Which audio DAC is used in your Bluray player?

[Sunnyboy]

Hello everyone, we all know that Bluray improves the video play-back in HD era, but no manufacturers publish any information, or just as little info as "192/24" about audio DAC used. For a player to have great sound quality, it also needs a good audio DAC to achieve "ultimate" sound quality thru analog outputs. If you know what audio DAC chip(s) is(are) used in your BD player, would you kindly help other people by posting your player's audio DAC(s) info here? Thanks.

My 2 cents:

1. Sony BDP-S1/E: TI/BB PCM-1738EG
2. Sony BDP-S300, S500, S2000ES: TI/BB PCM-1791A
3. Sony BDP-S350: AK-4382A
4. Sony BDP-S550: AK-4358VQ for 7.1 analog output and AK-4382A for stereo analog output.
5. Denon 3800: TI/BB PCM-1796
6. Marantz BD8002: TI/BB PCM-1796
7. Pioneer Elite Series: Wolfson (do not have details, Wolfson DACs should be fine, however, I am not sure they can compete with TI/BB PCM-1792/94/96.)
8. Samsung: ESS 9006
9. Panasonic DMP-BD55K: TI/BB PCM-1681 (with great filtering caps: ELNA Cerafine, Rurycone SMD)

Can anyone provide more info about LG, Panasonic? With DD-TrueHD, DTS-HD MA on-board decoding output thru 7.1 analog jacks, we need good DACs! Among this list, the best is the (USD6.60) PCM-1738EG, second on the list is (USD3.70) PCM1796.

[Clark Kent]

Yes, audio DACs are very important in sound quality for analog output. I suspect the best dacs are in the high end Denon and Marantz BD players. I think they use the high end Burr-Brown DACs but I can't recall the numbers off the top of my head.

[rragland]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Yes, audio DACs are very important in sound quality for analog output. I suspect the best dacs are in the high end Denon and Marantz BD players. I think they use the high end Burr-Brown DACs but I can't recall the numbers off the top of my head.

Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD uses Wolfson Audio DAC's providing 117dB SN ratio.

[Sonny]

I'm gunna have to find out!! I have over 15 BD players

[acleftguard76]

I have...uhhh...oh wait, I have the Denon 2500 Transport. HA! I dont have any DAC'S.

[JimShaw]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Yes, audio DACs are very important in sound quality for analog output. I suspect the best dacs are in the high end Denon and Marantz BD players. I think they use the high end Burr-Brown DACs but I can't recall the numbers off the top of my head.

Marantz uses Cirrus Logic for DACs (as per Marantz)
Realta for video processing

[arush5268d]

To be honest.... I have a Panasonic BD30, which I have bitsreaming everything to my Pioneer Elite 92.

[Sunnyboy]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Yes, audio DACs are very important in sound quality for analog output. I suspect the best dacs are in the high end Denon and Marantz BD players. I think they use the high end Burr-Brown DACs but I can't recall the numbers off the top of my head.

Denon 5910: TI/BB PCM-1792.
Denon 3930: TI/BB PCM-1796.

TI/BB top of the line DACs are: PCM-1792, PCM-1794 and their old PCM1738.

[Sunnyboy]

Up to my best knowledge and people's help, here is a short list of audio DAC's:

1. Sony BDP-S1: TI/BB PCM-1738EG
2. Sony BDP-S300, S500, S2000ES: TI/BB PCM-1791A
3. Sony BDP-S350 (very likely S550 also): AK-4382A
4. Denon 3800: TI/BB PCM-1796
5. Marantz BD8002: TI/BB PCM-1796
6. Pioneer Elite Series: Wolfson (do not have details)
7. Samsung: ESS 9006

Can anyone provide more info about LG, Panasonic? With DD-TrueHD, DTS-HD MA on-board decoding output thru 7.1 analog jacks, we need good DACs! Among this list, the best is the (USD6.60) PCM-1738EG, second on the list is (USD3.70) PCM1796

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Sunnyboy

Up to my best knowledge and people's help, here is a short list of audio DAC's:

1. Sony BDP-S1: TI/BB PCM-1738EG
2. Sony BDP-S300, S500, S2000ES: TI/BB PCM-1791A
3. Sony BDP-S350 (very likely S550 also): AK-4382A
4. Denon 3800: TI/BB PCM-1796
5. Marantz BD8002: TI/BB PCM-1796
6. Pioneer Elite Series: Wolfson (do not have details)
7. Samsung: ESS 9006

Can anyone provide more info about LG, Panasonic? With DD-TrueHD, DTS-HD MA on-board decoding output thru 7.1 analog jacks, we need good DACs! Among this list, the best is the (USD6.60) PCM-1738EG, second on the list is (USD3.70) PCM1796

Here you go, and great job!

