Hello,
i am waiting to get my vero4k+, but need to know if it can output audio over hdmi and line out at the same time? I need the analog stereo output for my headphones connected to zone 2 of my receiver while HDMI delivers the 5.1 / 7.1 sound to the speakers.
If it can not, what options are there for this setup?
Shouldn’t your receiver just downmix to zone 2?
No, it does not. It is a Onkyo TX-NR 686 and the hotline guy said it does when the source sends PCM 2.0 over HDMI, but it is not true. It only works if source is connected to the analog input.
Do anyone know a receiver in the 500E range that can send stereo to zone 2 with HDMI as source?
Honestly, I don’t think that exists in the 500€ price range… My Denon AVR-X4300H can do that, but it’s more in the 1000€+ range. It can send any signal out via zone 2 analogue pre-amp outputs and all digital signals via zone 2 HDMI out. But it has more DACs that can also be assigned to the zone 2 and zone 3 pre-outs.
AFAIK, most cheaper AVRs can just send digital input to digital output and analogue input to analogue output when it comes to zones. But I might be wrong. It was one reason for me to grab a more expensive AVR back when I had to choose.
BTW: Vero 4K (+) does output audio from all outputs at the same time. But you’ll only be able to have one configuration at the same time. So, e.g. setting 5.1 output with passthrough, etc. for HDMI and 2.0 with downmix, etc. for analogue won’t work. Same for HDMI+TOSLINK. You can just configure the proper setting needed for one of the three outputs. Sry 
I can return my receiver for another two weeks and the price is not that important.
So if i get a Denon AVR-X4300H and connect it with HDMI and Toslink to the vero4k+, configure osmc to output 5.1 or 7.1 with passthrough, connect my headphones (via HDMI(ARC) or Toslink or analog input) to the zone 2 output, the receiver will downmix the source to stereo and play 5.1 over the speakers? Have you tested this setup? Can you test it and describe the settings?
It is important to me because if it is not possible there is no reason to waste money and i will return the receiver and speakers and get a cheap and simple 2.0 setup and everyone here will have to listen to the movies in stereo.
As @Chillbo wrote you should be able to do it with the 4k and your current amp. You just would need to switch the audio profiles for which you can configure a script.
no, switching profiles is not an option. I allready tried this with my current setup. It has to be 5.1 / 7.1 and stereo at the same time and with different loundness. My headphones do not downmix to stereo.
You cannot simply connect the headphone to the jack of the amp? This way the amp may downmix the signal.
The AVR will play stereo in the main zone as well, if you play the same source in the main zone AND zone 2 or zone 3. It will however play a surround source in the main zone and downmix a DIFFERENT surround source to 2.0 via zone 2 or zone 3.
I do this and just mute the main zone. I created a macro that starts multizone (partymode) and just mutes main zone. I use headphones almost every evening (vero>yamaha>wireless headphones)
Connecting the headphones to the jack of the receiver mutes the speakers, so it’s no good. I need same source for main zone 5.1 and zone 2 stereo. The AVR-X4300H is not available anymore, now there is the AVR-X4400H. But if the 4300 can not play the same source in main zone as 5.1 and zone2 downmixed then the new one can not too. And if the receiver can not do this, then the vero has to. Or is there another device for this purpose? A HDMI audio splitter will not do, right? Maybe there is a patch for kodi / osmc to output 5.1 to hdmi and 2.0 to toslink / analog out?
Yamaha RX-Axxxx can do this. I dont know if all of them can, but mine can. (3060)
Output from main zone and second/third zone from the same surround source at the same time? One time as surround in the main zone downmixed to stereo in the second/third zone? 
These AVRs would be the first I’ve heard of that can output the same surround source in more than one zone and apply downmixing on only one of them or different DSP settings on those zones… 
If it’s an HDMI source, mine can do the same via the second zone HDMI-out, but you’d have to connect an audio extractor to that HDMI-out which can decode any HD audio format and downmix it to stereo. But it’s doesn’t work internally via the analogue pre-out AFAIK. I can test again next week though.
I get nothing on analogue outputs when playing a digital source. I suspect that’s typical for consumer receivers.
That’s the normal behaviour for “cheaper” AVRs… Yes. Those don’t have extra DACs for zone 2/3 or they can’t use the internal DACs for the additional zones, only for the mainzone.
But I was pretty convinced that there are no AVRs out there that have another set of DSPs for zone 2/3. These would be required to downmix signals in zone 2/3 or apply different DSP modes than in the mainzone, if the mainzone and zone 2/3 are playing the same signal.
Is there a requirement that the 7.1 be played at the same time? I migh have misunderstood and thought it should just not interfere with the 7.1 normal operation, like - you shouldnt have to change a setting each time. My kid is playing right now and I only have PCM 7.1 from the PS4 so cant see if I loose DD/DTS etc, but it is still in 5.1.4 when activating the partymode (wich could mean its staring DSP on the main zone when activating partymode, let me check again later when a movie plays).
On my machine I can get 2.0 in my headphones from the zone2-preout at the same time as DTS surround in the main zone, I just tried it. However mine is the biggest “flagship” at the time with 11ch and multiple amps so it could be it has more chips in it then lower-end models, but if mine is the 3060, there is already a 3080 coming soon i believe, so it should be alot of older top ones available second hand.
Thank you for testing. I would spend ~1000€ but the 3080 starts at 2500€. I will look for used 3060 ones.
It looks like it downsamples Atmos to True-HD in the main Zone when using party-mode (zone 1+2). I suggest you read about it if you need perfect sound at both places simontaneously.
I use it just to get sound from my wireless headphones at night when the kids are sleeping so I never use both zones at the same time, as I said I have created a macro that starts party-mode and also mutes main zone. I have never experienced any loss of audio in the headphones, they are crystal clear. Works for Vero, PS4, Nintendo Switch and so on.
Just out of interest… Why would one need sound from both headphones connected to an external headphone amp and the main zone at the same time? 