Receivers redigitzing analog signals for subwoofer

[FatStrat85]

It's really funny that absolutely no one knows the definitive answer to this. We should write a letter to one of the designers/engineers at one of the major receiver companies.

What's even more funny is that no one can tell by just testing it out and listening. That should be the easiest way to figure it out. Of course, it probably makes absolutely no audible difference, so we can't figure it out that way. That brings up the point again about this question being pointless. If nobody here can actually hear the difference, who cares? However, I'm now interested out of curiosity and I think we should write a letter to solve this if nobody here can provide a sufficient and definitive answer.

I bet you most modern digital receivers just digitize the analog input when applying bass management.

 

[timetohunt]

It's really funny that absolutely no one knows the definitive answer to this. We should write a letter to one of the designers/engineers at one of the major receiver companies.

What's even more funny is that no one can tell by just testing it out and listening. That should be the easiest way to figure it out. Of course, it probably makes absolutely no audible difference, so we can't figure it out that way. That brings up the point again about this question being pointless. If nobody here can actually hear the difference, who cares? However, I'm now interested out of curiosity and I think we should write a letter to solve this if nobody here can provide a sufficient and definitive answer.

I bet you most modern digital receivers just digitize the analog input when applying bass management.

Yea. I would like to understand the actual flow and details of processing regarding this. And while in most applications there will be no audible difference, there possibly could be. It might fall into the catagory of "what it could have sounded like.. IF" but I can't think of any scenario at this time. Also I truly believe it would make a difference for those in search of high end CD players or possibly other analog equipment. Now I realize that most of those types would be using separate components and not receivers. BUT...there are people in that catagory or on the fence that are moving toward receiver based systems. I think there is a very good argument to make that receivers of high quality these days are just as good as separates. The pre-amp, power amp and other stages of the modern receiver are very good and can make a case to swing that way.

I also think there would be plenty of engineers that believe this is far from just trivial.
If I am not mistaken I think there are some receivers that have factored this very issue into the units beyond the standard analog-back-to-digital (we are assuming at this point) way of handling it. I will look into that and get back with what I find. Also, I planned on shooting an email off to pioneer to see what I get. Most likely nothing solid.

 

[MDS]

What would qualify as a 'definitive answer'? A reply from a receiver manufacturer?

It doesn't take much to realize that it cannot keep the signal entirely in the analog domain for bass management without having multiple analog filters and there is no way that a $300 receiver will have multiple analog filters soley for bass management. Everything nowadays happens in the digital domain. Digital is data and data can be examined and manipulated ten ways from Sunday. Analog...not so much (without a whole lot of extra parts and added cost).

 

[santeini]

Once you are in the analog domain of your receiver the signal will not be sent to the DAC of the receiver.(I think manufactures know well enough not to do this mistake) But in oder to pass the signal properly to left/right speaker and the sub the signal will be processed by the DSP of the receiver, and for your information this will de done digitally. Your only option is to use pure direct.I know you want your audio sound to be as pure as possible with the sub working(we all want too) but this is not the case if you are using an av receiver. Another way is to switch to pure direct and feed the left/right speaker out of the receiver to the left/right speaker in of the sub and form the speaker out of your sub to your left/right speaker(caution most sub only allow one operation at a time meaning either line input or speaker input at any given time using two together could fry your sub)