Edinburgh, 4 September 2008 – Wolfson Microelectronics (LSE:WLF.L) announces that its WM8740 high performance stereo DAC has been selected by Pioneer Electronics for use in its latest Blu-ray home theatre disc player.

With its new Blu-ray player (model BDP-LX71 in the EU/Japan and BDP-05FD in North America) Pioneer aims to outperform current desktop players and ’redefine the world of digital entertainment’. To achieve this Pioneer has utilised the most sophisticated components available to bring a true cinema experience to the home. Pioneer has used its proprietary high-quality video feature “Pure Cinema" alongside four Wolfson WM8740 DACs to provide top quality, high definition sound and deliver the complete audio performance that film studios intended audiences to experience.

Wolfson’s WM8740 high performance 24-bit 192 kHz stereo DAC features world class SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) and ultra low THD (total harmonic distortion) to provide the ultra high fidelity audio experience instrumental in helping Pioneer achieve its reference quality audio playback.

[Zman2k2]

It's not just the Elite series that uses Wolfson DACs anymore. My 51FD also has Wolfson on-board. I would also be interested in knowing what and if most AV receivers use for DACs. Because alot, if not the majority, of stand-alone users here bitstream to their receivers.

[naturephoto1]

I have an upgraded Denon DVD 5910 and an upgraded Denon DVD3800BDCI. The 5910 uses Burr Brown PCM-1792 DACs and the 3800BDCI uses PCM-1796 DACs. These units feed my upgraded Onkyo PR-SC885 Pre/Pro with its own Burr Brown DACs.

Rich

[Slec]

Sonnyboy, add all the players and DAC info to your first post. It'll make a great reference point!

[Big Daddy]

Perhaps we need to ask our friend from UK to add the audio decoders to his master list.

http://www.idoblu.co.uk/page2%20Blu-ray%20Players.html

[Sunnyboy]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

I have an upgraded Denon DVD 5910 and an upgraded Denon DVD3800BDCI. The 5910 uses Burr Brown PCM-1792 DACs and the 3800BDCI uses PCM-1796 DACs. These units feed my upgraded Onkyo PR-SC885 Pre/Pro with its own Burr Brown DACs.

Rich

Hi Rich: Good equipments you have! Players with 1792/1796 should cost you a lot of $$$!

Upgraded 1792? Do you mean upgraded I/V converting and output low pass filter?

PCM-1796 is pin-to-pin compatible with PCM1792, but 1796 is voltage output, 1792 is current output. After "upgrading", you need to use your own I/V stage! My favorite circuit for this part is: 1792 --> 2 x TI/BB THS4043 --> National LM4562/49710.

The reason that I want to compile this list is: I want to provide people (and myself) some idea about what kind of "sound quality" could they squeeze out of their BD players. Or, like myself, a DIYer make/modify/design my own preamp/power amps, I need to get a BD player with "decent" DAC(s) to hook up to my "home-brew" amps, otherwise, I need to make standalone DAC's myself...

I will keep updating my first post, when I know more info about these players.

Steve

[Sunnyboy]

Originally Posted by Slec

Sonnyboy, add all the players and DAC info to your first post. It'll make a great reference point!

Yes Sir!

[Sunnyboy]

Just crack an S550 open and found the DAC is AK4358VQ. S550's power supply, BD ROM drive, front panel control module are identically the same as S350. S550's analog audio output board is very similar to that of S350.

I will take S550 apart to find out more about the fuss about on-board DTS-HD MA decoding. Also, I am considering some options to modify these players. Ferrite Beads are definitely necessary!

Could anyone report what audio DAC is in Panasonic 35K and 55K? Many thanks.

[callas01]

sunnyboy, any update?

[Sunnyboy]

Originally Posted by callas01

sunnyboy, any update?

Sorry folks: out of "bullets" ($), and if BD player owners do not know how to disassemble their players, they might break something of their players. So far, my player of choice for PQ is Panny DMB-BD55K; for SQ, I still stick with my "home-brew" Sony BDP-S300 with BDP-S1 sound board loaded with European firmware 4.2/4.3. (Panny 55K is EXCELLENT in their part quality: best capacitors, but their OP amps and DACs are not very impressive. The HDMI bitstreamed digital signal thru Panasonic SA-BX500 for movies sounds VERY good. I use my S300+S1 only for listening to music.)

I tried to e-mail several companies for the audio DAC info, but most of them just turned me down...

I really hope, someday, I could see sub-1K BD players are using TI/BB 1792/1794, AKM-4398 or CS-4398 with TI THS4032 I/V and National LM4562 output OPs... Or, at least top notch audio DACs, so we can change op amps ourselves...

[Slec]

Want to add the Pioneer Elite Wolfson WM8740 DAC to your list above? verifying detail in post 11. Great work putting this together. If I can track down any other info I'll be sure to post it here.