JE-520 Deck Optical Out

[jmsla]

Greetings.

I have a JE-520 deck that records using ATRAC 4.5.   I want to use this deck simply as a pass-through device to convert an analog signal coming in to a digital out signal   I know I can accomplish this by putting a disc in the deck then hitting record and pause which will activate the all the inputs and outputs.  
My question, however, is whether the digital signal out will be in ATRAC 4 or just a straight analog to digital conversion in that the deck is not actually recording.    Any thoughts out there are appreciated.

JMSLA (James)

 

[kgallen]

You don't need to put a disc in the machine. Just turn it on and hit RECORD then it goes into "monitor" mode. If you have the input selected as "Analog" then the display will show "AD - DA" (if the input is coax or optical, then it will say "- DA").

 

ATRAC conversion only relates to data going to the disc. If you're using the machine like this as an ADC, then the digital out is just a straight conversion of the analogue in.

 

Conversely you can use it as a DAC with headphone amplifier (like I do with mine, attached to a PC), select Coax or Optical and hit RECORD, the display will show "- DA".

 

Good luck!

[jmsla]

Hi kgallen,

Thank you for your reply.  It's good to know now that the digital (optical) output isn't getting ATRAC treatment.
It also never occurred to even try putting the deck in 'record' without a disk inserted; it works exactly as you described.

 

I am sending the analog signal from my turntable into the 520 and straight out to the optical input on my RH-1.  This set-up
is really just a matter of convenience because the turntable and the JE-520 are sitting next to each other.  I'm sure there are
better ways I can make digital copies, (sans mp3), of my LPs but, this is the line of least resistance for the moment. 

Thanks again for the info. and operation help; good news to me.

 

Best,

James

 

[Greg Geter]

On 6/17/2023 at 4:32 AM, kgallen said:

You don't need to put a disc in the machine. Just turn it on and hit RECORD then it goes into "monitor" mode. If you have the input selected as "Analog" then the display will show "AD - DA" (if the input is coax or optical, then it will say "- DA").

 

ATRAC conversion only relates to data going to the disc. If you're using the machine like this as an ADC, then the digital out is just a straight conversion of the analogue in.

 

Conversely you can use it as a DAC with headphone amplifier (like I do with mine, attached to a PC), select Coax or Optical and hit RECORD, the display will show "- DA".

 

Good luck!

 

Oh my. Amazing this works on the JE440, too. Now I can use it as an outboard DAC w/o hesitation. Awesome!

[Greg Geter]

On 6/17/2023 at 6:37 PM, jmsla said:

Hi kgallen,

Thank you for your reply.  It's good to know now that the digital (optical) output isn't getting ATRAC treatment.
It also never occurred to even try putting the deck in 'record' without a disk inserted; it works exactly as you described.

 

I am sending the analog signal from my turntable into the 520 and straight out to the optical input on my RH-1.  This set-up
is really just a matter of convenience because the turntable and the JE-520 are sitting next to each other.  I'm sure there are
better ways I can make digital copies, (sans mp3), of my LPs but, this is the line of least resistance for the moment. 

Thanks again for the info. and operation help; good news to me.

 

Best,

James

 

 

What would be a good level to set when usign as an outboard DAC? -2.0 db (I think that's what it was originally before I touched it)? 0 db?

[kgallen]

The monitor mode is supported on all Sony MD decks that I know of and by precedent is copied by other makes. 
 

You can use whatever gain is needed to make the sound right. It’s gain in the digital domain. If you need a high positive value it implies your source machine is putting out a low modulation digital signal over toslink or SPDIF coax. If the level can be improved at the source and and the MD kept say +6dB or below this would imply better ‘gain staging’ but if your source is weak then go ahead and bump it up at the MD DAC. Use the level meters on the MD and get the signal peaking close to 0dB on the meters without triggering ’peak’.

[sfbp]

The only trick is adding optical out on those decks which don't have it, at least for the MD section (eg MXD-D5C, MDS-JE480). They must all have the same style of firmware, because the "- DA" shows even on those decks that do NOT have optical out. Sadly the Onkyo MD-105FX (one of only a couple of Hi-MD decks in existence) doesn't do it. But that doesn't matter because a HiMD is already completely in the digital domain, and can be played back "directly" by a computer (ie it makes little difference whether the Hi-MD .OMA files are on the PC or on a minidisk, all the reproduction takes place in the computer's sound card, which DOES matter).

 

But it can be done. Easily. Couple of wires and the right TOSlink LED transmitter.

On 3/1/2024 at 9:45 PM, kgallen said:

all Sony MD decks that I know of

 

[EdinElk]

On 3/9/2024 at 5:03 PM, sfbp said:

 Sadly the Onkyo MD-105FX (one of only a couple of Hi-MD decks in existence) doesn't do it. 

But it can be done. Easily. Couple of wires and the right TOSlink LED transmitter.

 

In fact, the Onkyo 105fx used at least two different Sony MD transports with different DSP. The old one uses KMK 400AAA and is unique.

CXD2686-223GG - Onkyo MD-133, 105FX < 2007, many other bookshelf Onkyo with Hi-MD;
CXD2687-001GG - Sony MZ-RH1, Onkyo 105FX > 2007;
CXD2683-223GG - Bookshelf Sony CMT-AH10; 

And KMK 400AAA with the Sony DSP CXD2686-223GG does have DOUT pin, top right board edge behind the memory chip, near pin 24.

So, it could be used with @kgallen optical board project I believe. 

 

 

[sfbp]

Wow, so there *is* dout on the onkyo hi-md decks? That's amazing.

 

Sign me up, for one

 

Stephen

[kgallen]

35 minutes ago, sfbp said:

Wow, so there *is* dout on the onkyo hi-md decks? That's amazing.

Yea but why is the test point next to a Flash memory chip? Show me the DSP (which is not on this photo, hence asking for a shot of the other side of the PCB). That it's near a test point labelled XBCKI suggests this is for the DAC/ADC but conversely this is not then an SPDIF format data signal but part of the DAC/ADCs serial interface which is separate clock and data. Not unfortunately quite what we're looking for for the addition of a quick and easy TOSLINK or coax digital out...