5.1 Analogue out compatibilty

[admin_exported]

Hi helpful people,

I have a query regarding a Blu Ray purchase integrating into my current set up, I've narrowed my choice of player down to the following...

Sony BDP S550 or

Panasonic DMPBD80

to slot into my old surround receiver a Marantz SR4300 using analogue interconnects to get the full benefits of HD sound.

Where my confusion lies is with the subwoofer levels, having glanced over a few threads there seems to be some evidence to suggest that the bass may suffer using this method, does anyone know the limitations of this and if it affects the kit in question or if one particular player can cope with 5.1 analogue sound better than the other?

 

Many thanks 

 

[d4v3pum4]

When using m/chan analog outputs on the player, you basically employ the speaker configuration within the player e.g. crossover (bass management), speaker levels and delays in the player. Obviously the more exotic BD players will have more options than cheaper players. When the soundtrack is mixed, the .1 LFE channel is mixed at the same level with the understanding that the processor/receiver will boost it by 10db to give you more oomph. This is done automatically by the software during processing when using a digital signal but when using the analog inputs, the boost needs to be done manually. My Denon AVR3805 boosts the LFE channel by +15db by default which is required if setting the speakers to large. I have mine set to small but left the +15db setting on for my HDDVD player. If you go into the amp's setup menu, go to the input menu and find the EXT or M/Chan SW settings. This might be called "SW LEVEL" or "SW Sensitivity" or similar. On my Denon it is "SW LEV".

If the amp doesn't have the option, you can obviously lower the other channel levels and turn the system volume up a bit more or simply crank the volume up a bit more on the sub's controls.

This is the downside of using multi-channel analogue rather than HDMI as you're losing a lot of the flexibility of the bass management within the amp but it can be worked around.

Edit - For WHF staff - is there a guide on this on the main website? If not, perhaps one might be useful as not everyone has an HDMI amp yet.

 

[Anonymous]

hi, I have a Pioneer VSX-AX3 amp which I will eventually have to use the 8 m/c inputs and I assumed that the amp did post settings for lfe when using multi-channel........this certainly makes me think

 

[Anonymous]

thanksÿd4v3pum4,ÿI'll have a poke around in the settings and see what I can find, but it all sounds like it makes sense

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Hi robster, yes I have read similar threads re bass management on S550, and yes, they are correct. In some amps that dont do HD decoding such as my NAD, if you use the 5.1 or 7.1 analogue ins, you bypass all digital processing in the amp and only utilise the final analogue stages. I have overcome the "leanness" as follows - on my NAD (non HD) DVD player, I run audio via coax to the amp, and do the bass management in the amp, with main front speakers set to small, and cut-offs etc set in the amp. On the Sony S550 Bluray, I let the Sony do the HD decoding, then send HD sound via multichannel analogue audio to the amp, but in the absence of bass management in the amp for multichannel audio ins, I set bass management in the Sony S550, BUT WITH THE MAIN FRONT SPEAKERS SET TO LARGE. Very good results. Also, with the NAD amp's remote, you can set your sub level "on the fly" if you still require more bass. No need to get up and turn up the sub's volume. Hope this has given you some alternative ideas.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks nadmad, that's very well put to a layman like me. I think this'll nudge me further towards buying the Sony.

...How have you found the S550 to date?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi robster, you're welcome. Have had the Sony for about four months now and I think for the money, it's a pretty decent machine which got some excellent write-ups. Picture is excellent, so is sound in my opinion. However, I must qualify that I am more into the music thing. Would love to get my hands on some music performances on Bluray. That was my prime reason for choosing the 550 over the 350, which has no 7.1 analog outs. On the movie side, what the heck - what's a train crash or a bomb blast supposed to sound like!!! If it plays music the way it should sound, I guess the other "special effects" should be right too. I do have a number of non-Bluray music recordings which sound excellent on the Sony (with a pretty cool up-scaled pcture too).