Imaging problem, or lack thereof...any ideas

I'm thinking you're right, but I don't understand why it would be happening. Yeah, you can choose the format of the audio you have going out digitally from the PS3. And it works fine in HDMI, but sounds like a single channel in either optical (which I choose 2ch @ 44.1 khz) or analog (which is obviously 2ch).

Yeah, there's just no way I could live with going through the 805's preamp section when I have such better sound quality going through the A5 integrated. I have to figure something out, even it means getting a new player.

Problem is, I don't know if it's the player or the A5 mixing the 2ch into 1ch. I've been thinking about it all day and I think I know what I'm going to try when I get home. I'm going to take the optical and analog out of the PS3 and run that to the 805 and see if I have the same problem. If I do have the same problem, I know that it's the player sending out 2 identical channels. If I don't have the same problem, well I'll be really confused then. I'll have to bust out an old player from the garage and try that one.

Any other suggestions to try?

Jim, I checked all the connections, and everything is set up correctly.

Dan, I'm not saying the sound isn't good. I mean, the sound is excellent. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the speakers (Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Sig System towers) It's only the lack of image that I get due to the identical sound being put out on both channels simultaneously. Now I will ask: since you're using the same DAC, do you have a good separation of channels, definite image, and soundstage? ie. bass guitar left stage, singer center stage, keyboard right stage, etc. etc.? Because from my testing it seems that the DAC is mixing 2ch input into a single channel and outputting on both left and right.

So I think I got this figured out after some testing and swaptronics. I think my musicaly isn't separating the 2ch's. I tried running my optical connection, in 2ch format, from the Playstation 3 to the 805. I got perfect separation of channels. I also hooked up my xbox 360 using optical 2ch format to the 805 and also got good separation of the channels. Using both the PS3 and xbox 360 2ch optical out to go through the musical fidelity DAC, I lost any separation of channels and only have an identical signal on both channels. So unless for some reason the A5 integrated pre stage mixes the left and right inputs on all but the HT bypass input--then it has to be the DAC that is mixing the 2ch signal into a mono signal and sending it out on both left and right channels.

The PS3 doesn't have a coax out and neither does the xbox 360. I think I have an old dvd player that has coax out somewhere. I'll try to find it and see what happens. The thing about that is that I'm getting good separation of channels through the optical cables from both the PS3 and the xbox 360, but only when going through the onkyo 805 receiver...meaning that the 805's DAC and preamp section are being used.

I couldn't find any switch like that anywhere on the DAC Jim. There are only two switches on the assembly; the upsampling 96/172khz switch and the on/off switch. You had me hoping though. I'll also try sending the digital out of the receiver...yeah it doesn't seem like that would have any effect on the signal, but who knows--I'll try anything. I'm a Radio Detection and Ranging systems tech, and I've come across a lot "fix actions" over the years that didn't seem to make sense to me electronically, but worked nonetheless.

Kool39, yeah the PS3 probably isn't the best sounding or imaging source out there, but I know for a fact that it is sending out two separate channels of audio because I can hear them when listening through the 805's DAC and pre, and then through the HT bypass on my 2ch integrated MF A5. And when using the PS3 optical out directly to the MF A3 24 DAC to the MF A5--I think the bass is greatly improved, mostly due to the DAC. Although it doesn't sound very "live" due to the mono/imageless output.

So it has to be either the DAC or the pre section in the MF A5 integrated that is mixing the 2 channels and I think I figured out a way to discern which. I'm going to send the analog out of the MF DAC to the receiver and from receiver to the HT bypass on the MF A5. If I don't get a proper image I'll know for sure that the DAC is the problem, because I know that the receiver when in "direct" mode will send exactly what it is getting on the the HT bypass which will only amplify what it's being fed. I know this because as I said before, when sending digital out of the PS3 through the receiver's dac and pre section I get a proper image. If I do get a proper image, I'll know that the DAC is, in fact, sending out to separate ch's and the pre section of the MF A5 is somehow mixing the ch's in it's preamplification.

We'll see what happens, but it looks like either way I'm gonna have to buy something :/

Well the MF A5 integrated (preamplifier stage) seems to be the problem. Using the PS3 optical out to the MF DAC to the one of the receiver's analog line level inputs and then out to the HT bypass input on the A5, I was able to hear two distinct channels. But when I took the analog out of the DAC directly into any one of the MF A5's inputs, I lost the two separate channels. I tried swapping the speaker inputs just in case either the amp or speakers' ground and hot leads were mismarked--with no effect. Went through the manual for the A5 and it talks about imaging in there a few times, so I'm thinking this isn't normal for these amps, especially since it's not like this is a bottom of the barrel integrated or anything. Just for good measure I hooked up my Onix SP8 tube integrated amp up and did not have the same problem.

I'll try contacting MF, but I'm going to start looking for a new 2ch integrated...or possibly separates with the pre having a HT bypass.

Yeah, you might be right about the simple fix. There must be a setting or something that can change it, because I'm sure that they all can't be like this. I would pop the top on it and see if there are any dip switch settings or anything like that and just visually inspect the components, however, that would void the warranty.

I've never used separates myself and I'd rather not just because I already have a six shelf rack and it's completely full. I'm thinking about going the PS Audio way--variable gain control amplifiers.