Help with Oppo BDP-83SE Settings

[NanoEtch599GTB]

I am having some difficulty figuring out what I should have my BDP-83SE player speaker configuration settings set to given these current findings and what the previous supplemental data show. I am currently using a Yamaha Rx-v1800 as a preamplifier and I do not believe that it can do bass management using the multichannel analog input. There is also no option to boost the LFE signal independently. Currently I am running all channel trims at 0db, LCR = large and rear speakers set to small. Please help.

 

[j_garcia]

Yes there is an adjustment for the LFE channel in the speaker setup menu and if you have any speakers set to small, it will be available so it should be available for you with your configuration. What speakers do you have that you would be setting them to large; certainly not many centers? There are few speakers that I've seen that are generally intended to be set to large. Very few receivers can apply bass management to the m/c analog in, but many can at least adjust the levels of those channels.

 

[NanoEtch599GTB]

Ok thanks. I just had LCR set to large for "quick setup" based on the audioholics initial measurements of BDP-83SE. It said, all speakers set to large and use AVR for bass management. As for the settings to boost my LFE settings in the Yamaha, there is no such control unless I boost the "speaker level" in which case the LFE for my other sources (PVR for example) will have way too much bass. I guess Im not sure what do do here. Sorry for ingorant noob posts, but i want to make sure im getting the best out of my current equipment.

 

[j_garcia]

Your receiver's bass management won't affect the m/c analogs. If it does have the ability to adjust them, it would be a separate adjustment from the standard bass management for all other inputs.

I noticed with the SE that adjusting the channel levels in the player doesn't work well anyway - I am auditioning some speakers right now and they are far less sensitive than my speakers so I thought I would adjust the levels in the player since it is easily accessed but while doing some nearfield listening I could hear distortion that I know is not on the discs. I adjusted them back down and raised the levels in my receiver and there was no distortion. I do believe this was mentioned in either the reveiew or possibly even in Oppo's docutmentation, that it wasn't good to adjust in the player. The AH recommendations I believe would pertain to using HDMI because the audio adjustments in the player are ignored if you are using the m/c analog outs, just like bass management is ignored on the m/c analog inputs on nearly all receivers.

 

[NanoEtch599GTB]

Any recomendation for an upgraded pre/pro then that may help me with my dilema?

 

[j_garcia]

Don't have any specifically, but the first thing I'd check for is the ability to adjust the levels of the m/c inputs. Price range?

 

[NanoEtch599GTB]

Ideally < $3k

 

[j_garcia]

http://emotiva.com/umc1.shtm I am going ti email emotiva with this question as I am considering getting one of these.

Marantz 8003 pre/pro.

Denon 4810 receiver.

 

[NanoEtch599GTB]

Thanks for your prompt responses. I definately would like to go pre/pro instead of reciever since I'm sure my Parasound Halo amps are much better than what's inside the Dennon. The Yamaha I have now is just using pre-outs.

 

[j_garcia]

I meant to only use the Denon as a pre/pro also. The Denon Pre/pro costs a lot more. The Rotel 1570 pre/pro also looks good, but I don't know if it has that capability either. I may check that one out this weekend.

(it is slow today, so I have time to respond )

 

[Ron Temple]

I don't have any idea what controls your Yammie has, but I'm using a legacy HK AVR as a pre/pro. For MCH I use the 6/8 channel direct. There's no bass management. I also run most of my speakers large because I can and they sound better that way. To apply the 10db boost, I needed to calibrate through the Oppo and the AIX disk at much different levels than than optical or HDMI. I ended up reducing my speakers by 5dbs on my pre/pro and 5dbs on my Oppo. This allowed me to calibrate my sub at -0 sending an unclipped LFE signal to the Oppo and I can keep the sub levels on the Oppo in the - 5 to -0 range depending on content. I know this doesn't work out to the full 10db boost, but I find that I don't need the full 10dbs for everything.

 

[TLS Guy]

Any recomendation for an upgraded pre/pro then that may help me with my dilema?

I have been very pleased with the Marantz AV 8003.

And this second part to the review.

 

[NanoEtch599GTB]

All,
Thanks for your input. I did find a work around using a combination of reducing main speaker levels at Oppo and boosted LFE level on Yammie. I was able to save the setting in a different memory bank which allows me to utilize my "standard levels" for my other sources. Seems to work ok.

As for a new pre/pro, I am considering a couple I can get in the same ballpark price figure. The two contenders thus far are the Cary Cinema 11a and the new Integra DHC-80.1. I like the idea of having the latest and greatest with the Integra, but am weary of its ability to produce good SQ with analog inputs as has been mentioned in the past. The Cary 11a is well known for its SQ, but isn't new and lacks extra HDMI ins/outs. This is not a huge deal as I don't do any video processing in my current pre and could get by with just the two. Any thoughts/comparisons/reviews?

 

[TLS Guy]

All,
Thanks for your input. I did find a work around using a combination of reducing main speaker levels at Oppo and boosted LFE level on Yammie. I was able to save the setting in a different memory bank which allows me to utilize my "standard levels" for my other sources. Seems to work ok.

As for a new pre/pro, I am considering a couple I can get in the same ballpark price figure. The two contenders thus far are the Cary Cinema 11a and the new Integra DHC-80.1. I like the idea of having the latest and greatest with the Integra, but am weary of its ability to produce good SQ with analog inputs as has been mentioned in the past. The Cary 11a is well known for its SQ, but isn't new and lacks extra HDMI ins/outs. This is not a huge deal as I don't do any video processing in my current pre and could get by with just the two. Any thoughts/comparisons/reviews?

I would definitely keep the Marantz on the list. It is a real solid performer with no temperament. I would avoid the Integra.

I would negotiate the best deal with local dealers. I got my Marantz for the price of that Integra, plus the rack mounting kit. Marantz alos has a good three year warranty. That means a lot with these touch modern processing boards.

 

[j_garcia]

Received an email back from Emotiva and the m/c analog input levels on the UMC-1 are fixed.

 

[TLS Guy]

Received an email back from Emotiva and the m/c analog input levels on the UMC-1 are fixed.

They are on most units. The were on the Rotel 1098 and they are on my Marantz. This is for reasons of sound quality. As I have said many times you have to do what I do of you want to level multichannel inputs. You need to build a unit to do and the bass management. This is important for SACD as the European CDs have no sub channel and if you convert to PCM the rear information goes to the wrong speakers, as the monitoring standards, for North America and Europe are different.

That is why SACD is such a mess and very few ever optimize it.

 

[j_garcia]

My Marantz 8300 can adjust the levels for the m/c input separate from the bass management for all other inputs. If I adjust the levels in the player, I can hear the distortion. If I do it in my receiver, it sounds fine.

 

[NanoEtch599GTB]

Looks like the Marantz is on the list. The only thing I don't know about the Marantz is if it can do different cross-over frequencies for different speaker pairs?

 

[TLS Guy]

Looks like the Marantz is on the list. The only thing I don't know about the Marantz is if it can do different cross-over frequencies for different speaker pairs?

The crossover is global. I only need the LFE output crossed over as all my speakers are set large, and then I process the LFE output to properly distribute it the the four drivers via four amplifiers. So it is fine for my needs, but I can see it might not be for some.