[ragg987]

Is the upgraded asynchronous USB port on the SP3 capable of accepting multichannel PCM? I have searched around and am unable to find an answer to this. The spec says it is capable of 24/192 audio without mentioning number of channels.

I am trying to achieve the following:

• Use a music streamer (e.g. microRendu) to playback stereo and multi-channel PCM files from my network
• The SP3 has a good multichannel-capable DAC which works well with PCM over HDMI, it would be great if it can also support the USB
• My SP3 is from 2012 so USB would need to be upgraded

If this cannot work, are there any other streamer or DAC options? The specs on BDP-1, 2, 3 or Pi do not specify multi-channel playback.

[gbaby]

Is the upgraded asynchronous USB port on the SP3 capable of accepting multichannel PCM? I have searched around and am unable to find an answer to this. The spec says it is capable of 24/192 audio without mentioning number of channels.

I am trying to achieve the following:

• Use a music streamer (e.g. microRendu) to playback stereo and multi-channel PCM files from my network
• The SP3 has a good multichannel-capable DAC which works well with PCM over HDMI, it would be great if it can also support the USB
• My SP3 is from 2012 so USB would need to be upgraded

The USB input on the SP3 is just another digital input, but USB. I am using it now to matrix 2.0 to 7.1 Dolby Pro Logic Music Iix in 44/16 PCM. It sounds excellent. If you upgrade the USB to 192/24, it will do the same at the higher sampling rate. However, on most well recorded songs, I find 44/16 PCM on the SP3 to sound more natural and realistic sounding.

[Rod_S]

Is the upgraded asynchronous USB port on the SP3 capable of accepting multichannel PCM? I have searched around and am unable to find an answer to this. The spec says it is capable of 24/192 audio without mentioning number of channels.

I am trying to achieve the following:

• Use a music streamer (e.g. microRendu) to playback stereo and multi-channel PCM files from my network
• The SP3 has a good multichannel-capable DAC which works well with PCM over HDMI, it would be great if it can also support the USB
• My SP3 is from 2012 so USB would need to be upgraded

If this cannot work, are there any other streamer or DAC options? The specs on BDP-1, 2, 3 or Pi do not specify multi-channel playback.

I can't speak for the SP but I have a  BDP-2 and it does recognize multi-channel files, whether it can properly send the multi-channel audio out/through I'm not sure because my SSP does not support multi-channel over the AES/EBU connection I use.

[gbaby]

I can't speak for the SP but I have a  BDP-2 and it does recognize multi-channel files, whether it can properly send the multi-channel audio out/through I'm not sure because my SSP does not support multi-channel over the AES/EBU connection I use.

I have the BDP2, also and I think it will convert multi-channel files to stereo.

[Rod_S]

I have the BDP2, also and I think it will convert multi-channel files to stereo.

Any idea if it throws away the center and surround channels and just passes through the left/right or does it perhaps down-mix the non left/right channels 1st?

[ragg987]

I can't speak for the SP but I have a  BDP-2 and it does recognize multi-channel files, whether it can properly send the multi-channel audio out/through I'm not sure because my SSP does not support multi-channel over the AES/EBU connection I use.

This is useful.

Anyone know if the SP3's USB can handle multichannel PCM? I suppose if the audio were bitstream then that should work, as per @gbaby, however bitstream is lossy so I have no intention of going that route.

James, any idea if the USB can handle multiple channels of PCM?

[gdbalp]

Hi,

If you check the Bryston Website under the Digital tab, SP3, you will find a factory USB upgrade module reference with an attached PDF description.

"he  new  USB  module  will  support  PCM  192/24  as  well as DSD Native/64/128" for both 2 channel and multi-channel music sources...

Luigi

[ragg987]

Luigi, thanks for that, exactly the info I was looking for. Not sure how I missed it!

[BigGeek]

Any idea if it throws away the center and surround channels and just passes through the left/right or does it perhaps down-mix the non left/right channels 1st?

This is the real topic for me. The BDP-2 won't pass multichannel through USB will it? If I have a multichannel wav file (for example), will it pass through the USB on a BDP-2 as multichannel?

