2. home-theater
  3. 167791-2164

Surround speaker setup: disc player or processor?

My Ayre DX-5 DSD and Bryston SP3 processor both have menus for setting speaker size, distance, level, etc.  Which should I use?  If it's relevant to the question:  For surround the disc player sends 7.1 LPCM via HDMI to the processor.  The SP3 returns stereo to an Ayre KX-5 by-pass input, and sends surround to a pair of NAD C268 amps.  A passive Marchand high-pass fixed at 80 Hz 24 dB/octave sits between the KX-5 and VX-5 amp; an output from the KX-5 goes through a Velodyne bass manager set at 80 Hz 24 dB/octave to a pair of HGS-15 subs.  The SP3 is not used for stereo.
dbphd

Showing 2 responses by auxinput

auxinput
2,920 posts
 
The Ayre DX-5 is a re-badged Oppo player that uses the stock Oppo DSP/HDMI/digital.  However, the Ayre only has stereo analog outputs.

The stock Oppo DSP configuration for speaker size/distance/level really only applies if it had 5.1 analog outputs.  As far as I know, these settings do not affect anything going over HDMI (i.e. 7.1 LPCM over HDMI). 

So I would use the speaker size/distance/level settings in the Bryston.  If you are playing stereo music, none of this makes any difference anyways.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
I meant nothing against the Ayre DX-5.  It uses the stock Oppo digital board (DSP/HDMI).  However, it has massively upgraded linear power supplies and Ayre's analog output stage for the left/right stereo outputs. 
More to discover