D/A and A/D conversion in AV receivers

michaelab

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Do some (most?) AV receivers convert analog inputs to digital first before converting back to analog for output? Specifcally, does the Marantz SR4200 do this?

The reason I ask is I'm about to get a DAC (TAG DAC 20) to improve my CD player (or possibly use it to get decent CD playback from my DVD player) but it would rather defeat the object if there's a whole other A/D and D/A conversion going on inside the receiver.

On the one hand doing this would seem silly but on the other, how could the SR4200 do DPL II and all the other bells and whistles on a 2 channel analog signal if it didn't convert it to digital first?

Now, if it does convert to digital, does using the 'source direct' option on the SR4200 (which disables all the DSP modes like DPL II etc) skip the extra conversion for analog inputs?

Michael.
 
Tricky if not difficult question as it depends on make and model though I tend to assume most amps will do some sort of AD and DA conversion of the analog inputs to provide DSP and decoding functions, as well as bassmanagement.

What you need is a "true analoge bypass" and if the manufacturer doesn't claim to offer one I would practice caution as "Source Direct" can mean anything the manufacturer wants to ...
 
In my Marantz SR4200 manual it says:

"Source Direct switch bypasses tone controls and bass management for purest sound quality"

I guess since all DSP modes, speaker size and distance settings and bass management are bypassed then this could be an analog bypass, but then you can use source direct with digital input aswell....

Michael.
 

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