RSX1055 "analog bypass mode"

[OakIris]

Yet another newbie question from someone who has had the RSX1055 long enough that they should know the answer, but... I've done a search here, checked out the FAQs on the Rotel site and read the manual, but can't seem to find anything about HOW you place the receiver in analog bypass mode. Is it as simple as just pressing the "2 CH" button on the front of the receiver, or is there a particular OSD menu you need to go into to change the mode? I am not using the multi-channel inputs, and will be powering my front speakers via the RMB1075 power amp connected to the pre-outs on the receiver.

I still want to be able to use a sub for music, too - is this possible? If it is, and I don't like it, I can always disable the sub for 2 channel use - can't I? ops:

[AGS]

Hey OakIris, I have the 1056 and I know they are similar...you are right! On the 1056 all I have to do is select 2 channel mode for analog bypass. I'm pretty sure it's the same for you. I don't recall the answer to your sub question though as I'm not running one and it's been a while since I've read the manual. Hope this helps a little. Try it and you'll see you'll be locked out of tone adjustments and stuff as its straight analog with no processing.

[OakIris]

Thanks, AGS. Funny how we never think that the solution is the simplest answer! I'll look further into the sub question - I would just like to know what it sounds like with music, though I know that most people don't like to run a sub with their 2-channel sources.

Edit - actually, part of my question may have been answered by june's thread: http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=12097 Her quetion is about the 1068, but some of it may apply to the RSX 1055.

[basementjack]

OakIris,

I'm not sure if the old series has the analog bypass or not. (somehow I am thinking no) To find out, select the tuner input, then press 2ch on the front panel - if it changes between bypass and 2ch or Stereo then your 1055 has it.

On the new series, it only works with analog sources - if your CD player is connected via digital, then all you will see when your press 2 ch is PCM 44.1

There is a trick with the older units (your 1055 for example) Go into the subwoofer settings, turn the subwoofer to the lowest setting after -9 it should say OFF - in this way you can set it so that 2 channel music does not use the sub, if that's how you want it.

- Jack

[OakIris]

basementjack - I changed the source to "tuner" and pressed the 2 channel button; the word "stereo" scrolled across the display. The same thing happened when I switched the source to CD and pressed the 2 channel button. The display did not show "bypass" at anytime, though - perhaps I am misreading your post and it is not supposed to show "bypass" and then "stereo." ??

[soundhound]

Holly, the 1055 will show "stereo" as Jack said, the newer units have a true "analog" pass through as well as 2 channel stereo. As well as turning the sub down as recomended have you experimented using both digital and rca's out of you're cd to see if you notice a difference? This may give you a likeable option.

[Ijon_Tichy]

I also have the 1055 and have had the same question.

As far as I can discover the 1055/1066 does not have the "bypass" feature as implemented on the 1056/68.

The only true analog bypass (no processing, no bass management, etc) on the 1055/1066 is via the MULTI input with its bass management circuit cut (the bm fix). This will give you the purest 2ch (no sub) available on the 1055/1066.

I am not aware of any other input method available on the 1055/1066 that will provide an unadulterated signal.

The 2CH mode still involves bass management processing. I assume this requires analog-> digital -> analog conversions which is not analog bypass.

I have yet to try the sub settings trick mentioned above. Can someone verify that this trick eliminates any analog-> digital -> analog processing by the 1055/1066?

Hopefully some one else can chime in if I am wrong.

[phuz]

Ok I was just reading this over and I just wanted to try to clarify and confirm.

In a system with no subwoofer, it's off, null, nada... the 1056 in 2ch/stereo mode takes the signal from the analog CD inputs and converts it back to digital... and then converts it back to analog before it goes to the amp or pre-amp outputs?

If so, is it just going through an electronic crossover to allow for bass management? Or is there more types of processing involved?

[soundhound]

phuz, Ijon answered your'e question, the 1056 should have an "analog" option available which would use the cd's dacs, and you would use the rca cables. If you use a digital cable you would be given a "stereo" or "2 channel" option which would use the 1056's processor, not just a crossover.

[phuz]

phuz, Ijon answered your'e question, the 1056 should have an "analog" option available which would use the cd's dacs, and you would use the rca cables. If you use a digital cable you would be given a "stereo" or "2 channel" option which would use the 1056's processor, not just a crossover.

I'm talking about when using analog interconnects. I can choose both, stereo or bypass. I did a little searching on the forum and it seemed that quite a few folks believe that it does do the additional conversion, instead of just crossing over for bass management. That doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe this is a question for Rotel.

[Andrew Pratt]

It won't do any processing if you are in bypass mode. If you're running a digital connection in then it will be processed but its done digitally so its not an issue given the source.

[basementjack]

OakIris -

I don't think the 1055 has the bypass mode, but to clarify, you would have had to have hit the 2ch button more than once, the first should display stereo, the next would have been bypass.

Ijon_Tichy -
I didn't mean to imply that The Subwoofer trick wasn't meant to avoid any processing. It was just a way to shut off the sub for 2 channel listening, that I didn't think was that obvious in the 1055/1065 generation of products.

