Review: take SACD and BlURay Hirez directly to your DAC!!!!

metronet · « **Reply #180 on:** 29 Jan 2011, 10:46 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 29 Jan 2011, 08:21 pm

Metronet, my initial review post (I'm the OP) stated clearly (I hope) that these de-embedders are for PCM'd SACD (24/88 or 24/176 depending on your player), DVD-A (up to 24/192, although you really don't need this box for that, cuz in most cases a player's own coax may suffice) and BluRay (up to 24/192). They are stereo only (meaning no digital multichannel output except of course HDMI) and they don't downmix or do any processsing other than de-embed.

Your explanation is very much appreciated. That was exactly what I needed to know. I have a questions: Since the bitstream output is embedded in the HDMI.

Does that mean technically if I use a HDMI sound card (like the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3) I should be able to capture the digital 24/176 PCM and digitally store them for playback in other transports?

Thanks,

jamesg11 · « **Reply #181 on:** 31 Jan 2011, 08:12 am »

Fired up my recently acquired Atlona hd577 for first time. Mixed experience. On DVD-A from Cambridge Audio 650bd (same mediatek chip as Oppo) went to 24/192 via hdmi & spdif co-ax, but I definitely prefer dvd-a with ca 650 as transport & spdif direct into cyrus dacx. Tighter, more extended into bottom end, at least. We'll see if bedding in changes this over time.

Some issues - 1. then played a blue ray disc & screen had deep green all over it. Went through all menus & couldn't see anything amiss 2. changed the hdmi cable over & then couldn't get hdmi audio out of 48khz, despite shutting down & re-setting edid. 3. then went to hdmi input 2 & reset everything again: eureka! 24/192 etc back, plus a real non-green hd image on blu-ray.

So what was that all about? I sense instability here! I haven't gone back to input 1 yet. But, sacd is next - I need to get one, or more ...

old_bassist · « **Reply #182 on:** 6 Feb 2011, 02:18 am »

First post here. I am hoping to get a little help with this setup. Everything is working as expected except for SACDs. I have tried every SACD I own--all three of them. The 176 light on the Moon DAC comes on but there is no sound. Like I said, everything else works--Blu-Ray discs in the Sony player, 192 kHz downloads playing on the netbook--all good. Any ideas? I have futzed with the settings on the Blu-Ray player and think I have covered all of the bases there. Thanks all

ted_b · « **Reply #183 on:** 6 Feb 2011, 08:19 pm »

Hi. Sorry for all your troubles (btw, that Paul on AVS is something! Seems he doesn't know what I'm writing about so he badmouths it. Too bad for him. The Oppo SE is exactly what should be compared becuase we're trying to see if the de-embedder solution via one's own DAC is a BETTER sound that using a well-reviewed analog output like the dedicated Oppo 83 SE.)

Try this:
make sure the Sony BluRay player's SACD is set for PCM, NOT DSD. And the 176 sample rate will not like your 96k DAC.

Phil A · « **Reply #184 on:** 6 Feb 2011, 08:43 pm »

I noted earlier, while the Monoprice box will pass 192kHz from DVD-A, I had the Sony BDP-BX37 outputting 176.4kHz (from SACD) and the DAC lit up but I got no sound (and I confirmed my settings with another member too) so I just have the Oppo back outputting 88.2kHz and being upsampled to 176.4kHz with the DAC in the main system. I put the Sony on the computer system doing DSD direct to a Pioneer 1120 and am happy.

old_bassist · « **Reply #185 on:** 6 Feb 2011, 09:06 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 6 Feb 2011, 08:19 pm

Try this:
make sure the Sony BluRay player's SACD is set for PCM, NOT DSD. And the 176 sample rate will not like your 96k DAC.

Thank you for the reply Ted. I have the BDP set to output PCM, and I am auditioning a Moon 100D DAC this weekend--it can do sampling frequencies up to and including 192 kHz. I think there are revelations in Phil's post from today. I wonder if the SACD / 176 / lights on but no sound issue occurs with the Atlona box the way it appears to occur with the Monoprice unit.

Thanks again,

Ross

old_bassist · « **Reply #186 on:** 7 Feb 2011, 03:57 pm »

Oops--I didn't really phrase that as a question...

The Monoprice de-embedder is known to have an SACD / 176 / lights on but no sound issue. Does the same issue occur with the Atlona AT-HD577?

