[chrisc]

Have you tried going into the DSP/Output mode on JRiver and telling it everything beyond 192Khz should be played back as 176.4Khz?

USB supports everything and DSD and 192KHz files are reproduced natively.  The problem is that this SONY universal player outputs DSD (from a SACD disc) via HDMI and the HD-AVP does not support DSD via HDMI

I used the co-ax from the player and this produces a signal, but I cannot tell if I am getting a signal from the SACD layer or not.  The "Info" button states 44.1KHz 2 channel.  Yet I have configured the SONY to use the SACD layer and output multi-channel.  The Info button is pretty useless as 90% of the time it states 44.1KHz 8 channel which is meaningless

With the HD-AVP in Stereo mode, there is output from the rear channels.  But even with a stereo signal (CD, satellite TV, USB) there is also output from the rear channel in Stereo mode

I have a good friend who is the Chief Scientific Officer for a multi-billion dollar radio telescope system called the Square Kilometre Array which is taking 7 years to build here in South Africa.  At any rate, he is into quality control big time.  It is his opinion that this unit has been rushed to market without sufficient checking being done.  Some of the faults (Mode button turns on and off the panel display) point to sloppy software implementation.  It all could be fixed, but this takes time and obviously the factory need to make a profit and have a positive cash flow

[Phil A]

There are plenty of processors that do this.  The expensive Bryston processor (and the Lexicon is made my Bryston) does as well but last I looked they were looking into seeing if it were possible to do more than 88.2kHz via HDMI.

Could very well be a function of the HDMI board used or the DSP functionality.  Hard to say.

I've given up expensive processors and generally buy refurb receivers (from accessories4less.com).  For me it is much easier to have a 2-channel system with a 2-channel preamp with HT Bypass (I have 3 preamps with this feature but one of them is just used currently in a 2-channel system).  Generally processors are built for HT first (and with the digital side changing more rapidly there isn't tons of time to be able to get something out to market and still be a viable piece of equipment with current surround sound modes) and to me one is expecting lots (that's my opinion) if they expect it to be as good as most 2-channel set-ups.

[chrisc]

I primarily use the HD-AVP for stereo, but years ago inherited a SONY 7200ES receiver which had full 7.1 facilities, so installed rear speakers.  A little bit of a gimmick I thought, but they were not expensive and easy to install

One day I will want to sell the HD-AVP and need at least a product that operates as it is advertised.  The absence of DSD on HDMI is not a train-smash, but there are other problems and apparent malfunctions that do not appear in a identical model owned by someone else, which leads me to believe that the unit I have is defective.  I borrowed the other HD-AVP for 2 days and the differences were immediately obvious - nearly everything worked

[Phil A]

Quality control is important in any product.  Many years back, a dealer I knew pulled out an amp, preamp and tuner from the same series of a particular manufacturer.  All were slightly different shades of charcoal gray (obviously made in different factories).  At another dealer (also many moons ago), they had the sound room closed when I walked in.  The manager saw me (knew me) and asked me to come back.  They had a $900 highly touted by all the magazines (basically won award after award) preamp and had two units out.  One sounded wonderful, the other like crap.  Won't mention the brand names.  That's why some companies (e.g. Rotel) have their own factories in the Far East.  Sometimes it is tough to control quality from afar with different places or people not directly working for you.

When it comes to processors/receivers, the rapid changes in technology become hard to keep up with (when someone assembling them substitutes a part that worked in a similar scenario last year it may not be the same).  That's why I like buying refurbs for both price and if I get 5+ years out of it, I feel like I got my moneys worth.  I may have to bite the bullet for the main system this time (11 channel processing) more than I like.

If you have access to the other unit and the person is willing perhaps take clear photos with the tops off and send them in to see if anything jumps out.

[dwaleke]

but there are other problems and apparent malfunctions that do not appear in a identical model owned by someone else, which leads me to believe that the unit I have is defective.  I borrowed the other HD-AVP for 2 days and the differences were immediately obvious - nearly everything worked

If this is the case NuPrime will swap out your defective unit.   Have you started the process?

[chrisc]

If this is the case NuPrime will swap out your defective unit.   Have you started the process?

I have asked the agent to do this.  However, he only has one in stock, so I asked him to check everything prior to sending it, particularly the points I have raised.  He seems to be a straightforward kind of fellow, the only minor snag is that he is 1400km away in Johannesburg, but local airfreight is efficient

[chrisc]

If you have access to the other unit and the person is willing perhaps take clear photos with the tops off and send them in to see if anything jumps out.

I did in fact carefully examine the innards of both units.  They seemed identical in every respect, the serial numbers were about 120 apart

Your second-hand market is 1000 times larger than ours, so you would have no trouble sourcing what you want

[Phil A]

The problem with some things made in the far east is when one does not have their own factories/employees (and there are many things sold here in the US that are designed here and sourced from the far east) there can be a bit of things out of one's control.  On the flip side, if the items were made in a place with more expensive labor, they would cost more.  Good luck with the problem and hopefully it gets resolved.

