I thought the 6 channel input bypassed all of the digital stuff and only goes through an analog xover controlled by the toggle switch? While using this setup I can still adjust the tone controls, the balance on the speakers, and the various other adjustments. None of these features work when I only use the stereo input with the bypass feature enabled. Also I notice the stereo input with bypass on also sounds cleaner? I guess what I want to know is if the 6 channel input goes through a a/d converter then a d/a to do this or what? Is this really a pure analog bypass like the stereo inputs in bypass?

I'm not sure what adjustments differ between the six channel input and the stereo bypass mode, but the six channel input does bypass the digital domain. It is an analog bypass that includes analog bass management only.

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

I'm just curios how you can adjust treble, bass, trim levels, and activate theater compensation with the 6 channel input if it is bypassing everything? Are all of these controls done in the analog format? I cannot do any of them in the 2 channel bypass mode.

The speaker trim would have to be done in the analog domain, because losing the trim when going to six-channel analog would seriously hamper the usability of that input. I've never tried to use theater compensation or adjust treble or bass or do the theater compensation while using the six-channel (or any other) input -- since the manual indicates that theater compensation deals with bass/treble levels, it would make sense for it to work if the bass and treble adjustments work.

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

Yes, those controls are part of an analog circuit.

[This message has been edited by boblinds (edited January 12, 2004).]

I guess the 2 channel in bypass, bypasses all the digital and analog circuitry except the volume control. Either way it does sound cleaner through the 2 channel vs. the 6 channel. Just my observation.

One reason you may notice a difference between the six channel analog input and the stereo bypass mode... a difference in bass management. Do you have a subwoofer, and do you have your mains set to large in the 950's setup? If you have the mains set to large, the sub will get no signal using stereo bypass (when set to small with stereo bypass, the mains get the unchanged analog signal, but a copy of the signal is converted to digital and run through the bass management to generate a subwoofer signal). On the other hand, with the six-channel analog input, a low-pass filter always produces a low frequency signal for the subwoofer, even if the analog bass management is off and the mains are getting an unfiltered signal (the "double bass" condition that was heavily debated when the 950 came out).

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

The way I have my system setup is I got the mains to large but my subwoofer does not come off the preamp. It is setup off an external crossover that sends the HF to the mains and the LF to the sub independant of the preamp. The signal is just coming off of the front L/R output. This way no matter how I have my gear setup the two will always be integrated and balanced. I found that using the 950 xover setup the balance between the 2 would not be balanced with the various inputs. No double bass issues. So the mains are set to large and the subwoofer is set to off.

[This message has been edited by Silverr1 (edited January 12, 2004).]

Silverr1, this review may answer some of your questions.
I've found it to be true.
MidFi Guy.
Go to www.dsnyder.ws-e.com/outlaw/

[This message has been edited by MidFi-Guy (edited January 13, 2004).]

I knew something was going on here. The curves for the 6 channel input and the 2 channel not in bypass are almost identical. The only true analog bypass is the 2 channel in bypass. I guess that is the price you pay when using revealing speakers like Magnepans and a Krell amp. I guess ignorance is bliss, now that I can hear the difference I can no longer use that set of inputs. I guess I'm going to have to find a nice 2 channel preamp with HT bypass feature to integrate with the 950. Don't get me wrong the home theater side of the 950 is awesome. It is just the 2 channel that I feel it is lacking. Even in the 2 channel bypass mode it is not on par with a good 2 channel preamp. I guess I was asking for too much. It purpose is not for 2 channel audiophiles but for multichannel videophiles.