Yamaha RX-V2500 Zone 2 Digital Questions

[quakers]

I have a Yamaha RX-V2500 with a DVD player connected through a COAX connection and a MD player connected through an optical connection. I can't get Zone 2 to play these audio sources.

Does this receiver not convert digital to Zone 2?

 

[crashguy]

Nope. The only way you can hear those sources out in zone 2 is to also conect them with an analog connection, and manually select that as the input 1st. The receiver will not convert digital to analog. I tried this with a Denon 3802 I used to own, and it wouldn't either, so its not just Yamaha that runs this way.

 

[JPW]

Nope. The only way you can hear those sources out in zone 2 is to also conect them with an analog connection, and manually select that as the input 1st. The receiver will not convert digital to analog. I tried this with a Denon 3802 I used to own, and it wouldn't either, so its not just Yamaha that runs this way.

From what I gather, your saying both Denon and Yamaha will not convert a digital PMC signal from a CD, MD, or DVD and play it in zone 2? So one would have to hook up the CD, MD, or DVD via analog and tell the receiver to default to analog in order to hear this sound. Are you sure. What's the point of DAC on all channels if they don't work?

If you are correct, this is a major bummer, and totally stupid on the part of the mfg. I know that Onkyo and Integra work fine in zone 2 with the receiver doing the D/A duty.

 

[MDS]

Nope. Onkyo requires analog connections for zone2 as well. Only much higher priced receivers like those from B&K and Sunfire will play digital sources in zone2.

 

[crashguy]

Yes I'm sure. Have owned both. They state it right in the manual.

You would have to hook up w/both digital and analog, and select analog to hear it in zone 2.

 

[JPW]

I just checked, and I stand corrected. It doesn't work with my Integra.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I don't know any manufacturer that allows digital inputs for zone 2/3 if they are just stereo outputs. Integra does offer a unit with full surround in zone 2, so I would imagine that digital is allowed for that unit's zone 2.

EVERY other manufacturer that I know of, requires analog. Denon, Sony, Yamaha, Onkyo (Integra), HK, etc., etc.

It's one extra set of audio cables to shoot audio to a second zone... It's cheap to hook up and will sound good if you just hook everything up correctly. You should be very happy with the setup using analog.

 

[quakers]

Confirmation from Yamaha

Everyone here is correct that the 2500 and the Denon in the same range does not convert from digital to zone 2.

However in the Yamaha 2500 manual it states that passing DTS throught Zone 2 creates static and noise through the speakers not audio. This is confucisng since you can't have DTS without a digital signal being pased through Zone 2.

And the Z9 DOES convert digital to Zone 2 ....according to Yamaha.

 

[Leprkon]

I don't know any manufacturer that allows digital inputs for zone 2/3 if they are just stereo outputs. Integra does offer a unit with full surround in zone 2, so I would imagine that digital is allowed for that unit's zone 2.

EVERY other manufacturer that I know of, requires analog. Denon, Sony, Yamaha, Onkyo (Integra), HK, etc., etc.

It's one extra set of audio cables to shoot audio to a second zone... It's cheap to hook up and will sound good if you just hook everything up correctly. You should be very happy with the setup using analog.

would the manufacturers need an entire extra set of DACS to allow that ? is it cost/space prohibitive ?? just guessing here...

 

[BMXTRIX]

Don't know exactly what would be required... a lot of manufacturers claim individual DACs on all inputs. So what's the problem? Maybe not enough zone 2 engineering or maybe not enough power or a worry about noise. Maybe the audio signal path may get corrupted or introduce potential noise to the main speakers with 2 DACs working at once??? I can think of many reasons why manufacturers may not allow digital to zone 2.

On the other hand - the Z9 allows digital to zone 2... so obviously some manufacturers are spending a little more time and effort making zone 2 work better. I'm not to pressed since I would never make zone 2 more than background music or a lightly used stereo zone. It just needs to sound really good... not perfect.