RX-A820 setup problems - cant get anything except stereo output from CD input.

[admin_exported]

Model: Yamaha RX-A820

Purchased: 31/12/2012

Price: £799 from Richer Sounds, Newcastle.

Speakers: B&W 685 Cinema package (5.1)

TV: Samsung 40" B650

Previous Amp: Deneon AVR-1082

Speaker Cables: QED Silver XT (could not detect a difference when upgraded to this from cheap 2.5mm core speaker cable from HW store)

DVD/CD player: Play Station 3.

Experience Level: Above average?

I have read the manual from start to end, and gone through every possible setup option.

Using the built in internet radio, paying from DLNA server, and airtunes, I can get the full range of DSP modes, from stero to 7.1 channel, Munich Hall, Adventure movie etc. When I select a multi-chanel output program, I see the display of the speakers in use on the Amp front panel, and hear the output.

However, when I play a CD on the PS3, via the HDMI1 input, I can only use stereo. pressing the music button (which is supposed to cycle through the output modes) just says "Not Available". Using the program up/down button on the remote, which is supposed to also cycle through the output modes, or hitting the "straight" button also says "Not Availble".

To not use the SW and surround speakers would not be so bad if the audio quality was half decent, but it sounds truely awful playing anything complicated such as Smashing pumpkins "Gish". The audio is confused and muffled, like a cheap MP3 speaker. With the old amp (same everything else) it sounded great. George Michaels "older" doesnt sound bad, but I dont listent to this kind of simpler music much.

i have spent something like 10 hours trying to fix this. I have run the speaker setup several times, the last time manually.

I emailed Yamaha via their support page, but no reply yet.

Any ideas? Anyone else got one of these?

I wrote a rewiew of the amp here: http://hobbs-hw.blogspot.com.es/2012/12/yamaha-rx-a820-av-amplifier.html

 

[mattjax05]

Model: Yamaha RX-A820

Purchased: 31/12/2012

Price: £799 from Richer Sounds, Newcastle.

Speakers: B&W 685 Cinema package (5.1)

TV: Samsung 40" B650

Previous Amp: Deneon AVR-1082

Speaker Cables: QED Silver XT (could not detect a difference when upgraded to this from cheap 2.5mm core speaker cable from HW store)

DVD/CD player: Play Station 3.

Experience Level: Above average?

I have read the manual from start to end, and gone through every possible setup option.

Using the built in internet radio, paying from DLNA server, and airtunes, I can get the full range of DSP modes, from stero to 7.1 channel, Munich Hall, Adventure movie etc. When I select a multi-chanel output program, I see the display of the speakers in use on the Amp front panel, and hear the output.

However, when I play a CD on the PS3, via the HDMI1 input, I can only use stereo. pressing the music button (which is supposed to cycle through the output modes) just says "not available". using the program up/down button on the remote, which is supposed to also cycle through the output modes. Hitting "straight" button also says "not availble".

To not use the SW and surround speakers would not be so bad if the audio quality was half decent, but it sounds truely awful playing anything complicated such as Smashing pumpkins "Gish". The audio is confused and muffled, like a cheap MP3 speaker. With the old amp (same everything else) it sounded great. George Michaels "older" doesnt sound bad, but I dont listent to this kind of simpler music much.

i have spent something like 10 hours trying to fix this. I have run the speaker setup several times, the last time manually.

I emailed Yamaha via their support page, but no reply yet.

Any ideas? Anyone else got one of these?

I wrote a rewiew of the amp here: http://hobbs-hw.blogspot.com.es/2012/12/yamaha-rx-a820-av-amplifier.html

When I used to play blu-rays and had the setting from the player as LPCM meaning the soundtrack is decoded in the player, I could not use any of the DSP on the Amplifier. Setting the player to 'bitstream' meaning the receiver decodes the audio allowed me to play with the DSP settings. Maybe a setting on the ps3 for hdmi out???

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks mattjax05. The only opion on the PS3 is output to SPDIF, HDMI or both. I have HDMI only selected. There are no options for decoding etc. On my old non HDMI AV amp, I used the SPDIF output of the PS3 and that worked fine. Does this mean that one cant use HDMI to send a stereo signal to the AV-A820, one has to use optical? This would be a disaster as Im already using the only 2 digital inputs the Amp provides.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

A quick google tells me that u can set the ps3 hdmi output which should sort it.

 

[mattjax05]

Thanks mattjax05. The only opion on the PS3 is output to SPDIF, HDMI or both. I have HDMI only selected. There are no options for decoding etc. On my old non HDMI AV amp, I used the SPDIF output of the PS3 and that worked fine. Does this mean that one cant use HDMI to send a stereo signal to the AV-A820, one has to use optical? This would be a disaster as Im already using the only 2 digital inputs the Amp provides.

