New Surround Master owner having trouble with set-up

[William Gallaty]

Really loved this forum and proud to join. I just received my Surround Master V.3 (S.M.) and tried to use it my Technics Sl-D3 turntable connected to a Puffin pre-am DSP (by Parks Audio) feeding directly into the S.M. Unfortunately, the Puffin is a DSP so the S.M. did not like the signal. I also tried to use the S.M. with my Panasonic BDT110 Blu-ray/cd player using the optical input to the S.M. Again, no sound. Does anyone on the forum have any suggestions? I have ordered a pre-amp to replace the Puffin, but I can't understand why the optical input from the Blu-ray player won't work. I contacted David at Involve Audio and he said, "You can connect an optical disc player to the Surround Master via Optical/Toslink/ S/PDIF connection if you wish, as long as your player can be set to output PCM only (the SM doesn't decode digital formats natively, such as Dolby Digital/DTS etc) - and the maximum input resolution is 96KHZ 24 bit." I set the output to PCM but still no sound out any channel. Help please!!!

 

[par4ken]

Really loved this forum and proud to join. I just received my Surround Master V.3 (S.M.) and tried to use it my Technics Sl-D3 turntable connected to a Puffin pre-am DSP (by Parks Audio) feeding directly into the S.M. Unfortunately, the Puffin is a DSP so the S.M. did not like the signal. I also tried to use the S.M. with my Panasonic BDT110 Blu-ray/cd player using the optical input to the S.M. Again, no sound. Does anyone on the forum have any suggestions? I have ordered a pre-amp to replace the Puffin, but I can't understand why the optical input from the Blu-ray player won't work. I contacted David at Involve Audio and he said, "You can connect an optical disc player to the Surround Master via Optical/Toslink/ S/PDIF connection if you wish, as long as your player can be set to output PCM only (the SM doesn't decode digital formats natively, such as Dolby Digital/DTS etc) - and the maximum input resolution is 96KHZ 24 bit." I set the output to PCM but still no sound out any channel. Help please!!!

The Surround Master requires analogue inputs and outputs!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

The Surround Master requires analogue inputs and outputs!

The SM v3 can use digital input via SPDIF optical !

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Really loved this forum and proud to join. I just received my Surround Master V.3 (S.M.) and tried to use it my Technics Sl-D3 turntable connected to a Puffin pre-am DSP (by Parks Audio) feeding directly into the S.M. Unfortunately, the Puffin is a DSP so the S.M. did not like the signal. I also tried to use the S.M. with my Panasonic BDT110 Blu-ray/cd player using the optical input to the S.M. Again, no sound. Does anyone on the forum have any suggestions? I have ordered a pre-amp to replace the Puffin, but I can't understand why the optical input from the Blu-ray player won't work. I contacted David at Involve Audio and he said, "You can connect an optical disc player to the Surround Master via Optical/Toslink/ S/PDIF connection if you wish, as long as your player can be set to output PCM only (the SM doesn't decode digital formats natively, such as Dolby Digital/DTS etc) - and the maximum input resolution is 96KHZ 24 bit." I set the output to PCM but still no sound out any channel. Help please!!!

I'd recommend to keep bugging Dave, he needs more work

Keep at it, you'll get it eventually!

Welcome to the QQ.

 

[William Gallaty]

The SM v3 can use digital input via SPDIF optical !

I used the S.M. supplied SPDIF cable from my Blu ray player to the the S.M but got no sound at all

 

[bookofsaturdays]

I used the S.M. supplied SPDIF cable from my Blu ray player to the the S.M but got no sound at all

What are you running the output from the SM to? Multichannel analog inputs on an av receiver?

 

[Sonik Wiz]

I used the S.M. supplied SPDIF cable from my Blu ray player to the the S.M but got no sound at all

That's what you said before & sounds correct. Is there a chance when you selected PCM the setting wasn't saved? Do you need to turn on the TOSLINK output?

And another question: when you have your player hooked up by optical & playing a disc, can you get the blue LED input level light to blink at any setting of the input level? You don't usually want the light to blink but in this case it would at least verify the SM is getting a signal.

As @bookofsaturdays has inquired about your AVR, I'd like to point out there is a place in your user profile to list all your gear. Strictly optional but it comes in handy for folks to refer to at times like this.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll get it straightened out!

 

[William Gallaty]

What are you running the output from the SM to? Multichannel analog inputs on an av receiver?

