General Forum

Re: Lab 5 wiring

soundproof — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:07:26 GMT

Hi,

Alex is right - the philosophy being that the BL5s are perfectly neutral speakers, and that channeling s/pdif to them, from the source, then provides you with a very close approximation of what's actually on the CD.

I'm wondering about your set-up, though. Are you switching Option settings according to what you're using as a source?

I wouldn't bother with the analog out from your CD-player. Just send the digital to it - this will override whatever is coming from your B&O source, and you should then be able to be in Option 0, and still have the speakers accept the digital input from the CD-player.

I have a receiver feeding to LINE in on the BL5s and my rear speakers -- with the BL5s set to create a phantom centre (which the acoustic lenses do a brilliant job of - no need for a centre speaker, seriously.)

Then I have a CD-player feeding an s/pdif signal to the DIGITAL IN.

The speakers switch between the sources without any trouble. I'm in Option 1, though. But I have tried a B&O source for Powerlink and analog line IN, while having another s/pdif source, and that worked without any trouble in Option 0.

Re: Lab 5 wiring

ThePriest — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:28:09 GMT

Thanks your reply Alex

Re: Lab 5 wiring

Alex — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:43:22 GMT

No, all the time the BeoLab 5s are running from the SPDIF input, there is no ability to control the tone. This is because the tone controls on the BeoSound 9000/BeoCenter 2 and other systems are sound circuits built into the units themselves. When you connect the BeoLab 5s via SPDIF, they completely bypass all the sound circuitry in other units and everything is done by the BeoLab 5 itself (which is a much, much smarter, and better way of doing it).

Re: Lab 5 wiring

ThePriest — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:12:50 GMT

Okay guys here is some questions for you..!

Have I understood it correct..?

1. st Question:

I have tried this on the Beolab 5:

The PL to Beomaster4500 - I have full tone control etc. option0

The analogue line-in from a non-B&O CD player - option1 and sync cable is in - No tone controls other than volume up/down and balance R/L

s/pdif line-in from and non-B&O CD player - option1 and sync cable is in - No tone control other than volume up/down and balance R/L

I have tried to turn the volume down to silent on both speakers and then used A.SETUP then GO and the S.STORE and go, but have can I make sure that the speaker is >0< left/right balance???

2. nd question.

With s/pdif signal from a non-B&O player I have no tone control but what If I used s/pdif on a BS9000 would this give me tone control?

I don't have any B&O Audio player with s/pdif now, but want to buy a BS9000 again; does all BS9000 mk1-3 have s/pdif? I hope I will end up with an mk3, because it also has the PIN code option.

Thanks

Re: Lab 5 wiring

Alex — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:57:56 GMT

soundproof:
I may be missing something, but when I tried something similar (PL to BL5 from one B&O unit; s/pdif to BL5 from another), I did not get PL control of tone and balance on the BL5s. In fact, the setup didn't "understand" what I was trying to do.
I read your answer as dealing with output from the BeoSound 9000 alone - while the OP wants to use PL from BV7 and s/pdif from BS9000.
More than willing to stand corrected on this one!

Correct, you won't get any balance, loudness or tone controls, but you should still get the speakers switching on and off with the master. Make sure your PowerLink is fully wired!

Re: Lab 5 wiring

kkqd0298 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:32:34 GMT

Off to buy some cable.

Thank you all.

Re: Lab 5 wiring

Russ — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:20:46 GMT

Thanks for the hand-off Trip. Here we go back ot the OP question.

BS-9000 to BV-7 via ML.

BS-9000 to BL-5 via copper S/PDIF, and the speakers daisy chained.

BV-7 to BL-5 via fully wired PL.

NO 'crossover/synch' cable needed.

In this case the BeoLab 5's "see" the volume and source information coming down the data/display leads in the PL cable, for example "CD 3 Vol 42" In just the way that a BeoLab Penta used the data to drive its display. There is no need for the synch cable because the volume data is sent as a discreet data set, not just as 'up/down'. The 5's know that volume is set at '42'. Similarly, when (and only when) they see 'CD' to they check the digital input, and then switch over. There is in fact no tone control on the digital input.

In a B&O 'audio only' setup, you would make PL and S/PDIF connections to the BR-2/BS-9000; you ought to also be able to do the S/PDIF connection to BG-CD 4500/5500/6500/7000, with PL to the BeoMaster. Must always use fully wired PL.

