AV2 & Dolby HD audio

Gerry,

It would be interesting to hear how you view the differences between using the 5.1 audio outputs on the BD player, vs. using the digital coax, with it downsampling to DTS at 1.5Mbps ?

Roy.

Hi Roy,

OK I will try and do this in the next few days.

Gerry

Roy,

Just re-read your note, and whilst I will compare Multi channel with digital co-ax on this player, I was using digital co-ax on my previous player - a decent Denon - and this is what I was comparing to the multi channel on the Bluray.

I will compare using the same player, but I expect the HD audio to be superior even via the Sony's DAC.

Gerry

Having experimented a bit with HD audio via 7.1 analogues into the AV2 allowing the Oppo BluRay player to do the decoding vs allowing the AV2 to decode the "core" dts/DD from the HD soundtrack, it's a mixed bag.

I've come to the conclusion, based on my own equipment of course, that for dts Master Audio the results are marginally better via the analogues but for DD HD it's a bit better via the SP/DIF route.

One thing's for sure though; HD soundtracks through either route are considerably better quality than the equivalent DVD ones, and the AV2's a very fine piece of kit for surround sound.

Hi Gerry

Sorry, a bit new to this AV business, are you saying that the HD decoding is done by your Blu-ray player and the AV2 still has to split the incoming signal into the 5.1 channels?

I am in the throws of finding out about all this. I have Sky HD and I want to be able to decode the HD sound. I am currently running a full Naim system and want to integrate the AV into this.

To get the "Naim sound" I assume I need some way of processing the HD signals, feed this into the AV2 to have the signal split cotrrectly.

I will be looking at the Pioneer renge of Blu-ray players which have the HD codecs; have you any opinion on these please?

If I buy a processor from say, Arcam, will I lose the "Naim sound"?

Many thanks for your input

Rgds

Trevor

@tonym

from my experiences with different BRPlayers and different AV Pres in the last couple of weeks your example does not show that the AV2 is such a fine piece of kit but to the contrary only shows that the Oppo via analogue is not capable of performing the true qualities of the BR medium (at least where its capabilities have been used), both DD HD and DTS HD being so very clearly better than the SD formats.

When I did similar comparisons via my AV2 with the Oppo and much more expensive BR Players, the differences between all of them (HD and non HD) were existing but not to big, but when using an AV Pre being capable of decoding the HD signals itself (like Rotel RSP 1570, Arcam AV888 and a NAD T 175 HD, all of them clearly outperformed (via HD) the sound of the AV2 (not doing so, except for the Arcam in non HD formats), so this shows clearly, that the decoding in the BR Players (even a Pioneer LX 91 or a Denon 3800 which were slightly better than the Oppo)is only a very limited choice for music lovers, especially those who have kit like tonym which will be able to reveal any improvement in the chain.

I can only advise anyone to check a decent AV Pre in his multichannel kit vs an AV2 and then we will all light a candle any pray that Naim will offer us an AV3 with HD decoding!!!

Hi Trevor,

With regard to the Blu-ray player, this does the decoding (in my system) and then is input to the AV2 by analogue, bypassing the digital decoding facility in the AV2. The input to the AV2 is already split into 5.1, using the multi channel outputs of the player

I also have Sky but in this case I use the digital co-axial output of Sky with the AV2 doing the DD decoding.

The big advantage for me in using the AV2 is that I can integrate it with my audio system.

I have no experience of the Pioneer Blu-Ray, and chose the Sony ahead of the Pioneer range as I needed the multi channel outs, which was absent on their range.

Again I have no experience of the Arcam range, but prior to buying the AV2 I used an Sony AV Amp, followed by an expensive Denon amp, and I prefer the AV2, as I should I suppose given the amplifier/speaker configuration further up the chain.

Regards

Gerry

lawoflust - Agreed, there are not that many BD (or even DVD) players out there with high quality analogue output.....However, there are a few...

Give the Marantz UD9004 a spin...Has the same analogue stage as their SA-7S1 SACD player....

Steve.

I'll stick by what I've posted & clarify - for decoding dts/DD sound via SP/DIF the AV2 is superb, and I've heard candidates from Denon, Yamaha et al which it knocks for six. It's quite clear to me that the AV2's synergy with the rest of my Naim system is a really important factor in obtaining such results.

With HD sound, the "Core" dts/DD obtained over SP/DIF, being at a higher sampling rate than with standard DVD, is considerably better.

With the multichannels from my Oppo player the sound quality, whilst not up to the best HD decoding, is nevertheless excellent. I'm looking at having my Oppo upgraded to SE specification but so far there's not enough positive opinion out there regarding its sound quality.

Like others, I'm really wanting the AV3 with HD decoding via HDMI. Until then I'm content to wait. I think...

Hi Gerry

Many thanks for this.

