HDMI to Multi-channel audio adaptor

The SEP 2011 edition arrived and thanks for the review. My OPPO 981 just bit-the-dust and the 95 looks like the best selection for my system. The two 32-bit DAC's and fully balanced L/R main outputs with other improvements is a solid upgrade. I would recommend that OPPO adds a AES/EBU digital output to the new 95 or a successor.

Kal, I meant multi-disk SACD/DVD-Audio player/transport combo. I did not reference a Stereophile Magazine write-up and I cannot recall the exact source. There is a possiblity that I mis-read the writers' intent. I looked at my most recent deliverd copy of SM - it's July 2011.

In the magazines' September 2010 edition, your interesting write-up included two OPPO's - the 83 and 83SE, and Sony XA 5400ES. I didn't find the OPPO 95 mentioned anywhere in the write-up. Yet, many of your 83 analog/digital and connection comments can be applied to the 95s' output connections.

However, I do have analog pass-through, distance and volume levels in my pro's set-up menu, plus my speaker's are equidistant from the listening position. For analog pass-through, I must turn the SUB off. That's not much of problem as my main's have 15 inch bass drivers.

I'm focusing on the potential of the OPPO 95 as a three-fold upgrade - First, upgrading to Blu-Ray video performance. Second, adding the 32-bit DAC's for multi-channel (SACD, DVD-Audio and Blu-Ray Audio). Lastly, adding the rare 32-bit balanced L/R main DAC's for analog pass-through. I'm hoping the OPPO 95s' 32-bit DAC's may occasionally be a very welcome alternative to using my Proceed PDT III transport to feed the Proceeds' matched 24-bit 2-channel DAC's.

In your testing, have you possibly ABX'd/compared the sound quality of the OPPO 95s' 32-bit DAC's in 2-channel or multi-channel on a nice analog pass-through system with great 24-bit DAC's, by chance?

Dan

OK. I did not appreciate that meaning for "pre-HDMI" in the context of the statements. (Also, did you mean "multi-disk SACD player" or multichannel SACD player?)

As for the Oppo players, all of them have always had multichannel analog outputs, even the "pre-HDMI" Oppos, so I do not know how an article can say otherwise.

As for the Oppo 95, my comments about it appear in the September issue of Stereophile.

Kal

Yes, they have DAC's built-in with RCA multi-channel output connections. "Pre-HDMI" is a term for components designed without HDMI engineering.

The first artical I read on the OPPO 95 stated it only had HDMI multi-channel outputs. That's what got me looking for a pure wire, high-end HDMI to RCA adaptor to connect the 95 to my Pro for 32-bit stereo and multi-channel.

Fortunately, after reading OPPO's information directly, it actually shows both HDMI and standard RCA multi-channel connectors, plus balanced out L/R main outputs. Balanced stereo outs on a multi-disk SACD player is quite rare - I'm looking at the 95 to match my Pros' balanced analog L/R inputs.

Although the Proceeds DAC's are great, adding both Blu-Ray and 32-bit multi-channel DAC's along with balanced main L/R DAC's offers considerable promise that's hard to resist.

The sound quality of HDMI to RCA convertor's mentioned earlier is a significant concern. Now, knowing that the OPPO 95 has standard RCA outputs plus HDMI audio, it eliminates my need for a convertor. In summary, one of the OPPO 95s' HDMI outputs will go directly to my TV, and the balanced stereo and standard RCA multi-channel connectors can connect directly to my Pro.

I don't understand. These boxes must have DACs in order to output via RCA analog connections. I also have no idea what "pre-HDMI" means.

No, I don't. If the output signals from HDMI multi-channel is the same voltage and impedance as Pre-HDMI multi-channel signals, a purely straight convertor-plug with RCA outs (without DAC's and associated internals) may probably be best for HDMI to pre-HDMI conversions.

IOW's, a pure wire-to-wire convertor plug may prevent any signal quality issues, if, the HDMI and pre-HDMI signals share similiar properties.

Do you really think that the DACs and output stage of the Octava or similar will be in the class of what is in the Oppo 95 or similar? It will certainly work as will similar devices from Atlona and others.

Kal