"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
. ..
"David Looser" wrote in
message
Does anyone know of a "black-box" DD decoder that is
commercially available?
I've been looking for a "black box" that will take a DD
5.1 coded SPDIF input and convert to 6 line-level
analogue outputs, and have failed to find one. Plenty of
"Surround-Sound Amplifiers" (complete with power-amps,
etc.) around, but that's not what I want.

(1) There are a number of Surround Sound processors at ridiculously high
prices, but you already knew that.

(2) The Technics SHAC-500 might still be available as used equipment.

(3) You could always take one of the relatively cheap smaller surround
receivers, and pad down its speaker outputs so that they were suitable for
driving line-level inputs.

From the little I can find out about it the SHAC-500 looks like the nearest
approximation to what I actually want. But I've managed to acquire a dead
Denon AVR-1705. The mains transformer has an open-circuit primary and some
of the power transistors are suspect. Apparently it overheated in use and
the owner decided to upgrade, rather than have it repaired. (according to
the manual it's supposed to shut itself down if it overheats, that seems not
to have worked).

I've just run up the small-signal parts from bench power supplies and they
are OK. So I shall use it, taking the ouputs from what had been the feeds to
the power amps and with a redesigned, smaller power supply. Still a bit
bigger (physically) than I'd like, and with too many bells and whistles,but
it'll do the job.

David.