Marantz AV receiver: auto/direct/pure direct?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by shnaggletooth, May 19, 2019.

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  1. shnaggletooth

    shnaggletooth Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Despite all the threads I've read on the subject, here and elsewhere, the topic of direct/pure direct still confuses me.

    My Marantz SR 5005 receiver provides for three main listening modes for stereo play: auto, direct, and pure direct. Here is what the user manual says about all three modes:

    Thank you, Marantz -- that was as clear as mud.

    So, if I have a CD playing through my Rotel into the Marantz (connected analog via RCA cables), which, if any of the modes, is only using the Rotel DAC, which is only using the Marantz DAC, or does the signal path use both DACs? Which mode is least goosed up with onboard bass/treble? And if I'm playing an HDCD-encoded CD (my Rotel has HDCD-decoding), are any of the modes somehow negating the HDCD playback?

    (A separate question, in case anyone knows, is if the Marantz SR 5500 really has its own HDCD-encoding hidden away somewhere in its system, which is an old rumor).
     
  2. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    If you use your Rotel RCA analogue outputs you are ALWAYS using the Rotel DAC.

    In regard of the source or pure that might be a mistake, it seems to refer to the bypass of the Eq circuitry being Source direct the best unless you want to EQ the sound. The Auto sounds like if it is referring to the the player being connected through various cables like the RCA, toslink, SPDIF and HDMI perhaps? But is only a guess as you noticed it seems a bit confusing.

    If you want to use the Marants DAC you must connect the Rotel through one of it's digital outputs and not the white and red RCA's and you must make the right input selection or leave the RCA out to make sure.
     
  3. Mike Pinkerton

    Mike Pinkerton Member

    Location:
    Virginia
    Pure Direct shuts off all video circuitry as well as the screen on the front of the device (IIRC). Does that matter? Probably not, but at least you won't have those engaged when playing audio. That does mean you don't get to see any album art or whatever on your TV.
     
  4. I ask exactely the same about my 2012 Pioneer SC-LX76 that in the US has the Elite badge. It has apart from all the simulations an Auto Surround that also can be used with stereo material mode that as the word implies it auto detects the kind of incoming signal, applies bass management, equalization and room correction if selected. It then has an Auto mode that seems to turn most digital processing off but it does bass management, the Hi-Bit that upconverts all incoming signal to 32 bit and selectable digital filters can also be selected.
    There's a Pure Direct mode that seems to switch all/most digital processing off so no bass management (subwoofer mutes), and no Hi-Bit or selectable digital filters and of course no room correction. I a small paragraph almost hidden on the user's manual it states the this is the mode to use for playing Hi Res material at their full/native resolution.
    One can never know what's going on inside an A/V receiver...
     
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