6/8 Channel Direct

jakelm

Im trying to figure out why using the 6/8 channel direct sounds so much better than digital input. Mush fuller, richer sound. When using digital, the sound is like and Eq'ing in a "V" shaped, with very little mids, compared to the direct mode. Is this because the player has a better decoding and/or bass management than the HK?

Any of you all feel the same?

Ron Temple

I prefer it as well...digital vs analog with decent ICs I guess...could be my source. The Oppo 980 isn't audiophile grade, but I like it.

jakelm

Ron Temple wrote: »

I prefer it as well...digital vs analog with decent ICs I guess...could be my source. The Oppo 980 isn't audiophile grade, but I like it.

Have you noticed as well, with the HK decoding the signal, the sound is much lower and not as full?

ben62670

Hey Jake
What are you are using for digital, the optical, or a lower grade coax? I definetely noticed with my HK, and Outlaw 990 better sound with a good coax. As for 5.1 input I am using my sivler ICs for SACD with my Outlaw 990, and my Sony DVD/SACD player.

Ben

jakelm

ben62670 wrote: »

Hey Jake
What are you are using for digital, the optical, or a lower grade coax? I definetely noticed with my HK, and Outlaw 990 better sound with a good coax. As for 5.1 input I am using my sivler ICs for SACD with my Outlaw 990, and my Sony DVD/SACD player.

Ben

For digital, I'm running coax. A Monster coax cable. Same Monster cables, I picked up from BL, I'm using for analog. As soon as I get some extra bucks, I will be looking you up.
It suprized me, by using the same cables, how much difference the sound quality is between the HK decoding and the XA1 decoding.

ben62670

Thats cool I am using the M word cable myself:D I bought at radio shack for $5 as an experiment thinking it would not make a difference. You know the one is a one, and a zero is a zero thing, and it made quite a difference:eek: I will have to try letting my player do the decoding, and running the 5.1 direct in. I am guessing the Oppo is better than the Sony, but I will have to try with some DVD-A when I get a chance. Take care Jake, and have a safe, and happy New Years.

Ben

BIZILL

pretty much going analog vs digital optical (possible coax as well) means less processing/conversion and no bandwidth limit. i believe.

jakelm

ben62670 wrote: »

Thats cool I am using the M word cable myself:D I bought at radio shack for $5 as an experiment thinking it would not make a difference. You know the one is a one, and a zero is a zero thing, and it made quite a difference:eek: I will have to try letting my player do the decoding, and running the 5.1 direct in. I am guessing the Oppo is better than the Sony, but I will have to try with some DVD-A when I get a chance. Take care Jake, and have a safe, and happy New Years.

Ben

You have a great New Years too my friend.:D

jakelm

BIZILL wrote: »

pretty much going analog vs digital optical (possible coax as well) means less processing/conversion and no bandwidth limit. i believe.

Hmmmm.. That does make alot of since. But processed @ the player or processed @ the AVR, its only being processed once, no matter which way right?

AndyGwis

I have the opposite preference. Maybe it's still something wrong with my settings or somthing, but I never listen to 6/8 channel direct, and I have the same gear (XA1 and 635). The XA1 sounds as good or better for the mids and highs, but I still get NO bass when I use the analog inputs.

I actually ended up selling off my 6 AQ sidewinders because I never used anything but digital input.

I think I'm going to get some new ICs eventually and start over with 6 channel analogs. If you have any tips on how I should best set my multi channel analogs up on the XA1 and/or 635, let me know. But, as it was, the digital input sounded much better to me than analogs, even with TrueHD.

jakelm

Andy.. I told you to drop me a pm..I would help you out with the analog problem.

To settings to check. You 635 settings and XA1 settings.

In the xa1 menu, make sure the setting is 5.1 and not 2 chnl. It will take youto another menu that shows individual channel settings, all should be zero. Then it will go to another page where you can callibrate the individual chanells with test tones. Verify that all channels are working there. If all is good, then take a look at your IC's, make sure all is good there.

If so, then go through your callibration on the 635. Did you ruin the EZ/Eq? Using Direct on the 635, bypasses all bass management, but still allows individual channel level up/down, including sub channel.

But if you need any help... I have seem to get my 6/8 direct, 10X's better than digital. The dynamic range is much better on Direct.

ben62670

jakelm wrote: »

...processed @ the player or processed @ the AVR, its only being processed once, no matter which way right?

It is only processed once.

jwhitakr

jakelm wrote: »

If so, then go through your callibration on the 635. Did you ruin the EZ/Eq? Using Direct on the 635, bypasses all bass management, but still allows individual channel level up/down, including sub channel.

But if you need any help... I have seem to get my 6/8 direct, 10X's better than digital. The dynamic range is much better on Direct.

Man, Andy, sorry to hear that you never got your 6 ch. direct issue fixed. I am using 6 ch. direct through the 5.1 analogs, and also had the same problem with a very thin bottom end with my HK AVR 235 and Toshiba XA1 before I did the calibration.

After going through all of the settings and making sure I had proper calibration of all of the channels, I am extremely pleased with everything (including the the bass). I wouldn't go back to digital for watching HD movies unless there was absolutely no other choice.

AndyGwis

maybe the sub channel IC was loose or something. I'm house hunting right now, so once I get a new place, I'll start from scratch with setup. I'm confident it's something simple, but never did figure it out.

Jake - I did go through the XA1's setup and even kicked the sub up a few dbs. Not much difference. I'll get it figure out soon enough, but, even with using coaxial, I love the sound I get with movies, especially anything HD.