[rustydoglim]

When the problem is not clear cut, it is difficult for us at the factory to determine what we should do, especially when there is a distributor involve. If you are a USA customer, we would have ship you a replacement unit long ago.  But shipping to South Africa is extremely expensive.
So the resolution for your situation is very simple as you have stated: your distributor has one unit and you claimed that your unit behaves differently - so you bring your unit to the distributor and compare both with the problem that you stated (If it is a power supply failure, or some channels failed to produce sound, that's easy to determine but certain software feature that doesn't work, that's strange).

Then your distributor can simply tell us: "Yes, I have seen it, however unlikely, they do behave differently."
And we will ship a replacement unit or board to your distributor with his next order. 
By the way, please check that your firmware version is 2.5.

[chrisc]

If NuPrime is concerned about the cost of shipping to South Africa, they should not have decided to sell them here.  You cannot assume that every product will be perfect and should make provision for defective units now and then and keep spare boards, etc.

Bringing the unit to the distributor is a bit tricky.  He is in another city 1400km away and his local rep is disinterested

I do not know what firmware version this one is using, since
The HOME button brings up "InPlayer/HDMI" only, nothing on the screen
If I select USB via the left hand knob (the selector on the remote bypasses USB) then a GUI appears showing Network 1/2 but I cannot alter any of these to check anything

[triumph]

With the HD-AVP in Stereo mode, there is output from the rear channels.  But even with a stereo signal (CD, satellite TV, USB) there is also output from the rear channel in Stereo mode

Using the USB DAC with mains plugged into the USB DAC R/L, I get output from the rear channels AND the centre channel. 

[chrisc]

Using the USB DAC with mains plugged into the USB DAC R/L, I get output from the rear channels AND the centre channel.

In "Pure Audio" mode, the rear channel signal is absent

Since there is no DSD support on the HDMI input, I connected a SACD player via its co-ax to an input on the HD-AVP.  (I then assigned HDMI video to the co-ax 1).  I can see on the TV screen that the SACD player is set to output 5.1 sound and many SACDs have rear channel information.  I cannot really tell whether the sound I am hearing from the rear speakers comes from the SACD itself, or is generated within the HD-AVP.  The info button states 44.1KHz 2 channel, but then it does that for blu-ray discs that have DTS or Dolby Surround as well and you can clearly hear discrete rear-channel info from many movies.   SACD sound is more subtle and usually, with a recording of a live concert, you are aware of audience noises from the rear speakers

[triumph]

I was connected to a computer via USB, and playing a stereo file from JRiver, set in 2-channel mode in JRiver.  Yet, I have rear and centre channels playing music from the 7.1 DAC in the AVP.  Not what I was expecting.

Pure Direct or Pure Audio modes were exactly the same.  They both had output from the rear and centre channels.

I also noticed a lag in the audio when playing a 5.1 movie file.  The video was ahead of the audio by a few ms.  So, it felt a bit off.

On a happy note, I found the AutoEQ to be quite good and corrected my speakers to my room nicely.

[chrisc]

Jason Lim disagrees.  There cannot be any output from rear channels when a USB input is being used.  We are all wrong and he is right.

The audio lag seems to vary between recordings.  I have many (1000+) downloaded movies and 95% are fine, same with blu-ray discs.  My SONY can adjust the audio timing, but you have to remember to reset it

[rustydoglim]

I was connected to a computer via USB, and playing a stereo file from JRiver, set in 2-channel mode in JRiver.  Yet, I have rear and centre channels playing music from the 7.1 DAC in the AVP.  Not what I was expecting.

Pure Direct or Pure Audio modes were exactly the same.  They both had output from the rear and centre channels.

I also noticed a lag in the audio when playing a 5.1 movie file.  The video was ahead of the audio by a few ms.  So, it felt a bit off.

On a happy note, I found the AutoEQ to be quite good and corrected my speakers to my room nicely.

So many options are driving me crazy. I will have to check with support and engineer and confirm once and for all.  In some modes, with USB as the source, all the 7.1 channels do have output.
I am glad to hear that AutoEQ is working for you. 

[Phil A]

Here is some info on playing multi-channel files via JRiver - http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=96119.0

[triumph]

Here is some info on playing multi-channel files via JRiver - http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=96119.0

Can't play multichannel files with the USB DAC on the AVP... that's what they say.  I guess I'll have to test that one.

[John Casler]

Can't play multichannel files with the USB DAC on the AVP... that's what they say.  I guess I'll have to test that one.

That is true, the USB input goes to the ESS SABRE 9018 TWO Channel DAC.

Multi-channel is handled via a different dac.

[triumph]

That is true, the USB input goes to the ESS SABRE 9018 TWO Channel DAC.

Multi-channel is handled via a different dac.

And there's no USB input for that DAC to use with JRiver.

[John Casler]

And there's no USB input for that DAC to use with JRiver.

The Multi-channel DAC is used via all other digital inputs other than the USB.