[8140david]

Has anyone output a sacd or dvd-a player on the Ref 1?
Does it work fine? Or can there be a problem because the Ref 1 is "only" 24/96? (I know nothing about this obviously, so please don't get mad.)

I am thinking of getting a quasi-universal player: Oppo BDP-83 (Blu-Ray, dvd, sacd, dvda, etc) and use it as transport for the Ref 1 (except for cds). Any thought about this?

I also read that most (or all) sacd players cannot output digitally on spdif. Is that right? If so, I couldn't play a sacd on the Oppo83 and output it on spdif for the Ref 1?

Thanks for your kind help

 

[IPodPJ]

SACD uses DSD, not SPDIF. DSD bandwidth is too large for a coax cable. The Ref1 cannot decode DSD anyway.

If you have a DVD-A player that outputs in 24/96 PCM the Ref1 will work with it.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Except that DVD A is a locked protocol just like DSD SACD. The compression method for DVD-A is MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing) while DSD (Direct Stream Digital) has it's own hardware specific decoder in the player itself.

Neither protocol can be sent over SPDIF/TOSlink or AES/EBU because of DRM safeguards. Only DVDP/SACD decks that have specific links (iLINK for instance) that will work only with amps/recievers setup with that link can send raw DSD/MLP at full rez over a digital link. Denon, Pioneer and Sony are the ones that come to mind that have such links......even if you could send that data stream out via regular (unlocked) pathways (that the RE1 can handle) it would still need to be decompressed on the fly by the chip specific hardware inside the RE1 (which it does not have nor will any DAC that I know of other than EMM Labs, dCS). There is a program for ripping and converting DVD-A disc to hi rez LPCM which can then be sent to the RE1 but there is no such software for SACD's...AFAIK no computer drives can even read SACDs......

Peete.

 

[IPodPJ]

Oh ok. Well I have the DVD-A program so I've never had an issue with that. SACD is a soon to be dead format anyway. High-res audio will be on Blu-Ray soon enough and there are computer drives for that. Awhile ago I read that there would be some high-res audio only Blu-Rays at CES this month. Perhaps someone that went can confirm or deny that.

 

[tim3320070]

For those that have the added optical input on their Ref-1's: when playing from another source (other than optical), and the switch is left on for the optical, do you hear sound still (as though it's bleeding through the switch)?

Secondly, do you know what the make or name of the switch is (looks like attached)?

 

[les_garten]

Hey Buddy, wanna buy a DAC?


Click ME!

 

[seaice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is a program for ripping and converting DVD-A disc to hi rez LPCM which can then be sent to the RE1

Hi!
I am not sure to what prog. you are referring to exactly, but there is no need to rip and convert DVD-A to send the full resolution sound out of the computer. You can play it in real time now, directly from the DVD-A disc in the DVD-drive of your computer. All you need is the foobar2000 player with this great add-on: DVD-Audio Decoder - many thanks to the authors! It works well for all of my DVD-As.

And to be not so offtopic - enjoing my RE1 in the moment

 

[XXII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seaice /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi! I am not sure to what prog. you are referring to exactly, but there is no need to rip and convert DVD-A to send the full resolution sound out of the computer. You can play it in real time now, directly from the DVD-A disc in the DVD-drive of your computer. All you need is the foobar2000 player with this great add-on: DVD-Audio Decoder - many thanks to the authors! It works well for all of my DVD-As. And to be not so offtopic - enjoing my RE1 in the moment

Wow, thanks for the link! I've just spent the last hour listening to the Santana DVD-audio on foobar!

 

[tim3320070]

Does anyone know how to disconnect the optical input and switch as I mentioned above? Would it be hard to do myself? I thought I would need it but I really don't and want it out of the signal path.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim3320070 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does anyone know how to disconnect the optical input and switch as I mentioned above? Would it be hard to do myself? I thought I would need it but I really don't and want it out of the signal path.

Shoot some good Pix of the wire routing. You must have a Toslink Receiver board in there as well?

 

[tim3320070]

I have a Ouija board, would that help? Yeah, don't know about that but willing to try. I guess pics would have helped and I will get to that. Looking to Kingwa for help as well.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim3320070 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a Ouija board, would that help? Yeah, don't know about that but willing to try. I guess pics would have helped and I will get to that. Looking to Kingwa for help as well.

What I was getting at is that the Toslink reciver may convert to I2S and insert with the switch on the board where the COAX is converted. Without pix, we would need a Quija board.

 

[tim3320070]

Thanks Les.
Kingwa walked me through it- I sent him a picture and he sent me a marked up pic (see attached)- all in less than 1/2 a day.
More great service from him.
I can't tell if there is a change but I was getting certain cross-talk with the switch (possibly a normal thing, I don't know). Peace of mind mainly and I wasn't really using the optical input anyway.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim3320070 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Les. Kingwa walked me through it- I sent him a picture and he sent me a marked up pic (see attached)- all in less than 1/2 a day. More great service from him. I can't tell if there is a change but I was getting certain cross-talk with the switch (possibly a normal thing, I don't know). Peace of mind mainly and I wasn't really using the optical input anyway.

Interesting Photo, thanx!

 

[SoupRKnowva]

kingwa's the man! helping you out like that even after you had him put that in there...thats customer service!