DTC-9.4 zone 2 question

[Gareth]

Hello everyone,
I'm using the zone 2 feature on the 9.4 where i'm not using the fixed volume outs on the unit. Instead I activated and am using the Zone2 outputs which are the 6th and 7th speaker in a 7.1 configuration. Integra allows you to either use the outputs as speaker 6 and 7, or to switch it in configuration and use those outputs as Zone 2. The benefit for doing this is that you can use the Zone 2 volume control via the remote or under the front panel to control Zone 2 volume to your external zone 2 amp and zone 2 speakers. Sorry if that explanation isn't the clearest in the world.

I'm have some strange issues though. If I select a source which is coming into the 9.4 with regular audio cables, R and L (no digital cables), the output to Zone 2 is great and I can hear it through those speakers. However, when I select a source which has a digital input into the 9.4 (optical cable) such as my DVD player, I get no sound to my zone 2 speakers. I'm wondering if I have to change the audio input of the source to be something other than surround sound? Maybe switch it to multi-channel? Has anyone tried this or run into this issue? The behaviour is pretty consistent and its really annoying that I cannot figure this out. I emailed Integra about this and got no response, and called product support but was still on hold after an hour.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Gareth

[Burke Strickland]

Gareth -

Welcome to HT Guide and to Club Integra! Glad you decided to join us and thanks for posting your question,

If I select a source which is coming into the 9.4 with regular audio cables, R and L (no digital cables), the output to Zone 2 is great and I can hear it through those speakers. However, when I select a source which has a digital input into the 9.4 (optical cable) such as my DVD player, I get no sound to my zone 2 speakers.

Actually, that's a "feature", not a "bug" -- that's the way the DTC-9.4 was designed. Zone 2 is analog only. Therefore, analog inputs are available for Zone 2 output; digital inputs are not. Unfortunately, they do not make that point on page 25 of the manual where they describe Zone 2. It is easy to miss the reference on page 17 where the subject is digital connections where the manual obliquely recommends that when you connect a digital source, you also add an analog connection to the same component if you plan to use it in Zone 2.

From the "Integra DTC 9.4 Instruction Manual" Page 17 (bold emphasis added):

DIGITAL INPUT/OUTPUT
On the rear panel of the DTC-9.4, there are three coaxial digital
inputs, four optical digital inputs, and two optical digital output. To
the digital inputs, connect CD players, LD players, DVD players, or
other digital source component. To the digital output, connect MD
recorders, CD recorders, DAT decks, or other similar components.
• Since an analog connection must be made when using Rec Out
or Zone 2, make sure that the connection to the input source is
not digital only, but analog as well.
• When using an optical input or output jack, always use an optical
fiber cable.

In other words, as noted before, Zone 2 and Rec Out are analog only. To record digitally, you would use "digital out". Likewise, I suppose you could try using the digital outs for Zone 2, but you would not have the Zone 2 volume control feature, (your external amp would have to have a volume control), nor would you have any other Zone 2 control features such as switching between it and Rec Out, so you'd have to switch cables from the digital out connection if you wanted to record digitally. Probably better to just hook up analog cables between the digital source and the DTC-9.4 so you can use Zone 2 with your digital source in analog mode.

Good luck -

Burke