[OakIris]

basementjack - You are right - the 1055 doesn't have the same analog bypass setting that the 1056 has - no "bypass" shows after the second time the 2 channel button is pressed. I think what is confusing me (O.K., one of many things. ) is this statement on the Rotel site in the FAQs for the RSX1055:

Are there any pure analog and unprocessed inputs on the RSX 1055?
The RSX 1055’s analog inputs are all pure analog inputs when used in 2 channel stereo mode. There is some digital processing to generate a subwoofer output in stereo, but this is not done to the original signal. The signal is split at the input and a copy of the signal is sent to through processing and the digital crossover of the unit to generate the subwoofer output for stereo. The only signal processing the original signal sees before the output is tone control and volume. The other analog input on the RSX 1055 is the 7 channel Multi Input. This is a pure analog bypass of the RSX 1055 circuitry, with no processing, only an analog 100Hz filter which redirects some bass information below 100Hz to the subwoofer output, while still allowing the speaker outputs to pass a full range signal. This allows there to be a subwoofer output, even for source material that does not contain a dedicated LFE channel.

To me, this sounds as if 2 channel is in fact pure analog, and digital processing comes in only if you also activate the subwoofer for 2 channel listening.

The FAQ states that the "pure analog bypass" mode involves the multichannel inputs, only. Are these inputs only for use with a DVD or CD, or can you somehow connect a turntable (phono stage) to it for pure analog??

[Andrew Pratt]

Phono's are different in that they need to be amplified so no you couldn't connect your turntable to the multichannel inputs without first plugging it into some sort of phono preamp.

[Ijon_Tichy]

Thanks for all the info!

Please correct me if I am wrong here:

Let's say as a source you have a cd player connected to an external dac that is superior to the 1055's own dac.

1. The 1055 in 2CH mode w/o sub will pass a pure analog signal from source (via CD input) to the amp/pre-outs w/o processing.

2. The 1055 in 2CH mode w/ sub XO set at 80hz will pass a pure original analog signal of everything >80hz from source to the amp/pre-outs w/o processing and everything <80hz processed from the digital copy of the original signal to the sub.

In short, the signal that reaches the speakers (not the sub) completely bypasses any A/D/A processing in the 1055 and thus is a preserved signal from the external dac.

Is this correct?

And the 1056 does the exact same thing except in Bypass Mode where it just switches off the bass management?

[OakIris]

Ijon - that's how I am interpreting Rotel's FAQ statement, but hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in.

Andrew - I have a separate phono stage for my turntable. I didn't word my question very well I guess! I was under the impression that I had to use one of the analog video inputs to connect my phono stage to the receiver via L/R RCA interconnects. My question is can I instead connect it to the multi-channel inputs to get pure analog, or are the multi-channel inputs only for CD & DVD drives?

[basementjack]

OakIris -

Do you have any bass heavy content you can use to confirm Ijon_Tichys summary on the 1055? I'll try and do it after the kids go to bed on the 1056 tonight.

[Andrew Pratt]

Yes in that case you can use the multi in if you like.

[phuz]

It won't do any processing if you are in bypass mode. If you're running a digital connection in then it will be processed but its done digitally so its not an issue given the source.

Right, no processing in bypass mode. Processing with digital connection, of course.

My concern or question that I'm still not sure if there is a straight answer is, in "stereo" or "2 channel" mode, using analog interconnects, does the rsx-1056 convert the analog signal to digital so that it can add bass management, then convert it back to analog for the output? Or, does it just take the analog signal and add bass management using some sort of crossover without turning the analong signal from my rcd-1070 back into 01101011010010 binary.

After searching, everything I saw said the answer was yes, it does turn the analog signal back into digital in 2ch or stereo mode (NOT bypass) - which I find bothersome. I'm just trying to find out if it's true or not. Sorry if I wasn't clear in my earlier posts, I was rushed.

Thx

(sorry to hijack the thread but I think this is important)

[OakIris]

Yes in that case you can use the multi in if you like.

Andrew -So would this be the preferred way to hook up a phono stage/turntable set up, or is the analog video input better, or...? Once I get all of my equipment, I know I can do an A/B comparison to find out which I like better, but I'm just wondering what the experts say.

basementjack - I don't have everyhting set up yet (my subwoofer still isn't calibrated) so I can't do the bass heavy test yet.

phuz - I don't know the answer for the 1056, but from what I read in the FAQs for the 1055, it seems that if you don't include a subwoofer in your 2-channel menu set up and you use analog interconnects, it is supposedly a "pure analog" signal that is sent to your speakers, no digital processing is done.

[Andrew Pratt]

Most processors these days that do extract a subwoofer track do so by copying the main signal and doing to processing on that not the main inputs which are typically left pure. Still if you set the sub to be off it shouldn't be an issue.

Oak I'm not sure you'd hear any difference but for simplicity I'd likely use the multi input just to be sure.

[OakIris]

Thanks Andrew.

[phuz]

Thanks Guys - thats good to hear