The best settings for music with Pioneer AV Amps?

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone, I don't know if this as been covered before, or even if it should be in a different category? I'm looking for the best settings for music for my Pioneer LX53 AV amp. I've just got a Oppo BDP93 Blu Ray player and I'm intending to us it as a HD audio media streamer. I've tried several settings to get the best sound in stereo and multi channel. With SD Stereo (CD, Stereo Lossless audio, mp3 320kbs & AAC 256kbs) I've found that Direct Stereo setting is best if using HDMI or analog inputs. Anolog sounding better. Unfortuneatly I've not the room or money for the BDP95 & know it would sound better :-(( . If I'm using HD audio (SACD, flac 96khz 24bit and above or WAV 96khz) I've found a mix of Pure Direct or Direct to be the best again with HDMI & anolog. Moving on to multi channel sound, SACD, DTS MA, DD Ture HD and Flac Multi, I've found Pure Direct the way to go. As anyone had any experience with Pioneer amps and the best settings for audio? P.S could anyone give me some advice on ripping methods and software for CDs to Flac on a Mac?

 

[Patrick Riggs]

Hi, re the software for converting CDs to FLACs, I can recommend this which I use for converting FLACs into Apple Lossless for my iPod... http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm

Free version here: http://download.cnet.com/dBpoweramp-Music-Converter/3000-2140_4-10042534.html

I find on my Marantz that Pure Direct pretty much does the trick from SACDs to HDCDs to DVD-A's to Blue Ray in terms of the sound, for what's worth.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Patrick, love the avatar. Excalibur, Uther Pendragon and old Merlin. Great film.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Jase, I have an LX53 receiver, and used to own a Cambridge BD650 before moving to a 751. So similar to the Oppo.

I did my own checks like you've done and came up with the same result - use analogue inputs and Pure Direct setting.

I found the 650 did a better job of music conversion than the LX53, so I used the 650 to output analogue to the receiver.

However, I have found that the "Extended Stereo" setting (in the advanced settings - right hand button of the four) on the LX53 can produce a great effect, if used with stereo sources - gives a virtual surround SACD feel to stereo source. Good with eg HD television stuff.

Having moved up to a BD751, I always send PCM/analogue from player to LX53 (and even to Cyrus preXpdQX for stereo music only). Begs the question of whether a higher-spec a/v receiver is really necessary, if your source equipment is doing all the decoding work.

 

[DandyCobalt]

duplicate post

 

[Patrick Riggs]

Thanks Jase and I note the Blade Runner still- another great film! I think partly what your source will allow you to do to HD soundtracks has a bearing on the sound too i.e. my HD-DVD player (thank you eBay) allows me to listen to DTS or Dolby HD signals as 24/96 on my already obsolescent receiver but the Blu Ray player just converts it to 'vanilla' DTS or Dolby Digital, not allowing a PCM conversion. I guess what I'm trying to say on it that for reasons no doubt bound up with copyright, analogue outputs end up being the better way of hearing music. Having said that, the new Steven Wilson album, Grace for Drowning, shows BluRay can be an excellent source for music through HDMI. Much obliged Dandy BTW for helping me choose the CA 751BD- not regretted it for a moment, even given the issue above which is no doubt more to do with the makers of BD discs...

 

[Anonymous]

Jase, I have an LX53 receiver, and used to own a Cambridge BD650 before moving to a 751. So similar to the Oppo.

I did my own checks like you've done and came up with the same result - use analogue inputs and Pure Direct setting.

I found the 650 did a better job of music conversion than the LX53, so I used the 650 to output analogue to the receiver.

However, I have found that the "Extended Stereo" setting (in the advanced settings - right hand button of the four) on the LX53 can produce a great effect, if used with stereo sources - gives a virtual surround SACD feel to stereo source. Good with eg HD television stuff.

Having moved up to a BD751, I always send PCM/analogue from player to LX53 (and even to Cyrus preXpdQX for stereo music only). Begs the question of whether a higher-spec a/v receiver is really necessary, if your source equipment is doing all the decoding work.

Thanks for the conformation on the settings. The only thing I've yet to try is LPCM output instead of Bitstream. I hope that this improves the sound even more as im already very pleased with the Oppo. The point you make about high end receivers is very good. As soon as I started looking at the Oppo, I started to think what a poor upgrade path the LX53 offered as far as surround inputs. The analogue stereo output from the Oppo is a good step up from the internal DACs of the LX53 and I started to wish that I could use the full surround output of the oppo instead. But then I would have had to save up for a oppo 95.