Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Oppo BD 93/95

According to avsforum thread on OPPO-93, DSD only plays through HDMI #2 of OPPO's output. That's the way I have it connected though. HDMI #1 straight to TV using 1.3 cable. HDMI #2 to receiver, using 1.2 cable.

Anyway, I was trying to A/B test the CD track vs either the Multi or stereo track. All 3 tracks are on the disc. But, the player would not play the CD track.

It doesn't look like my receiver will process the DSD signal, becase the front only has 2 display options for SACD:
1) DSD PCM – Lights during DSD (Direct Stream Digital) to PCM conversion with SACDs.
2) PCM – Lights during playback of PCM signals.

And my obvious question is: Because it doesn't process DSD, does this mean that the quality I'm hearing is only CD quality?

that's not true. I have a 93, connected with HDMI #1 to my pre-amp and it streams DSD to the pre-amp and the DSD light is up on the pre-amp during play. when i hit display it says (for example)HDMI input 1 1080p video in, 5.1 DSD IN - 5.1 DSD OUT

here is a quote from the Oppo 93 manual about SACD/DSD:


"5. SACD Output: To select audio output format for SACD. The options are:
* PCM – SACD Direct Stream Digital (DSD) data is converted into multi-channel, highresolution
PCM data. The converted PCM data is then output through HDMI or the internal
DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) for the analog audio output ports. If you use a receiver that
supports HDMI v1.1 to listen to SACD, please select this option. You may also want to select
this option if you prefer the sound quality of the DSD-to-PCM conversion.
* DSD – SACD DSD data is output over HDMI without any conversion. For the analog audio
outputs, DSD data is converted into analog signal directly by the internal DAC. If you use a
receiver that supports HDMI v1.2a with DSD over HDMI, or you prefer the sound quality of
straight DSD to analog, please select this option."

nowhere in the manual does it say you must use HDMI #2 for SACD playback.

not sure why they (the site you referenced) have that info listed.

no, you are getting higher than CD quality. there are two SACD camps, those who think straight/full DSD sounds better and those who think converted DSD to PCM sounds better. choose your poison!

i couldn't hear a terrible difference between the two to pick one format over the other. having said that, I use DSD because that's how the disc is mastered and my player and pre-amp both support full DSD.

as i mentioned before, all Onkyo receivers that have hdmi in and made in the last 5 plus years support full DSD in & out.

Ok. Thanks. I can either play straight PCM, where the avr display only says PCM, or I can play DSD converted to PCM, where the avr display says SACD and DSD PCM. I'm assuming at this point in time that these 2 are roughly the same quality and both multi-channel.

Did some critical listening to the Elton John SACD last night. Lots of highs that I don't find on the CD's. I played one of the better quality CD's afterwards and the highs were not as well defined, but the lows and mids sounded similar. Although, the Elton John SACD did hit some lows that were much lower. Probably not an SACD thing, just lower notes were played, IMO.

The other CD: Sarah Mclachlan Wintersong

One unpleasant result is the highs hurt my ears more than before. I'll either have to turn the volume down or apply a filter. The cat seemed to notice the difference too.

I also ordered a Heart SACD called Live in Seattle

I think this may be a result of aluminum tweeters.. Silk dome tweeters do not have as harsh of a sound to them.... I have a pair of Dynaudio speakers, that use to be in one of my cars... They are... WoW.... i would like to build a cabinet for them in the future....

Personally i would pay an extra 2-300$ for a silk dome tweeter... As i like their sound.

With that being said, i have never experienced the axiom's being to "bright".. it might be the music i listen to? mainly Classical, and some pipe organ CD's John told me about..

They have aluminum woofers and titanium tweeters.

Silks rollover at the top end faster than the titanium's do. I can probably simulate the silks by utilizing the X-Curve option in the Pio receiver. I've done this before, but didn't like the way it silenced the cymbals.

I copied this from avsforum here about half the page down.

For the vast majority of receivers, DSD vs PCM from the player for SACD won't make a wit of difference.

That's because receivers do their processing in LPCM, and so they first thing they do with DSD input is convert it to LPCM anyway.

For a VERY few receivers, there is a DSD pass through path which will send DSD straight to special DACs for conversion to analog for output to the speakers. In such cases, some people feel that DSD is better. But the cost of this is that you lose any ability for your receiver to do any processing on that audio.

As it turns out, the 93's own DACs are of the special variety that can convert DSD directly to analog. So if you use the multi-channel analog outputs of the 93, and have SACD DSD set, that's exactly what happens. If you have PCM set then the DSD from the SACD disc is converted to LPCM first and that's what's sent to the DACs.

hrm, i thought the tweeters were aluminum as well... titanium is a better material due to the strength to weight ratio.... do you happen to know if integra has the x-curve option? i think integra processor will be my next "upgrade"....

I looked over a couple of manuals, but didn't see anything like Pioneer's X-curve, but that doesn't mean something similar isn't there. I just didn't see anything.