Simple questions about integrated amps

[GMichael]

Some of the Yamaha receivers have a "pure direct" mode. This may not be a "true bypass" but comes very close. Adding good amp after the pre-outs should get you what you are looking for. I believe a few other brands are starting to do this as well. Denon, Onkyo,...

[JonW]

Some of the Yamaha receivers have a "pure direct" mode. This may not be a "true bypass" but comes very close. Adding good amp after the pre-outs should get you what you are looking for. I believe a few other brands are starting to do this as well. Denon, Onkyo,...

Oh, that may be a good substitute. I wonder how that compares, sound wise, to not having the receiver there at all. I just had a look at the Yamaha web site and the manual to one of their receivers (2500). "Pure Direct" sounds good except that is says no sound is output to the subwoofer in the mode. Hmmm...

[JonW]

Another question: With this Pure Direct, can you still send the signal out from the pre outs and into a regular amp then the speakers, to help the sound out some?

[GMichael]

Another question: With this Pure Direct, can you still send the signal out from the pre outs and into a regular amp then the speakers, to help the sound out some?

Yes, you can.

[GMichael]

Oh, that may be a good substitute. I wonder how that compares, sound wise, to not having the receiver there at all. I just had a look at the Yamaha web site and the manual to one of their receivers (2500). "Pure Direct" sounds good except that is says no sound is output to the subwoofer in the mode. Hmmm...

That's correct. Most 2 channel lovers don't like subwoofers so much. There is also another setting called "straight" This gives a minimal amount of receiver processing but does include the subwoofer.

[JonW]

That's correct. Most 2 channel lovers don't like subwoofers so much. There is also another setting called "straight" This gives a minimal amount of receiver processing but does include the subwoofer.

Just looked at the 2500 manual. It says "straight" just goes to the 2 main speakers for 2 channel playback.

I appreciate the help.

[GMichael]

Just looked at the 2500 manual. It says "straight" just goes to the 2 main speakers for 2 channel playback.

I appreciate the help.

Anytime. I have noticed that I like the sound from pure direct more than straight when listening to 2 channel. Just wish my speakers had full range.

[Kaboom]

keep in mind that using the straight mode, subwoofer or not, you are still facing the speaker connection problems. Although i guess that could be solved with a switcher.
cheers!

[GMichael]

keep in mind that using the straight mode, subwoofer or not, you are still facing the speaker connection problems. Although i guess that could be solved with a switcher.
cheers!

speaker connection problems? I'm not sure what you mean.

[Kaboom]

with speaker connection problems i mean that if you're going to use the reciever for HT and the integrated for music, be it bypassed, or whatever, you are going to have to unplug the speakers from the reciever and plug them into the integrated to listen to music and unplug them from the integrated back into the reciever to watch movies. Now this can be done pretty fast if you use banana plugs, or a switch, but i think its a messy solution.
I would suggest u spend the bucks on a reciever than handles music well enuff. Or do what i do, leave movies for the cinema and spend your food, cigarrettes, alcohol and medicines money on stereo equipment
cheers!

[Feanor]

Some of the Yamaha receivers have a "pure direct" mode. This may not be a "true bypass" but comes very close. Adding good amp after the pre-outs should get you what you are looking for. I believe a few other brands are starting to do this as well. Denon, Onkyo,...

Just to be clear, doesn't the "pure direct" bypass the DSP, (digital signal processing)? Of course, this definitely what you what if you're just trying to reroute the CD signal to a separate amplifier.

I suspect cheaper A/V receivers tend to have neither the "direct" function nor pre-amp outs.

[GMichael]

Just to be clear, doesn't the "pure direct" bypass the DSP, (digital signal processing)? Of course, this definitely what you what if you're just trying to reroute the CD signal to a separate amplifier.

I suspect cheaper A/V receivers tend to have neither the "direct" function nor pre-amp outs.

Yes, the pure direct bypasses all proccessing. It gives out a very realistic sound. My speakers only go down to 38htz though so I need the sub. Using straight lets me use the sub but it's not quite as clean as the pure direct mode. Close, but when I switch back & forth I can hear the difference in the stereo imaging. It may be because I have my sub between the two main speakers. I haven't tried moving it to the outside yet. Moving soon so I've left things alone.

[GMichael]

Yes, the pure direct bypasses all proccessing. It gives out a very realistic sound. My speakers only go down to 38htz though so I need the sub. Using straight lets me use the sub but it's not quite as clean as the pure direct mode. Close, but when I switch back & forth I can hear the difference in the stereo imaging. It may be because I have my sub between the two main speakers. I haven't tried moving it to the outside yet. Moving soon so I've left things alone.

Oh, also, straight will output 5.1 if the source is 5.1. Pure direct will not. In fact, DTS & DD 5.1 will produce no sound at all when the receiver is in pure direct mode.

[JonW]

Oh, also, straight will output 5.1 if the source is 5.1. Pure direct will not. In fact, DTS & DD 5.1 will produce no sound at all when the receiver is in pure direct mode.

Makes perfect sense. If you need all the 5.1 decoding (which is why you have the receiver in the first place) then you would not want to be in direct mode.

