I posted this on AVS Forum as well, but looking for all help available;

I have had my BDP-95 for a week now, and while it is a very fine machine, for $1000 so far I am not that impressed. Maybe I am missing something so I am looking for some guidance.

My set up is as follows; Onkyo PR SC-886 pre-amp, Outlaw 7700 (200 WPC x 7 channels), Klipsch RF-7 mains (with the crossovers modded by Dean G), RC-7 Center (Dean G modded crosover), RS7 surrounds, CDT-5800 rear surrounds, and an Outlaw LFM-EX Subwoofer.

I have a 400 Sony CD Jukebox and a Denon DCD-1500 single disc CD player that I paid $600 for back in 1986.

I had run Audessy on the Onkyo, then turned it off and fine tuned it with a tape measure for distance and a Radio Shack SPL meter for volume for both the Onkyo and the Oppo.

I watched the new Blu Ray Pirates movie today, which has a DTS MA 7.1 soundtrack and it looked and sounded great on my Panasonic TC-P65S1 plasma (which is ISF calibrated). Bythe way, it is hooked up via HDMI.

I also have the 95 hooked up to the Onkyo with RCA cables for the Left and Right analogue setup using the "A.ux 1" input on the Onkyo.

Listening to "Mudcrutch" (Tom Petty) it sounded very good, but not "oh my god this $1,000 DVD/CD player sounds out of this world I cant believe it" good. The same with Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms.

Before I return the 95 and order a 93 ( I still want a very nice Blu Ray/Cd player for my system to supplement my PS3), I cant see spending $1000 on the 95 when I can get a 93 for $500 less.

Am I missing something somewhere? Its not like I have a $300 receiver with $300 speakers.

FLSHBACK to 1986; I bought a NAD pre-amp, Klipsch KG4 speakers and the Denon CD player and I could not believe my ears how good that system rocked and the detail in the sound. Added shortly after this was a Bang and Olufson turntable which I still have. To this day, I can throw "Thriller" on the B & O and folks cant believe how good it sounds.

PLEASE HELP with advice please!

The BDP93 is an excellent disc player. The 95 would probably beat it out in a blind test, but if your unhappy with the 95, you won't loose much steping down to the 93. It's one of those deals where squeezing out the last 1% of performance cost as much as the 99%
I use a BDP83SE and find the extra cost worth the price.

Remember that the BDP-95 is an upgrade to the already excellent 93 and 83 series. I would not expect a huge difference even at $1000

I had neither Oppo before. I have a Denon DCD-1500 and a Sony 400 CD Jukebox.

Make sure you have the bdp95 doing all the decoding so you get the max performance. The Onkyo isn't in the same league.

XenonMan, other than knowing that the Audessey is off, I am not sure how to accomplish your suggestion. Also, I cannot figure out how to set the test tones in motion on the 95. I have the distances set but not the trim levels for w=each speaker like i can on the Onkyo. Yes, I have the test tones set to "on", but I cant get it to start.

To all the Oppo lovers out there; Im not saying this machine is no good, Im just not seeing the $1000 value of it (yet)

I don't have much time this morning, but I do have one question. Is the BDP-95's 7.1 analog output being used? In that mode, it doesn't matter what the Onkyo's Audyssey settings are and the BDP-95 is guaranteed to be handling the decoding. More importantly, the BDP-95 is handling the analog audio duties (which is why you paid extra for the BDP-95).

For Blu Rays I have the 95 hooked up via HDMI to HDMI input #3.

For CD playback I also have it hooked up via RCA cables using the L and R (not the LF and RF from the 7.1 RCA connectors) going to the "Aux 1" RCA inputs on the back of the 886.

I am also unable to get the test tones to sound in the speaker set up to calibrate it using my SPL meter.


I have run Audessey in the past, but I think I have cleared that and now going manual (distance and SPL manually entered).

