Please connect my Oppo

jmsjabb

Established Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
422
Reaction score
6
Points
163
Age
50
Location
Cotswolds
Now, I know a few on here have Oppo units along with their Meridian kit.
I have just taken delivery of an Oppo 93. Until I get a Vanity card, can you please tell me the best way to connect it to my G68J, to get the most out of it, including DVD-A?
I have Digital Coax cables, and can get standard analogue phono cables if this is the way.

Please, over to you, connect my kit!
 
FWIW I ran my Oppo 93 via coax at first since I didn't have enough cables for the analogue connection. This way you get 'Core DTS' on DTS MA discs which has higher than DVD bitrate at 1.5mbps. I found this on it's own was a step up and that only when I got analogue cables that there was a futher improvement (though to be fair not as massive as I'd been led to believe).

I think much of this is down to using better amplification in my case since I went from a receiver (with built in HD decoding) to an older but better quality separate processor and power amp set up (Arcam AV9, P35/3 & P1000). With your Meridian kit you may well be a further step up the chain than me, so it should sound pretty good anyway. :cool:

I think you might have to make sure secondary audio is disabled in the Oppo's menu for this to work, but search the Oppo owner's thread(s).
 
So from that, you say Analogue via multi rca is better than coax digital?
Thanks for your reply
 
In my set up that was my conclusion. Might be different with your equipment, but easy enough to compare (if you have a set of leads). The bass management and other settings aren't really any different between my AV9 and the '93 so it's a fairly straight comparison of decoding Core DTS in the AV9 or decoding DTS MA in the Oppo.
 
So from that, you say Analogue via multi rca is better than coax digital?
Thanks for your reply

As suggested the only way you will know what sound you prefer is to compare the options yourself really.

Analogue audio output from a player may produce preferred results especially with an AVR that provides the option of analogue pass-through i.e. acts an analogue pre-amp. Many variables though.

Your G68 doesn't have that option and analogue input undergoes conversion back to digital (16-24/48kHz initially IIRC), DSP is applied and then it undergoes a further DAC process in the G68 assuming analogue output is the goal from the processor.

Avi
 
Last edited:
I used to run a SACD player into my G68 using analogues, and if I remember correctly it processed the signal at 24/96. It sounded pretty good. One thing I've noticed is the Meridian processors do a really good job with core audio through SPDIF, almost on a par with the lossless sound tracks, so it might be worth setting up two sources on your processor for the digital and analogue outputs and trying both ways to see which you prefer.
 
I used to run a SACD player into my G68 using analogues, and if I remember correctly it processed the signal at 24/96. It sounded pretty good. One thing I've noticed is the Meridian processors do a really good job with core audio through SPDIF, almost on a par with the lossless sound tracks, so it might be worth setting up two sources on your processor for the digital and analogue outputs and trying both ways to see which you prefer.

SACD DSD is usually decimated to 88.2Khz LPCM and the Meridian processor has no idea about the native digital source that produced the analogue input.

I'm pretty sure Merdian us a standard ADC chip on the G series analogue input. If the output from that chip is 24/96 then additional DSP such sample rate interpolation and apodizing is bypassed I guess. If the output is 48Khz the output may undergo DSP associated with <=48Hz source i.e. interpolated to high sample rate such as 96Khz.

Avi
 
SACD DSD is usually decimated to 88.2Khz LPCM and the Meridian processor has no idea about the native digital source that produced the analogue input.

If the the G68 is receiving a pure analogue input won't it just process it at the highest rate the DAC is capable of handling? DSD is only decimated to 88.2Khz when its converted to PCM internally by the player.
 
If the the G68 is receiving a pure analogue input won't it just process it at the highest rate the DAC is capable of handling? DSD is only decimated to 88.2Khz when its converted to PCM internally by the player.

The DAC chip in Meridian gear is usually capable of accepting a sample rate higher than 96khz. Meridian limit processing in most of their products to 96khz. Products such as the HD621 will even down sample native digital input that is higher than 96khz.

My earlier point was that as far as analogue input goes the processor has no idea about the original digital content i.e. mp3, cd, dsd etc. I don't know how the ADC works with regard to key digital processing steps.

I'm also not sure how any direct dsd to dac in the source would benefit a downstream adc/dsp/dac process.
 
The G68's ADC is source agnostic so everything analogue that comes in is processed at 24/96. In my experience this is pretty transparent although obviously you're getting D/A in the player then A/D in the processor.

Before I got the HD621 I was quite happy with it set up like that for mult- channel SACD but preferred bit streaming lossless movie soundtracks via coax and letting the G68 handle core audio. Two channel audio and DVDA sounded better using the G98 so I didn't really make too many comparisons using those sources.
 
The G68's ADC is source agnostic

That's my point. The benefit of key Merdian digital processing such as interpolation, apodizing etc is lost if the initial adc chip provides 24/96.

I've used the G series and hd621 extensively and analogue input would be my least preferred option. That's just my preference but I'd also go as far as saying avoid the G processor for stereo digital source if using DSP's and the room isn't too problematic.

Avi
 
Last edited:
If used the G series and hd621 extensively and analogue input would be my least preferred option. That's just my preference.

Mine too, sorry for the confusion, I think we were both saying the same thing in different ways:laugh:
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom