Can ANY receiver output digital sources to zone 2?

[mikaelb]

Hi,

Just recently I learned that most AV receivers with digital inputs cannot output those digital sources to their zone 2 outputs. I'm very interested in this limitation because I already have speakers in several rooms all powered by a two channel Integra amp in my living room. My plan is to build a surround sound home theater system in the living room with a new multi-channel receiver, and use my current two channel amp to power only the other rooms.

But this plan assumed the new living room receiver would be able to output all its sources to zone 2. And one of my primary sources is an Apple Airport Express which can output in digital or analog but not both at the same time.

So are there any multi-channel receivers that can output their digital sources to zone 2? And why does this limitation exist?

Thanks! Love the forum!

Mikael

 

[joebob]

I believe the Denon 4306 can do it.

 

[godfatherofsoul]

I don't believe the 4306 can do that - tried it in a house and got no sound. The only thing I could come up with was that the zone 2 settings have no place to tell it you are using a digital source. That being said, I may have done something wrong when I set it up.
As for the Apple thing, my recommendation would be to run analog only if it can't output digital and ananlog at the same time. Don't penalize yourself because of a piece of equipment's limitations. You won't notice a significant dropoff in sound quality if you use decent RCA cables.
Someone else might be able to help with a better solution...

Cheers!

 

[jcPanny]

Zone 2 limitations

Most receivers have this limitation because they don't have a seperate D/A's and DSPs for zone 2. Thus they can only decode a signle digital source at a time for zone 1. A simple switch from the analog inputs to the zone2/3 line outs or amp is all that is added.
As sugested, some high end denon might include this feature for $2k and up.

Here are a couple other options:
Use all digital audio sources to receiver. Use one of the receivers digital or optical outputs and a simple D/A converter for connection to the integra amp. This will probably require that zone 2 is listening to the same thing as zone 1, however.

Buy a Squeezebox 3 for $300 and use its high quality analog output with a $1k receiver.

Also, if you are playing low res MP3's, then you probably wont hear a difference with the airport's analog vs. digital outputs.

 

[j_garcia]

I'm pretty sure the 5805 can do it. IMO, any that can do it aren't going to be cheap.

Are you realistically going to need ALL sources output to other zones? How often do you want hear TV in another zone when you aren't watching? Choose which sources you absolutely need on the second zone, generally only the audio components (DVD, CD, etc...) which can almost always be hooked up both via digital and analog - problem solved.

 

[AVRat]

The 4306 is capable with limitations. See notes on pg 62 of the manual. The 4806 & 5805 are capable. My head hurts trying to understand the manuals.

 

[patnshan]

I have a Marantz SRT-8400 and run zone 2 (internal amps) and zone 3 (external amps).

I originally shared your concern, but then figured out that with a 2 channel source, there is absolutely no difference in sound quality. I ran analog and digital cables to the receiver, and can make the switch with a couple buttons on the remote. I actually left my prismiq on analog because I could not tell any difference in SQ from digital.

I think it is less of a deal than you think.

Pat

 

[mikaelb]

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies!

I'm going to have a look at those Denon receivers that don't have this limitation and see how pricey they are.

I like the idea of only having digital sources going into the zone 1 receiver, but all my sources can't do digital (I have a VCR).

The source I definitely need in zones 1 and 2 is the Apple Airport Express. And this is the only source that cannot output digital and analog at the same time. Like all the new Macs, it has a single mini-DIN (I think?) audio output jack that outputs analog or optical digital depending on what you plug into it.

I like the Squeezebox, but I really like using iTunes on my laptop to control what's playing. The Airport Express is simple and works best for me. Most of my MP3s are encoded at at least 256K variable bit rate, so trying to go digital might be worth it.

So what if I got a digital optical splitter cable to plug into the Airport Express? One split would go into the zone 1 receiver's digital input, and the other into a separate D/A converter? Then I could go from the D/A converter either directly to the zone 2 receiver or to analog inputs of the zone 1 receiver.

Are there reasonably priced separate D/A converters that would make this a reasonable solution?

 

[mikaelb]

[...]

I think it is less of a deal than you think.

Pat

Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, this is very likely the case! I've just read that the D/A converter in the Airport Express isn't the best, so I was looking forward to using its digital output instead.

Mikael

 

[skipsterut]

The Pioneer Elite VSX-72 and 74 receivers can run 2 sub-zones, Zone 2 uses analog, but Zone 3 uses digital optical out to the separate zone 3 amp.

Sound like you could run zone 3 for your needs. Good luck whatever you do.