Dac out to a cp500?

[Ryan K Georgieff]

So let me explain.

Our Cinema is also a live performance venue and with some hope a full stage in the coming years.

Well we have a mix of equipment from the 60s to now.

For cinema we run through a cp500 to a crossover out then to 3 amps for L/R, Ls/Rs, Sub/center

and run the live through a yamaha tf-1 that goes into the cp500 as stereo

we also have a Denton blu-ray that can output 5.1 and a MacMini m1 we push through a roland vhd-1 which sends hdmi to the doremi and a stereo to the yamaha tf-1.

So with that out the way. As of now the cp500 only plays dolby 5.1 if it detects a 5.1 encoding off the hdmi or straight from the DCP on the doremi. Meaning anything else is just stereo out with a sub crossover at 80hz

The goal is to use all the speakers for live performances and for anything the Mac Outputs along with the Denton can output.

So several ways of going about it are.

Live, dvd, and Mac to the yamaha
Yamaha straight to the amps using Aux channels and mixing it to get the right feel

live(yamaha), DVD, Mac to a DAC and use the CP500 24pin 6 channel input. Which looks to be a straight channel for channel no encoding needed into the cp500

live(yamaha)to the Mac, DVD, to a DAC and use the CP500 24pin 6 channel input.

live(yamaha)& DVD to the Mac to a DAC and use the CP500 24pin 6 channel input.

Anyway I slice it the live will be a challenge and I am up for that. We always get requests to use the "side" speakers and some acts want to pound the two speakers to get the place "loud" which as we all know just make it muddy.

The acoustics are great it was a church then a stage theater before a theater so it has good sound but using the 5.1 in the space really does give you goosebumps.

I was going to mainly enhance the soundscape by essentially using the surround as softer L/R channels with a bit of delay to give depth but not echo to the sound. Use that as a base and go more adventurous for more daring acts.

Tldr: which way should I go? Yamaha straight into the amps or a DAC into the CP500 24pin? Should I include the mac in the process or just as a source ?

[Sam Chavez]

Lots of detailed info here. It's Denon last I looked. Not going to get into this too far except to say it's a bad practice to run live PA into a cinema system, particularly main channels. If for no other reason than some group sets up for their gig and blows your speakers up, leaving you with no film sound. So refunds all around.

[Leo Enticknap]

Furthermore, unless you need it for 35mm audio (and even if you do, I would suggest looking for a used but OK CP650 to replace it), I don't see a need for the CP500 at all. It is no longer supported by Dolby for spares, and the only things it can do that your other equipment can't are to play analog optical and SR-D 35mm film audio, and to handle 5.1 output. You must be using an external DAC of some description to get audio from your DCP media block into the CP500, because the CP500 does not have a direct AES3 input. Given its age and the reputation CP500s had for becoming unreliable after around five years in service, it's a liability in a mission critical situation.

My suggestion would be to ditch the CP500 and buy a high end consumer audio processor if your budget can stretch to it (e.g. JBL Synthesis SDP-75, which has an AES3 input and so could handle DCP audio without the need for an external DAC), or if it won't, an AVR that has a 5.1 analog input for DCP audio, and can upmix from a 2.0 analog input for your live stuff (I would suggest in the $1-2K range).

[Ioannis Syrogiannis]

...and the only things it can do that your other equipment can't are to play analog optical and SR-D 35mm film audio, and to handle 5.1 output.
...

Says he who hasn't played Tetris since the '80s!

[Marco Giustini]

So with that out the way. As of now the cp500 only plays dolby 5.1 if it detects a 5.1 encoding off the hdmi or straight from the DCP on the doremi. Meaning anything else is just stereo out with a sub crossover at 80hz

I think you mean CP650? Or even something else. The 500 doesn’t have any digital 5.1 capabilities and the 650 doesn’t have an hdmi input!

[Ryan K Georgieff]

hey guys just an update I have made a Frankenstein connector with a 25pin to phoenix connector it bridges the CP500 to the yamaha going into the Analog in of the CP500.

As you guys mentioned the CP500 doesn't have a digital it's because I forgot the DAX-602 between the Doremi and the CP500.

[Carsten Kurz]

The Yamaha has plenty of outputs/aux/subgroup capacity. If you want something in the surrounds or on center, just feed some of these additional outputs into the corresponding analog multichannel inputs of the CP500. You need to disconnect the DAX-602 from the CP500, or feed the DAX output through the TF-1 into the CP500 (which makes the setup a bit more capable, but also convoluted and unsafe for general cinema operations).

[Ryan K Georgieff]

You need to disconnect the DAX-602 from the CP500, or feed the DAX output through the TF-1 into the CP500 (which makes the setup a bit more capable, but also convoluted and unsafe for general cinema operations).

Well, the adapter I have has a second input so I'll have both in at the same time. We have need to be able to play a film and have the microphones available at the same time. Because we are an art house that caters to local indy films.