Help an audio ignoramus set up his Arcam AVR280 with new Sony UBPX800M2 player

The x1000 doesn’t have analog 5.1 out either, so I think you would have the same problem. Do you have the arcam connected to the TV via HDMI? That really may be the problem.

 

I did unplug the HDMI connection from the AVR to the TV at one point. Now I have the Sony's video HDMI connected directly to the TV with the coax for sound. Do you think that HDMI for audio would yield substantially better sound than the coax connection? I was listening to the VdGG mixes in LPCM 5.1.

 

The Sony will not come closer..., since it will be output DSD or PCM too, for the Yamaha to decode, Unless, all you're interested in is stereo. One more thing be sure that the input to TV is set to the HDMI ARC connection. For the TV to display what you are playing on the Player.

 

Absolutely.

 

I don't think the ES would really get you any gains over the one you have now. I just think Sony is doing something weird with their HDMI outputs. I don't recall the Sony model I bought, I just know I fought with it (and also the Sony 200 disc Bluray carousel player that one day decided it no longer wanted to turn on) to get decent audio. While I did have HDMI audio output, I was never able to get it to output bitstream so that I could use the better DACs in my AVR. I could only get it to output PCM.

 

Yeah, that's where I'm stuck too. The fact that I'm also using an older AVR model might complicate things for me as well. I've been looking at Sony now after the demise of Oppo because I thought they were the only ones who have the universal players with SACD and all that at an affordable price. Even though I have a bottom of the line Oppo, the 5.1 is so much better that it's difficult to swallow the downgrade.

 

With my current receiver, the audio WILL NOT PLAY unless the receiver is connected to the TV via HDMI and the TV is on. In fact, you can start a disc playing and then turn the TV off and the audio will go off too. It makes it impossible to listen to a disc (or play off a server for that matter) using HDMI with the TV off. It's really annoying. I suspect you may have the problem. In fact, maybe it's the Sony player that is forcing the video connection.

Yes, I think HDMI will sound better.

 

Does the Oppo 80 have the most up to date firmware? If it does have you tried contacting Oppo about the discs you're having issues with?

The issue you are having with multi-channel audio from HDMI is most likely a setting issue. Were you using HDMI with the Oppo 80? if you were did you get multi-channel audio? If you did then the issue is most likely a setting with the Sony. As frustrating as it seems it's best to try to stay patient. Take a closer look at the manual(s) and review each setup step with both the Arcam and the Sony.

Just looked at the back panel of the Sony. Did you try connecting HDMI 1 direct to your TV and HDMI 2 to the Arcam? It looks like HDMI 2 is "For Audio" per the back panel.

 

I do have the latest firmware with my Oppo. I did also try contacting them about these discs I was having trouble with and they wrote back indicating that older models like mine just couldn't read the new Blu-ray Javascript.

I guess that I've never used HDMI with my Oppo and Arcam set up for the audio. I've been relying on the analog outs. I did try the setup you suggested where I hooked the HDMI video signal directly to the TV and the HDMI audio into my Arcam, but for the life of me, I couldn't get it to work. PCM with the coax was all that I could do. I can't tell if this is some kind of inherent limitation with my Arcam or what. I tried contacting them about this and after telling me that my old model was no longer supported, they advised me to go for the coax solution. They didn't have any useful advice about how to get HDMI to work.

 

Is there another potential replacement for the Oppo that uses analog outs that isn't insanely expensive, one that can play SACD, DVD-A, etc.?

 

I find it hard to grasp that your Arcam can not play multi-channel audio. Whether it be from a Blu-ray movie or audio disc. Have you tried playing a Blu-ray movie? All versions of HDMI support multi-channel audio as far as I know. HDMI 1.1 added support for DVD-A and 1.2 added support for SACD.

I really think you should try all options with the Sony before giving up. The only affordable options for universal players that have an 5.1 analog output would be used units such as those from Oppo. In all honesty it'd be much easier if you went to HDMI over using the 5.1 analog output IMO.

 

Maybe you need a new receiver.

 

That's a better option than trying to find a universal player with a 5.1 analog output. I still think the Sony 800 will work with the Arcam if all the settings are set correctly on both units.

I wonder if more up to date HDMI cables are needed especially from the Sony to the Arcam.

 

Candidly, my resources are limited and I don't have the extra cash to afford a really good quality receiver that'll do everything I need right now. I've already gotten way more than I bargained for this this whole Van Der Graaf set and my fruitless quest to penetrate Shulman's magic menus. My current setup still works fine 98% of the time. I'll do my homework, save my shekels and eventually invest in a good new receiver, but I don't see any reason to rush it just for a handful of 5.1 mixes, as much as I would like to hear these. I've already blown too much money and time on this whole frustrating scenario, so I think I'll just return the Sony and try to go back to enjoying the rest of the VdGG set.

I did get new cables with the Sony this week. I don't know why I can't get the HDMI to work. I've tried every possible configuration with the Sony, after reading through all the trouble shooting and studying both of the manuals.

 

Do what I told you to do in my earlier post. Then with Player, Receiver, and TV turned on, press input button on TV remote. When you see list of inputs, select ARC. You will then see a graphic on the TV with 4 vertical bars which represent what service you want to get from the Sony. Scroll to Play SACD and press remote button over it. The SACD will then play.

 

It seems you must have tried this already, but have you tried routing the video through the receiver? Like I said before, with the receiver I am using with my x800 that is essential.

 

Sure, I can route the video through my Arcam just fine. I can even get the sound going through on my TV, but not through my whole system. I've used HDMI for the video with my Oppo as well, but direct analog sound.

 

OK, I presume when you used the Oppo to play video then the audio input was set to "Multichannel in". With the Sony, it presumably needs to be set to "DVD". [That's not a setting - it's a slection on the front panel or with the remote]

 

That's right. I have been using DVD with the Sony. At that point, my Arcam readout says Digital/PCM, using the coax with the sound. I don't know if I've ever seen HDMI up there, usually just Analog.

 

Sony manual

 

So sorry OP can not get it going. My Sony UBP-X800II is connected to a Marantz NR 1200. No problem with set-up. My only complaint is I have a data disc and a thumb drive with some gapless music and the Sony does not play these media gaplessly as does my OPPO-205.

 

I think that the HDMI board is the problem. Arcam AVRs are notorious for the HDMI boards dying, and the symptom is as you describe - video works but audio doesn't. This happened to my AVR280 and the AVR350 I replaced it with. That's why I now have an Anthem MRX 720. Arcam stereo gear does not suffer from this poor quality control BTW.

 

I think you might be surprised how great $150-200 Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer AVR with all the latest features can sound.

 

I haven’t gone through this thread in detail! However wasn’t the avr280 the companion to the avr350? If so than the HDMI was a picture only connection - ie no audio via hdmi and no multi channel audio without analogue!

 

I believe you are correct. I just went through the AVR280 manual and there is no mention of HDMI audio, only HDMI video. It looks like the OP will need to get a different AVR to get HDMI audio. Too bad as I would guess that the AVR280 is a nice sounding AVR and might be a bit disappointed with the SQ of current low priced AVRs.

https://www.arcam.co.uk/ugc/tor/diva-avr280-receiver/User Manual/avr280e_manual.pdf