I need to get some hypotheses, suggestions and frames of reference from you guys on my current challenge.
I use a (apparently overly modest) Denon 1804 as the controller and amp in the main room. My eventual Zone 2 configuration will consist of Mirage Omnisats in the kitchen (currently up and blissful) and Rocket OD100's on the patio (not yet wired). Power provided by a vintage Kenwood integrated amp with cool, blinky VU meters.
The Denon has a built-in amp that can be used for EITHER a pair of mono Zone 2 speakers OR the 6.1/7.1 speakers. Until recently, I was running the kitchen speakers from it. Stereo sounds better than mono, so I hooked up the Denon's Zone 2 line-level outputs to the Kenwood and voila! So far, so good.
Now, I had always been annoyed by - but accepted the limitations of - the notion that the Denon did not pass digital signals to the native Zone 2 amplification. I thought that they WOULD be passed to the line-level outputs, but apparently, I was mistaken.
I've read and re-read the Denon manual. I believe that it has been translated too many times and that the person who wrote it (and the one who programmed the UI) look at the world in a different way than I do.
Here's the problem: At least two of the sources I wish to use are connected solely via digital at this time. I am using the D/A converters in the Sony CD changers, so they are no problem (i.e. they are hooked up via analog). However, I have a PC in the living room that can (and should) use Softsqueeze to stream media; it is connected via digital coax. Also, the Philips DirecTivo box is connected via optical cable. I was hoping that my slimserver/softsqueeze implementation would get me farther towards "whole house audio", and this little wrinkle has me a bit annoyed. Likewise, I'm starting to enjoy the XM stations available on DirecTV. So, these two sources are currently unavailable to Zone 2.
So, here are the kinds of questions I am able to formulate at the moment
1. Is it common for Zone 2 capable AVR's to refuse to pass a digital input to the zone 2 outputs, or is that a limitation imposed by my lack of investment?
2. IF I connect the digital devices ALSO via analog cables to the Denon, do you think it will be smart enough to understand that I want to use the digital signal by default in the main listening area and still pass the analog signal to Zone 2?
I know I can probably answer #2 myself by stringing more cables. But, gawd, you should see it back there. And I'm tired of moving components around this week. And I'm not at home now, but still fascinated by the problem.
Questions? Comments? Jokes?
