[Gopher]

But if I'm down mixing it first, its not high definition audio anymore, is it?  I mean, if I were going to go that route for bluray (don't have older SACD ps3) I might as well just set it to two channel and use my PS3s optical out for movies and such? 

In fact... hmm... I'm going to try that tonight--I bet it sounds much better than the analogs.

[ted_b]

But if I'm down mixing it first, its not high definition audio anymore, is it?  I mean, if I were going to go that route for bluray (don't have older SACD ps3) I might as well just set it to two channel and use my PS3s optical out for movies and such? 

In fact... hmm... I'm going to try that tonight--I bet it sounds much better than the analogs.

You are confusing me.  Your first post said that you had to keep it as multichannel (therefore a downmix is needed)

would I run into problems with the source being set for multiple channels

But the best way is to choose the hirez 2.0 LPCM layer of the Bluray for output.  This way you get pure 2.0 LPCM and grab it off the HDMI at up to 24/192.

[Phil A]

I purchased this unit for US$69 from ebay last week.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HDMI-4x1-HIFI-Switch-Toslink-Coaxial-Stereo-Audio-V1-3b-/260623243516?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cae5b18fc#ht_1682wt_912

I picked up my unit (shipped from Hong Kong and bought from E-Bay in Australia) from the Post Office earlier and have listened to 8 or 9 things so far.  I have a Modwright Oppo BDP-83 with the clock option into my Bryston DAC.  The DAC indicates 88.2 (and I listened upsampled to 176.4).  Definitely was better through the DAC and less PCM-like than the analog outs of the modded Oppo.  Definitely a great improvement for so little.  Thanks, again

[Phil A]

I've been doing some reading and apparently the Arcam universals (DV137 and DV139) can output 24/176.4 from SACD over HDMI.  A guy on Audiogon claims to be a legit dealer and is selling the DV137 for $600.

[Phil A]

Tonight, I enabled HDMI Audio (Auto) on the Oppo BDP-83 and played a couple of 192kHz DVD-As.  I stuck in "Sinatra Live at the Sands" and the Eagles "Hotel California."  In both cases, the 192kHz indicator lit on the Bryston DAC.  I played a cut on each with no issues.  They sounded really good.  During the playing of the Eagles disc, I switched inputs on the DAC to the coaxial digital output directly from the BDP-83.  I only went back and forth for about 30 seconds on the one song and while I didn't do an in depth comparison, I could not hear any readily obvious differences in audio quality from the DAC inputs.  So, the Portta box can support 192kHz.  I don't imagine I'd see any differences in video quality between that in the Oppo but at some point I'll try a couple of Blu-Ray discs and see what I think.  So far, it's a great $69 tweak.

[Phil A]

By the way, I tested a couple of minutes of video.  I had to turn my projector on and off since I never got a firmware update for it (requires you to send it away) and it does this weird thing when it switches from 1080/24 to 1080/60 (but not the other way around) and colors are off and it has a blotchy cartoon like look to it.  It registered 1080/24 and looked good after I cycled it on again.  You don't need a display on for passing hi-rez PCM from SACD or from from DVD-A, but obviously for DVD-A you need to select from the menu (some are authored to a spec that allows the audio to be changed from multi-channel to stereo via the audio button on the remote but it helps to have a display on to see that).  It's not a problem for me as I have a 19 inch LCD about 7 feet from the listening chair and I have composite video going from several sources (via a manual composite video switch) into the TV since I don't want to waste projector bulb life to navigate DVD-A or if I'm dubbing a video source to DVD from the front inputs of the DVD recorder.  Easy to turn on the 19 inch TV and monitor it.  All in all I'd say so far the Portta is great $69 tweak.  I sent them an E-Mail too as they are not on Logitech Harmony's database.  I wonder if a better power supply would do anything for the sound?  I have it plugged into my Torus power conditioner though

[wilbur1]

Hi Ted - very interesting and informative. Like others it seems, I am toying with the idea of trying to take audio via HDMI and then use my current converts etc to get the best results. The new-ish Sony Sony SCD-XA5400ES presents a particular challenge in this regard, as it ONLY outputs SACD multichannel via HDMI. Without buying a new processor, therefore, the only way to have multichannel with this machine is to somehow de-embedd the audio via another means. Do you think this Altona unit would work for this!? Thanks!

