Imaging problem, or lack thereof...any ideas

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

Jim, I checked all the connections, and everything is set up correctly.

Dan, I'm not saying the sound isn't good. I mean, the sound is excellent. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the speakers (Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Sig System towers) It's only the lack of image that I get due to the identical sound being put out on both channels simultaneously. Now I will ask: since you're using the same DAC, do you have a good separation of channels, definite image, and soundstage? ie. bass guitar left stage, singer center stage, keyboard right stage, etc. etc.? Because from my testing it seems that the DAC is mixing 2ch input into a single channel and outputting on both left and right.

So I think I got this figured out after some testing and swaptronics. I think my musicaly isn't separating the 2ch's. I tried running my optical connection, in 2ch format, from the Playstation 3 to the 805. I got perfect separation of channels. I also hooked up my xbox 360 using optical 2ch format to the 805 and also got good separation of the channels. Using both the PS3 and xbox 360 2ch optical out to go through the musical fidelity DAC, I lost any separation of channels and only have an identical signal on both channels. So unless for some reason the A5 integrated pre stage mixes the left and right inputs on all but the HT bypass input--then it has to be the DAC that is mixing the 2ch signal into a mono signal and sending it out on both left and right channels.

Joe, I really don't think it's your dac. In my system, imaging is amazing. Speakers seem to disappear. Can you try running a coax digital signal from your digital source to the dac? I'm not at all familiar with the PS3, but I think an HDMI feed is more appropriate for home theater than for two channel music, but then, I may be living in the past. Let me know what you find out, ok?

Thanks, and good luck,
Dan

Does the DAC have a ch selection for making both 2 ch (stereo) output the same? Like the Lavry DA10 had a switch on it which allowed you to output the right ch to both speakers, or the left to both speakers, or combine to mono a stereo signal. I forget why they said that feature was in place and never used it... except to see if it worked. It did.

The Lavry had a dedicated sw. for this purpose... maybe the MF DAC has it included under a multi function button...?? or is the default unless changed.

BTW... for what it's worth, via my HDMI cables in stereo config, the sound is very good indeed, until I step way up in ic price tags. I do mean way up too. Just my experience.

The PS3 doesn't have a coax out and neither does the xbox 360. I think I have an old dvd player that has coax out somewhere. I'll try to find it and see what happens. The thing about that is that I'm getting good separation of channels through the optical cables from both the PS3 and the xbox 360, but only when going through the onkyo 805 receiver...meaning that the 805's DAC and preamp section are being used.