NAS > Transporter > Amp which final connection?

[terryd]

Having overloaded on reading up and trying to work out the answer, could one of you knowledgeable chaps (and chappeses) point me in the right direction for the final decisions that I need to make please.

I have the music stored on a NAS which is no problem, I feed the Transporter via the ethernet network, again no problem as far as I can tell and the Transporter appears to be doing a great job. I have been using LMS for years, but I am currently trialling Roon.

So the Transporter DAC has done its job, and my question is: do I feed my Yamaha amp with a digital feed from the Transporter and use STRAIGHT (through) mode on the Amp, or do I use the analogue feed from the Transporter and also select STRAIGHT mode?

I am guessing that the first option has to have some digital to analogue conversion which will affect what the Transporter has already done(?) and therefore feeding the amp with analogue signal will be best? Or do I set up both on different inputs?

The Yamaha Amp is the RX-A3060.

Thanks in advance - Terry

[garym]

Having overloaded on reading up and trying to work out the answer, could one of you knowledgeable chaps (and chappeses) point me in the right direction for the final decisions that I need to make please.

I have the music stored on a NAS which is no problem, I feed the Transporter via the ethernet network, again no problem as far as I can tell and the Transporter appears to be doing a great job. I have been using LMS for years, but I am currently trialling Roon.

So the Transporter DAC has done its job, and my question is: do I feed my Yamaha amp with a digital feed from the Transporter and use STRAIGHT (through) mode on the Amp, or do I use the analogue feed from the Transporter and also select STRAIGHT mode?

I am guessing that the first option has to have some digital to analogue conversion which will affect what the Transporter has already done(?) and therefore feeding the amp with analogue signal will be best? Or do I set up both on different inputs?

The Yamaha Amp is the RX-A3060.

Thanks in advance - Terry

I'd connect Analog out from Transporter to the Yamaha, assuming the yamaha has a way of bypassing it's own DAC (is that the Straight mode?)

[tcutting]

Having overloaded on reading up and trying to work out the answer, could one of you knowledgeable chaps (and chappeses) point me in the right direction for the final decisions that I need to make please.

I have the music stored on a NAS which is no problem, I feed the Transporter via the ethernet network, again no problem as far as I can tell and the Transporter appears to be doing a great job. I have been using LMS for years, but I am currently trialling Roon.

So the Transporter DAC has done its job, and my question is: do I feed my Yamaha amp with a digital feed from the Transporter and use STRAIGHT (through) mode on the Amp, or do I use the analogue feed from the Transporter and also select STRAIGHT mode?

I am guessing that the first option has to have some digital to analogue conversion which will affect what the Transporter has already done(?) and therefore feeding the amp with analogue signal will be best? Or do I set up both on different inputs?

The Yamaha Amp is the RX-A3060.

Thanks in advance - Terry

First off, I don't claim to be "audiophile" so take my post with grain of salt...

Your Yamaha appears to have significant DSP capabilities - it's billed as a "9.1" system. How do you plan to use this for "normal" stereo listening? Do you make use of a subwoofer? Are your "main" Left and Right speakers capable of full-range performance? Why I ask this is that, I believe, if you use ANY of the x.1 (or x.2?) modes (including 2.1, which means the AV receiver performs the crossover to create the L, R and SUB signals), then the AV receiver is in fact performing DSP - so if the input is analog (i.e., from the Transporter's DAC), then it will re-digitize, process, and then run through its own DAC's to create the final analog outputs.
I believe if you operate the AV Receiver in "straight" mode, you will only get L + R outputs. For this reason, you may be better served providing a digital input to your AV amplifier (which means, however, you're not taking advantage of the Transporter's own DACs).

[garym]

First off, I don't claim to be "audiophile" so take my post with grain of salt...

