Help with Yamaha RX-V2400 Zone 2 out

[musicguy04]

I had my Toshiba SD-5700 player connected to the digital input of my Yamaha receiver, but since I'm looking for a new CD Player or amp at the moment, I've found out the purist way to get the sound from the CD Player's analog stage is to connect to the receiver's discrete external input. I did this. I didn't hear much difference, but maybe that's because the Yamaha and Toshiba have similar DACs? Just a though.

Well, I mentioned before that I have a friend with a Denon DVD-2200 and a Denon 3805 receiver and paradigm studio 60 front speakers and studio 20 surrounds. Well, I took your suggestion and asked to borrow his speakers. It was a no-go on the 60's, but they're not easy to move, but I'm able to use his studio 20's for one day. We've been fiddling with it for a few hours. Yeah, I'll say there's a definite improvement with the paradigms. I think the biggest improvements are in clarity, naturalness of sound, and maybe a little more detail. However, no bass! :-( That's because I hooked up the DVD/CD player to the discrete inputs and there's no bass management on that thing. I heard the Denon sucks with it as well, but he doesn't have this problem since he has full range fronts. So I tried to use the Yamaha's Zone 2 pre amp outputs to go to my sub. Nothing. No sounds! wtf? Now there was sound, but nothing great when using the DVD/CD via digital input. But nothing on discrete. Nothing. Is there any way around this?

Ok, these are my thoughts on the whole sound thing. Although my system was MUCH improved with the studio 20's being used, his system still was more musical, sweeter, and had a LOT more detail than mine. Would this be due to the Denon DVD-2200 or his receiver, or both? So this still leaves me in the whole buy AMP or buy new CD player dilemma. But yeah, my system never sounded this good with the paradigms, and people have suggested I buy speakers now, but that's a waste of $$ since I'll be getting really nice ones in a few months. And no, I can't fork over $2000 to get matching B&W 805 surrounds, since I can't afford near that and I'm not even sure I'm going with the 804's, but I probably will.

So I need help with the Zone 2 being used with the discrete input on my receiver and if it was either the amp on the Denon or the CD player on the Denon that added all the detail and sweetness. Clarity and soundstage definitely improved with the speakers. Probably the paradigms are able to produce more detail with better source components than my polks. B&W's and the like even better.

[musicguy04]

Good news! I was able to fix the problem. I'm running the sub from the receiver's front pre-out jacks, and works fine.

I guess I still need help on the issue of purchasing either a new amp (Parasound A23) or new CD player (Arcam 73T), but I have a new insight on it.

Although getting a new amp would improve the overall sound quality of my entire system, it's probably best to wait until I get my new speakers to pick out an amp, since by the time I get my speakers it'll be too late to return any amp if it doesn't sound right in my system.

I think getting an Arcam 73T might be the best choice, since I'm able to get everything to work, sub and all while using the discrete input, plus the Arcam is upgradeable, and I'll try to get an in home audition before I buy, so I'll be able to tell if there's any difference. Of course, if there's no difference, it'll go back. Do you guys think this is my best option?

And to answer someones earlier question, I'm not into SACD, since I've been buying CDs for 12 years, pretty much 99% of all the music I've ever bought is CD, and I have hundredes of them, and I like to play them at work, in the car, etc. etc. plus I want them to sound their absolute best. I'll probably get into SACD in 5 years when I have more $, they optimize the features, and if it becomes more mainstream.

[sy_lu]

I think the sound difference between your firend's system and yours has more to do he is using Studio 60 while you use his Studio 20. As you have already found out, better speakers will make a lot of difference. In my system, the speakers costs far more than all other components combined because you can not spend ehough on all other components to make a bad speaker sounded good.

On the matter of SACD, a good SACD player also has a good DAC for CD PCM play back. My Sony SACD DVD has bettter DAC than my now dead Denon 3300 receiver for or any of the different CD ore DVD players I have owned.