[Rod_S]

Hi,

If you check the Bryston Website under the Digital tab, SP3, you will find a factory USB upgrade module reference with an attached PDF description.

"he  new  USB  module  will  support  PCM  192/24  as  well as DSD Native/64/128" for both 2 channel and multi-channel music sources...

Luigi

That's good to see then so hopefully this feature makes it to the add in module of the SP4 as well that Bryston plans to bring down the line.

[Rod_S]

This is the real topic for me. The BDP-2 won't pass multichannel through USB will it? If I have a multichannel wav file (for example), will it pass through the USB on a BDP-2 as multichannel?

Do you have a SP3 with the new USB card? By the sounds of things the answer is probably yes unless that is truly a difference between the BDP-2 a and BDP-3.

[BigGeek]

Do you have a SP3 with the new USB card? By the sounds of things the answer is probably yes unless that is truly a difference between the BDP-2 a and BDP-3.

Not sure where you are getting the impression that the BDP-2 (or 3 for that matter) will work for outputting multi-channel through their USB ports. Nothing here indicates it, that I can see.

I appreciate that the USB upgrade for the SP3 gets that end of the chain working. What evidence do you have that the BDP (any version) end of the chain works?

I output multi-channel DTS through the BNC connector of my BDP-2 to my SP3 all the time, but it is from compressed DTS-CD files (2 channel encoded 44.1-16 AIF files). Even that sounds pretty amazing at times.

I would love to stream full resolution multichannel LPCM from my BDP. So far I haven't had anyone from Bryston give a complete response as to whether this is possible or not. Chris once told me that my old BDP-1 would only output 2 channel, but it was not a really clear response to the question I asked him. I have tried playing back full resolution multi-channel files through the BDP's BNC (and AES-EBU) and I get the results reported above, only the two front channels seem to go through. That makes sense to me due to the limited bandwidth of the SPDIF connection.

Will the USB output on a BDP-2 handle multi-channel output of uncompressed LPCM? If so I will get the SP-3 upgrade to accept it from my BDP-2.

[Rod_S]

Not sure where you are getting the impression that the BDP-2 (or 3 for that matter) will work for outputting multi-channel through their USB ports. Nothing here indicates it, that I can see.

I appreciate that the USB upgrade for the SP3 gets that end of the chain working. What evidence do you have that the BDP (any version) end of the chain works?

I output multi-channel DTS through the BNC connector of my BDP-2 to my SP3 all the time, but it is from compressed DTS-CD files (2 channel encoded 44.1-16 AIF files). Even that sounds pretty amazing at times.

I would love to stream full resolution multichannel LPCM from my BDP. So far I haven't had anyone from Bryston give a complete response as to whether this is possible or not. Chris once told me that my old BDP-1 would only output 2 channel, but it was not a really clear response to the question I asked him. I have tried playing back full resolution multi-channel files through the BDP's BNC (and AES-EBU) and I get the results reported above, only the two front channels seem to go through. That makes sense to me due to the limited bandwidth of the PCMCIA connection.

Will the USB output on a BDP-2 handle multi-channel output of uncompressed LPCM? If so I will get the SP-3 upgrade to accept it from my BDP-2.

I have no evidence, it was just how I interpreted the earlier posts. If multi-channel is supported it's probably only going to be on the USB out because, and correct me if I'm wrong I don't think SPDIF or AES/EBU in general regardless of how they may be implemented on the BDP platforms support high res multi-channel, be that PCM or DSD, SPDIF only supports multi-channel bitstream.

[BigGeek]

Sorry... Don't know why I wrote PCMCIA in my post when I was thinking SPDIF. It was early this morning when I wrote that!

I believe you are correct. Simply not enough bandwidth.

Cheers

[gdbalp]

I have no evidence, it was just how I interpreted the earlier posts. If multichannel is supported it's probably only going to be on the USB out because, and correct me if I'm wrong I don't think SPDIF or AES/EBU in general regardless of how they may be implemented on the BDP platforms support high res multichannel, be that PCM or DSD, SPDIF only supports multi-channel bitstream.

