RDV 1060 - does it decode HDCD?

[Madmoose]

Hi, I've done a bit of searching prior posts on HDCD and am not sure about this.

My system includes a 1098 and a 1060 (used for DVDs and CD playback). Audio by coaxial connection only at this point. I've noticed a few of my CDs are HDCD. While the 1072 CD player clearly states it decodes the HDCD, I could not find anything on the 1060 DVD player that mentions HDCD.

Does the 1060 also decode? If so, what is the best way to hook-up for this? Would the 1072 be significantly better?
Thanks for the help.

[Kevin D]

The confusion is between decoding and or passing HDCD. If you use the analog out of the 1072, it will decode the HDCD and play it. If using the digital connection, it will pass it. The 1098 can also decode the stream, if sent digitally from the 1072. The 1060 doesn't decode HDCD, but can pass it to the 1098 to decode.

So if you use the analog outs on the 1072, it will decode the HDCD using it's chip. If using the digital out, the 1098 does the decoding and will probably sound the same as using the 1060 to pass the stream.

FWIW, the RDV-1050 DOES NOT pass the HDCD signal, while the 1040 and 1060 do.

Kevin D.

[Madmoose]

Thanks Kevin.

[RebelMan]

FWIW, the RDV-1050 DOES NOT pass the HDCD signal, while the 1040 and 1060 do.

This is true as I have noticed it with my RDV-1050. I assumed the RDV-1040 was the same way. I am surprised to hear that it doesn't have this problem. Any idea why this is?

[Kevin D]

According to Rotel, the DSP chips are different and the 1050's do not recognise the HDCD flags and therefor just send a PCM signal.

Kevin D.

[Boombox]

How come the 1040 don't decode HDCD when using the analogue out...or does it???

[Kevin D]

Because it does not have an HDCD decoder built in. It does recognise the HDCD flag and will send it to a processor fine through the digital output.

Kevin D.

[Boombox]

pity....
on another point...is the new RDV03 a repackaged 1040..?

[Kevin D]

Possibly. The RDV-03 isn't available in North America, but the 1040 is. Plus the 1040 is no longer listed in the Global web site.

Kevin D.

[Vicente]

Hi, I have a rdv1060 with a rsx1056 connected in digital to the video inputs and in analog to the CD input. The case is that I can only get HDCD when used thru the video section buttons. If I try to hear a CD with HDCD, pressing the CD button the red sign HDCD in the receiver disapears.

Do you know any way I can benefit of the HDCD signal when using the CD section of the 1056?. I love the sound of the CD's using the bypass option.

Thanks. Regards

[fordster]

Vicente, sadly it's not possible. As Kevin says the 1060 can only pass HDCD, not decode it. Therefore you have to use the digital connection so that the 1056 can do the decoding. I know what you mean about the bypass option though, it does sound noticeably better. I guess you could add a DAC capable of decoding to the 1060 but that's probably a bit extreme for the number of HDCDs out there.

[Vicente]

I think it is time for Rotel to change the whole line of DVD players. Though the 1060 does the work pretty well for audio, video has been completely beaten by much cheaper units from other brands (see Denon, Pioneer, Marantz....). Same in connectivity and features.

I can understand then the expectations for the new 1092, but chances are that it will be out of the reach of many people if the price is near to $2k (that means probably 2500 € in Europe, a little fortune).

But all this are mere suppositions and now that the 1060 has been discontinued Rotel should give us an advance of the new range of DVD's coming, before many of us change to other brands looking for the bang for the buck that until now Rotel was proudly offering.