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Denon x6500h -- HDMI Sounds Better than Analog?

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Hey,

So, I have a Denon x6500h and a Denon 110 Anniverasry SACD player. I connected to the 6500 with analog RCA cables into the CD input. I tested the difference with CD music, one on The Denon 110 Anniversary Player.
I then tested the same music on a Panasonic UB9000 using HDMI, and the HDMI sounds better.

Both analog and HDMI are set to Pure Direct, why does HDMI sound better? I paid $3000 for the Denon SACD player.

Is the x6500h receiver not good using analog? The difference is blatant and obvious. I this typical of receivers?
 

Plcamp

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Hey,

So, I have a Denon x6500h and a Denon 110 Anniverasry SACD player. I connected to the 6500 with analog RCA cables into the CD input. I tested the difference with CD music, one on The Denon 110 Anniversary Player.
I then tested the same music on a Panasonic UB9000 using HDMI, and the HDMI sounds better.

Both analog and HDMI are set to Pure Direct, why does HDMI sound better? I paid $3000 for the Denon SACD player.

Is the x6500h receiver not good using analog? The difference is blatant and obvious. I this typical of receivers?

Does the Denon digitize the analog inputs through an ADC?
 

snickers

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Generally I would say: Less converting, better sound.

So you go from your CD-Player analog into your AVR. Then the AVR has do digitalize the signal to apply all his stuff and then he converts it again to analog when he sends it to the amp stage.

When you use your Panasonic with HDMI, you go full digital from the source to the AVR, without the input conversion. He just converts it once from digital to analog when he sends it to the amp stage.

Usually the less you "play" with the signal, it stays cleaner and sounds better.
 
OP
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Does the Denon digitize the analog inputs through an ADC?

I honestly don't know. I'm getting the new Reavon 200 4K player soon, that has analog out, pretty good ones too, so I want to see how it sounds. Digital vs analog. It could be the receiver is doing a really poor job somehow, but I;m not sure.
 

f1shb0n3

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I honestly don't know. I'm getting the new Reavon 200 4K player soon, that has analog out, pretty good ones too, so I want to see how it sounds. Digital vs analog. It could be the receiver is doing a really poor job somehow, but I;m not sure.

Denon should not be digitizing in Pure Direct mode.

DCD-A110 has optical output, you could use that. AVR's DAC is decent, probably comparable to the CD player.
 

hawk01

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in my experience using AVRs for music via HDMI has the least conversion. feeding analog signal to an AVR has to pass through its ADC which in some cases is its weakest link adversely affecting SQ. if you have a CD player source you may better off connecting to the AVR via optical, coaxial inputs. the only instance an AVR’s analog has acceptable performance is during DIRECT mode operation where the analog signal is sent directly to the output stage bypassing the ADC, DSP route.
 

Chrispy

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How did you level match? The 6500 I think did not have the multi-ch analog inputs that bypass as much processing as possible?

ps FWIW I find the hdmi connection into my avr (but using multi-ch analog inputs, so I could also test multich sacd) from my Oppo far more useful and no particular sq penalty that I could determine by comparison. YMMV.
 

JSmith

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I connected to the 6500 with analog RCA cables
Try;

1626407809572.png


... but that skips the DAC in the player and uses the DAC in the AVR. As others have said the analogue is probably being digitised anyway and through a 2nd ADC/DAC chain.

Also, why use an AVR and not a 2 channel amp with the expensive stereo CD player? While Denon are better than most, often with AVR's there is too much in one box the degrades SNR.



JSmith
 

Chrispy

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Try;

View attachment 141413

... but that skips the DAC in the player and uses the DAC in the AVR. As others have said the analogue is probably being digitised anyway and through a 2nd ADC/DAC chain.

Also, why use an AVR and not a 2 channel amp with the expensive stereo CD player? While Denon are better than most, often with AVR's there is too much in one box the degrades SNR.



JSmith

Well, no, analog output from the player would use the dac in the player, but particularly for use of Audyssey the avr would reconvert analog to digital for processing....and the "degradation" often reported I think is overblown in terms of audibility. Besides, 2ch gear can't play the most useful of the SACDs, the multich ones. :)
 

JSmith

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Chrispy

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Yep, that is what I was saying. I get the impression OP may want to use the DAC in the player than the AVR though.

JSmith

He's trying to use just the dac in the player, but....
 
OP
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Yes, I have level-matched analog and digital connections. The optical and coaxial connections that somebody suggested -- On my setup, the HDMI sounds better than both optical and coaxial also.

Also, I am using Pure Direct on the receiver for both digital and analog, and the HDMI also sounds better -- More musical than analog, it's very strange. Especially considering the Denon SACD player is $3000.
 
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