Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Oppo BDP-83 SACD Playback into 861

861 comes stock with ID42 card which can be configured as two 3xSPDIF multi-channel digital inputs. Simply run three digital coax cables from the LR, CS, and SR outputs of the 4xSPDIF mod board on the Oppo into one of these inputs on ID42. The fourth output on the Oppo, BS, is not usable for now - and may never be. You want to make sure the Oppo is configured to output 5.1, and the 861 will take car of converting to 7.1 if that is the speaker layout you have.

It has been a long time, but I think you may have to specify a non-MLP 3xSPDIF source for the Oppo in config.

Got it, thx.

I have 3 open ports on my IA42 and yes a 7.1 setup.

As the 861 can not decode DSD, the player is converting DSD to PCM?

If the source is 2 channel SACD then only 2 channels will be sent or is it always sent as 5.1?

What do LR, CS, and SR stand for?

This may not be the right thread for this question, but video switching aside, why would one opt for the HD621 box versus the modded Oppo approach?

You have manually program your processor for two channel.

The HD621 has a few pluses. One is it will automatically switch the processor to 2 channel vs 5.1 channel mode and movie vs music layouts. It has an apodizing upsampler built in. One stop shopping for all HDMI sources because it has a built in switcher as well.

Aha, so for 2 channel material versus 5.1 I would have to manually change the preset in the 861 every time I switch?

That does not sound very "user friendly"

With the HD621 unit, I assume stock Oppo or Oppo BDP-83CHT "Digital Transport Ed. is fine.

You would set the Oppo to convert DSD to PCM, which is then output from the 4xSPDIF mod.

Trouble with the mod board is that my 861 always thinks its getting 6 channels so I setup a phantom input for 2-channel SACD that I can use Trifield, etc.

LR = left/right; CS = center/sub; SR = surround; BS = back surround (those were the designations on the 4xSPDIF board).

My own 2 cents: Advantages of the HD621 include the apodizing filter and the ability to utilize more than one source. Advantages of the modded Oppo are lower cost and doesn't leave me short a digital MCH input. If the HD621 had a 3xSPDIF pass-through or Meridian has given me some idea of when a MMHR input for 861 might be avaiable i probably would have gone that route. As it is, i can still do that in the future if it makes sense, but enjoy higher-rez Bluray audio right now.

Got it, so a phantom SACD source with Trifield preset.

I have spare digital inputs on my IA42 so no big deal.

Hi Guys,
Plugged in the BDP-83 to the Octava last night. The DVD-A of Talking Heads 'Fear of Music' sounds amazing, as does Beatles 'Love'. It's great to get DVD-A going in my system.
I will do some comparisons with SACD with the PS3 and post.
Interestingly on my projector I get a blue screen for about 10 seconds when changing source types on the Oppo, Even going from the menu to the program material on a Blu-Ray. Happens with direct attach or through the Octava. Is that just the rough edges of the Oppo showing? Is it just missing a 'loading...' screen?
It seems to be spinning everything I can throw at it with fantastic quality. Totally happy.
Cheers,
Sam

Simon,

Need a little help on the phantom preset.

I have the Oppo connected to the 861 as a multi channel digital coax, is this correct?

I setup SACD as a phantom input but as it is a multi channel input it will not allow me to select Trifield for any of the Multi Channel Movie presets.


Steve

For two channels out from the Oppo, you need a two channel phantom input. That will get you the stereo DSP presets.

OK, I just reviewed George's thread at

http://www.meridianunplugged.com/wiki/index.php?pagename=HDMISolutions

and I think I got it.

Create a phantom source and in my case change it from MD2 to D4.

Nice!!!!

Steve:

Yes, the 861 will interpret a non-Meridian 3xSPDIF input as always being multi-channel and will not allow you to select any of the matrixed modes (like Trified, Super, etc.). So you have to go into config and create a phantom input (config calls them 'logical' inputs if i recall). Just click on the '861' box in your system schematic on the 'Products' page and in the 'sources' tab you will see all of the physical sources you have selected plus additional ones you have not selected. Just check the box next to one of the ones you have not selected (which will define which key on the MSR+ for the phantom input) and put the main audio input into the value column. Depending upon which of the two MCH inputs you are using for the Oppo, it will be either 'IE42:D1' or 'IE:42:D4'. then just make sure you have the DSPs you want in the preset rows (i.e. Trifield for Music2 preset). Also, if you double click on the name of the preset in the source column, you can change the name of the preset that will display on the 861. So, for example, the physical source for my Oppo is 'SACDM' but the phantom sources are 'SACD2' and 'BLU'.

Simon

Got it, makes me remember why I bought the 861 in the first place