Marantz SR7400 - headphones - no 7.1 (1 Viewer)

[Doug Otte]

Here I am again w/ silly questions about my new receiver. I just tried headphones w/ it for the first time the other night.

I always use the 7.1 inputs when listening to SACDs, even 2CH ones. On my previous Sony receiver, I didn't have a Direct option on the other inputs, and I found that using the CD input degraded the sound somewhat, probably due to additional processing by the receiver.

So, I put in a Bartok SACD, switched to 7.1, and plugged in the headphones. The setting automatically reverted from 7.1 input to the previous input I had selected on the receiver. I know that the receiver has to present a 2CH signal to the headphone output, so I listened w/ the CD input and Direct to defeat any bass management by the receiver.

My concern is that, w/ the CD input, the player (cheapo Sony DVP-NS755P until I can afford to upgrade) or the receiver might downconvert the SACD signal. Because the receiver automatically switches the input for headphones, there's no way I can test it. I did previously test using the speakers by switching between the CD-Direct and 7.1 inputs. It seemed that the CD-Direct input added a slight grain to the sound, but I need to spend more time doing more careful listening.

John Garcia or anyone else: do we know whether the full SACD signal is being passed through the CD inputs and is being output unsullied to the headphones?

It sounded pretty good to my ears. I'm just curious. Thanks.

Doug

 

[John Garcia]

Bass management does not occur on the headphone jack, AFAIK. According to my manual, whenever headphones are plugged in, the receiver is automatically put into stereo mode, though tone controls and SD are available. I noticed this when I tried out my headphones on the 8300 a while back, so I had to look it up.

"Unsullied" probably isn't happening 100%, because the signal path is a bit different through the standard analog inputs, but I don't think there's any other way to do it, because of the automatic switching with headphones. IMO, since you don't have a headphone jack on the 755, the way you have it is about as good as you can get it for now.