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External DAC connection

Greetings Audiogon members, 

I am an audio enthusiast and have been struggling to wrap my head around this question. First a little about my audio set up. Simaudio W5 power amp, Marantz AV7701 preamp, OPPO105, Apple TV gen4 (HDMI), benchmark DAC1, Von Schweikert VR4 speakers.  

What is the best way to connect my Apple TV (to listen to Apple music and Pandora)? If I use the OPPO as a transport, by connecting HDMI from Apple TV > HDMI IN of OPPO > Coax digital out of OPPO > benchmark digital Coax in > benchmark R/L out > Marantz Analog audio in. Will this set up work and if so, will I not be double dipping into the benchmark DAC and the Marantz DAC ultimately listening out of the Marantz DAC? 

Or should I be using an HDMI De-Embedder? HDMI from Apple TV > Kanex de-embedder > HDMI IN to OPPO & Coax digital to benchmark > benchmark R/L out > Marantz Analog audio in. Will I not run into the same issue of ultimately running the sound of Marantz DAC instead of needed benchmark DAC? 

Is there another better way? I would like to use my pre-amp and don't believe it has a HT-bypass

Help please? ghulam
128x128ghulamr

Showing 2 responses by ericjcabrera

ericjcabrera
566 posts
 
use your TV to de-embed. Run HDMI into it, and then use the optical digital output to your benchmark


The only problem with that is A/V sync; at least for me, it was out of sync. I can't remember, however, which was delayed; audio or video
ericjcabrera
566 posts
 
Neither of those multiple connections appear to be utilizing the AV7701’s DAC since you state the final connection is to one of the analog inputs of the AV7701.

Why not instead keep it simple; connect Apple TV via HDMI into one of the AV7701 HDMI inputs? Or does the AV7701’s HDMI inputs not convert the audio portion of the HDMI signal? Is that why you are considering the Audio De-Embedder?

Also, I am somewhat confused: it seems rather redundant to feed Apple TV HDMI signal into the BDP105 & then feeding the 105 digital signal out via coax to DAC1; and then from DAC1 analog output to analog input of AV7701. Is there a reason you feel the need to use redundancy in that chain of connections?

Personally, I connect my Apple TV via HDMI to my Oppo BDP105 HDMI input & allow the BDP105’s DAC to render the signal - simple. I then connect BDP105 balanced 2 channel output to my balanced input of my Hybrid Integrated.

My recommendation is determine which DAC you prefer; either the AV7701, BDP105, or DAC1. If for some reason you prefer the redundant DAC’s in such a connection scheme, more power to you; I haven’t tried a redundant scheme myself, so I cannot comment on its merits



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