CD playback from Blu-Ray player

[Petrushka]

Can you be specific? What Blu Ray Player do you have? And are you using an external DAC?
I use an Oppo 105 player. It has a decent internal DAC but the DAC in my Bryston DAC3 is much better. I output the DSD layer of SACD or the equivalent of Blu Ray over HDMI into the DAC , which has HDMI inputs. The bass is fine.
Some Blu Ray players, particularly in the lower range, have built in DACs that aren’t up to snuff

I've detailed my system in #84. I don't have an external DAC. All connections are via HDMI.

[richardfinegold]

I've detailed my system in #84. I don't have an external DAC. All connections are via HDMI.

Ok, you have a budget Sony Blu Ray/ Universal Player. It goes for under $200 here. When those players were released they got high marks for Video and low marks for audio. They sound much better if outputted into an external DAC, which parenthetically will make your CD player sound much better as well. Unfortunately, if the thing sells for 150 pounds or so, it probably means that about 10 pounds went into the DAC chip/power/isolation, etc. I am not trying to be audio snob, but there is only so much you can realize at that level

[HighlandDougie]

I am interested in replacing the Pioneer in my HT with Magnetar( which was designed by the team that made the Oppo players) so I would be grateful if you could expound more on model, impressions, etc.
it is madness, but I figure I have about a decade and a half before I shove off this rock, and I’d like to enjoy it.

Richard

Will send you a PM later

HD

[richardfinegold]

Richard

Will send you a PM later

HD

Oops-I just told FF she could delete my inbox…how about waiting a week or so…

[HighlandDougie]

Oops-I just told FF she could delete my inbox…how about waiting a week or so…

So that means that the message which I just sent to you is essentially junk. Hmm.

[HighlandDougie]

Oops-I just told FF she could delete my inbox…how about waiting a week or so…

Let me know when you can receive messages and I’ll try and resend what I wrote.

[Retune]

Thanks for the reply. My Blu-ray player is a Sony UBP-X700 and my amp a Cambridge AXR1000. My CD player an elderly Technics SL-PG5.

I've detailed my system in #84. I don't have an external DAC. All connections are via HDMI.

Looking for those models, I could only find an AXR100 - is that your amp (receiver)? But the AXR100 doesn't seem to have HDMI input, only TOSLINK and S/P DIF co-axial digital, plus analogue.

The UBP-X700 has HDMI and coaxial digital outputs, but no analogue outputs, so the only obvious way to connect it to the AXR100 without going through some other device would be via their common coaxial digital ports, in which case your setup would be using the receiver's DAC (the BD player doesn't seem to have one).

The SL-PG5 doesn't have HDMI, only optical digital TOSLINK (which would again use the receiver's DAC) and analogue out (which would use the CD player's DAC).

So a lot depends on exactly how your components are connected.

[Dave2002]

I recently demod the KEF LS50II wireless, the great advantage of which is that it is source, amp; streamer and speakers in one unit, bypassing the need for any cables whatsoever! The sound was impressive, and never at any stage did one feel the lack of separates on the sound quality. This I believe is definitely the way forward for HiFi.

The signal path with the system you demoed will indeed not rely on cables, so the signal quality from the DAC through to the amplifier and the loudspeaker transducers should be good - depending on how well it has all been designed and implemented. It is, however, possible that there will be degradation across the wireless link, though that does depend on how that link has been implemented. Even if the signal path is without wires, chances are that most such designs will still need to be connected by wires to a power source. I actually have wired versions of the KEF speakers, and although they were highly recommended, I do not think that they represent the best audio quality I've ever heard - nor necessarily the best ones I have used or owned.

The approach of having all the component parts contained in one or two boxes may indeed be good, though it doesn't always follow that companies which are very good with one part of the signal chain - speakers - transducers, crossover units and cabinets - will be able to put together systems with other components such as amplifiers or streamers of comparable quality.

[Petrushka]

Looking for those models, I could only find an AXR100 - is that your amp (receiver)? But the AXR100 doesn't seem to have HDMI input, only TOSLINK and S/P DIF co-axial digital, plus analogue.

The UBP-X700 has HDMI and coaxial digital outputs, but no analogue outputs, so the only obvious way to connect it to the AXR100 without going through some other device would be via their common coaxial digital ports, in which case your setup would be using the receiver's DAC (the BD player doesn't seem to have one).

The SL-PG5 doesn't have HDMI, only optical digital TOSLINK (which would again use the receiver's DAC) and analogue out (which would use the CD player's DAC).

So a lot depends on exactly how your components are connected.

The Cambridge amp is the AXR100D. Apologies for my dodgy eyesight. The UBP-X700 is connected to the TV via HDMI and the TV is connected to the amp. The guy at Richer Sounds was told exactly what I wanted it for ie mostly audio Blu-Ray and he said that this was the best way to do it. I know little about technical matters which is why I went there.

[Retune]

The Cambridge amp is the AXR100D. Apologies for my dodgy eyesight. The UBP-X700 is connected to the TV via HDMI and the TV is connected to the amp. The guy at Richer Sounds was told exactly what I wanted it for ie mostly audio Blu-Ray and he said that this was the best way to do it. I know little about technical matters which is why I went there.

It looks like that model has the same connections as the AXR100, so one thing you might try is method (c) on p12 of the Blu-ray player manual here ('Non-4K AV amplifier (receiver) without HDMI IN'):

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4698/6014f2c77e20f44605ea8821bf88a55b/46984071M.pdf

i.e., use a coaxial cable to connect the digital audio output of your Blu-ray player directly to the digital audio input of your amp for sound, but also use an HDMI cable to connect the player to the TV for video.

I don't know how you currently connect the TV back to the amp - if it's an analogue connection, you are at the mercy of the TV's DAC, which is probably not as good as the one in your amp. This might be why you aren't getting good sound from the player with your current setup. If it's a digital connection, perhaps the TV is processing the sound in some way that you can adjust via the TV audio settings. You will no longer need this connection to get sound from your Blu-ray player if you have the coaxial cable installed, but you will still need it if you are using the amp to play sound from your TV's built-in tuner (or smart TV apps). If the connection is currently analogue, you might consider switching it to digital if possible (I've used a TOSLINK connection for this purpose in the past, and your amp has the input for this).

[Petrushka]

It looks like that model has the same connections as the AXR100, so one thing you might try is method (c) on p12 of the Blu-ray player manual here ('Non-4K AV amplifier (receiver) without HDMI IN'):

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4698/6014f2c77e20f44605ea8821bf88a55b/46984071M.pdf

i.e., use a coaxial cable to connect the digital audio output of your Blu-ray player directly to the digital audio input of your amp for sound, but also use an HDMI cable to connect the player to the TV for video.

I don't know how you currently connect the TV back to the amp - if it's an analogue connection, you are at the mercy of the TV's DAC, which is probably not as good as the one in your amp. This might be why you aren't getting good sound from the player with your current setup. If it's a digital connection, perhaps the TV is processing the sound in some way that you can adjust via the TV audio settings. You will no longer need this connection to get sound from your Blu-ray player if you have the coaxial cable installed, but you will still need it if you are using the amp to play sound from your TV's built-in tuner (or smart TV apps). If the connection is currently analogue, you might consider switching it to digital if possible (I've used a TOSLINK connection for this purpose in the past, and your amp has the input for this).

Very many thanks for looking into this so thoroughly. As I'm so hopeless at technology a relative did the set up for me and I've suspected for a while that there is something missing and I think that you have it.

I'll investigate as soon as I'm able to do so.

[richardfinegold]

Let me know when you can receive messages and I’ll try and resend what I wrote.

No, I received it, thanks