2. amps-preamps
  3. 1219977824

Imaging problem, or lack thereof...any ideas

Not sure what/where the problem is, so I'm not really too sure where to post this, but here goes. I'm using a PS3 to send HDMI to my onkyo 805 receiver, which is playing the music in "direct" mode and sending the pre out to a musical fidelity A5 integrated amp (HT bypass input on A5). When I play music this way I get a great image, but of course I'm using the preamp section of the onkyo receiver so it's lacking a lot of power when compared with the A5's preamp section, especially in the lower freqs.

When I send optical out of the PS3 (2 ch 44.1 khz) to my musical fidelity A3 24 DAC and then to an input on the A5 integrated, I totally lose any image. All sound is put out of both speakers simultaneously and all sound is localized at the center. Overall the sound is much better/open/powerful coming from the preamp section of the A5, but I just can't go without an image...

I also have the same problem when sending 2ch analog out of the PS3. No distinction in the 2 channels.

I don't know if it's the player (doesn't seem like it should be, because it separates the 2 channels when playing out HDMI), or the MF A5 integrated (which also doesn't seem like it should be because it's distinguishing channels fine when received through the HT Bypass input from the receiver). Anybody ever have this problem? If so, how did you solve it?

After typing all that it seems like this might be a little confusing :D
joeshow750
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
With all those connections going on, have you somehow mixed the right and lefts up somewhere perhaps?

if not.... Sounds like something is inverting the phase. Which ever way you are losing imaging, do that but then before playing music, transpose the speaker leads, putting the neg onto the pos and vice versa. Start at low volume, and move it on up and see if things remain the same or the issue disappears.

I've ran my 805 into two differnt amps SS & tubed, with none of these 'loss of imaging' issues.

Lastly, perhaps making a change in the 805s speaker setup section to 2 main speakers only, might have an effect, especially if other speakers are attached to the 805 during this event. I'm not sure about this last part, but it's only a couple clicks away from finding out.

Past all that I'm at a loss too... and a bit curious as well.

Good luck.
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
After a few reading of your post, it seems the problems stem from the play station gizmo... perhaps using the digital links the play station is outputting multi ch info into a 2 ch signal path.

Can the video game thingy be configured to down mix to 2 ch only, regardless the outputs beinng used? If I read this rightly, it may ccme down to having to use the HDMI out to the 805, and analog out to the int... and setting the PS3 to multi or 2ch, when needed.
joeshow750 OP
6 posts
 


I'm thinking you're right, but I don't understand why it would be happening. Yeah, you can choose the format of the audio you have going out digitally from the PS3. And it works fine in HDMI, but sounds like a single channel in either optical (which I choose 2ch @ 44.1 khz) or analog (which is obviously 2ch).

Yeah, there's just no way I could live with going through the 805's preamp section when I have such better sound quality going through the A5 integrated. I have to figure something out, even it means getting a new player.

Problem is, I don't know if it's the player or the A5 mixing the 2ch into 1ch. I've been thinking about it all day and I think I know what I'm going to try when I get home. I'm going to take the optical and analog out of the PS3 and run that to the 805 and see if I have the same problem. If I do have the same problem, I know that it's the player sending out 2 identical channels. If I don't have the same problem, well I'll be really confused then. I'll have to bust out an old player from the garage and try that one.

Any other suggestions to try?
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
Other than re-checking the configs & connections, only this... go to Best Buy and get a new one... see if it does the same thing or not, then take it back.... or as you said, you might get another one to replace it, just keep the new one.

That ought to settle it then and there as to who's the real culprit. The PS3 OR the DAC.

having other similar items on hand for situations like this is a great thing for finding out what's up with the devices in one's rig..

Good Luck
Ag insider logo xs@2x
islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
I'm not sure what I have to say has any relevance, but I run a coax signal from my cd player into first a Genesis Digital Time Lens, then to my Musical Fidelity A3/24 dac, then to a Sonic Euphoria PLC. I run a separate two-channel system with my multi-channel system. Two channel amp and afore-mentioned PLC, with pre-pro and multi-channel amps for surround. Sonic Euphoria has HT bypass as well for integration. Time Lens, dac, uni-player, and two-channel amp highly modded by the way.

Point being, my digtal front end never disappoints. I am of the opinion that coax is a better option than Toslink for transferring digital signals. This is just my opinion, I don't claim to be an expert, but my digital is very satisfying.

I don't know if this is in any way helpful, but there was a time when things didn't sound so good, but this has optimized both stereo and multi-channel for me. FWIW

Regards, Dan
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