In direct and in pure audio mode, audyssey is not applied. But I don't know if all A>D>A steps are removed. What I don't know is how speaker level settings are maintained (and they are) in these modes.

What my (885) manual says is that in direct mode "minimal processing" is applied, which I assume to mean distance and level matching. In pure audio, it says "the display and video processing circuitry are turned off" to minimize noise sources in the unit.

Nowhere does it say all DA steps and processing are turned off completely. So my guess is they are not.