The HDMI that you use for Blu Rays will be processed by the Onkyo so the Oppo is only acting as a transport. The RCA hookup the Aux 1 will be processed by the Oppo, but it may be processed again by the Onkyo unless your playing in 2 channel with some sort of bypass mode.

Put the Onkyo in direct or pure mode, if you were not already. Otherwise it is redigitizing the analog signal.

You are not hearing what the BDP-95 is capable of this way. You are hearing what the BDP-93's digital output is capable of, and what the Onkyo's analog section sounds like. Based on what I've heard from the 885, the analog output of the BDP-93 is at least equal to (or better than) the analog output of the 886 - and the BDP-95 is a solid step up from there. Gotta use the 7.1 analog output, though. Before you attempt to evaluate the BDP-95's analog section, which is what you paid extra for, gather up eight analog cables and connect the 7.1 analog output. The 7.1 input on the Onkyo should be an analog pass-through - that's how my 885 worked - so all you'll have to do is configure an input to use the 7.1 analog and you'll be good to go.


As KOYAAN points out, you need to engage direct or pure audio mode to avoid A/D/A conversion that will dilute the BDP-95's performance.


I'm not sure if the test tones work over digital outputs - haven't tried it in a while. I'll try to look at my BDP-95 later this morning to see if I can recall how the test tones work.

In both cases above, Audyssey should be a non-factor because you need to have the Onkyo set up to serve as an analog pre-amp only. That means no room correction, no bass management, no matrix surround processing, no distance adjustments. You could leave Audyssey engaged for other inputs and still use the BDP-95 via analog.

I confirmed it earlier today: the test tones only work with the analog outputs, not the digital. This makes sense, as the channel trim, distance, and bass management settings are meant to only apply to the analog outputs - the digital outputs will go to a surround receiver or processor that has its own settings, and you don't want customers to have to change all those settings when switching between analog and HDMI connections.

The manual includes the following note regarding the test tones on page 71:



This fits with my testing and with the way these settings are actually applied to outputs.

So let me see if I have the suggestions correct;

Use the HDMI for the video signal only from the Oppo 95 to the Onkyo 886. Run the 8 RCA cables fom the analog section of the 95 (LF, LR, C, SR, SL, SBL, SBR and SUB) for ALL of the audio. Including not only 2 channel stereo CDs, but also for Dolby HD and DTS MA?

And this is accomplished in the menu settings of the Onkyo to ignore all audio from the HDMI signal and only accept the 8 analogs signals?

I didnt think I was TOO much of a newbie in this area but I thought the HDMI was the way to go for the hi-def audio signal as well as the hi-def video that was afforded with ly-Rays.

That is correct. This is the only way to hear what you paid an extra $500 for when you bought the BDP-95.


Right. You can set the BDP-95 to output video only via the HDMI output, but it isn't a necessary step. If setting up an input for the 7.1 analog input isn't clear to you from the Onkyo setup menus or manual, check Outlaw's 886 guide. Pages 18 through 20 should cover it, particularly the top of page 20.


HDMI is usually the recommended solution, but there are exceptions. One is when the source has a better analog section than the receiver or processor, as is the case with a player like the BDP-95. The only way to hear that analog section is to use analog output from the player.

Well, I hooked up all 8 RCA cables for the analog outs from the 95 to the 886. I still have the HDMI connected as well for the video.

On the 886 I had the multi channel audio in set to Aux 1 and thats what I was feeding the audio from the 95 to. All good.

Then I tried to change the multi channel input to the SAT input on the 886 (which is what I am feeding the HDMI to (HDMI input #3). I get video, but no sound.

Ive spent over an hour so far today trying to trouble shoot why I cannot get audio while watching a DVD in the 95. I will try some more tomorrow; I am sure I am mising something really basic.....

I'll have to get back into the manuals this evening to see if I can spot what might be tripping you up.

Also, I still could not get the test tones to go on.

Frustrating.

