I have learned from Roger Dressler, at another web forum, that the coaxial digital output downconverts everything to no more than 48-24. Including blu ray and DVD-A. Plus, the Gen 8 seemed to sound much better on DirecTV starting about 9 last night, coincidentally after being used or on standby for about 100 hours. The manual warns it needs 100 hours warmup - but I didn't realize that applies to a unit already burnt in but that was off for a while. So don't jump too soon to conclusions.
If that is the case, the GenVIII would indeed be a better DAC than the ud9004, because it sounds as good on 48/24 as the ud9004 on 96/24. There is an easy way to find out what is going on with resolutions. Just hook up the PWD to the ud9004 and play a 96/24 Blu Ray or DVD-A source. The PWD display will tell you what resolution it is receiving from the ud9004. What would still be hard to explain is how the ud9004 XLR analog is equivalent to coax into the GenVIII on CD sources, which are obviously both 44/16.
By the way, hooking up the PWD to the digit out card will also allow you to verify what resolution the digi out card sends out once you get your CBIII back.
Good idea. I do have the PWD set up. I probably won't do this though until this weekend, got to work and then relax some during the week.Originally Posted by edorr
Steve & Edorr, I just tested the Aix HD Sampler Disc and using the Two Channel 96/24 selection on the disc playing from the Marantz UD-9004, and routing it to my PSA Perfect Wave DAC the SPDIF PCM Stream is down sampled to 48 kHz, and I wouldn't doubt that it's at a bit depth of 16, although I have no way to verify that. I also have no way to test the HDMI Output until my CB HD is returned.
Perhaps other players will pass the 96/24 PCM over SPDIF. I will try to get ahold of an Oppo this week to see. I have one coming in for a customer on Wed. The plot thickens. Norm
More on my Theta Generation VIII Series 2 DAC and comparison to analog XLR out of my Marantz UD9004:
2-7-2011
I connected the Marantz via digital coaxial to the PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC (PWD), as the latter set to “Native” tells you the incoming audio resolution rate. What I found that is the if the resolution is higher than 48-24 (96-24 & 192-24) for DVD-Audio or Blu Ray music discs, or if I play a Blu Ray movie with the Marantz set to downmix to two channel PCM, that the audio resolution shown by the PWD is 48-24.
So when I’ve told you that the sonics of a DVD-Audio disc, or a Blu Ray music disc, are the same via coaxial digital (downsampled we know now by Marantz to 48-24 despite the higher resolution on the disc) vs stereo analog XLR out from the Marantz, I am in effect telling you that the Gen VIII Series 2 DAC sounds as good on 48-24 as the Marantz sounds full resolution (96-24 or 192-24 in some cases) XLR stereo analog out.
But lets go another step, too. The Gen VIII Series 2 manual warns you to burn in 100 hours so the Gen VIII sounds like it should. But I have a “used” unit well burnt in you would think.
I had watched some HDTV shows, with my DirecTV HD DVR set to downsample Dolby Digital 5.1 to PCM 2.0. I found DirecTV, connected to the Gen 8 via toslink, generally weak sounding, but better than nothing until I get my CB3 HD upgraded unit back. I wrote this off to the downsampling to PCM 2.0. Funny thing though is last night, once Super Bowl over, I watched a show and started thinking how much better it sounded for DirecTV, that it was sounding quite nice. And tonight, I watched a few HDTV shows, and it sounded awful good in two channel, with the front end sounding better than I remember, though I could tell that I was missing my subs and surrounds. Turns out that by Sunday night I had the Gen 8 on for - - - about 100 hours, either in use or on standby. I guess that everytime the Gen 8 is off for a good period of time, it requires that burn-in to sound like it should!
So I am playing that Emmylou Harris DVD-Audio disc, switching between coaxial digital
(48-24) and XLR stereo analog (96-24), and yea the coaxial digital (Gen 8 DACs) is sounding already a bit better than the analog. WOW!
So the Gen VIII Series 2 is starting to sound like a real keeper.
Also, I will keep the PSD for awhile. So when I get the CB3 HD, I will be able to hook up from the digital out card into the PWD so I can measure the audio resolution. HA!
I'm not surprised. I recall getting the same results with a 96/24 DAD disc I while ago.
My projection is everything will be fine in 96/24 with the digi out card though. Although (no matter what Theta says) in violation of the HDMI license, the architecture of the CBIII would make it technically near impossibly NOT to send full resolution over the digi out card, so they took their chances.
Given that the price difference between the two units this should be more reassuring to current and prospective GenVIII owners than parity of SQ. I am still mildly puzzled by the fact that the ud9004 and GenVIII were even close on redbook (while the PWD handily beats the ud9004), but this may be addressed in another rematch .....
All of this makes me sorry I didn't keep my Gen V (or was it III?) updated but instead sold it...
Les
I had a Generation VA DAC paired with my then Citation 7.0 analog surround processor and Laserdisc and Dwin projector. That was a long time ago in a place where I remain today. HA!
Steve, we lead a Parallel Existence. I too had a Gen Va as well as Data I & Data III LD players prior to my CB I. I had a nice converstion with Neil Sinclair and Jim White in his office about the efficacy of the CB concept prior to its birth. Back in the days of separate SQ, QS, and MSB DD decoders this idea seemed brilliant to me. Turns out it was. Norm
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