Can't Get 5.1 SACD and DVD Audio

[deanok]

I have a mixture old old and new. I just purchased a Denon 3910. I had a Denon 2500 for years. I have an old RX V1300 amp. I bypass the the two main front speakers to a Phase Linear 300 power amp because I have Infinity 8 Kappas and they take a lot of power. I have a hdmi going to the tv. I have an optical going from the tv to the amp and the 3910 to the amp. I also have the six rca's going to the 6.1 area for the sacd section.

My problem is the DVD Audio and SACD only comes out in stereo. I can't set up the speaker adjustments because it only shows the front two and the rest are grayed out. I called Denon and they said to do an analog connection to the amp from the 3910. I did that with both component video cables and the stereo rca cables too when the vidoe did not work. I then thought maybe the bypassed power amp was the problem, so I disconnected that and ran regular speaker wire from the regular front speaker out and it still did not read my surround, center and sub.

I know you get a lot of these questions, but I'm stumped.

Thanks

Dean

 

[Adam]

Hi, Dean. Welcome to the forum.

What are you using for SACD and DVD-Audio? Is that component set up to output multiple channels over the analog connections? If you don't know, we can help you with that if you tell us what you're using (manufacturer and model number).

I'm confused by your statement that, "I have an optical going from the tv to the amp and the 3910 to the amp." When I looked up a Phase Linear 300 power amp, it's an older amp without any optical inputs. Perhaps I looked up the wrong amp. Would you verify or clarify that statement for me?

Thanks.

Adam

 

[TLS Guy]

I have a mixture old old and new. I just purchased a Denon 3910. I had a Denon 2500 for years. I have an old RX V1300 amp. I bypass the the two main front speakers to a Phase Linear 300 power amp because I have Infinity 8 Kappas and they take a lot of power. I have a hdmi going to the tv. I have an optical going from the tv to the amp and the 3910 to the amp. I also have the six rca's going to the 6.1 area for the sacd section.

My problem is the DVD Audio and SACD only comes out in stereo. I can't set up the speaker adjustments because it only shows the front two and the rest are grayed out. I called Denon and they said to do an analog connection to the amp from the 3910. I did that with both component video cables and the stereo rca cables too when the vidoe did not work. I then thought maybe the bypassed power amp was the problem, so I disconnected that and ran regular speaker wire from the regular front speaker out and it still did not read my surround, center and sub.

I know you get a lot of these questions, but I'm stumped.

Thanks

Dean

Are your sure your SACDs and DVD-As are multichannel, not all are. If your discs are multichannel, it should output analog signals at the respective output ports. These discs come in two, three and five channel. None of mine have a sub channel, I don't think many do.

 

[dobyblue]

Are your sure your SACDs and DVD-As are multichannel, not all are. If your discs are multichannel, it should output analog signals at the respective output ports. These discs come in two, three and five channel. None of mine have a sub channel, I don't think many do.

I thought you didn't know anything about DVD-A?

 

[TLS Guy]

I thought you didn't know anything about DVD-A?

Not your specific DRM issue, that you talked about in the other thread, I don't. But obviously I'm aware of the DVD A and the format war with SACD, which DVD A has lost in my view. We were talking DRM in the other thread, I had not heard of a DRM issue causing a disc not to play. Apparently you had one, which is another notch against DRM.

 

[deanok]

Hi, Dean. Welcome to the forum.

What are you using for SACD and DVD-Audio? Is that component set up to output multiple channels over the analog connections? If you don't know, we can help you with that if you tell us what you're using (manufacturer and model number).

I'm confused by your statement that, "I have an optical going from the tv to the amp and the 3910 to the amp." When I looked up a Phase Linear 300 power amp, it's an older amp without any optical inputs. Perhaps I looked up the wrong amp. Would you verify or clarify that statement for me?

Thanks.

Adam

I am using monster cable ( 250's) to the six inputs (LF, RF,C, SL SR and SUB). The Yamaha has a 6.1 button that you switch on when using the sacd or dvd audio. I know there are stereo and 5.1 sacd's. I have both. I know the sacd works. The light goes on and it bypasses the optical digital connections. The optical is not going from the 3910 to the Phase Linear, but to the Ymaha amp. The television and dvd work great in 5.1.

 

[deanok]

Are your sure your SACDs and DVD-As are multichannel, not all are. If your discs are multichannel, it should output analog signals at the respective output ports. These discs come in two, three and five channel. None of mine have a sub channel, I don't think many do.

I have both. Elton John and Eric Clapton are both stereo and 5.1. My problem is when setting up the menu for the 3910, the surround, center and subs are grayed out and can't be set.

 

[Adam]

Sorry about that...my brain just phased out on the last reply of mine. For some reason, I equated Denon 3910 to a receiver. Oops. Yes, I have my moronic moments, for sure.

I'm with you, now! Give me a minute to think about this.

 

[dobyblue]

Apparently you had one, which is another notch against DRM.

I have no idea why it doesn't play - more than likely because my player is from 2002.

I don't attribute it to DRM at all. DVD-A spec didn't change at all according to the DVD Forum's meetings and all my other DVD-A's work fine, as do all my SACD's.

Sorry about that...my brain just phased out on the last reply of mine. For some reason, I equated Denon 3910 to a receiver. Oops. Yes, I have my moronic moments, for sure.

