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Many CD players have digital output routing the signals to an external DAC. How easy is it to do the same with SACD player or a universal player?
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see these mods which add stereo or multichannel S/PDIF outputs to many common players.I have a modified Oppo and it works fine.
Edits: 06/17/12
For CDs, there is the same digital output option from SACD/universal players.
However, for actual SACD or other HD signals, the only connection options are the HDMI (or analog) outputs and, as HighEndWire points out, there are many fewer DACs that will accept HDMI.
Kal
There are just a few DSD DACs (Mytek, Meitner and at CES Levinson announced one). The Levinson will have HDMI. DSD won't pass over std. digital connections. HDMI 1.2 or later versions. You need an HDMI audio de-embedder. Monoprice product ID 5557 (which is made by Port-ta of Hong Kong - their model is PET4000), Atlona probably makes a couple (look at Markertek.com) and I believe Extron makes one too.
You may need a handshake with many SACD players too. I have both the Port-ta and Monoprice units (use one in the main system with a Bryston DAC and one in the secondary basement system with an Emotiva DAC). I have an upgraded power supply on each (anything that works with the Squeezebox Touch will do)
Given there are de-embedders to route the 2-channel (I need only stereo) audio signal from a universal player's HDMI output ==> SPDIF, is the process bit transparent, i.e. without altering the mixed (from surrond to 2-channel)signal executed by the player? Where could I buy the port-ta PET4000 - can't find anything from their site?Electronically how easy is it to open up the player and extract the 2-channel audio from the HDMI? In particular, I am using a Cambridge Audio DVD 99 universal Player and Dacmagic (version: one older than current). The former has a menu option for downmixing from surround to 2-channel.
Edits: 06/16/12
Looks like Sony has successfully barred 2-channel digital output to DAC's for SACD's.
Do DVD-A discs have the same problem?
Not bit-transparent, and not even DSD. HDMI de-embedders (I reviewed the original Atlona) are not DSD format solutions, they require you to convert your SACD output (in the player setup) to PCM (usually 24/88 for most players; some do 24/176). The de-embedder must have PCM to be able to send hirez out its SPDIF. Not a horrible solution but nothing sonically like a pure DSD rip from SACD (using the PS3 hack I wrote about and have a PDF guide for, if interested). HDMi is somewhat jitter-prone, too, but at least the de-embedder solution is quite inexpensive and doesn't require PS3 hacks, large storage for rips, and DRM code breaking. As pointed out, the DSD rip from an SACD disc is only really relevant with a DSD-capable DAC (I own the Meitner MA-1 and the Mytek Stereo192-DSD DAC, and am demoing the new inexpensive Sonore-badged ExD DAC that is also DSD-capable).
Also worth mentioning that the on-the-fly DSD conversion to PCM in the oppo, renders the waveform at +6db which will create a clipped waveform on many titles. In addition the conversion (in all players) is a clumsy truncate conversion which adds additional artifacts.
Thanks for the insight. Sounds more complicated than I thought. Actually I was hoping that I could route a couple of wires to the spdif output (from within the universal player) to get 2-channel audio from a SACD. Also hoping to get bit transparent signal to the DAC.
Looks like the answer is no.
There are limits to what I can disclose. But, a reviewer friend is about to publish a review of a mod board tothe Oppo 93 in an upcoming The Absolute Sound that will do what I think you want via PCM.
I just saw a review of the NAD M51 stereo DAC in the current Stereophile that will accept HDMI, in addition to coax, etc. but, it is about $2k. It requires conversion by the player to PCM, as it cannot accept bitstreamed DSD.
I think your best option is to forget the external DAC and get a player with quality analog output. The Oppo 95 might be a good choice.
Thanks for the advice.
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