[Phil A]

Hi Ted - very interesting and informative. Like others it seems, I am toying with the idea of trying to take audio via HDMI and then use my current converts etc to get the best results. The new-ish Sony Sony SCD-XA5400ES presents a particular challenge in this regard, as it ONLY outputs SACD multichannel via HDMI. Without buying a new processor, therefore, the only way to have multichannel with this machine is to somehow de-embedd the audio via another means. Do you think this Altona unit would work for this!? Thanks!

I would guess it would work with the Atlona's analog outs

[wilbur1]

Thanks Phil. Yes, I imagine the analoque outputs would work, but I am only interested if we can get the digital ones to work too! I'll keep researching. Thanks!

[Phil A]

Thanks Phil. Yes, I imagine the analoque outputs would work, but I am only interested if we can get the digital ones to work too! I'll keep researching. Thanks!

You'll need the (mini-jack?) adapters on the analog outs to the stereo interconnects.  I'm not sure but I don't think you can pass digital multi-channel.  I have the Portta HDMI switch/audio de-embedder and not tried anything except stereo SACD from the Oppo BDP-83

[ted_b]

The Atlona does three things only:
1) for hirez, passes 2 channel de-embedded audio from HDMI to optical
2) HDMi pass-thru
3) de-embeds and converts up to 7.1 analog multichannel to 4 stereo miniplugs

So, no hirez digital multichannel.  But then again, unless you go to a multichannel DAC like Metric Halo (like I will) or Orpheus Prism, what the heck would you do with multichannel digital.  Me, I'll likely get a my Oppo eventually modded to Shawn Fogg's 4 s/pdif board to capture multichannel digital to a Metric halo LIO-8.  In the meantime, these less-than-$200 de-embedder boxes are wonderful non-invasive (no mod needed) solutions for full hirez 2 channel.

[john garnet]

Thankyou so much for this Ted. I went through all this 12 months ago and even bought a box from Ambery Corp and a Neil Young Blu-Ray box but gave up on it all when it was apparent that the Ambery box was not up to the task. I even sold my unopened Neil Young box . I've just ordered an Atlona box ($155 from Amazon) and I'll probably spring for an Oppo BDP-80 into my Brysto BDA-1 dac.

 A question: I'm going to start purchasing Blu-Ray, SACD and DVD Audio discs. Are multi-channel discs from these formats playable as 2 channel discs with no loss of resolution? Or do I have to purchase Stereo only discs? I know that SACD has both stereo and multi-channel discs. Is the Pink Floyd 30th anniversary 5.1 SACD of Dark Side Of The Moon playable as SACD stereo?

John

[ted_b]

John,
Welcome to AC!

Almost all hirez discs have a stereo layer (DVD-Audio is the biggest culprit but then it's still 80%+).  I'd choose the stereo layer rather than downmixing with your player. 

[john garnet]

Thanks Ted.

[john garnet]

On the Atlona website, there is a more advanced version of the HD570 called the HD577. This features RCA outputs in place of 3.5mm ports, coaxial as well as optical out and two HDMI inputs. Cost is about $279. Could also be worthwhile.

[john garnet]

Ok, maybe a stupid question but since I've only been a 2 channel guy all my life, let's say my source is an Oppo BDP-80 whose HDMI goes into the Atlona HD 570. Now, if the hi-res is output via optical to my Bryston BDA-1 dac and I also have the multi-channel outputs of the HD 570 connected to a multi-channel analogue pre amp like a McIntosh C45, will I be able to get hi-res multi-channel sound or can the Atlona only provide hi-res stereo?

[ted_b]

The multichannel outs from the Atlona will work fine

[strat95]

On the Atlona website, there is a more advanced version of the HD570 called the HD577. This features RCA outputs in place of 3.5mm ports, coaxial as well as optical out and two HDMI inputs. Cost is about $279. Could also be worthwhile.

Good find John.  It also appears to have an optical and coaxial output.  Does this mean high rez output via coaxial too?  What is the maximum resolution that coaxial can carry?

TV

[Phil A]

Good find John.  It also appears to have an optical and coaxial output.  Does this mean high rez output via coaxial too?  What is the maximum resolution that coaxial can carry?

TV

I don't know about maximum but it won't have any trouble with 192kHz.  My Portta box passes it.  By the way, that box is a good find.  It is an HDMI switch too -

https://www.hdwise.com/manuals/PDF_files/AT-HD577_manual.pdf

[ted_b]

Wow!  Nice find of this great new box.  Looks like it also does EDID learning, meaning you wouldn't'have to have the HDMI backend connected or on necessarily, once learned.  I may just have to ask Atlona for a demo unit.