Just wanted to follow up the thread and make some corrections as I tried this late last night and now have had time to check a few things out. I knew the Marantz had a feature for its digital out marked down sample on or off. Of course I choose off , however the manual states in the off position the highest resolution it can pass digitally is 96hz. Now my preamp, an Integra Research RDC-7 has upsampling. So essentially what I was litening too was 24/192 digitally being down sampled to 24/96 then being upsampled by The Integra to which I have no idea what. But the results were stunning ! So I did another test today with another 24/192 Disc , Grover Washington. With the upsampling turned off on the Integra and both the digital and 6 channel inputs level matched , the recordings on the digital vs the 6 channel both sounded great, nearly identical. However again through the Digital out of the Marantz , to the Integra Research with the upsampling turned on, I did prefer the sound. Anyway I like what Im hearing have high res coming from my digital outs and does anyone know if any of the other mediums , Like specialty redbook Cd's can make that 192hz light up on my Marantz. I want more ! Thanks.
24/192 Wow Long.
The following is part 2 of a review on The Marantz DV-8400 Universal player, which I own . While I do not agree with some of his comments about the Marantz in part 1 {He only had 100 hrs of break in and used rubber feet under the Marantz which IMO turns the midrange to mush}. Part 2 discusses How on Certain DVD Audio Discs, the stereo 24/192 layer is passed digitally to your processesor. ie. The sound is coming out of your digital cable, not the six channel inputs . Please read his comments below and let me know what you think. I read it, tried it with The Eagles Hotel California , sure enough 24/192 lit up in the Marantz dispay, flipped on my digital output and was completely blown away by the sound quality. Is this 24/192 output limited to DVDA 's only ? Anyway read on and let me know what you think......................Follow-up
You can achieve nearly state-of-the-art sound with some DVD-A discs on the Marantz DV8400 in two-channel stereo! I found three of them.
I had sixteen DVD-As on hand when I wrote my review of the DV8400, but all of them output only 24/96 in stereo. (You have to read the fine print on jewel boxes carefully—they may be 24/192 in surround, but only 24/96 or 24/48 in stereo.) The downsampled discs sound more or less like very fine CDs, but are not as airy, dynamic, or textured as SACDs or LPs. After searching through Tower Records, reading dozens of DVD-A jewel boxes, I found a handful of discs that specifically stated 24/192 stereo. I am reporting on three that sounded astounding on the Marantz.
Linda Rondstadt with Nelson Riddle, What’s New (Rhino/Elektra R978241) is a reference LP that I use often. With the DVD-A, you must carefully select the "stereo" playback on your TV monitor to get 24/192 or you will be hearing 24/96. You must also turn off the display on the face of the Marantz and turn off the video out to get the sound I am describing here. Listen to "What’ll I Do" and be transported to the studio for the recording session. The sound is vast, open, clear, and smooth. Not a veil to be heard. The sound is similar to the LP, but lower in distortion. The LP makes the violins a bit wetter, but the DVD-A is more detailed. This is see-through sound, and every bit as good as SACD on my Sony SCD-1. DVD-A at 24/192 is very much like listening to the master tape.
Guarneri String Quartet, Ravel et al. (SBE Inc. 1004-9) brings the quartet to life in your room! This is the best string quartet sound I have ever heard in my system—no kidding. Incredible clarity and smoothness is yours, with no grunge or echo, just studio sound at its very best, produced by none other than Max Wilcox in 2001. You have to get this right after you buy this player.
Sinatra at the Sands 1966 with Count Basie and his Orchestra (Reprise R973777) is a big recording with a big audience and a big star. It also has you-are-there sound, but be careful to select the stereo list and just play the disc—hitting "play" seems to give you default surround and 24/96 or less in stereo. This is a wow performance, with no compression or distortion. The sound is very close to that of master tape. Even the clapping is natural and wall-to-wall. This is a must-buy, and a lot of fun.
The discovery of 24/192 software and the resulting sound on this (relatively) bargain-priced omni player leads me to give the DV8400 a top-buy recommendation. Its CD and SACD performance are very good, and its DVD-A performance in 24/96 is excellent, but in 24/192 it is near state-of-the-art. Only a dedicated DVD-A machine at triple the cost may—and I mean may—outperform the $1700 Marantz. Robert H. Levi
You can achieve nearly state-of-the-art sound with some DVD-A discs on the Marantz DV8400 in two-channel stereo! I found three of them.
I had sixteen DVD-As on hand when I wrote my review of the DV8400, but all of them output only 24/96 in stereo. (You have to read the fine print on jewel boxes carefully—they may be 24/192 in surround, but only 24/96 or 24/48 in stereo.) The downsampled discs sound more or less like very fine CDs, but are not as airy, dynamic, or textured as SACDs or LPs. After searching through Tower Records, reading dozens of DVD-A jewel boxes, I found a handful of discs that specifically stated 24/192 stereo. I am reporting on three that sounded astounding on the Marantz.
Linda Rondstadt with Nelson Riddle, What’s New (Rhino/Elektra R978241) is a reference LP that I use often. With the DVD-A, you must carefully select the "stereo" playback on your TV monitor to get 24/192 or you will be hearing 24/96. You must also turn off the display on the face of the Marantz and turn off the video out to get the sound I am describing here. Listen to "What’ll I Do" and be transported to the studio for the recording session. The sound is vast, open, clear, and smooth. Not a veil to be heard. The sound is similar to the LP, but lower in distortion. The LP makes the violins a bit wetter, but the DVD-A is more detailed. This is see-through sound, and every bit as good as SACD on my Sony SCD-1. DVD-A at 24/192 is very much like listening to the master tape.
Guarneri String Quartet, Ravel et al. (SBE Inc. 1004-9) brings the quartet to life in your room! This is the best string quartet sound I have ever heard in my system—no kidding. Incredible clarity and smoothness is yours, with no grunge or echo, just studio sound at its very best, produced by none other than Max Wilcox in 2001. You have to get this right after you buy this player.
Sinatra at the Sands 1966 with Count Basie and his Orchestra (Reprise R973777) is a big recording with a big audience and a big star. It also has you-are-there sound, but be careful to select the stereo list and just play the disc—hitting "play" seems to give you default surround and 24/96 or less in stereo. This is a wow performance, with no compression or distortion. The sound is very close to that of master tape. Even the clapping is natural and wall-to-wall. This is a must-buy, and a lot of fun.
The discovery of 24/192 software and the resulting sound on this (relatively) bargain-priced omni player leads me to give the DV8400 a top-buy recommendation. Its CD and SACD performance are very good, and its DVD-A performance in 24/96 is excellent, but in 24/192 it is near state-of-the-art. Only a dedicated DVD-A machine at triple the cost may—and I mean may—outperform the $1700 Marantz. Robert H. Levi
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