 

[mattjax05]

Thanks mattjax05. The only opion on the PS3 is output to SPDIF, HDMI or both. I have HDMI only selected. There are no options for decoding etc. On my old non HDMI AV amp, I used the SPDIF output of the PS3 and that worked fine. Does this mean that one cant use HDMI to send a stereo signal to the AV-A820, one has to use optical? This would be a disaster as Im already using the only 2 digital inputs the Amp provides.

Does the ps3 have a coaxial out as the amp has 2 coaxial ins. If not has the device currently connected to the other optical in got a coaxial out? If so a bit of cable switching will solve that issue. This may be academic if hdmi works but I've little knowledge on ps3 having never owned one.

 

[Anonymous]

A quick google tells me that u can set the ps3 hdmi output which should sort it.

Thanks Robin. The PS3 is using HDMI out, and the amp is recieving and playing the result, the problem is it will only play it in Stereo, i.e. only use 2 of my 6 speakers. All other inputs will alow me to use all speakers using the various DSP modes. Its "locked" on "strait" as the "program". i can find no solution. It sounds terrible too.

 

[Anonymous]

Does the ps3 have a coaxial out as the amp has 2 coaxial ins. If not has the device currently connected to the other optical in got a coaxial out? If so a bit of cable switching will solve that issue. This may be academic if hdmi works but I've little knowledge on ps3 having never owned one.

Unfortunately, the PS3 only has an optical out. I could use this, and sacrifice my TV in (which would suck), but this defeats the whole point of using HDMI for everything. Im hoping its a simple config issue somewhere. Im hoping someone out there has the same amp.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

I dont have a ps3. The manual on google clearly states that if hdmi is used then only 2ch. You need to use optical. However, elsewhere it states hdmi carries 5.1 or even 7.1 No wonder you are confused. Unsure what else u have connected but can u use digital coax elsewhere or maybe get an optical switxh box or coax/opt converter. Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

I found the answer. On the PS3, there are 2 addtional places where changes must be made in order to use multichannels over HDMI. By default it only sends 2 channels.

There are thousands of posts on the subject, and noone seems to have the definitive answer, but there seem to be two schools of thought:

1) under "Settings->Video Settings->Audio outoupt Format" change it to "Bitstream (direct)". This will send the raw data from the Disk to to reciever.

2) under "Settings->Sound Settings->Audio Output Settings->HDMI" Change it to manual, then select some or all of these:
[*]Dolby Digital 5.1 Ch.[*]DTS 5.1 Ch.[*]AAC[*]Linear PCM 2Ch. 44.1 kHz[*]Linear PCM 2Ch. 88.1 kHz[*]Linear PCM 2Ch. 176.4 kHz[*]Linear PCM 2Ch. 48 kHz[*]Linear PCM 2Ch. 96 kHz[*]Linear PCM 2Ch. 192 kHz[*]Linear PCM 5.1 Ch. 44.1 kHz[*]Linear PCM 5.1Ch. 88.2 kHz[*]Linear PCM 5.1Ch. 176.4 kHz[*]Linear PCM 5.1Ch. 48 kHz[*]Linear PCM 5.1Ch. 96 kHz[*]Linear PCM 5.1Ch. 192 kHz[*]Linear PCM 7.1Ch. 44.1 kHz[*]Linear PCM 7.1Ch. 88.2 kHz[*]Linear PCM 7.1Ch. 176.4 kHz[*]Linear PCM 7.1Ch. 48 kHz[*]Linear PCM 7.1Ch. 96 kHz[*]Linear PCM 7.1Ch. 192 kHz
Some people say only tick the non LPCM ones, some people say only tick the LPCM ones.

I ticked them all, and selected bitstream. I have no idea if this is the best solution, the more posts you read, the more different oppionions you get.

Further reading:

• http://www.avsforum.com/t/931796/official-ps3-faq-master-thread
• http://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/788/~/change-ps3-audio-output-settings
• http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/audiooutput.html
• http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-3/What-is-best-audio-format-output-from-ps3-Linear-PCM-DTS-Dolby/td-p/16822786
• http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/853

 

[mattjax05]

1) under "Settings->Video Settings->Audio outoupt Format" change it to "Bitstream (direct)". This will send the raw data from the Disk to to reciever.
[*]

Didn't I already suggest this?

 

[The_Lhc]

1) under "Settings->Video Settings->Audio outoupt Format" change it to "Bitstream (direct)". This will send the raw data from the Disk to to reciever.

Didn't I already suggest this?

Yup, very first reply in the thread! :clap:

 

[AnotherJoe]

bitstream/lpcm setting is irrelevant for cds.

The PS3 is upsampling to 88.2/176.4Khz and your amp cant apply DSP settings to that high a frequency.

Settings->Audio Output settings->HDMI->manual-> uncheck Linear PCM 2Ch 88.2Khz and 176.4Khz