If you aren't getting test tones, then I suspect you're still not getting the multichannel analog signal selected at the Onkyo. Once you set "Test Tones" to "On" in the player's menu, the test tones play from each speaker as you select it - but only at the analog output.

It sounds like you have the connections done right now - HDMI1 output from the BDP-95 to HDMI3 input on the 886, multichannel analog output to the multichannel analog input. Let's assume you want to use SAT for the BDP-95. The "Input/Output Assign" menu has everything you need on the Onkyo. First, "HDMI Input" should have "CBL/SAT" set to HDMI3. Second, "Digital Audio Input" should have "CBL/SAT" set to "---" so it doesn't use the HDMI input for audio. Third, "Analog Audio Input" should have "Multich" set to "CBL/SAT". I think you can also select the input you want to use with multichannel analog and press the "AUDIO SEL" button several times to toggle to the multichannel analog input.

I will double check your suggestions tomorrow Gonk, thanks.

I also noticed Oppo has a new manual which I glanced at earlier today. But I am having a hard time locating the Outlaw 886 manual on the website. I thought I had downloaded it a while ago but cant seem to find it. ANyone have a link?

Try this link to the 886.

Got the link and did some more experimenting but still no luck.

I went into the Onkyo and turned off the digital audio input (was set to HDMI) and put the multi ch audio input to DVR (which is where the HDMI video signal is set to on the Onkyo) and I got video but no audio.

I tried other settings in the Oppo setup (HATE the Oppo remote; gotta push slow and hard) and tried different settings but no luck.

As I write this, I am listening to Pink Floyd DSOM in SACD via HDMI.

I am going to connect just the L and R (from the 8 RCA connection side) to the Aux 1 and listen to a few nice sounding CDs and try to do sme A/B comaprison to my 20 year old Denon DCD-1500 CD player.

BTW, I heard "brain damage" and "eclipse" from the new upcoming "immersion" release of DSOM recorded live from Wembley back in 74 (?) on Sirius radio last night. It was unbelieveably fantastic!

The OPPO manual says for the Multi-channel to work the HDMI audio has to be set to off.

I tried that as well in the Onkyo, at least I thought I had. In the input assignment section of the menu on the 886, I selected the "---" option, which io thought meant "off".

Where does it say that? I ask because I don't remember reading it and because my daughter just finished watching a movie on our BDP-95 using the multichannel output while the HDMI audio output was set to LPCM.

Page 60 of the BDP-83 manual at the top gives the recommended settings. It has the HDMI audio set to OFF. My Onkyo prefers the HDMI input over the Multi-channel so if it isn't set to OFF the multi-channel doesn't output.

Wrong player, for one thing. For another, both players can output from all available outputs at all times.

That being said, you do bring up something that could be relating to the processor's behavior instead of the player: setting HDMI Audio off in the player might help resolve any issues the 886 has with accepting analog input when an active HDMI audio signal is present. This sort of potential trouble is one reason the BDP-83 manual suggested disabling an unused HDMI audio output in the first place.

Sorry, since both players have similiar decoding capabilities I figured the menu setups would be similiar for audio outputs.

They are similar, but there are some differences - especially with the BDP-95, which adds a few tricks.

I have the 886 and 95 also. I am wondering about feeding the high quality stereo 95 analog output through the 886 analog outputs and gain control. any comments on potential loss of quality by using those inputs and inevitably the 886 gain control? I intend to hook up the 95 directly to see if I hear much difference. if I do, I will need a switch. I cannot believe such a simple device comes at arm and leg costs but the only ones I have found do.

I would think that you would lose very little by going thru the 886. If the BDP95 has gain control then you could feed it straight to an amp.

Answering my own question in part, I found this review in Hi Fi World: http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk/index.php/av-receivers/39-av-reviews/199-onkyo-pr-sc886.html?start=1

A key point: Distortion was very low at 0.0002% and noise also low at -90dB at full gain, Direct or Pure Direct selected, lowering to 85dB through the input A/D.

What can be the problem. It also lauds the MM input and the DACS.