Bryston SP1.7 Bypass or Digital In ????

Use 'em both. I have digital out from my CDP and both analog sets of outputs hooked up. This way I have choices. Two different ICs and the inboard DAC if I choose.

I prefer analog bypass using the CDPs DACs. I guess its the tube output..? or maybe its the full analog signal path you get in bypass. Either way, all you have to do is select the input, bypass, or digital from the front of the unit or remote. The Bryston offers a ton of flexibility and sounds fantastic.

There isnt "A" bypassed input, ANY/ALL the analog inputs can be bypassed at the touch of a button. Which is great. You arent bypassed if you choose "digital," then obviously the inboard DAC is doing the decoding, hence no bypass. But the beauty is, you can have 'em all hooked up at once, and select which you want to hear.

RCA only inputs is an issue for some. Most of the time the source is close to the Pre/Pro anyway. Mine are, so its really not an issue for me, I do use XLR to the amp for the front channels.

This is a serious performing Pre/Pro and I bet your going to love it.

Faziod, this was knew to me. I had been using the Bryston for a while and didnt even know it. Until you corrected me on this. Being the consummate skeptical, I emailed Bryston, I had a response in the typical couple of hours, on a Saturday!!! Unbelievable customer service response time, anywho. When selecting Sub output when bypassed, it is a full range signal, so you need a sub with a built Xover. Which obviously most subs do. Nonetheless I like the way Bryston was committed to the "Analog" part of the Bypass. This unit and company continue to impress me. Thanks again Faziod for the tip.

I am pretty sure the PCM D/A conversion is handled by the Motorola 56367 chip in this unit. It is SOTA for Multi-channel decoding but I think other dedicated DACs may be better at PCM. No problem though, just run Analog ICs and a digital input both. You can setup the input to "default" to the digital input(inboard DAC), Analog with DSP(outboard DAC), or bypassed(outboard DAC), then switch to whichever one you want, whenever you want at the press of a button.

Faziod, you bet I am. You can send them to my email via A'gons auto mailer. Thanks so much. James Tanner obviously stays very near a computer.

Maril, I'll do my best.

Do you mean my 11-29-03 post which says.....

"I am pretty sure the PCM D/A conversion is handled by the Motorola 56367 chip in this unit. It is SOTA for Multi-channel decoding but I think other dedicated DACs may be better at PCM. No problem though, just run Analog ICs and a digital input both. You can setup the input to "default" to the digital input(inboard DAC), Analog with DSP(outboard DAC), or bypassed(outboard DAC), then switch to whichever one you want, whenever you want at the press of a button."

When I say "PCM D/A conversion" I am talking about a digital signal. An Analog signal would have to be first converted to digital (A to D), before the DSP could process it.

It is my understanding, though I could very well be wrong, that the SP1.7 has only the 56367 Processor to concvert all incoming digital signals to analog, including PCM (two-channel 44.1khz/16bit which is the standard output from a CD player). In other words, I dont believe the SP1.7 has dedicated PCM DACs. Though an Email to James Tanner would clear this up.

I am not sure whether the 5.1 input is fully seperated from the Digital like the 2 channel bypass. At first I was assuming (dangerous indeed) that because there was Subwoofer control in 5.1 bypass that the signal must pass through the DSP engine. Thus, not "true analog." Faziod, and then James Tanner, enlightened me that indeed there was a "full analog" summed (full-range) signal output to the sub. So (assuming again), the signal path is present. Therefor it could be a "true analog" 6 channel preamp. Once again I am not sure and I bet James could clear this up right away.

I am sorry I dont believe this post was very helpful.