AV amp vs Blu Ray Palyer to power amps

[kmlav]

Hi All

I currently use a Cyrus Pre Amp feeding 2 X Powers for the front 2 channels with the AV Amp just feeding the Center, Surrounds, and Sub. I have been thinking about getting rid of the AV Amp and upgrading to a top end Blu Ray Player with a couple of HDMI ins to feed and X Power in Mono for the Center and a X power in Stereo for the rears.

Has anyone done this and what are the pit falls , if any?

 

[bigboss]

How will that work? Who decides how much should go to the rears & how much to the fronts? How is the blu ray player connected to the X Powers? It's quite confusing. Can you clarify?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I think this is the "Oppo 103 / 105" approach that is getting a lot of talk on various forums. i.e. BR --> power amplifier(s). Something I am considering, but in no real hurry to do.

 

[The_Lhc]

How will that work? Who decides how much should go to the rears & how much to the fronts? How is the blu ray player connected to the X Powers? It's quite confusing. Can you clarify?

You use the analogue outputs on (f'rinstance) an Oppo 105 straight to the power amps and set the speaker distance etc on the Oppo, same as you would when using the multi-channel outputs into an older AV amp. The Oppo has a volume control as well apparently.

 

[bigboss]

Hmmm....that's an interesting approach! Does any other player apart from the Oppo have this feature?

 

[kmlav]

Yeah just as The_Lhc says using the new oppo 105. It seems like quite a neat solution but I dont know anyone who is running this kind of set up

 

[bigboss]

Ok, found some details:

Connecting OPPO BDP-105EU directly to a power amplifier or active speakers

BDP-105EU is well suited to being directly connected to a power amp or active speakers. The players level (volume) control uses the dual Sabre DAC's which have patented 32 bit level control which is claimed to perform as well as all but the most advanced analogue volume controls.

The Sabre 32 bit DAC allows very fine level control. Quoted from the Sabre white paper:
The firmware presents a 0.5dB volume control register to the user allowing setting of volume to 0.5dB accuracy. However, internally the volume control operates to less than 1/64 of a dB and smoothly moves from one requested volume to the next. This results in a perfectly click-less volume step.

BDP-105EU also allows channel delay (speaker distance) to be adjusted in quarter millisecond (0.25' / 3”) steps. Individual speaker levels can be adjusted in 0.5dB steps. Crossover points of 40Hz / 60Hz / 80Hz /
90Hz / 100Hz / 110Hz / 120Hz / 150Hz / 200Hz / 250Hz are available with 80Hz being the default setting.

Crossover is global, “per channel” crossover is not possible.

After firmware update the player requires a factory reset to ensure correct operation. This
will reset volume level to “Fixed” and the actual volume to 100 (maximum).

Please ensure you enter the setup menu and set volume to “Variable”, then lower the volume control to an initial setting of 45-50 before powering on your amplifier or active speakers after factory reset. Volume setting is retained in memory when the player is put in standby. So volume at power on remains the same as volume at power off.

Output impedance 7.1 board L/R front channels 100Ω

Output impedance dedicated stereo board L/R channels 100Ω

Output impedance 7.1 board all channels except L/R front 200Ω

Recommended amplifier input impedance is 47KΩ (Industry standard)

Peak output level: 2.1 Vrms (RCA / Phono)

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >130dB (A-weighted, auto-mute), >115dB (A-weighted, no auto-mute)

Dynamic Range: >110dBV

Channel Separation: >110dB

 

[GSB]

Yeah just as The_Lhc says using the new oppo 105. It seems like quite a neat solution but I dont know anyone who is running this kind of set up

I do,but the 105 is connected to an avr, the 105 does all the proccesing,the avr just controls volume

 

[The_Lhc]

Yeah just as The_Lhc says using the new oppo 105. It seems like quite a neat solution but I dont know anyone who is running this kind of set up

I do,but the 105 is connected to an avr, the 105 does all the proccesing,the avr just controls volume

No, that's a completely normal way of doing things, hell even I'm doing that with a old-ish Sony BDP and a (much) older Sony AV amp, this is talking about using the bdp as a preamp and running straight into power amps.

 

[GSB]

Oh ok,stand corrected :cheers:

 

[GSB]

Whats the differance then?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

No need for an AV Amp - you could just stick with the Oppo and a power amplifier. Or, as I am thinking Oppo into my 5i-2 integrated and a 175 three channel power amp.

 

[bigboss]

What if you also have a Sky HD box or equivalent set top box? This won't work, will it?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Both Oppo have two HDMI's in (and optical digital as well) - one on front, one on back - so you route STB through the Oppo. Put another way - the Oppo is your BR player AND surround processor in one. Issue I have is that I also have an Apple TV, so would need it either plugged into the front HDMI (ugly) or buy a HDMI switcher (defeats the purpose).

 

[kmlav]

Muzzle is right at is the main issue as for this to really work it needs 2 pref 3 hdmi ins on the back , I am the same with sky and Apple TV.

 

[jmjones]

I'm running the Oppo 105 into a Tag McLaren 100*5r. My Sky box linked into my TV with scart and the Oppo via optical. The Oppo has facilities to set up speaker arrangements, size, distance, etc. It sounds great.

Downsides - still can't figure out the lip sync issues on a sky HD box. They appear to come and go almost at random. Winding through a recording causes it. Stopping the box stops it. Sometimes the box freezes. Very strange. Any advice appreciated.

 

[jog3004]

Downsides - still can't figure out the lip sync issues on a sky HD box. They appear to come and go almost at random. Winding through a recording causes it. Stopping the box stops it. Sometimes the box freezes. Very strange. Any advice appreciated.

That's not the oppo but the sky box. Mine does exactly the same & I have to do the same things as you quote, & often have to reboot it. They seem to work fine for a year or two. I've had my box changed by sky a few times, for free I must add, I usually give ultimatum of change it or I'll cancel subscription.

 

[jmjones]

Thanks for that Jog3004, keeps me pointed in the right direction.

(and in my previous post, I meant HDMI not scart. Too many gin and tonics at dinner time kemo sabe!)