27-Jan-2019, 10:53
@Zedeff If you have settled on point 6, then feel free to ignore this post, I am just offering this as a suggestion.
I have gone from a 240 Expert to D800 to 1000Pro, and used all three in a surround setup with a Yamaha AVR. One thing that is different in my case is that I have chosen not to use the Devialet in pass-through mode, instead I have the input for the surround main channels set up as a conventional line input. The reason for this is that I like the option to "fine tune" the volume levels of each channel to suit whatever I am watching. For example, I often find the level of the center channel varies quite a lot between different movies, particularly if you are swapping between DTS HD Blu-rays, DVD's with Dolby Digital, a PVR or whatever. Although in this regard, my set up is a little different to yours in that I have the center and surround channels on separate amps too, so I can fine tune all channels with a tweak of the volume control on the respective amp, rather than messing with fiddly AVR menus.
OK - I am not suggesting that you buy separate amps for the center and rear channels, not a good plan considering you are already running a beast like the Pioneer Elite, but I do think there is some merit in you retrying your set-up with the Devialet running as a simple line input. Consider that you could take this in steps. First, configure the line input, you could then test this with anything you have with a line out, an old CD player, tuner, or even your AVR set in stereo mode. Once you have established that the line input to the Devialet works as it should, you can then select this input, manually set it to -10dB or whatever (you could go higher or lower), then the only remaining issue is getting the sound balance right with the AVR and other speakers. If you still have sound balance issues and you know the Devialet line input is working as it should, then this would indicate that the problem is with the set-up of the AVR, not the Devialet.
I think that setting up the line input to your Devialet as a conventional input will at least give you some visibility as to what the problem is and let you troubleshoot with a degree of clarity. Plus, if you eventually get everything to work and typically have the Devialet's input manually set to say -8dB, you could then revert back to pass-through mode -8dB, knowing the set-up and volume settings worked before. Of course, if you can't get a conventional (not pass-through) line input to work on the Devialet, with say an old CD player running analog out, then this would indicate that the Devilaet is faulty in some way. Not good news, but at least you will have isolated the problem.
Good luck if you choose to give this a try!
I have gone from a 240 Expert to D800 to 1000Pro, and used all three in a surround setup with a Yamaha AVR. One thing that is different in my case is that I have chosen not to use the Devialet in pass-through mode, instead I have the input for the surround main channels set up as a conventional line input. The reason for this is that I like the option to "fine tune" the volume levels of each channel to suit whatever I am watching. For example, I often find the level of the center channel varies quite a lot between different movies, particularly if you are swapping between DTS HD Blu-rays, DVD's with Dolby Digital, a PVR or whatever. Although in this regard, my set up is a little different to yours in that I have the center and surround channels on separate amps too, so I can fine tune all channels with a tweak of the volume control on the respective amp, rather than messing with fiddly AVR menus.
OK - I am not suggesting that you buy separate amps for the center and rear channels, not a good plan considering you are already running a beast like the Pioneer Elite, but I do think there is some merit in you retrying your set-up with the Devialet running as a simple line input. Consider that you could take this in steps. First, configure the line input, you could then test this with anything you have with a line out, an old CD player, tuner, or even your AVR set in stereo mode. Once you have established that the line input to the Devialet works as it should, you can then select this input, manually set it to -10dB or whatever (you could go higher or lower), then the only remaining issue is getting the sound balance right with the AVR and other speakers. If you still have sound balance issues and you know the Devialet line input is working as it should, then this would indicate that the problem is with the set-up of the AVR, not the Devialet.
I think that setting up the line input to your Devialet as a conventional input will at least give you some visibility as to what the problem is and let you troubleshoot with a degree of clarity. Plus, if you eventually get everything to work and typically have the Devialet's input manually set to say -8dB, you could then revert back to pass-through mode -8dB, knowing the set-up and volume settings worked before. Of course, if you can't get a conventional (not pass-through) line input to work on the Devialet, with say an old CD player running analog out, then this would indicate that the Devilaet is faulty in some way. Not good news, but at least you will have isolated the problem.
Good luck if you choose to give this a try!
1000 Pro - KEF Blade - iFi Zen Stream - Mutec REF10 - MC3+USB - Pro-Ject Signature 12
