Hello everyone,
I just recieved my 990 today and have a few questions.
The only way I can select 7.1 direct for multichannel sacd is through the remote.When I select inputs on the front of 990 I don't even see 7.1 Direct,and when I select dvd and try to listen to sacd,no dice.Is the only way to acess 7.1 direct through the remote? Or do I not have this set up right?

The other question is with the auto-set up for speaker calibration.When I tried this I got an error message saying my surrounds are larger than my fronts and they need to be switched,I even tryied this and got the same message.I do own a spl meter,but am wondering if this is a 990 issue?

Thanks Mike

To use the analog outs on a SACD player, you will need to connect the device to the 7.1 analog input and select this input to hear it. You could also hook the same device to the DVD input using the video and digital connection as well if you want to set it up that way giving you DVD playback on one input and SACD on another so you don't have to change the digital input back and forth in the menu.

I thought you could hit the input button and use the up/down buttons to cycle through to the 7.1 channel input using the front of the unit, but I could be wrong.

I would take the auto setup's advice with a grain of salt. I ultimately ended up setting mine up with a tape measure and an SPL meter.

Many SACD players will not output any digital audio signal when playing SACD's (my Yamaha universal player is this way), which is why the DVD input came up empty for you. The 7.1 direct input is a separate input from the others, but I don't recall if it is included in the scrolling list of inputs available from the front panel. I have only used the remote to select it.

The 990 sometimes has troubles with mistakenly identifying surrounds as large - some folks have overcome this by playing with the placement of the microphone.

Doug917& Gonk
Thanks for the input and replys.My Universal player is a denon 2900 and right now I have all the analog cables to 7.1 and a coaxle cable for Dvd playback.When I pop in a sacd and select dvd input, no sound,then I select 7.1 ( on remote) and then I get sound,is this right?I still wonder why I can't select 7.1 direct from the inputs from front panel.
Overall so far I have been happy with 990 just haven't had enough time to play with it that much,this weekend i'll have lots of time.
Thanks
Mike

When you put in an SACD, it is correct that the DVD gives you no audio. You can select 7.1 on the remote without selecting the DVD input first, however - it'll save you a step.

Mike,

I can not access the 7.1 input from the front of the unit either. It does not show up when I thumb through the different inputs. I wonder if there is a way to do so? I can't imagine you can only get there via the remote (granted you could always get there via the GUI - but this would be a pain, should anything happen to the remote).

It's been my experience that the only way to get to 7.1 input is through the remote. I think it's kind of lame. You should be able to get to all inputs from the front panel. But hey, it's one shortcoming I'm willing to live with given the great sound quality and i/o options with this unit.

later,
simp

I probably never noticed this because my unit is behind a glass door so I do everything through my MX-700, but this may be a quirk that can be resolved in a firmware update (add the 7.1 direct input to the scrolling input list assigned to the front panel's input button).

2 points:
1) I could never get my 990 to do what I wanted until I got a MX-500. Now it is a joy to use. The front panel control is unusable IMHO.
2) The auto calibration doesn't work, expecially with a Sunfire sub. Just use an external SPM. Also, be careful when using the internal tones on the sub. The calibration signal isn't correct although there is some work-around (previously posted). Also, there are some setups (large fronts and 5 channel) that give double bass in the sub. It is a software bug that they are working on (and working and working...). It has been a known issue since the unit was released and we are still waiting for the upgrade.

Bottom line is, once set up correctly but without using one of the buggie modes, it sounds great. You just need to be aware that the unit has bugs and doesn't always do what you would expect or what it should.

Outlaw has told me for months that the upgrade will be done soon.