Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Meridian 861 + 621 + OPPO 93 users: Advise Please

Happy New Year to everyone.

I have bought an Oppo 93. It is presently being modified by Audiocom.

Since the Oppo 93 has two HDMI outs I was wondering whether or not there is a quality benefit (to audio or video) in having one HDMI output used to send video to my Runco video processor and the other HDMI out to send audio to my HD621? If there is no benefit in sepperating the two I'd prefer to use just one of the HDMI outs for both audio + video. With using just the one HDMI cable I'd send the signal directly to the HD621 which would in turn do a pass through of the video signal to my Runco processor.

If you have tried or tested both configurations I would be most interested in knowing if you found any improvement in audio and or video when using both HDMI outputs from the Oppo instead of just the one cable for both.

Many thanks in advance for your kind help.

What for, out of interest? Are they modifying the HDMI output section?

I had both an Oppo 93 and an HD621 together for a while, and they worked very well. I think the advantage of the "HDMI audio output" is that the audio processor doesn't have to be connected to the video display or video processor. The latter are full of VHF noise and interference from high-speed DSP (and often switching PSUs), and this to me makes a difference to the performance of the audio processor, whether its a HD621 or some other processor that accepts HDMI inputs. That's why I bought the 93.

BR, Nick

If its Audiocom doing the work, I suspect that the mod would be some ultra-low jitter word clocks and perhaps dedicated highly regulated power supplies for same.

Happy Trails!
MTB Vince

They offer a number of modifications to the unit. As i�m a Meridian HD621 + 861 user the Oppo 93 will function as a transport only and thus I have opted for their Signature HDMI upgrade package. This includes a number of proprietary modifications to increase damping. It also includes the installation of a new cryo treated power supply as well as the installation of �Super Effect� AC Bybee Bullets on the AC rails between the IEC and inlet power supply. It also includes the installation of a new ultra clock (ultra low jitter) and swapping the internal wiring with Kimber Kable manufactured product. They also replace the stock IEC inlet with a Furutech product and upgrade all the electrolytic capacitors. RF absorbing techniques are also incorporated into key areas as well as a host of other modifications. No modifications or changes are done to the analog audio side (unless you request them to do the same).

Isn't the player that's feeding HDMI audio via one of it's outputs (and video) still electrically connected to the video display or video processor ?

How is the HDMI connected player (with it's own high speed DSP) more isolated than the HDMI connected audio processor ?

Avii

Nick,

Thank you for your kind reply.

Did you try connecting using just one HDMI cable for both audio + video in order to compare what difference there were with using two HDMIs cables?

I'm wondering if you did an a/b in order to determine whether or not you could see or hear a difference with one set-up over another.

thanks.

HDMI requires a video signal of appropriate bandwidth to transmit audio of a given bandwidth i.e. HD audio requires at least 720p/1080i video. Thus there is always a video signal even if it appears as a blank image.

AFAIK the Oppo 93 sends audio + video via both HDMI's simultaneously (video potentially via different processing routes).

Avi

Nothing's perfect, certainly no AV kit with HDMI connections. I think HDMI is the work of the Devil himself, but if we want HD audio, we either need a great player with analogue outputs, or we have to find a way to work with HDMI.

AV systems always seem to suffer compared with pure stereo systems, and I think part of the answer is that we're not comparing like-with-like. Stereo systems aren't hamstrung with either analogue or digital video signals, processes or displays, but they are all intrinsic elements of modern AV systems. I find if you completely remove all the video-related elements of an AV system, it sounds better, but few people go to the trouble.

The HD621 itself is one of the solutions - it means the video processor or display is no longer connected directly to the controller. Having a player with two outputs adds another layer of protection. But they are only layers of protection, they're not isolation.

Just to rub salt in the wounds of the videophile, I found that simply having the HD621 connected caused a degradation to the SQ of a system that was configured to use SPDIF connections. You can't get away from the impact of all that with BD playback, but it still showed how SQ suffers when digital audio and video aren't fully separated.

Nick

I assume that means any Blu-ray player "SQ" will suffer ?

Out of interest are you using an all digital DSP system or analogue output from the processor ?

Avi

This is why I think a Meridian blu-ray player with analogue, MHR or MMHR audio outputs would be such a good idea.

I haven't had any DSP speakers, but never say never.

I assume that Blu-ray would still require video processing capabilities and suitable video output i.e. HDMI. If just the presence of connected HDMI and video degrades SQ how would that be any different ?

Avii