Direct mode

[jakermc]

Time to wake up this sleepy board!

There has been discussion in another forum about the Direct mode being utilized on the digital input. Apparently there are a few who think this sounds better then stereo mode with upsampling. Prior to reading this, it had never even occurred to me that you could use the Direct mode on a digital input. I always associated Direct with Analog pass-through. What exactly would you be by-passing, upsampling and tone controls?

Has anyone tried this here? Is there a way to toggle between Direct and Stereo on the remote?

[Steve Goff]

The remote has stereo and direct buttons below the input selection buttons. They are keypad buttons 1 and 2 respectively. I too notice a differnce, but it is hard to know whether the difference is one of quality versus level, since the audio level changes when switching between the two modes.

Steve




Steve Goff

[Burke Strickland]

Welcome back... I'm glad to see some fans of Integra Research products back here posting again!


In the RDC-7, “Direct” mode applies to analog and PCM (digital) sources only – not to “surround” mode digital sources such as Dolby Digital and DTS. And as stated in the instruction manual, “Direct” does NOT send sound to the subwoofer. So people who say they are getting much purer sound using “Direct” on digital sources may just be avoiding the harsh sound of an overdriven subwoofer! :>) (Of course, neither “Stereo” nor “Direct” modes send any sound to the center channel or surround speakers.)

Listening Modes (page 40)


Direct
This mode delivers pure sound with minimum sound
quality adjustment and filtration. The sound recorded
for the right and left front channels is output to the right
and left front speakers only and not output to the
subwoofer.


2-5. Delay sub-menu (page 42)
This sub-menu gives you various ways to adjust the
timing of the audio output from the speakers to give
certain soundfield effects or to adjust for unwanted
asynchronous video and audio tracks.
This sub-menu does not appear if “Direct” is selected as
2-6. Sound Effect sub-menu (page 42)
This sub-menu allows you to increase or decrease only
the low (bass) or high (treble) frequency sounds or
adjust the volume for a particular input source. This submenu
does not appear if “Direct” or “THX Mode” are
selected as the listening mode.

None of the following Parameters are invoked in direct listening mode (Page 47):

Parameter
Subwoofer
Re-EQ (/Academy)
Input Channel
Output Channel
Surround Speakers
Digital Upsampling
Front Effect
Reflect Level
Reverb Level
Room Size
Listening Angle
Center
Front Expander
Virtual Surr Level
Dialog Enhance

Stereo (Analog/PCM) allows setting of Subwoofer, Re-EQ(Academy) and Digital Upsampling parameters.

Listening mode buttons (remote control Page 61)
DIRECT: Changes the listening mode directly to direct
• This button automatically changes the listening
mode of the current input source signal to the
direct listening mode. The setting in the OSD
Menu will also change accordingly.

Note that “Direct” mode is not directly invoked by the “Direct Macro” function, unless you direct it to by programming it directly. :>)


Burke

[wbk]

A peripheral question - does the upsampling kick in automatically in certain modes. If so, which ones?

[Steve Goff]

You determine in setup whether to upsample, and the unit follows your preferences.




Steve Goff