Am I correct in saying that the AV2 is being used purely for speaker connectivity as the digital decoding is being by-passed?

I currently have Sky HD and ideally want to decode the HD sound - so I need a work around until Naim give us an AV3.

Regards

Trevor

Sky HD doesn't have "HD" sound Trevor - just Dolby Digital via digital optical connection which an AV2 will decode very nicely!

Hi Tony

Thanks very much - you are a star!

I naturally assumed that if the movie was in HD, then the sound would be as well.

Makes things easy then.

So the HD codecs are only on Blu-ray discs?

I know you have an active SL2 system with axess,145 and n-sats - how does the Sky HD sound through this?

Rgds

Trevor

quote:

Am I correct in saying that the AV2 is being used purely for speaker connectivity as the digital decoding is being by-passed?

Trevor the AV2 is being used more as a pre-amp, i.e. for volume control, my 552 is on unity gain setting.

Sky 5.1 is very good through Active SL2's, but is not up to the standard of HD Audio from Blu-r
ray.

I am mightily impressed with the decoding of the Sony player.

Gerry

I, too have taken the plunge and bought myself an Oppo 83SE, as my DVD5 is seeming a little "dated". Hopefully it will arrive very soon. I had asked Castle (in Nottingham) to get me the appropriate cables, but no news from them, and their Naim man is off sick.

So, my question is: The cables to connect the analogue output of the Oppo to the AV2. Are they just 4 RCA Phono to 5 pin DIN as used for Cassette Decks into Naim amps, or are they different?

Just a small addendum to my last post.

If they are standard 4 phono to 5 pin leads, which phono do use for each bluray player output? Or is it back to the old standby of touching each one and seeing which speaker buzzes?

John,

yes, they are exactly that - 4RCA-DIN5 leads. As for which RCA goes where, I used to have this mapped out for when I had the SACD player on the AV2. Unfortunately it seems to have gone walkies so the "old standby" seems to be the best bet - or better yet if you have a continuity tester then use that.

Thanks. Hopefully the Naim person at my dealer won't be "poorly" tomorrow.

Perhaps it ought to be in an FAQ!

Hi John, wondered when you'd be on here!

You probably know this anyway but in addition to the 4RCA - 2x5din cables, you also need the 5 din to 5 din from input 3 (front out) on the AV2 to the appropriate input on your preamp (can't recall if you've got unity gain).

Note this is a special lead with wires crossing over - your dealer can supply.

Thanks, Tony. I already have the reverse DIN lead in place for use with the NAC282. 8-)

Well, my Oppo 83SE has arrived, and I've installed it (except the analogue leads, for which I still await).

Crap 2 pin "kettle" type mains connection on the back of the Oppo - I have had to wedge it in to make sure it doesn't keep disconnecting.

Also, for some reason the supplied Spears and Munsil video calibration disc doesn't seem to work properly in the Oppo, just giving 3 sound tracks and no visible menu. It does, however, work perfectly in my PS3. Annoying, because I planned to calibrate my TV properly.

Having problems with my Harmony 885 remote as well. The Harmony software doesn't want to logon to their members site, so I'm having to do my updates the hard way via Internet Exploder and their website. Also the Oppo bluray players don't appear to be on the Harmony devices database, and I'm probably going to have to laboriously enter all the commands manually - tedious to say the least.

Oh dear! I had no problems with mains plug or Spears & Munsil disc (which I think is excellent, a considerable improvement on 'Video Essentials")

No doubt you'l be having a chat with Henry at CRT on Monday.

Had a few thoughts about the calibration disc, and put it in again this morning. Would you believe it worked perfectly? I hadn't changed anything since the last time, so I've no idea why!

According to the disc my TV settings required no adjustment other than to up the brightness a fraction, although I suspect that may be reversed to its original setting when I try it again after sundown (I get a fair amount of backlight coming in from the window behind the Sony LCD, even with "blackout blinds")

Funnily enough, I had my TV set up with everything on its middle setting, and all enhancements turned off (e.g. sports, "vivid", contrast enhancement, dynamic range processing etc). Just confirms my prejudices about how manufacturers/shops deliver these items.

I'm going into the loft later to dig out a spare "kettle" lead to see if that fixes the other problem.

I wonder how the Marantz UD 9004 sounds against Naim Players. I have heard it and it sounded better than the Ki-Pearl CD-Sacd-player.

KR,

Patrick

quote:

Originally posted by patrik0631:
I wonder how the Marantz UD 9004 sounds against Naim Players. I have heard it and it sounded better than the Ki-Pearl CD-Sacd-player.

KR,

Patrick

Must say the UD 8004 is a tempting proposition too, probably 98% of the quality of the flapshp.

Spare kettle lead fitted perfectly. So the Oppo/crt supplied one has found its way into the dustbin.