Yes, the SM output is to the Multi-channel analog inputs of my Yamaha which is made for connecting external sources like the S.M.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Really loved this forum and proud to join. I just received my Surround Master V.3 (S.M.) and tried to use it my Technics Sl-D3 turntable connected to a Puffin pre-am DSP (by Parks Audio) feeding directly into the S.M. Unfortunately, the Puffin is a DSP so the S.M. did not like the signal. I also tried to use the S.M. with my Panasonic BDT110 Blu-ray/cd player using the optical input to the S.M. Again, no sound. Does anyone on the forum have any suggestions? I have ordered a pre-amp to replace the Puffin, but I can't understand why the optical input from the Blu-ray player won't work. I contacted David at Involve Audio and he said, "You can connect an optical disc player to the Surround Master via Optical/Toslink/ S/PDIF connection if you wish, as long as your player can be set to output PCM only (the SM doesn't decode digital formats natively, such as Dolby Digital/DTS etc) - and the maximum input resolution is 96KHZ 24 bit." I set the output to PCM but still no sound out any channel. Help please!!!

Here's a section of your manual, about PCM audio, make sure to double check these settings; and be sure to save your new settings (if that's an option)-

 

[bookofsaturdays]

Yes, the SM output is to the Multi-channel analog inputs of my Yamaha which is made for connecting external sources like the S.M.

Ok and you’re positive you’ve activated the “Multi Channel In” setting on the receiver?

 

[bill114]

Try using another optical cable. The one I received with my v3 was bad.

 

[jaybird100]

Really loved this forum and proud to join. I just received my Surround Master V.3 (S.M.) and tried to use it my Technics Sl-D3 turntable connected to a Puffin pre-am DSP (by Parks Audio) feeding directly into the S.M. Unfortunately, the Puffin is a DSP so the S.M. did not like the signal. I also tried to use the S.M. with my Panasonic BDT110 Blu-ray/cd player using the optical input to the S.M. Again, no sound. Does anyone on the forum have any suggestions? I have ordered a pre-amp to replace the Puffin, but I can't understand why the optical input from the Blu-ray player won't work. I contacted David at Involve Audio and he said, "You can connect an optical disc player to the Surround Master via Optical/Toslink/ S/PDIF connection if you wish, as long as your player can be set to output PCM only (the SM doesn't decode digital formats natively, such as Dolby Digital/DTS etc) - and the maximum input resolution is 96KHZ 24 bit." I set the output to PCM but still no sound out any channel. Help please!!!

 

[William Gallaty]

That's what you said before & sounds correct. Is there a chance when you selected PCM the setting wasn't saved? Do you need to turn on the TOSLINK output?

And another question: when you have your player hooked up by optical & playing a disc, can you get the blue LED input level light to blink at any setting of the input level? You don't usually want the light to blink but in this case it would at least verify the SM is getting a signal.

As @bookofsaturdays has inquired about your AVR, I'd like to point out there is a place in your user profile to list all your gear. Strictly optional but it comes in handy for folks to refer to at times like this.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll get it straightened out!

Sonik Wiz, thanks for your advice. I did as you suggested and added my equipment to my profile. I didn't know this was available. I don't see any led input light blinking.

 

[William Gallaty]

Ok and you’re positive you’ve activated the “Multi Channel In” setting on the receiver?

Yes, I select the multi-channel setting each time, but with no results. I have actually tried every setting out of sheer frustration.

 

[jaybird100]

The optical input on the SM accepts only 2 channel PCM. Does the device you're connecting optically to the SM also have analog outputs? If so, have you tried to use them? If you connect the optical output of, say, a CD player, to the SM with a Toslink cable, it should work nicely. For vinyl, you could use a phono stage that has stereo analog outs, feed them into the SM's analog inputs, and you should have great sound. Hooked up as you described, the optical out from your blu-ray player will do the job, but ONLY for playing CD's. It will not work for DVD's or blu-ray discs. If you can turn off the DSP function in your Puffin preamp, it should work. The new phono stage you ordered, connected to the SM's analog inputs, should be fine.

 

[audiomaster]

I'd recommend to keep bugging Dave, he needs more work

Keep at it, you'll get it eventually!

Welcome to the QQ.

Did Dave forget to put the Decibels in the unit again? It needs analog Decibels, not the digital ones like you find at the Apple store.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Did Dave forget to put the Decibels in the unit again? It needs analog Decibels, not the digital ones like you find at the Apple store.

I've noticed that sometimes the Decibels fall out the RCA jacks if you don't keep it level.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I've noticed that sometimes the Decibels fall out the RCA jacks if you don't keep it level.

Definitely try another Toslink cable!

More likely the DSP fried the logic circuits.

We’re awful

Since William is new here, I’ll also include this link to some personal mishap horrors (from the butt-dial Hall of Fame chronicles)-

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...lt-in-a-big-stressful-frenzy-of-horror.28922/

 

[audiomaster]

I've noticed that sometimes the Decibels fall out the RCA jacks if you don't keep it level.

That's why some companies provide "dummy plugs" on the inputs!

 

[Doug G.]

Ah, NOTHING like modern digital to make one appreciate the old analog.



Doug