This is a great question for Chris at Bryston, especially with BDP-3.

This player has HDMI port that can be used to send multichannel audio tracks to an AVR(like SP3) for surround sound?
The remaining outputs - USB/Coaxial-BNC/AES-EBU can be used to send two channel audio tracks to an external DAC(like BDA-3)?

This would be a great arrangement/flexibility for any digital audio sources...

Luigi

[gbaby]

I can't speak for the SP but I have a  BDP-2 and it does recognize multi-channel files, whether it can properly send the multi-channel audio out/through I'm not sure because my SSP does not support multi-channel over the AES/EBU connection I use.

Rod, I stand corrected. You were correct. The BDP-2 will play back multichannel files. I recently imported a 5.1 DTS and it displays as well as plays DTS 5.1 on the processor. With this kind of sound, who needs hi res 2 channel. Its even bigger than the differences between mono and stereo.  In any event, the fact the BDP-2 can play multi-channel through its AES output is a real revelation. Thanks. 

[BigGeek]

Rod, I stand corrected. You were correct. The BDP-2 will play back multichannel files. I recently imported a 5.1 DTS and it displays as well as plays DTS 5.1 on the processor. With this kind of sound, who needs hi res 2 channel. Its even bigger than the differences between mono and stereo.  In any event, the fact the BDP-2 can play multi-channel through its AES output is a real revelation. Thanks. 

What format are you talking about? Was it truly a 5 channel format or a 2 channel file that was encoded to playback 5.1 channel DTS (e.g. an encoded WAV file). I have played the latter of the two frequently. I have been unable to get a true 5.1 channel *.DTS file to play back with anything other than the front two channels. Same with multichannel full resolution WAV files. I would think that a multichannel DTS file would fit in the bandwidth of AES but the card is only stereo in these players, right?

Still wondering about multichannel over USB though.

[Rod_S]

Rod, I stand corrected. You were correct. The BDP-2 will play back multichannel files. I recently imported a 5.1 DTS and it displays as well as plays DTS 5.1 on the processor. With this kind of sound, who needs hi res 2 channel. Its even bigger than the differences between mono and stereo.  In any event, the fact the BDP-2 can play multi-channel through its AES output is a real revelation. Thanks. 

Very nice, thanks for being able to confirm this for everyone.

[Rod_S]

What format are you talking about? Was it truly a 5 channel format or a 2 channel file that was encoded to playback 5.1 channel DTS (e.g. an encoded WAV file). I have played the latter of the two frequently. I have been unable to get a true 5.1 channel *.DTS file to play back with anything other than the front two channels. Same with multichannel full resolution WAV files. I would think that a multichannel DTS file would fit in the bandwidth of AES but the card is only stereo in these players, right?

Still wondering about multichannel over USB though.

hmm, that is a good question. Not being familiar with the SP3, on my Lexicon MC-12 I have meters for all channels so I can easily and visually check signal on all channels. Does the SP3 have anything like that? If not I suppose he could make sure there is no matrix processing enabled and then simply turn off the main left and right channels, either in the SP3 or simply the amps and if any sound is coming out of his center and surrounds that will confirm the full 5.1 signal remains intact as it passes from the BDP-2.

[gbaby]

What format are you talking about? Was it truly a 5 channel format or a 2 channel file that was encoded to playback 5.1 channel DTS (e.g. an encoded WAV file). I have played the latter of the two frequently. I have been unable to get a true 5.1 channel *.DTS file to play back with anything other than the front two channels. Same with multichannel full resolution WAV files. I would think that a multichannel DTS file would fit in the bandwidth of AES but the card is only stereo in these players, right?

Still wondering about multichannel over USB though.

I imported three DTS-CDs to aiff files using iTunes. They were DTS 5.! and were two disc by the Ohio Players and one by Herb Alpert. They both play back 5.1 DTS on the Bryston SP3 and I can hear the 5.1 separation.  I am using AES input to the SP3. This is amazing.