HDMI to AV Receiver not arriving as 2.0 PCM

Hi everyone,
Just a quick question, in case someone has already worked through something similar and can assist me.

I am demoing the Cambridge Audio CXR200 (seems very nice so far) and have my Mac Mini going to it via HDMI. Despite my best efforts with various settings (Roon Audio settings, Mac Audio settings, CXR settings), it keeps showing up as multichannel PCM on the CXR. If i go to the CXR via optical from the Mac, the CXR shows 2.0 PCM as expected (as well as if i stream the files directly to the CXR via upnp). Any ideas as to what is causing the stream to come through as multi-channel when sent over HDMI? With Roon stopped, i can go to the Mac’s Midi settings and forcibly set the HDMI output to be 2-channel, and at that moment it will appear as 2.0 on the CXR (though nothing is playing) - as soon as i start Roon playback, it reverts to showing as multi-channel.

thanks for the help~
Samuel

Hi Sam,

I just took my Mac Mini to my tv room and hooked it up to my Denon AVR-3312CI via HDMI.

Like you, it shows as multi channel in and it indicates PCM. Even when it’s showing as multi channel out, sound is only coming out of the left and right speakers.

With the Denon set to exclusive mode through HDMI, I’m getting bit perfect up to 24/192.

My guess is that it’s the HDMI input that indicates multi channel, even though Roon is only sending 2 channel. Just my guess though. Roon doesn’t do multi channel.

Cheers, Greg

Hi Greg
Thanks much for taking the time to try that out - you could be right that its just a display issue. The only minor thing I’m trying to work it is why it is louder when the CXR indicates it is 2.0 (rather than multichannel).

Sincerely appreciate the help!
Samuel

Same issue using a Macbook and Pioneer Elite XSX-80 via HDMI.