a PCM conversion then you're wasting your time. The 981 doesn't do DSD direct to analog. It converts to PCM first, as do many other SACD players. If you want multi-channel with bass management, then you probably have to live with PCM. What you're getting is still higher res than CD, somewhat equivalent to DVD-A.