Yamaha RX-A3070 vs RX-Z9 did I make a mistake ?

[JOHN FICKEL]

Now I’m toying with just putting the Z9 back into the system , and say screw the lossless audio which to me seems like a marketing ploy . However I do like having the ability of changing the DSP programs with the phone not sure if adaptive DSP is really needed again don’t really remember needing that on the z9 again with that feature turned off the DSP programs don’t seem as good.? with it turned back on they seem to be better never had that problem with the other receiver

 

[PENG]

Now I’m toying with just putting the Z9 back into the system , and say screw the lossless audio which to me seems like a marketing ploy . However I do like having the ability of changing the DSP programs with the phone not sure if adaptive DSP is really needed again don’t really remember needing that on the z9 again with that feature turned off the DSP programs don’t seem as good.? with it turned back on they seem to be better never had that problem with the other receiver

Did you check to see if the AVR in fact display DTS-MA? Again, no such thing! Should be either DTS-HD or DTS-HD-MA or DTS-HD-MSTR, that is DTS high resolution master audio. DTS-HD is not really lossless.

 

[3db]

And that’s probably my problem I listen to death metal on Pandora, I pay for Pandora premium services one thing I do like about the new receiver is the MP3 music and ehancer although if you turn all these things off it sounds flat to me. I don’t remember the Z9 ever sounding flat without any BS processing

That's the crux of the issue, auditory memory. Accuracy of auditory memory drops off rapidly with time. Unless your comparison are within a minute, don't put too much stock in your memory of the RZ9 sound. It is most likely skewed.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Did you check to see if the AVR in fact display DTS-MA? Again, no such thing! Should be either DTS-HD or DTS-HD-MA or DTS-HD-MSTR, that is DTS high resolution master audio. DTS-HD is not really lossless.

Did not have time I will definitely do it tonight and let you know

 

[PENG]

Did not have time I will definitely do it tonight and let you know

Thank you, my concern is whether you were actually listening to the lossless DTS high resolution master audio codec, even if it is contained in the BR. If it is a DVD then you most likely were only listening to DTS.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Thank you, my concern is whether you were actually listening to the lossless DTS high resolution master audio codec, even if it is contained in the BR. If it is a DVD then you most likely were only listening to DTS.

PENG. You are correct!! Watching Skull Island now and the 3070 says DTS-HD-MA

 

[lovinthehd]

But did it sound any better this time?

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

So DTS-HD-MA Is not lossless ?

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes DTS High Definition Master Audio is lossless.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

But did it sound any better this time?

Yes it seems to me, I’m picking up all the surround detail better than before. Also I decided to crank the volume up to -15 -12 and then it really came to life.

 

[PENG]

Yes it seems to me, I’m picking up all the surround detail better than before. Also I decided to crank the volume up to -15 -12 and then it really came to life.

Before I post, I actually double checked mine, but it is a Marantz. For the Marantz, when you insert the BR disk it appears to default to play DTS-HD+ PLXII (or whatever you selected to fake the rear channels for 7.1) that is better than DTS but still lossy. I have to manually press the button to select DTS-HD-MSTR, so I wondered if the same happened to your 3070, and that's why I suggested you do the checking and I am happy to hear that you are now in fact listening to lossless.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Before I post, I actually double checked mine, but it is a Marantz. For the Marantz, when you insert the BR disk it appears to default to play DTS-HD+ PLXII (or whatever you selected to fake the rear channels for 7.1) that is better than DTS but still lossy. I have to manually press the button to select DTS-HD-MSTR, so I wondered if the same happened to your 3070, and that's why I suggested you do the checking and I am happy to hear that you are now in fact listening to lossless.

Happy Easter! Yes the 3070 automatically goes to DTS HD master I have not had to manually select lossless. I think my problem all along has been I just haven’t had it loud enough. Now I’m at -15 and that seems great.

 

[lovinthehd]

Before I post, I actually double checked mine, but it is a Marantz. For the Marantz, when you insert the BR disk it appears to default to play DTS-HD+ PLXII (or whatever you selected to fake the rear channels for 7.1) that is better than DTS but still lossy. I have to manually press the button to select DTS-HD-MSTR, so I wondered if the same happened to your 3070, and that's why I suggested you do the checking and I am happy to hear that you are now in fact listening to lossless.

When I play a 5.1 DTS-HDMA disc my avr automatically does 7ch showing DTS-HD MSTR (if the speakers are in place), that's with my Denon 4520 and pretty sure my Onkyo does that as well (Onkyo's only got 5 speakers setup now so can't test). It does show only DTS-HD (leaving out the MSTR) if I choose the PLIIx option, not sure if that's an abbreviation or it actually just uses the DTS core....but if I play a 7.1 DTS-HDMA disc I get no options to use the Dolby sound mode....

 

[PENG]

When I play a 5.1 DTS-HDMA disc my avr automatically does 7ch showing DTS-HD MSTR (if the speakers are in place), that's with my Denon 4520 and pretty sure my Onkyo does that as well (Onkyo's only got 5 speakers setup now so can't test). It does show only DTS-HD (leaving out the MSTR) if I choose the PLIIx option, not sure if that's an abbreviation or it actually just uses the DTS core....but if I play a 7.1 DTS-HDMA disc I get no options to use the Dolby sound mode....

Thanks, I only did not quick check using one BR disc before answering his post. If you 4520 behaves like that, I am pretty sure my AV8801 would do the same, as they are only about one model year apart. In fact, I don't remember I had to press any button to make it display "MSTR" before, it's probably one of those things, that it just so happened that one time...

 

[3db]

Happy Easter! Yes the 3070 automatically goes to DTS HD master I have not had to manually select lossless. I think my problem all along has been I just haven’t had it loud enough. Now I’m at -15 and that seems great.

Good to hear. (excuse the pun) . I would expect the Yamaha to automatically select DTS HD master if that is what the source is. Both my Yamahas do the same thing but I'm rather surprised that it takes to -15 to sound great. That's quite loud.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks, I only did not quick check using one BR disc before answering his post. If you 4520 behaves like that, I am pretty sure my AV8801 would do the same, as they are only about one model year apart. In fact, I don't remember I had to press any button to make it display "MSTR" before, it's probably one of those things, that it just so happened that one time...

If I play the disc natively it shows DTS-HD MSTR (and will play thru all 7 ch automatically with a 5ch soundtrack, actually no choice), it shows DTS HD + PLIIx if I choose that sound mode....just to be clear.

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

I watched Jumanji yesterday, I listend at volumes of -21 and -18

 

[little wing]

As 3db said -15db is extremely loud, especially taking into consideration you are using an external amp. I'm just curious, what is it about YPAO that you don't like? When I switch back and forth between "Through" and "Natural" (YPAO), Natural gives a little more of an open sound with a little better stereo imaging. Of course, this is with my ears, my room and my speakers ... YMMV. Also I don't have the knowledge or skill to measure the frequency response with REW and a mic to tweak each individual frequency, I'd probably do more harm than good.

 

[lovinthehd]

I watched Jumanji yesterday, I listend at volumes of -21 and -18

And?

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

And it sounds awesome. Now I can really tell the difference much clearer and much more detail