Your Yamaha appears to have significant DSP capabilities - it's billed as a "9.1" system. How do you plan to use this for "normal" stereo listening? Do you make use of a subwoofer? Are your "main" Left and Right speakers capable of full-range performance? Why I ask this is that, I believe, if you use ANY of the x.1 (or x.2?) modes (including 2.1, which means the AV receiver performs the crossover to create the L, R and SUB signals), then the AV receiver is in fact performing DSP - so if the input is analog (i.e., from the Transporter's DAC), then it will re-digitize, process, and then run through its own DAC's to create the final analog outputs.
I believe if you operate the AV Receiver in "straight" mode, you will only get L + R outputs. For this reason, you may be better served providing a digital input to your AV amplifier (which means, however, you're not taking advantage of the Transporter's own DACs).

agree. I wouldn't use analog out from Transporter unless I was sure there was a yamaha BYPASS option that did not use the yamaha DSP at all.

[terryd]

I'd connect Analog out from Transporter to the Yamaha, assuming the yamaha has a way of bypassing it's own DAC (is that the Straight mode?)

Thanks Gary.

I am thinking that the answer is "yes" and I will pull the cabinet out and take a look coupled with trying to read through the mammoth manual.

Thanks again for the prompt reply - Terry

p.s. it sounds pretty good at the moment, but you know what it is like, you want every last drop of performance before you can settle down and enjoy it...

[terryd]

First off, I don't claim to be "audiophile" so take my post with grain of salt...

Your Yamaha appears to have significant DSP capabilities - it's billed as a "9.1" system. How do you plan to use this for "normal" stereo listening? Do you make use of a subwoofer? Are your "main" Left and Right speakers capable of full-range performance? Why I ask this is that, I believe, if you use ANY of the x.1 (or x.2?) modes (including 2.1, which means the AV receiver performs the crossover to create the L, R and SUB signals), then the AV receiver is in fact performing DSP - so if the input is analog (i.e., from the Transporter's DAC), then it will re-digitize, process, and then run through its own DAC's to create the final analog outputs.
I believe if you operate the AV Receiver in "straight" mode, you will only get L + R outputs. For this reason, you may be better served providing a digital input to your AV amplifier (which means, however, you're not taking advantage of the Transporter's own DACs).

Thanks both.

The DSP is impressive but it isn't very often that I need to hear output from the Transporter being played in a "Norwegian Cathedral" or a "cellar bar in Turin".

I do have it set up to listen in 9.1 mode but that is more for the TV input and it plays internet radio and from the NAS in its own right so I can use it that using the DSP functionality without compromising the Transporter feed. I am happy to look at playing the Transporter in 2 channel only, and I have enough inputs to be able to feed both digital and analogue from it and play them separately.

I may need to go and find a Yamaha based forum and ask the question as to whether STRAIGHT definitely means no processing.

Again, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Regards - Terry

[cliveb]

Thanks Gary.

I am thinking that the answer is "yes" and I will pull the cabinet out and take a look coupled with trying to read through the mammoth manual.

Thanks again for the prompt reply - Terry

p.s. it sounds pretty good at the moment, but you know what it is like, you want every last drop of performance before you can settle down and enjoy it...

It doesn't matter whether or not your Yamaha amp re-digitises an analogue signal.
Nor does it matter what anyone here says about which is better.
All that matters is what sounds good to you - and only you can figure that out.
Try it both ways and pick the one you like best. End Of.

[terryd]

It doesn't matter whether or not your Yamaha amp re-digitises an analogue signal.
Nor does it matter what anyone here says about which is better.
All that matters is what sounds good to you - and only you can figure that out.
Try it both ways and pick the one you like best. End Of.

Now I like and know that theory, and it works well until you think that you can get another few bhp with a slight mod. It is knowing that there is the possibility of even slightly better sound that spurs us on to spend time and money in the pursuit of happiness!

I think that my problem is that the Yamaha has so many inputs and configurations I just want to strip it back and get the best I can coming out of the speakers.

OK seriously, I take your point and I am happily listening to the set up this evening with great music playing.

Thanks again - Terry

Now to spend a couple of days converting all my FLAC files into AIFF...

[garym]

Now to spend a couple of days converting all my FLAC files into AIFF...

Why? That certainly has no impact on sound quality, and you lose the built in CRC in FLAC files (to be able to batch check for file corruption in the future), good tagging, among other benefits of FLAC.

[terryd]

Why? That certainly has no impact on sound quality, and you lose the built in CRC in FLAC files (to be able to batch check for file corruption in the future), good tagging, among other benefits of FLAC.

Sorry, I should have put a smiley face at the end of that sentence Gary.