[armitage]

Hi,

I bought a Atlona 577 based on what I could read on this website and some other boards.

I use it plug to my Panasonic VT2 display and fed by an Oppo BDP-93. The sound is outputted to my 24/192 capable stereo DAC.

At first, I got some issue as on multi-channel content I was getting only the L/R channels and not the stereo downmix… I could not solve it at first with the EDID learning function of the Atlona. Finally, after messing arround in the setting of my TV and unplugging/replugging the Atlona, I could memorize an EDID forcing a stereo downmix (however I could not reproduce on the second HDMI input, thus I am not sure what I did for it to work and will surely never touch the EDID on the HDMI1 input of the Atlona).

Now that everything plays fine, I am just wondering as old_bassist if I am getting 24/192 as my DAC does not display the input rate.

From what I could gather from other boards, regardless of what the display plugged to the Atlona input capability, 24/192 would be correctly sent through the Atlona to the DAC.
Is this assertion correct?

If so, I do not understand while if I raise the volume on my TV, I got the music playing properly when playing 24/192 content as I am pretty confident that my display cannot do it. Should not I get no sound or static on the TV if 24/192 is really send by my Oppo.
Can somebody clarify the situation, tell me if I am likely getting 24/192 or if I did something wrong when setting up the Atlona and the Oppo?

Thanks in advance for your advice,

[djmckaytx]

As always, let me preface by saying that Ted and Phil are by far the big experts here.  But my understanding from everything I've read here is that Oppo players pass SACD at 88.2.  That's what my BDP-83SE does.

[Phil A]

That's correct, the chip in the Oppo is limited to 24/88.2 PCM from SACD

[ted_b]

Guys, thanks.  But his issue isn't whether the Oppo does 24/88 SACD but is he really getting 24/192 from his bluray listening?  He is concerned, given that his tv (HDMi backend) is playing actual music when turned up...that it clearly isn't 24/192 capable and that maybe he's really just de-embedding/listening to 16/48 or something.  His DAC (Emotiva) has no sample rate indicators, apparently.

[Phil A]

I have not tried 24/192 in the basement yet.  Been breaking in the Emotiva I got a few days ago for the secondary.  I guess I'll try a DVD-A in the Oppo DV980H later and see if sound comes out of the Emotiva XDA-1 after passing through the Monoprice HDMI audio de-embedder.

[Phil A]

I tried a 24/192 DVD-A in the basement system via the Oppo DV980H going through the Monoprice HDMI audio de-embedder and into the Emotiva DAC and it played and sounded good.

[djmckaytx]

Yep...I've tried all variants of the DVD-A and if the recording itself has any quality whatsoever, the sound is at its best through HDMI.   

[jamesg11]

Why would the 24/192 dvd-a sound superior via hdmi, as compared to spdif coax?  Less jitter? Haven't picked up a difference myself.

[armitage]

Thank you for all the responses.

teb_b summarized well my issue.
As what is reporting Phil A, 24/192 is sounding good on my Emotiva DAC. I am just not seeing why my TV is outputting some sound when plugged on the backend of the Atlona if the Atlona pass effectively 24/192 to the DAC.

Could someone be so nice as to try to raise the volume on the display linked to their de-embedder and see if some sound is coming when playing hires audio?

[Phil A]

Why would the 24/192 dvd-a sound superior via hdmi, as compared to spdif coax?  Less jitter? Haven't picked up a difference myself.

Generally, I'd guess there should be more jitter via HDMI.  When I first got my Port-ta HDMI audio de-embedder (they make the Monoprice one and it is identical - see my gallery for pics side by side) from E-Bay Australia I played probably a few things on 24/192 DVD-A from both the coax out of my Oppo BDP-83 and the coax out of the de-embedder.  Both were hooked to different coax inputs of my DAC.  I didn't do extensive listening.  Perhaps pieces of 4-6 songs and could not hear a difference.  I was concerned it might degrade the sound.  Since I probably have only around 65 DVD-As, it was not the biggest concern in the world.  I told my friend about the de-embedder (he was going to buy an expensive SACD player but tried the de-embedder and scrapped those plans) and he claimed after listening that the audio out of the coax from the de-embedder sounded a bit better to him.  I'd imagine something like the BDP-83 is designed with the thought in mind that many people will use just an HDMI hook-up and they may not pay as much attention to the design around the coax output.  I do prefer my Marantz DV9600 as a transport for CDs into the DAC over the Oppo BDP-83.

[ted_b]

SPDIF is not a great connection either (although HDMi has purportedly more jitter) and to Phil's point, not sure these midpriced players have paid any special attention to the coax output quality.  All that being said, I'd still go coax from the player for DVD-Audio 2 channel..fewer connections....although few players other than the Oppos allow that....it's still supposed to be that MLP is protected from coax output.   

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Ted - when you say you'd still go coax from the player for DVD-A 2 channel, I'm wondering how that relates to my earlier questions and your responses on Feb 18 and 19.  Based on that I was planning on buying an Atlona HD577 to go between my Oppo and Modwright Transporter used as a DAC so I could listen to the higher resolution SACD layer of my SACDs.  Currently I hear the CD layer streamed via an ethernet cable from my Mac.  I'm also planning on buying some DVD-As. Does what you said above mean I could just go straight from the coax output of the Oppo directly to the Transporter and get the same result?

