Nikki Posted July 2, 2014 Posted July 2, 2014 Hi all I would like some advise/opinions please on the audio source direct filter settings on my Denon DVD3930 player which I have just acquired. The source direct setting gives DSD straight to DAC without being converted to PCM first (hope I've got this right ) and offers two brick wall filters 50MHz and 100MHz. The Instruction Manual cautions against using the 100MHz setting with components that may be damaged by the high frequency. At present, being cautious I am using the 50 MHz filter with a 300B amp ( Eric Chan's ) and my Yamaha NS1000M speakers (30+ years old). This truly IMO sounds very very good on SACDs also CDs - much improved on my CD player. The question is could the 100MHz filter damage my setup. Would I hear the difference and would the same advice apply for my second setup - Yamaha C-80 pre and Rotel RB991 power amps, also relatively ancient, with the same speakers ? I think I would be happy staying with the 50 MHz setting but there is always the curiosity factor !
Gordon Macfarlane Posted July 4, 2014 Posted July 4, 2014 Check the specs on the amps as a first step.
aechmea Posted July 4, 2014 Posted July 4, 2014 Hi Nikki, I have a 3930 but I have never used the 'processing' options in the player because I don't have a surround system and just use the PCM stereo digital output. My understanding is that 'source direct' by-passes the analogue surround sound and sub set up functions in the player and passes the analogue signal on to a receiver unadulterated. Analogue, not digital. As far as I understand no digital above 48k is allowed to escape the player (except via Denonlink but then you have to have a Denon receiver at the other end). Denon are very very strict on keeping the hirez digital data safe and secure inside the player. No DSD or hirez PCM is being sent anywhere. p10 of the manual lists SACD as "No output" in the digital output table. p11 states "No output" from SACD over HDMI either. The only digital output you can get from an SACD disk is the stereo layer of a hybrid disk. You can output Dolby and DTS bitstreams from DVD-Video disks. Similar restrictions apply to DVD-A. In the end I extracted the stereo hirez tracks from my handful of DVD-A via computer, converted to WAV, burnt them onto a DVD-Data and play them on my MSB transport. Phew. Digital out of the 3930 is really only there for CD.
betty boop Posted July 4, 2014 Posted July 4, 2014 I was happily running hi-rez over denon link to my denon processor for quite a while via a 2930, can imagine the 3930 no different in this regard. cant remember any restrictions over hdmi apart from being able to only feed dsd over denonlink. been a few years now though so time might be tricking my memory ...
Nikki Posted July 5, 2014 Author Posted July 5, 2014 Thanks for the replies Page 23 of the manual says "Set to 50kHz if the amplifier or speakers is/are not compatible with the high frequencies. 100kHz if they are . How do you know ? This is all a bit mysterious I am not using Denon link or HDMI just the two channel stereo outlet RCA connectors to connect to the amp. It sounds as though this setting only works with SACDs and only works with the two channel setup and perhaps this quote explains it. When he says "or apply either a 50kHz or 100kHz brickwall filter" if source direct is selected then one must select one or the other filter. By Clint DeBoer — November 02, 2006 - AudioholicsSource Direct is primarily an SACD function. It will allow you to run SACD (and other) signals directly from the unit, bypassing bass management, or apply either a 50kHz or 100kHz brick wall filter (for SACD). Alternatively you can turn off Source Direct and use the bass management features of the DVD player to ready the signal for your AV receiver's analogue inputs. The default is OFF, but if you plan on using the analogue audio outputs and have a receiver with bass management over its analogue audio inputs you may want to engage the SACD filter at 50kHz (we don't recommend ever setting it to 100kHz unless you have a very esoteric setup and want to annoy the birds outside of your home). Looks like I had better leave it at 50kHz. It does sound very good, a bit of a revelation.
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