Dbphd
Three? Analog from the Oppo direct to the amp and HDMI-2 from the Oppo to the 8801 would seem sufficient. I hope you don't take analog from the Oppo to the 8801 and digitize it again. Or do you take analog from the Oppo to an 8801 passthrough, and if so, what's the point given the 8801 can't process a signal if it doesn't digitize it? The Oppo has ample output level to drive the amp and has a fine volume control.
While the method above is sufficient, it would bring into play the hassle of connecting and reconnecting the XLR's for different use and why I use the pass through option on the 8801 and the XLR's can be digitized if one wants to, as Marantz decided to send the XLR input signal through there HDAM, they did however leave the 7.1 inputs pure analog with no option to digitize at all , so if one wants the option it does exist which is why I have all three methods connected but use the one's I noted above. Trust me I know how good the 105 sounds direct to the amp but after the comparison I did, it would be splitting hairs to justify a more complex setup for little return and why I feel the 8801 as a preamp is transparent to the source. So the point is the 8801 does offer a non digitized path via its 7.1 analog inputs via rca but after considerable listening sessions for 2/ch the Oppo 105 via its XLR's to the 8801 assigned to the CD input in Pure direct gave me extremely close to that Oppo direct sound that I listen to daily.
Three? Analog from the Oppo direct to the amp and HDMI-2 from the Oppo to the 8801 would seem sufficient. I hope you don't take analog from the Oppo to the 8801 and digitize it again. Or do you take analog from the Oppo to an 8801 passthrough, and if so, what's the point given the 8801 can't process a signal if it doesn't digitize it? The Oppo has ample output level to drive the amp and has a fine volume control.
While the method above is sufficient, it would bring into play the hassle of connecting and reconnecting the XLR's for different use and why I use the pass through option on the 8801 and the XLR's can be digitized if one wants to, as Marantz decided to send the XLR input signal through there HDAM, they did however leave the 7.1 inputs pure analog with no option to digitize at all , so if one wants the option it does exist which is why I have all three methods connected but use the one's I noted above. Trust me I know how good the 105 sounds direct to the amp but after the comparison I did, it would be splitting hairs to justify a more complex setup for little return and why I feel the 8801 as a preamp is transparent to the source. So the point is the 8801 does offer a non digitized path via its 7.1 analog inputs via rca but after considerable listening sessions for 2/ch the Oppo 105 via its XLR's to the 8801 assigned to the CD input in Pure direct gave me extremely close to that Oppo direct sound that I listen to daily.