The 'synch' cable is only used with a non B&O audio source. In this case a Beo4/5 issues vulume up/down commands and the 2 BL 5's negotiate with each other as to what 'number they should be on.

Soundproof, what exact setup were you trying?

Russ

Re: Lab 5 wiring

TripEnglish — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:17:39 GMT

I think we've gotten a little turned around here with people answering 2 different questions. So, we go back to the OP first:

Re: Lab 5 wiring

maclife — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:46:21 GMT

soundproof:
the synchronisation cable doesn't do much that I've noticed

Then you might not use the right cable as it would just work otherwise. I know it for sure because it perfectly works with my BeoLab 5. Usual headphone cables etc. aren't the same thing as their wiring is different. You absolutely need this cable:

http://retail1.bang-olufsen.dk/Communityaccess.asp?CatalogueType=Accessory&Produkt=6270901

You might be able to make your own cable by changing the right with the left channel on a standard headphone jack cable but I haven't tested it.

Re: Lab 5 wiring

soundproof — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:26:16 GMT

I may be missing something, but when I tried something similar (PL to BL5 from one B&O unit; s/pdif to BL5 from another), I did not get PL control of tone and balance on the BL5s. In fact, the setup didn't "understand" what I was trying to do.

I read your answer as dealing with output from the BeoSound 9000 alone - while the OP wants to use PL from BV7 and s/pdif from BS9000.

More than willing to stand corrected on this one!

Re: Lab 5 wiring

Alex — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:06:06 GMT

There's no need to change the option setting - they should still be in option 0 as when connected via PowerLink. The BL5s will simply make use of the digital input when it's available, and all the control functions will happen down the PowerLink.

As I say, it'll behave as normal, but use the digital signal instead of the analogue audio signal down the PowerLink. You will notice that the sound won't increase smoothly if you hold your finger down on the up/down buttons due to the way the data is sent down PowerLink in packets (each packet corresponds to one of these 'jumps' in sound). You do however, still get every volume step you had before, just be a little more cautious with the volume control.

RE: tone controls, no, you lose tone control functions when listening to something off CD, but the tone controls will work for everything else. This is because the BeoLab 5s don't do internal EQ'ing (other than the obvious ABC), the tone controls only work if the sound is passing through the circuitry in the BeoVision or BeoSound (which it isn't when using a digital source).

Re: Lab 5 wiring

soundproof — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:40:16 GMT

Alex:
The speakers will be controlled via PowerLink if kkgd0298 connects the digital connection from his BeoSound 9000.

Does that depend upon how it's set up? I gathered he had Powerlink from the BV7 to the BL5s, and wanted to run the digital s/pdif from the BeoSound 9000 to the BL5s, and then just have the digital override switch to that when detected. Can you still control tone using the right options settings through powerlink? You're the options wizard!

(I always have treble/bass set to neutral anyway - but for what it's worth.)

Re: Lab 5 wiring

Morgan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:36:51 GMT

Alex:

The speakers will be controlled via PowerLink if kkgd0298 connects the digital connection from his BeoSound 9000.

?????????

Re: Lab 5 wiring

Alex — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:20:42 GMT

The speakers will be controlled via PowerLink if kkgd0298 connects the digital connection from his BeoSound 9000.

Re: Lab 5 wiring

soundproof — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:24:32 GMT

I've never had any trouble with the sound jumping up or down when I adjust the volume. Quite ingeniously, the loudspeakers adjust by exactly 1dB with each press of the up or down arrow on my Beo4.

One tip, since in s/pdif coax mode you won't have the powerlink control of the speakers and the synchronisation cable doesn't do much that I've noticed: run the speakers all the way down to silent. You'll know when they bottom out by watching the green indicator lights. Go down press by press on the volume control, until you are bottomed out.

Then move up until you have a listening level you are comfortable with. Store this level with A.SETUP using LIST.

Should the speakers drift for any reason, as you're adjusting the volume (could be that both don't pick up a command with the Beo4), then you can reset to this preset volume level, and you'll know both speakers are at the same level.

I have different units connected to the Powerlink and s/pdif IN connectors on my BL5s, and haven't had any trouble with that.

Some of the "sound improvement" many tout after having heard the s/pdif connection version of a soundtrack is due to a marked increase in signal output level from the speakers. When you match the corresponding signal output level through Powerlink, to be at the same listening level as the s/pdif, you'll find that the two versions are not as unlike.
However, feeding the s/pdif straight to the BL5s is an advantage, due to their special signal path - the signal is spared at least one conversion.