Oppo + B&O = stereo and surround sound?

[DocG]

Hi all,

I may have bumped into a very good offer for a pair of Beolab 9s and that got me thinking...

I have the Oppo BDP-105 + Lab9 combo on my shortlist for quite a while now, wanting to pull the trigger after a home dem whenever - if ever - our new house will be ready. And as the Oppo has both dedicated stereo outs (RCA and XLR) and surround outs (for 7.1, 5.1 or 2.0 ), I could as well go for a pair of active surround speakers (like Lab 3 or 4) for watching a movie too.

My questions are:

1. Can I use this combination (BDP-105, pair of Lab9 and pair of Lab3 or 4) for a 4.0 setup (or 4.2 if you consider the Lab9 as having a built-in sub), and have a virtual centre speaker, or would the centre channel then just disappear? IOW, do I need a centre speaker, or does the Oppo detect there is no centre speaker attached and send the centre channel info thru the front speakers?

2. Can I somehow connect the Lab9s both thru the dedicated stereo outs (and their dedicated DAC) for music and thru the multichannel outs for cinema?

3. Can someone confirm that the Oppo takes care of the sound processing (like volume balance and timing of the respective speakers), as there will be no surround receiver involved, just a set of active speakers?

 

[bigboss]

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/your-system/2014-active-setup

 

[bigboss]

If you have a B&O TV, you can use its speaker as the centre speaker.

 

[DocG]

Hi Bigboss,

I know Wishtree uses this combo, and that's indeed what I had in mind until now: a stereo set-up. But now I wonder if adding surround speakers would be feasible, without the addition of a centre speaker...

And we're very happy with our current TV. And frankly, those B&O TVs don't come cheap, even taking into account that they include a surround receiver and a centre channel speaker...

Maybe I should rephrase my question, to make it a little less specific. If one uses a 5.1 receiver and disconnects the centre channel speaker, does the speach in the movie disappear? Or do the front speakers take over then?

:cheers:

 

[jmjones]

I have the Oppo 105. It will configure speaker distances, delays, etc. I've just switched off my centre speaker and dialogue continues, maybe it mixes a stereo signal somehow.

 

[DocG]

Thanks Mark,

That's two questions answered then!

As for connecting the Oppo to the speakers in stereo and surround mode, I guess I'll need a switch box of some kind for that. Right?

 

[jmjones]

No doc, I don't think so. You can configure from a screen that does all the speaker settings, but why would you need to do it? On my system a stereo source plays in stereo and a multichannel source plays as you would expect it to. Am I missing something here?

 

[DocG]

It's just that the Oppo has one DAC-chip for the 7.1 duties and a second chip, dedicated to stereo playback (with RCA and XLR outputs). I feel like the dedicated stereo-DAC *must* be better for music than the multichannel front outs... (being *dedicated* 'n all, and with the rave Stereophile assessment in mind). But I do consider that may all be in my (neurotic) mind!

 

[jmjones]

I think there is still a bit of a misconception here Doc. The benefits of the audio DAC are largely on the way in. The analogue outputs aren't directly connected in the way you are assuming.

I use asynchronous USB to listen to music from my PC. All I do is select the USB input. Sky HD runs through rear HDMI input. Different DACS. The outputs to my power amp are always 5 of the 7.1 and the Oppo does the rest. By the way, I run without a subwoofer, which you set to "off" on the Oppo and set speakers for full range. Similar to your thinking on running with no centre.

There may be some advantage to using balanced connections for stereo only duty, but good luck hearing it, and I would think that as soon as you introduce switches, game over.

I think the Oppo is an exceptional piece of kit, is just as good SQ as the TAG McLaren player I used before and plays anything you throw at it. I now have a hard drive connected via USB and play hi-res audio, SACD, FLAC, DSD and am having a good time trying to see if they are worth the extra. Hours of fun!

What would you do for connections? Last time I looked you would need RCA/DIN converters (available from your friendly B&O dealer!)

 

[DocG]

I think there is still a bit of a misconception here Doc. The benefits of the audio DAC are largely on the way in. The analogue outputs aren't directly connected in the way you are assuming. I use asynchronous USB to listen to music from my PC. All I do is select the USB input. Sky HD runs through rear HDMI input. Different DACS. The outputs to my power amp are always 5 of the 7.1 and the Oppo does the rest.

This is where my misconception was based on:

(...) and finally the audiophile pearl, two excellent ESS Tech Sabre32 Reference ES9018 chips for the stereo and multichannel outputs respectively as commonly used in the most advanced DACs and SACD and CD players(...)

Actually the audio circuit extends across two very nice-looking PCBs for stereo and multi-channel respectively. Their design is surprisingly similar and differs in only two main details – a much more sophisticated power supply for the stereo section and a different way of using the eight channels of the ESS Sabre32 chip. In the stereo section it divides into 2 x 4 for XLR and RCA respectively. In the 7.1 section one channel is assigned to each output. (...) The stereo board is powered from a separate power supply with a large toroidal transformer. The rest is assembled on the DAC boards with two separate power supplies for the analog and digital sections.

:?

By the way, I run without a subwoofer, which you set to "off" on the Oppo and set speakers for full range. Similar to your thinking on running with no centre.

Thanks for that! Another question solved, even before I thought of asking it.

There may be some advantage to using balanced connections for stereo only duty, but good luck hearing it, and I would think that as soon as you introduce switches, game over.

Fully agree on that!

What would you do for connections? Last time I looked you would need RCA/DIN converters (available from your friendly B&O dealer!)

Indeed, I would use the B&O Power Links with a RCA/DIN adapter to connect it to the Oppo.

And yes, getting a pair of second hand speakers elsewhere, and then going to his shop to get the necessary adapters wil be a good way to test his friendliness indeed!

 

[jmjones]

Hmmm, well short of taking the Oppo to bits, I probably can't help any more on the audio front. All I would suggest from here is

try it then buy it. From my experience of the Oppo, I'm sure you wont be disappointed. Good luck with it!

 

[DocG]

Thanks for your help, Mark. Now let's first see how the BeoLab story goes on...

:cheers:

 

[WishTree]

It is quite simple, IMO

Just connect the Front speakers on the dedicated stereo and set them to large and subwoofer off.

Connect the other pair to Surround on the 7.1 outputs. Enable the speakers to small or large depending on the bass.

Now you can select Front Left/Right in Stereo selection or downmix to stereo depending on how you want to listen

All the best with your purchase!

 

[jmjones]

Quite right Wishtree, nice one. I've just wired my system up as you suggested and it works fine. I also performed the function of last resort - I read the manual. It's on page 74. :read:

Doc, it also explains how the dialogue continues. When using the dedicated stereo outputs, the default setting is to downmix surround into a stereo mix, but it is easy to move it back to stereo only. The machine will do exactly as you want it to do. Clever piece of kit!

 

[DocG]

Thanks, guys!

So to confirm that I understand this correctly:

I connect the Lab9s to the stereo outs and the surround speakers to the appropriate 7.1 outs.

When playing music, I get the usual stereo sound, through the Lab9s.

When watching a movie, the surround sound is passed to the surround speakers, and the rest of the signal is downmixed to stereo en sent to the Lab9s.

Is that it? Cos if that's how it goes, it is brilliant indeed!

Now help me hope these Lab9s are a real offer, and not some fraud. And if they are real, help me hope I can convince my wife!

:cheers:

PS: reading the manual: brilliant idea! Maybe that's why they supply them?

 

[jmjones]

That should be it Doc, and if you need to confirm it you could always download the manual from the Oppo website. 96 pages! :wall:

Good luck with the system.