Onkyo 605 "Direct" mode?

[Go Blue]

Does anyone use "Direct" with their Onkyo? If so, why is it better than DD or LPCM?

[MacDaddyOJack]

The "direct" mode means that no sound matrixing is applied. That means that if the source is 5.1, then in direct mode you will get 5.1 just like the source had intended. When you don't use direct, you apply sound processing like Pro Logic IIx or THX Cinema. Those sound fields will matrix the source into 7.1 and more often than not, they will degrade the sound. I use direct for all of my movies but I do use THX for some games.

[chasarms]

Originally Posted by schultz

Does anyone use "Direct" with their Onkyo? If so, why is it better than DD or LPCM?

Direct mode is unaffected by Audessy, including the delays, level adjustments, equalization or any other processing associated with a particular mode. That may make it better, or perhaps worse, than another mode, depending on what you are listening to.


I use it for music, I don't use it for SS.

[MacDaddyOJack]

Originally Posted by chasarms

Direct mode is unaffected by Audessy, including the delays, level adjustments, equalization or any other processing associated with a particular mode. That may make it better, or perhaps worse, than another mode, depending on what you are listening to.

I could be wrong, but I thought that the equilizer and distance settings were still applied when using Direct. I thought that it was just the absence of sound matrixing but I'm not so sure anymore. I need to go back and look at the manual!

[SDon1969]

I prefer having my BDs set to "MultiCh" instead of "Direct" simply because Direct does not use your Audessey speaker-level settings (you will see the Audessey LED light go off when you go to Direct). Switching between both modes on the fly, MultiCh sounds way better on my system.

[chasarms]

Originally Posted by SDon1969

. . . you will see the Audessey LED light go off when you go to Direct . . .

This is why I presumed as I did in the above statement.

[chasarms]

From my manual (page 83) . . .

"When the listening mode is set to Direct or Pure Audio, no effect will be produced."

This is stated within the EQ section. It is not repeated in the delay or level sections. So, my statement may be only partly correct.

[un4gvn94538]

in the audessey section it does say audessey is used only when the logo appears. on my remote i use the surr button. the display is still multi ch but with the audessey for speaker settings. if i pressed the direct button, still same audio, pcm but without audessey, speaker settings. other sound preocessing doesnt have to be used, like thx

[DutchBoy]

This has really got me thinking about my own receiver, not an Onkyo, but many of the same similarities and it behaves the same way.

I don't have Audyssey, but I do have a calibration mic and everything -- I don't have Direct, but I have A.F.D. (Auto Field Detection); I don't have Multi. Channel, but I do have Multi. St. (ation).

I've been keeping it on A.F.D. solely for the purpose of not mucking about with the sound (keeping it real), but maybe that's not the best way to go...

[un4gvn94538]

i would say read your manual and make educated decision. in my opinion, i use the audessey because of the speaker settings. some say they dont because of they want to hear the way it was intended by the makers of the film. but every theater is different. different seating, environments, sound treatments or lack there of.

when using audessey i decide wether or not i use any thx modes or not. its different and depends on the source but with blus i usually dont.

[DutchBoy]

^^^

Thanks, mate. I may keep it on multi. for everything else I do, and switch off to AFD for my BDs.

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by DutchBoy

^^^

Thanks, mate. I may keep it on multi. for everything else I do, and switch off to AFD for my BDs.

again, i would read the manual to see exactly what afd and multi does and used for. i used to have a sony receiver ages ago and afd sound familiar but then yours might have hdmi so things may have changed. i remember afd i let the receiver do all the decoding and it was automatic. im thinking multi is for hdmi (guessing) and pcm so that might be best, especially if your player is decoding. dont know about speaker settings though

[MacDaddyOJack]

I may have figured some of this out. My manual (805) says that the equilizer is not applied to any 192kHz signals. Those signals are LPCM signals so if your player is a PS3, then when you use "Direct" you will get an LPCM signal so the equilizer will not be applied. I use a BD-P1400 which bitstreams, that is why I was fairly certain that my equilizer was still being applied. It is since my reciever is getting a bitstreamed signal instead of an LPCM signal.

You guys with PS3's may want to use multichannel for BD. If you are bitstreaming, then it probably doesnt matter although I'm still a little unsure. I'll have to play with it after work, hope this helps some of you!

[MacDaddyOJack]

After further reading the manual online, the manual reads that on bitstreamed TrueHD and DTS-MA sources, only tone controls are available.

[Pelican170]

Ok, after reading this, I began having some questions regarding "pure audio". Now, from my understanding this is almost the same as Direct Mode, but it shuts down other processes in the receiver to make for a better sound? Is this correct? Would you recommend using this for movies and games? I have tried this in the past and to me, it seems to be a better quality sound...

[SDon1969]

Originally Posted by Pelican170

Ok, after reading this, I began having some questions regarding "pure audio". Now, from my understanding this is almost the same as Direct Mode, but it shuts down other processes in the receiver to make for a better sound? Is this correct? Would you recommend using this for movies and games? I have tried this in the past and to me, it seems to be a better quality sound...

When I watch a blu-ray on my PS3, hooked up via HDMI, there are only two listening mode choices, Direct or Multich. I cannot choose Pure Audio or anything else on the 605.

[Pelican170]

Im going to start a new thread for this question, see if I can find an answer...

[Go Blue]

Originally Posted by MacDaddyOJack

After further reading the manual online, the manual reads that on bitstreamed TrueHD and DTS-MA sources, only tone controls are available.

So, is the consensus that you should not use Direct if you used the Audessey mic for set up?

[ixlegitballinxl]

confusing posts.... i've never messed with direct...i'll give it a try tomorrow

[MacDaddyOJack]

I did some experimenting with it. Direct is just as the source has it intended. No equilizers(Audyssey or manual), tone controls, or sound matrixing is applied. I use a BD-P1400 to bitstream to my 805 and on Dolby and DTS sources, the equillizer is disabled but the tone controls still apply. You PS3 owners cannot bitstream, so you may want to use a different mode to it in order to use you equilzer settings. I did not do much experimenting with 'multichannel' but you may be able to use your equilizer settings there.