[JonW]

Yes, the pure direct bypasses all proccessing. It gives out a very realistic sound. My speakers only go down to 38htz though so I need the sub. Using straight lets me use the sub but it's not quite as clean as the pure direct mode. Close, but when I switch back & forth I can hear the difference in the stereo imaging. It may be because I have my sub between the two main speakers. I haven't tried moving it to the outside yet. Moving soon so I've left things alone.

Interesting. Pure direct would be exactly what I'm looking for if it could output to the sub and actually did sound as good as a direct plug from the CD to amp.

When you switch between straight and direct, is the difference you hear because of the sub? Could you just unplug the sub and see if there's any difference?

The $400 657 is sounding to be very close to what I want, with the direct/straight, but maybe not quite there. Idunno...

[GMichael]

Interesting. Pure direct would be exactly what I'm looking for if it could output to the sub and actually did sound as good as a direct plug from the CD to amp.

When you switch between straight and direct, is the difference you hear because of the sub? Could you just unplug the sub and see if there's any difference?

The $400 657 is sounding to be very close to what I want, with the direct/straight, but maybe not quite there. Idunno...

I'll give it a try when I get home tonight.

[GMichael]

Interesting. Pure direct would be exactly what I'm looking for if it could output to the sub and actually did sound as good as a direct plug from the CD to amp.

When you switch between straight and direct, is the difference you hear because of the sub? Could you just unplug the sub and see if there's any difference?

The $400 657 is sounding to be very close to what I want, with the direct/straight, but maybe not quite there. Idunno...

Here's another thought. If the receiver in pure direct is sending left & right via the pre-outs to the 2 channel amp, can't the 2 channel amp feed the sub? Do they have sub outs?

[JonW]

Here's another thought. If the receiver in pure direct is sending left & right via the pre-outs to the 2 channel amp, can't the 2 channel amp feed the sub? Do they have sub outs?

Not as far as I know. But maybe someone more knowledgeable can chime in on that.

[Feanor]

Here's another thought. If the receiver in pure direct is sending left & right via the pre-outs to the 2 channel amp, can't the 2 channel amp feed the sub? Do they have sub outs?

Have "pre-out" jacks, (like many receivers), which are volume-controlled. These can be used to driver your sub.

However most subs do not have separate stereo line-level and "LFE", (Low Frequency Effects), inputs. With those that do, you can hook your stereo amp to the former and the A/V receiver output to the latter .

Otherwise you might possibly attach your stereo amp to the sub's high-level inputs, and the speakers to the sub's high-level outputs -- however this a very sub-optimal solution.

[GMichael]

Interesting. Pure direct would be exactly what I'm looking for if it could output to the sub and actually did sound as good as a direct plug from the CD to amp.

When you switch between straight and direct, is the difference you hear because of the sub? Could you just unplug the sub and see if there's any difference?

The $400 657 is sounding to be very close to what I want, with the direct/straight, but maybe not quite there. Idunno...

OK, after several hours of listening with my sub turned off, I have found that.... well.. I found that I love music. Oh yeah, pure direct still sounds different than straight. My guess is that it's the difference between analog and digital sound respectively. Not sure if either was the clear winner. On my older CD's the pure direct sounded better. On the newer music the straight sounded better, more balanced. Sorry that I couldn't come up with more than that for you.

[JonW]

OK, after several hours of listening with my sub turned off, I have found that.... well.. I found that I love music. Oh yeah, pure direct still sounds different than straight. My guess is that it's the difference between analog and digital sound respectively. Not sure if either was the clear winner. On my older CD's the pure direct sounded better. On the newer music the straight sounded better, more balanced. Sorry that I couldn't come up with more than that for you.

Thanks for doing the test!

So no clear winner. Very interesting!

And isn't it always great when you refind your love for good music? That's excellent. I fully expect that, once I get my fancy stereo setup, I'm going to want to go back through all my old CD's.

[GMichael]

Thanks for doing the test!

So no clear winner. Very interesting!

And isn't it always great when you refind your love for good music? That's excellent. I fully expect that, once I get my fancy stereo setup, I'm going to want to go back through all my old CD's.

Anytime, sorry I couldn't be more helpfull.

Yes, it is great to hear music played on a good system. I had forgotten how much I liked some old CD's.

I think that you'll have a blast going through your old & new CD's. You may even find that you like your DVD's more than you thought you would. Even some basic TV can have great sound. I've become hooked. Can't get enough.

By the way, the Arcam DVR300 you are thinking about is a very good unit.

[JonW]

Just to be clear, doesn't the "pure direct" bypass the DSP, (digital signal processing)? Of course, this definitely what you what if you're just trying to reroute the CD signal to a separate amplifier.

I suspect cheaper A/V receivers tend to have neither the "direct" function nor pre-amp outs.

Yes, that's what I'm trying to do- reroute the CD to a seperate amp.

The $400-ish Yamaha RX-V657 has the direct and pre outs. Sound good to me. The only problem I see so far with this plan is that there is no sub output in the direct mode.