Zone 2

Greetings everyone!

Well, I finally received my analogue interconnects for my external headphone amp. I attached the amp to the 990 via zone 2 and while I have no problem listening to the Sat signal, I haven't been able to listen to my Oppo 981. I'm able to get the image onto the screen and am even able to listen, via the TV, from the dvd player, but no way, no how am I able to get any sound out my external headphone amp. What am I doing wrong?

I do have an analogue interconnect between the sat box and the 990 (the interconnect sits directly below the zone 2 out).

If anyone can help, in any way, I'd surely appreciate it.

thanks,

John

Hi John.
Are the L&R stereo outputs from your player connected to an input on the 990? That should work.
You'll need to go to that input. Additionally that input has to be configured for analog audio.
HTH

As nfaguys points out, you'll need the left/right analog output of the 981HD connected to whatever stereo analog input of the 990 you are selecting for zone 2.

Nfaguys and Gonk,

Will the 990 not convert a digital, coaxle signal, from the Oppo 981, to zone 2 out? I noticed on the extra remote that it has a tuner option and the tuner is digital, right?

I was hoping to use the 990 to upsample the 981 digital signal and then convert it to analogue, out zone 2. Is this not a possibility?

Thanks,

John

I have a Sony STR-DA3100ES AVR and it has zone 2 & zone 3 outputs but they are also analog only.
From reading the posts on this forum I believe that this is the case with the 990 as well.

butchgo,

are you saying the 990 will not convert a digital signal to analogue, out zone 2?

Thanks,

John

The 990's second zone is essentially a stereo analog pre-amp tucked inside a larger box. This is true of most second zones. The tuner would presumably have an analog output, as AM and FM are analog formats.

Meaning, Gonk,

that the 990 will not convert my Oppo 981 digital signal to an analogue out, via zone 2?

If this is so, is there a more effective way of connecting my headphone amp?

thanks,

John

For some reason, I never have the patience for manuals, but thanks to Gonk, once again I had a look and to my surprise, found what I was looking for on the first opened page:

"The Model 990's multi-zone capability works only with analogue audio sources,"

which pretty much answers the question, as you all have.

That means I need either to supply an analogue connection between the 990 and 981 (as explained here) or find another method of attaching my external headphone amp.

In looking at the manual, it displays the rear of the 990, showing at # 19 Preamp audio outputs. These carry all 7.1 signals, but would it be alright to attach just a pair of stereo leads for my external headphone amp?

thanks,

John

Third attempt &

I got it. By using the 7.1 preamp outs, I'm able to take the 981's digital signal, process it via the 990 and listen via my external headphone amp. According to the manual, all the 7.1 preamp outs are active, all the time and if this is so, I assume there's no harm done in using the 7.1 preamp outs for stereo only, without adding a load to the remainder of the outputs?

Thank you all!

John

To use the second zone (which is a good method of feeding audio to your headphone amp), you will need to provide a stereo analog input to the 990. This could be done by connecting the left/right analog output of the 981HD to any free input on the 990 (either the DVD input that you are probably using anyway or some other input). If you use the DVD input and have that input configured to use a digital input, the second zone will still use the analog stereo input because that's the only one it has access to. And since all outputs of the 981HD are active simultaneously, this should work fine.

Using the pre-amp outputs will sort of negate the value of the headphones: you will be using the same source for both headphones and speakers, and you will be sharing a volume control between the two. You could mute the headphones by turning off the headphone amp, but the only way to mute the speakers would be to turn off the power amp - feasible, but not something that seems convenient.

You will need to make sure that you select a stereo processing mode (otherwise the data sent to the other channels will not make it to your headphones). What are you doing with the main system's speakers?

Thanks, Gonk,

I was experimenting with stereo, bypass, upsample and PLII music (which seems almost overproccessed).

I'm currently doing very little with the main system's speakers as they're still in the shop, in the process of a rebuild. I should have received them over a month ago, but am told it'll only be a few more weeks ... uh huh! lol So, in the mean time, it's headphones all the way.

While the 990's headphone amp is sufficient, it doesn't compare with this external headphone amp. The K701's like power and so if you like more of an analytical sound, the 990's headphone amp is fine. If you're interested in bass, colour, depth, richness and texture, then, adding an external headphone amp is like entering a new world.

Anyway, that's where I'm at now. And, again, thanks.

John

If you are only using the headphones, then using the main pre-amp outputs is a reasonable approach to take. Once you get speakers going again, I'd recommend that you think about adding a couple extra analog cables so that you can use the second zone.

Be aware that using PLII with just two speakers (as in the case of headphones) is probably not worth doing anyway. You may very well have some signal being re-routed to other channels. I'd stick with just stereo, bypass, and upsample.

Thanks, Gonk,

I will.

And, as always, thank you for your help!

John