I unpacked the dozen pretty pearly Outlaw cables and the ICBM. I followed Gonk's excellent advice and connected the ICBM to a Toshiba SD9200 DVD-Audio player and Onkyo 797 THX receiver.

I connected the 2 subs to the Onkyo receiver, and haven't connected the outboard amp for channels 6+7 (back surrounds). Everything else is run through the ICBM. I heard DVD Audio for the first time tonight. It sounds incredible. However, I figure because the subs are not yet connected to the ICBM I'm not using the complete bass management capabilities of the unit.

The cables are very pretty but the ring locking connectors are a bit kludgy. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to remove them if I ever wanted to.

I'm going to run cables from the Onkyo preouts for the back surround speakers into a 2 into 1 desplitter and then into the ICBM and then out into the Toshiba DVD-A.

I want to run the pre-out subwoofer from the receiver into the ICBM and then use the stereo sub outs.

My question - if I do this, will the subwoofers work when I'm not using the Toshiba DVD-A?

Anyone tried this?

[This message has been edited by 2x6spds (edited October 12, 2002).]

I'm not entirely sure I follow you here...

You are using the complete capabilities of the unit, when using DVD-Audio (which is why you have it -- the Onkyo has its own digital-domain bass management for every other source in your system). The subs are connected through it, just like the other speakers.

I had to think about it for a while, but I think the sub arrangement you are describing might work, although I don't know that it gives any benefit over the arrangement we talked about earlier (and it may present some hazards). You will be connecting the sub output from the DVD-Audio directly to the Onkyo -- so when you play a DVD-A disc the Onkyo will see as its input the five full-range channels with bass management already applied and the original LFE channel. THEN the LFE channel will leave the Onkyo and go through the ICBM, where it will be split into two signals and receive the bass management treatment. Then when using other sources, the Onkyo's LFE output (which would generally include bass crossed-over from other sources) would go to the ICBM and be split. With DVD-Audio, you will be able to get the "stereo sub" effect (although I worry a little about the difference in signal path potentially causing trouble with time delay or phase -- I'll leave that to the local bass management wizards). With other sources, because the signal from the mains is not going through the ICBM it will only be splitting the signal -- and you will not want the DVD player playing one thing while you listen to something else, or you'll pick up bass from the DVD player's analog outputs in your sub.

The surround back pre-amp output is confusing me -- you are combining the two channels into one with a splitter (which is probably unnecessary, as they are a mono signal and both contain the same info) and hooking them to the ICBM. The surround back channel will only be active when the Onkyo is handling digital processing duties, and so you already have bass management on that channel(s). Also, how are you connecting the ICBM's output to the DVD-Audio player -- since it shouldn't have any inputs? Did you mean to say that you were connecting to the amp? You don't need to connect the surround back channels to the ICBM at all -- just go from receiver to amp to speakers.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Thank you again, Gonk. You confused? My eyes glassed over last night when I finished hooking up all the cables.

I've gotta say, the system sounds terrific for DVD Audio. Of course, I never heard it before because previously, I only used a Toslink connection between by DVD Audio player and receiver.

Splitting the sub signal from the receiver and running lines to both subs sounds much better than the daisy chain set up I was using before.

The Onkyo has a single amplified output for the back surround, but has two preouts for back surround (still mono). I use the 2 preouts from the Onkyo receiver and connect them to the stereo inputs of my outboard amp which powers two Mission 77ds bipoles on the back wall (85 watts x 2). The ICBM has a single rear center channel input/output. So, I figure I could use the 2 preout lines from the receiver, split them to a single line into the ICBM, split the single rear center out from the ICBM to 2 lines into the outboard amp and then to the speakers.

Of course, since the signal from the receiver's outputs for the back surround are mono, I suppose I could use a single preout into the ICBM and then split the output into 2 lines and connect them to the outboard amp.

Dunno, still recovering from the orgy of cabling.

Thanks again!!!

I think I'd stick with taking the surround back channel pre-amp outputs directly to your amp. You won't get any real bass management benefit out of routing the signal through the ICBM, as the Onkyo is already taking care of that for you.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Try this one on:

I was planning on using the ICBM in the 6 channel analog setup between DVD/DVD-A player and 5.1 EXT input for surround and center channels only.
I would also connect the ICBM between the sub pre out, and L & R main pre outs on my receiver and my powered subwoofer and external amplifier respectively.
This way I could achieve the same cross-over point in both stereo and 5.1 modes. All settings in the player and receiver would be LARGE with no delays.

I am using a M&K 750THX speaker system, would it be better to set the crossover on the sub pre-select at THX-80Hz or leave the sub on EXTERNAL?
If I leave it on external, the sub has a variable level control, if I set the THX-80Hz setting on the sub, I will have to adjust level at the ICBM. (The sub uses a 24db/octave filter for 80Hz.). I am not concerned about 'where' I have to adjust the sub level, in other words it's not a convenience issue, I want the best results.

[This message has been edited by DaleB (edited November 15, 2002).]

UPDATE:
I got feedback from Outlaw tech told me config sounded fine.
I ended up using the ICBM between my 3 channel (L, R, and C) B&K ref. amp and receiver pre outs. (Set all 3 to 80Hz, receiver on 'large').
I just 'hung' the woofer on the sub output, and set up sub on EXT but used the 36db filter on the ICBM. (sub is part of a THX system, M&K 750). Adj. sub to 0 ref., ICBM at 0 ref.
Ran audio test at 75db, sub put out 80 which is good because Avia has miscalibrated output about 5db to low.
Set my surrounds to 'small' in the DVD player so they will not pass below 100Hz. I don't have them externally powered.
Running 5.1EXT sounds excellent, but I did not loop back receiver sub output (LFE) to ICBM so I may be missing something. But it sounds great!
And stereo is incredibly good. My receiver was cutting off my mains at 100 Hz, way too high.
Now the sound is much better balanced, detailed yet smooth, and the sub sounds 'bigger' and more musical. Amazing changes!

So what are you using to hear DVD-A? Does it require analog cables? I was under the impression that DVD-A used optical.

DVD-Audio and SACD both must be converted to analog in the player for protection against making digital copies. You have to use the player's multi-channel analog outputs to get the DVD-A/SACD data.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review