[ted_b]

Ted - when you say you'd still go coax from the player for DVD-A 2 channel, I'm wondering how that relates to my earlier questions and your responses on Feb 18 and 19.  Based on that I was planning on buying an Atlona HD577 to go between my Oppo and Modwright Transporter used as a DAC so I could listen to the higher resolution SACD layer of my SACDs.  Currently I hear the CD layer streamed via an ethernet cable from my Mac.  I'm also planning on buying some DVD-As. Does what you said above mean I could just go straight from the coax output of the Oppo directly to the Transporter and get the same result?

The only hirez available from the Oppo player's native coax output is DVD, both DVD-V (max 24/96) and DVD-A (max 24/192, normally protected from going coax but Oppo and others somehow get around it).  Redbook/cd of course is also available from coax, but BluRay and SACD are not!  The only way to get hirez from BluRay and SACD is either via the player's average quality analog outs (where the player does the DAC work) or via HDMi, de-embedded by one of these boxes, and then into your quality DAC (or directly via HDMi into an HDMi-based AV processor/receiver, also usually an average-at-best analog stage).  So....no, you can't send SACD out coax and expect anything but the SACD's 16/44.1 redbook layer (if it has one, often does).

[Hear Clifford Brown]

I see, thanks for that very clear explanation that even an old analog novice to digital audio and HiRez in particular can understand.  Since stumbling into this last week I’m excited about HiRez.  I’ve been reading a lot in your circle but still have questions.  Not sure if this circle is the place to ask, but here’s one.

I want to start downloading from HDTracks and other sources.  So far all the titles I’ve looked at are available in FLAC only.  Since I use a Mac and iTunes my understanding is I can’t use FLAC, but I was thinking of getting Pure Music or something similar which can read FLAC natively I guess is the term.  Then I read Wayne1’s response in this short discussion and I’m not sure how it effects what I’m trying to do:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=91091.0

[ted_b]

I see, thanks for that very clear explanation that even an old analog novice to digital audio and HiRez in particular can understand.  Since stumbling into this last week I’m excited about HiRez.  I’ve been reading a lot in your circle but still have questions.  Not sure if this circle is the place to ask, but here’s one.

I want to start downloading from HDTracks and other sources.  So far all the titles I’ve looked at are available in FLAC only.  Since I use a Mac and iTunes my understanding is I can’t use FLAC, but I was thinking of getting Pure Music or something similar which can read FLAC natively I guess is the term.  Then I read Wayne1’s response in this short discussion and I’m not sure how it effects what I’m trying to do:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=91091.0

Personally I would convert the FLAC to something native to iTunes like Apple lossless or AIFF so that, when using Pure Music, you can simply navigate through iTunes via an iPod touch, phone or iPad (via free Remote app).  FLAC use by Pure Music is outside the iTunes library and somewhat of a hassle IMO.  So, if on a pc, use DB Poweramp to convert, if on a MAC use one of their programs like Max.

Don't get me wrong, I like FLAC, but only to store/archive cuz it's smaller than AIFF or WAV, and holds metadata about the song/artist/time/artwork etc very easily.  I do all my tagging, ripping and converting on a pc cuz the utilities are better...and all my listening on a MAC cuz the OS is better suited for audio IMO (a real debate worthy of another thread, not this one).

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Okay will do, didn't know about converting FLAC to AIFF.

Don't think Pure Music will do anything in my situation if I understand Wayne1's comment in the link above.  He says "To use the Logitech Touch (Transporter in my case), you must use SqueezeBox Server. That is your music control program. iTunes has absolutely nothing to do with the Transporter. Exit the program. There is no need for it. Pure Music will not do anything with the Touch.  The Touch, along with SqueezeBox Server, will stream native 24/96 without you having to do anything."

[ted_b]

Okay will do, didn't know about converting FLAC to AIFF.

Don't think Pure Music will do anything in my situation if I understand Wayne1's comment in the link above.  He says "To use the Logitech Touch (Transporter in my case), you must use SqueezeBox Server. That is your music control program. iTunes has absolutely nothing to do with the Transporter. Exit the program. There is no need for it. Pure Music will not do anything with the Touch.  The Touch, along with SqueezeBox Server, will stream native 24/96 without you having to do anything."

Oh, you are using the Transporter (I know it well cuz I was Dan Wright's first customer and major beta tester with the incredible modded Modwright Transporter, and started one of the largest threads on AC, the MW TP thread)!  Ok, well don't convert then.   SqueezeBox Server and the Transporter will play FLAC just fine, up to 24/96.  Youa re good to go...

Ok, back to the HDMi de-embedder discussions. 

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Got it, I'll be playing my SACDs on the Oppo into the AT-HD577 via HDMI with a coax digital cable from the HD577 into the Transporter used as a DAC.  HDMI cable from the HD577 on to my surround sound receiver and from there to the video display. 

For anyone shopping for the Atlona AT-HD577 I've found it pretty cheap at some unfamiliar places like $239 from ramelectronics.net or $200 from hdtvsupply.com

Amazon has it for $251 via Electronic-Depot

[ted_b]

Hear Clifford brown,
if you are going to be connected to your HDMi surround sound reciever/pro, and youa re going to be using the tried-and-true Oppo, then why spend the $$ on the Atlona?  Why not the $45 Monoprice, since you don't need EDID capture capabilities, and the Monoprice/Oppo combo is well documented as working?

[Hear Clifford Brown]

I thought the Monoprice had optical digital output only like the HD-570.  My Oppo is in my home theater rack quite a distance from the Transporter, and I have a long coax digital cable that will reach.  But thanks for pointing this out, especially if the Monoprice has coax, and also since I could buy a log toslink cable for less than the cost differecnce on the de-embedders.