Not moronic at all given Denon's rather ambigous naming schemes on their receivers, DVD/SACD players and BD players!!

 

[Adam]

Alrighty, let me try this again.

On the Denon 3910, have you set the "Audio Channel" to "Multi Channel" in the Audio Setup menu (section starts on page 38 of the owners manual)? Is the "Source Direct" setting on "Off" or "On"?

Also, for the discs that have both stereo and 5.1 audio tracks, are you sure that you picked the 5.1 audio track?

Thanks.

Adam

 

[j_garcia]

You can set the default in the player to automatically check for a multichannel track and play that first for SACD.

As Adam mentioned, if you don't choose multi channel, you will not get the option to setup the rest of the speakers.

 

[deanok]

Alrighty, let me try this again.

On the Denon 3910, have you set the "Audio Channel" to "Multi Channel" in the Audio Setup menu (section starts on page 38 of the owners manual)? Is the "Source Direct" setting on "Off" or "On"?

Also, for the discs that have both stereo and 5.1 audio tracks, are you sure that you picked the 5.1 audio track?

Thanks.

Adam

It defaults to Multi Channel. On the digital interface setup when you go to the hdmi audio setup, it defaults to 2 channel. When I go down to multi(LCPM) -hdmi speaker setup to get to the speaker config., it only shows the front two speakers and the rest are grayed out so I can't set them. I don't know if it's a bad player or I'm doing something wrong.

 

[deanok]

You can set the default in the player to automatically check for a multichannel track and play that first for SACD.

As Adam mentioned, if you don't choose multi channel, you will not get the option to setup the rest of the speakers.

How do you go about doing that? If I go to Digital Interface Setup, the HDMI Audio Setup defaults to 2CH. When I go to Multi(PCM)- HDMI Speaker Setup, I only get the front speakers showing. The rest are grayed out and ca't be set. If I go to Audio Setup, It's defaulted to Multichannel, but when you go to speaker setup, it only shows the front as ones you can adjust and the rest are grayed out.

 

[Adam]

I think that I found it. On page 19 of the owners manual, it states:

HDMI audio output settings permit the selection of either 2 channels or multi-channels. When selecting MULTI (NORMAL) or MULTI (LPCM), a down-mixed audio signal is only output from the analog connectors (Left/Right and Front Left/Front Right) of the DVD-3910. To output multi-channel sound from the analog audio output connectors, set HDMI to OFF, or select "2CH".​

BTW, if you don't have the manual, you can download it direct from Denon at the link here.

You can set the default in the player to automatically check for a multichannel track and play that first for SACD.

How do you go about doing that?

That particular item for SACD is covered on page 48 of the owners manual.

 

[Davemcc]

I was going to say unplug the HDMI or disable HDMI in the menu when using the analog output, but Adam said it first. I think that is likely the culprit.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think that I found it. On page 19 of the owners manual, it states:

HDMI audio output settings permit the selection of either 2 channels or multi-channels. When selecting MULTI (NORMAL) or MULTI (LPCM), a down-mixed audio signal is only output from the analog connectors (Left/Right and Front Left/Front Right) of the DVD-3910. To output multi-channel sound from the analog audio output connectors, set HDMI to OFF, or select "2CH".​

BTW, if you don't have the manual, you can download it direct from Denon at the link here.

That particular item for SACD is covered on page 48 of the owners manual.

I have the 5910 and I've had the 3910 in the past. Adam is right. You have to set the HDMI option to either OFF or 2Ch. Then you will get 5.1 with Analog.

Anyway, you have to play around with the Audio settings.

 

[Geno]

I have a 3910 and had a similar problem. Go to the "Player Mode" under the "ETC" tab. Make sure it is set to "audio" rather than "video". (Page 45 in the manual). Let us know if this does it.

 

[deanok]

I think that I found it. On page 19 of the owners manual, it states:

HDMI audio output settings permit the selection of either 2 channels or multi-channels. When selecting MULTI (NORMAL) or MULTI (LPCM), a down-mixed audio signal is only output from the analog connectors (Left/Right and Front Left/Front Right) of the DVD-3910. To output multi-channel sound from the analog audio output connectors, set HDMI to OFF, or select "2CH".​

BTW, if you don't have the manual, you can download it direct from Denon at the link here.

It was the select 2 channel. Something so simple. Just put on Steely Dan. Sounds awsome. Now I can try some more that I bought. My son bought Pink Floyd for Fathers Day. It gave me an excuse to buy the player.

Thanks,

Dean

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think that I found it. On page 19 of the owners manual, it states:

HDMI audio output settings permit the selection of either 2 channels or multi-channels. When selecting MULTI (NORMAL) or MULTI (LPCM), a down-mixed audio signal is only output from the analog connectors (Left/Right and Front Left/Front Right) of the DVD-3910. To output multi-channel sound from the analog audio output connectors, set HDMI to OFF, or select "2CH".​

BTW, if you don't have the manual, you can download it direct from Denon at the link here.

It was the select 2 channel. Something so simple. Just put on Steely Dan. Sounds awsome. Now I can try some more that I bought. My son bought Pink Floyd for Fathers Day. It gave me an excuse to buy the player.

Thanks,

Dean

Doesn't that just drive you crazy?

Stressing out all that time and later finding out that it was only something truly THAT simple?

Anyway, you have a great Denon SACD/DVD-A player there!

Denon is great.