[ted_b]

My Platinum 999ES is a killer machine, as per my reviews in the other threads here.  This question is about the 999ES front outputs and how they are supposed to work.  I could swear that with my XA777Es that when I played a MCH SACD (in MCH mode, of course) the stereo front outputs (in the case of the 999Es, those are the most modified, tube-driven etc.) do not get a signal, just the 6 outputs labeled for MCH (whcih,of course, include another set of fronts).   However, today a weird thing happened.  I have been breaking in the mch outputs (Dan modded them slightly and I wanted to break them in further than my last review) for the past few days on repeat, and with family coming over tonight decided I would fire up the tube section and the main amp for state-of-the-art 2 channel listening tonight.  Well, the stereo modded outputs were live and playing music (and the thing was in MCH mode).   Is this how it's configured?  I didn't listen to hear what exactly was coming out (i.e 2 of 6 channels or some whacko stereo foldown).   Anybody know....can;t find it in the manual.  No big deal really, but seems strange that three sets of fronts (two stereo, one mch) would be live all the time in mch mode.

Ted_B

[Levi]

My Platinum 999ES is a killer machine, as per my reviews in the other threads here.  This question is about the 999ES front outputs and how they are supposed to work.  I could swear that with my XA777Es that when I played a MCH SACD (in MCH mode, of course) the stereo front outputs (in the case of the 999Es, those are the most modified, tube-driven etc.) do not get a signal, just the 6 outputs labeled for MCH (whcih,of course, include another set of fronts).   However, today a weird thing happened.  I have  ...

I am not sure if I follow you correctly, you are using Hybrid CD?  If you are, you will hear output from MCH output as well as the tube output.  This is not necessarilly bad, just by design.  When you play regular CD in, there will also signal coming out of the MCH output.  

Like my father always say, if it works, forgetabout it!

[ted_b]

No, it's not about hybrid.  I realize the deck is not reading multiple layers at one time.  I was just surprised that the stereo outputs wer live during a mch session.....and am even more surprised to hear that the mch outputs would be outputting ANYTHING during redbook, as you stated.

Edit:  I just did a test with the XA777ES and the outputs are muted that are not being used (i.e stereo are dead during mch, mch are dead during stereo SACD or redbook).

Ted_B

[modwright]

Well, the XA-777ES and 999ES are different animals...

The 999ES has a 2CH and a MCH DAC.  I believe that the unit DOES output 2CH audio from both sets of front outputs.  I believe that the unit also outputs the front two channels of MCH output through the 2CH DACs.

The XA-777ES has six DACs, one per channel of MCH output.  When the unit plays in 2CH, it parallels three DACs per channel.   This is all achieved with a series of relays.

Hope this explains the mystery.

Enjoy!

Dan

[ted_b]

Dan, thanks, yes that does explain it, and in fact, was what I thought might be going on.  The paralleling of dacs in the XA777Es has always been a controversy...and now that I have your unbelievable 999ES Platinum, it proves that you can throw technology at it, but it's the implementation that counts.

Ted

[modwright]

 Thanks Ted.

Dan