I have a question about my Panasonic DMP-BD-85 Blu-Ray player. It’s connected to a Marantz ZR6001 A/V receiver using a coaxial cable and the 7.1 ch audio analog outputs. I’ve been very pleased by the Panasonic’s performance with movies, but less so with CDs. While shopping, I read reviews which raved about the audio performance of the Panasonic, but I’m not hearing it. On CDs I know well, there’s significant more noise (hiss, hum) in quiet sections than I hear through my old-fashioned 2-channel audio rig.
This makes me think I might not have the BD-85 set up or connected properly. Is there a way I can make sure I’m taking advantage of its 7.1 ch audio analog outputs? Also, when playing CDs, “digital” and “PCM” are lit up on the front panel of my Marantz receiver. Is this right? Thanks to any who might be able to offer me some help.
Jim LG
Panasonic DMP-BD85 Marantz ZR6001 Mission 734/73c/m70 Toshiba 42ZV650U
NAD C540 NAD C340 ADS L710
PC KingRex T20U Optimus Pro LX5
If "Digital" and "PCM" are lit up on your receiver, it is receiving a digital signal, not the analog signal. In other words, you are using the digital connection rather than the analog connection (from that, we can say absolutely that your issue is not with the analog section of the Panasonic, since you are not even really using it). In your case, you might want to disconnect the digital connection, and use only the analog connection, so that you will know that you are hearing the analog from the Panasonic (unless you are hearing nothing at all). You will need to set the levels and delays in the player when using the multichannel analog connection.
As for hearing more hiss, that can be the result of many different things, as you are using a different system. It is entirely possible, for example, that your speakers on your two channel system have a slight drop off in treble, or your speakers on your multichannel system have a slight bump up in treble, which would make you hear more hiss. One of those is most likely the cause of hearing more hiss, particularly if we are discussing CDs that were originally recorded several decades ago (like 70's rock, etc.). One way to test this hypothesis is to take your old CD player from your two channel system and hook it up to your multichannel system and play your CDs on it. If you still have more tape hiss than on your two channel system, then you will know it has nothing to do with the Panasonic. It could be the receiver or the speakers, but most likely it is the speakers having a different frequency response. To further test this, you could take your speakers from your two channel system, and hook them up to your multichannel system, disconnecting all of the current speakers from it, and playing your CDs on the Panasonic. If the tape hiss problem "goes away", you would then know it all has to do with the speakers. Which speakers are more right is something that is another matter, as it could be that you are simply used to having less treble than you should have.
What are the CDs that we are discussing? When were they recorded?