Thanks

old_bassist · « **Reply #187 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 06:39 pm »

Anyone? I will be ordering a 577 if it's confirmed to work. I have reread this thread and others on the CA site and I'm still unsure. Thank you

Quote from: old_bassist on 7 Feb 2011, 03:57 pm

The Monoprice de-embedder is known to have an SACD / 176 / lights on but no sound issue. Does the same issue occur with the Atlona AT-HD577?

ted_b · « **Reply #188 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 06:54 pm »

Ross, Dunno. I have the original 570 box and an Oppo. Phil or others might be able to chime in. Dunno why it wouldn't, but then again wondering what is the issue with the Monoprice since Phil and others said it was identical to their full-functioning Porta.

mgalusha · « **Reply #189 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 07:13 pm »

I have the 577 and it seems to work fine with my BD-83 but that is only 88.2. One thing in the diagram posted is the optical from the de-embedder to the DAC. Most Toslink interfaces will not support above 96Khz, so even if you can get 176.4 from the Atlona or Monoprice it's likely it won't be passed.

old_bassist · « **Reply #190 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 07:33 pm »

Thanks--I don't recall trying coax from Monoprice to DAC. I will try that tonight and will report.

It would be great if I could get the Monoprice working correctly. The Atlona 577 looks like a cool gizmo and all but it would cost me over CDN $300.00. That would buy a lot of music!

ted_b · « **Reply #191 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 08:34 pm »

My Atlona 570 is toslink only and does 24/192 from BluRay (Oppo) beautifully.

Phil A · « **Reply #192 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 09:39 pm »

I have been able to get full 192kHz from either the Port-ta/Monoprice boxes from DVD-A from the Oppo BDP-83. From SACD I of course get 88.2. When I tried the Sony Blu-Ray player the DAC showed I was getting 176kHz from SACD but I got no sound. As noted, I confirmed my settings with another member and the DAC showed it was receiving the signal but I got no sound. I finally moved the Sony BDP-BX37 to the office system and pass DSD to a Pioneer 1120.

Russtafarian · « **Reply #193 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 09:47 pm »

I've been following this thread because I eventually want to set up a digital connection for SACD playback.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but given the ultrasonic noise issue with SACDs, do you really want them resampled to 176khz? SACD players have low pass filters to keep the DSD noise above 40khz from trickling into the audible range. Since there's only noise and no music in that range (from DSD files), wouldn't 88khz be a better choice for resampling SACDs to PCM?

Russ

Phil A · « **Reply #194 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 11:43 pm »

Quote from: Russtafarian on 8 Feb 2011, 09:47 pm

I've been following this thread because I eventually want to set up a digital connection for SACD playback.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but given the ultrasonic noise issue with SACDs, do you really want them resampled to 176khz? SACD players have low pass filters to keep the DSD noise above 40khz from trickling into the audible range. Since there's only noise and no music in that range (from DSD files), wouldn't 88khz be a better choice for resampling SACDs to PCM?

Russ

I've seen that elsewhere. My DAC upsamples the 88.2 to 176.4kHz. I just would have liked to hear it for myself.

old_bassist · « **Reply #195 on:** 8 Feb 2011, 11:44 pm »

Eureka! I ran Monoprice to DAC with coax instead of optical and we're locked and loaded on 176.4. I tried a couple of TOSlink cables including one from the UHF Magazine's store.

http://uhfmag.com/Digital.html

No love with optical, but rock-solid with coaxial. Happy camper now am I.

Thanks for the good info and for this great site!

golfugh · « **Reply #196 on:** 9 Feb 2011, 12:01 am »

Quite a few toslink inputs are limited to 24/96.. Wyred DAC being one.

newzooreview · « **Reply #197 on:** 9 Feb 2011, 03:32 am »

My FiOS box (Motorola) outputs 5.1 high resolution audio over HDMI (for almost all of my HD channels).

Will any of the devices discussed here (Altona or Monoprice, primarily) allow me to strip that 5.1 digital audio and output it via digital coax to my two-channel DAC?

I would love to get my FiOS TV sound onto my main stereo vs. my crappy Bose 321 system.

Sorry if this has been addressed, but I couldn't see the answer. Most everything seemed to focus on inputs to the Altona/Monoprice that are already two channel.

Phil A · « **Reply #198 on:** 9 Feb 2011, 03:40 am »

I did try plain old Dolby Digital and could not get 5.1 into the preamp/processor with the Port-ta/Monoprice box from the coax output. Is there a way in the set-up for the FIOS box to output 2-channel PCM? That has been verified with SACD and DVD-A.

JDUBS · « **Reply #199 on:** 12 Feb 2011, 09:25 pm »

Finally...REAL SACD ripping exists!

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/SACD-ripping-using-your-PS3-Linux-yes

I've got one of the earlier PS3s packed up somewhere. Need to drop linux on it and give this a shot with an SACD or two.

Now, I need to convince Rob at Pure Vinyl to incorporate .DFF playback.

-Jim