Best HDMI to RCA converter

Hello everyone, I need some advise on hooking up a Sony 4k blue ray player to my Yamaha receiver. I would just like to play my SACD's and cd's, but the sony just has HDMI out. Any help would be appreciated

 

The Yam doesn't have HDMI input?

 

No, I should have said what model I have. I have a Yamaha RS 700

 

There arent too many external DACs that can support SACD via HDMI.

 

Check out the Essence HDMI DAC. While it converts DSD to PCM, it sounds great. Give them a call. The owner Bob Rappaport is very knowledgeable and good to talk to. I’ve had mine for over a year and I’m very happy.

 

Report on this in my July column.

 

It does not convert DSD to PCM. You must do that in whatever device you use to feed it.

 

I read it. Good review. I don’t know of any device quite like it. Other than a deembedder , there really isn’t any other way to integrate hdmi into a straight two channel system. It works well as a traditional DAC too.

 

Yes. True. My error. Got to set your player to PCM.

 

Really? The July issue has not even been assembled yet.

 

My mistake. Googled your name and Essence and a review by another guy came up. I’m now, looking forward to your review!

 

The current Sony universal players with SACD support have an option "DSD Output Mode" where you can either select "Auto" or "Off". Only when "auto" is selected and when DSD capability is detected in the HDMI-out device would you need to worry about even getting DSD data.

Secondly, one can select "Digital Audio Output" -> PCM to ensure you don't get DTS or Dolby digital noise instead of audio on a normal audio DAC. Setting both of these ensures you get easy-to-decode audio over HDMI or digital out, perhaps even allowing you to hear SACD through your TV, and use your TV's audio outputs if it has them.

Your Sony is likely one with a coax digital output. Surprisingly, the Yamaha doesn't have any digital inputs, though.

Normally, the DRM licence of SACD would prevent unencrypted digital output, but I can find nothing in the Sony X800 manual that indicates when audio output would be unavailable on the coax digital out. It may be enough that it is resampled to PCM that it is allowed. If so, you could look for a standard DAC with up to 192kHz PCM conversion (you can choose 48kHz or 96kHz limit in the Sony also).

Any investment in a DAC may be better spent on a DSD-decoding AVR that also supports 4k HDMI, though, so you don't have to juggle cables when you want to listen to a disc.