DVD-Audio newbie question (1 Viewer)

[CurtisSC]

I am thinking about taking the plunge into DVD-Audio. The unit I am eyeing is the Panasonic CP72.

I have a Marantz SR4300 A/V receiver, it does have a 6.1 input. I currently have only a 5.1 speaker set-up.

My question: If I hook up the DVD-Audio player, will I lose that 6th channel, or does that get mixed in somewhere?

Thanks,

 

[CurtisSC]

Actually, I should ask, is DVD-Audio 5.1 or 6.1?

 

[jason willder]

5.1 or in other words 6ch-analog. Don't forget to save for the cables.

 

[Philip Hamm]

It's 5.1 channel from DVD-A, you won't use the rear center input on your receiver.

I've found that Radio Shack Gold series connectors work great for this purpose and are relatively inexpensive. They have a set of four cables (ostensibly for a tape deck), I use that and a stereo set and it works great. No need to spend big dollars on cables unless you want to.

 

[jason willder]

I agree about the cables. Even then it adds to the price of the player quite a bit.

 

[LanceJ]

I finally started buying AR cables at Best Buy: I like the RadShak ones a little better but holy s**t they are SO tight! The rear panels on my equipment would bend ominously trying to cram those things on, even while using a twisting motion. After several years of this, my CD player finally broke an internal soldered circuit board connection.

My next set of cables will be AR's mid-line models I found at Sears of all places (these will be for my Pioneer DV-656A dvd-audio player): AR "Pro Series" audio interconnects.

LJ

 

[Dan Hitchman]

You guys should try Outlaw Audio's interconnects: silver dipped, Oxygen Free solid stranded copper (similar to the technique on Monster M-Series cables) with shielding and they have great prices (you can order a 6 cord package specifically for pre-amps and DVD-A/SACD players). I haven't seen complaints about them yet. I'd bet they're better quality than AR and Rat Shack cables.

Dan

 

[John_Bilbrey]

Don't forget that Parts Express has good prices on cables! They stock AR stuff and several other brands as well.

 

[KeithH]

Dan, I'm not trying to start up, but does Outlaw still have the policy where you cannot return cables for a refund? Anyone looking for cables should know that upfront.

 

[DanaA]

I respect Outlaw as a company, but the whole idea of a mail/internet only company without a 30 day money back return policy is unfathomable to me. For most, the only way they can put the product to a trial is via ordering it directly from Outlaw. Quite a few times, I've thought about buying Outlaw cables to try them out, but held back just for this reason. On the other hand, they probably wouldn't be able to offer them as cheaply if they did accept returns. A compromise: Have a restocking fee of $10 or something that would allow the consumer to try out the cables and, without too big a hit financially, return them if not satisfied.

 

[KeithH]

Dana, I like the idea of the $10 restocking fee. Outlaw has said that they cannot accept returns on cables due to their low prices. The irony is that cables are one of few items in this hobby that are very likely come back to the retailer or manufacturer in perfect condition. While I would not expect Outlaw to sell returned cables as brand new, they could still resell them. It's a bit tougher with audio components since they are likely to come back with fingerprints or other aesthetic issues, not to mention possible mechnical issues. Although there is a lot more that can go wrong by the time a retailer gets an audio component back, many retailers gladly take them back and resell them. Frankly, to not accept returns on cables is just plain stupid. This is why when I was in the market for new cables awhile back, I passed on Outlaw and went with Audioquest cables from mail-order dealers that offered a 30-day money-back guarantee (and no restocking fee).