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As some of you know, I've got an HD DVD (HD-A20) and Blu-Ray player (Playstation 3) and a 1080p TV set. But audio-wise, what are my options if I want access to 5.1 channels of the highest-quality audio contained on those disks?
I found one relatively inexpensive possibility in the form of Onkyo's TX-SR605 receiver (~$400) which has a pair of HDMI 1.3 inputs and Dolby TrueHD processing, among other things. Comments, alternative suggestions? What other high quality audio formats should my system handle? No particular price ceiling at the moment, but I'd like to keep the weight of any single component below maybe 50 lbs or so, and low heat output is essential for summertime use.
Follow Ups:
Before I read Robertc88's posting, I started skimming various websites looking for any products which simply offered all of the features mentioned in the title. Of the bunch, a Meridian receiver would possibly be the most interesting to me, but they don't actually offer anything quite like I had in mind-yet.
Onkyo TX-SR605 ~$400 (2 HDMI input)
Onkyo TX-SR705 (3 HDMI input)
Onkyo TX-SR805 (3 HDMI input)
Onkyo TX-SR875 (4 HDMI input)
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?class=Receiver&m=TX-SR605&p=i
Pioneer Elite VSX-91XH $1000 (2 HDMI input)
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/kuro/product/details/0,,2076_310069789_463566618,00.html
Yamaha RX-Z11 $?? (5 HDMI input)
Yamaha RX-V3800 $1700 (4 HDMI input)
Yamaha RX-V1800 $1300 (4 HDMI input)
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/avreceivers/rxv_rxz.html?CTID=5000300&CNTYP=PRODUCT
Sony STR-DA4300ES $1300 (6 HDMI input)
Sony STR-DA5300ES $1700 (3 HDMI input)
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=27925
Denon AVR-4308CI $2500 (4 HDMI inputs)
Denon AVR-3808CI $1600 (4 HDMI inputs)
Denon AVR-2808CI $1200 (2 HDMI inputs)
http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/AVReceivers.asp
Companies that do cinema, but no products offering DTS HD Master Audio + Dolby TrueHD + HDMI 1.3
Marantz
Panasonic
Kenwood
Harmon Kardon
Cambridge Audio (Azur 640R looks like a very interesting near-miss though)
Bose (I was trying to be somewhat complete in my survey)
Linn
Naim
McIntosh
Mark Levinson
Bang & Olufsen
Arcam
Quad
Meridian (definitely some interesting items there)
Cheapest way in presently and I think many are considering going this route, at least intitally. I can go component to my display and go HDMI to this AVR.
I haven't seen it for $400 though. $449 is the cheapest I found, at least from a B&M store. Online it may be cheaper.
Thanks for the research!
I'm hoping that Meridian will come through with some nice little one-box solution for me. After all, they co-developed the TrueHD format. Their existing stuff is not particularly cheap, but then I'm not planning on doing upgrades anytime soon.
If I choose to do so. Best price I can get at a B&M store for the Onyko is $439. I'd say this is a monster value at least at this point for being about to decode the audio! They will even give me a good price on the HDMI cable.
The salesman I dealt with I actually was able to have a decent conversation with regarding BD and audio capability. You don't run into very many at B&M stores!
For what it offers on paper, it seems like it's a fraction of the price of anything else, and even Onkyo's own #705 is a good $300 more expensive?! Wondering how that can be unless some corners got cut?
What Hi*Fi magazine ran a 1 pager one this particular unit in their last issue just bringing to one's attention what this player is offering for the buck. It promises to do a full review on this unit in their next issue to see if it delivers.
I don't actually know how many folks on avsforum and the like are actually using this unit but I plan to do more searches on the net to investigate. Early indication from a few is the player is delivering good results at least with the PS3 when they tried it.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=770354
But my understanding of it is the source player has to be able to decode it even if the Receiver supports the decoding (???) . Also it's not absolutely clear to me that HDMI will support full bandwidth uncompressed PCM (I won't have HDMI anytime soon so I haven't done my homework).
I've seen at least one rumor that Fox's delayed releases were partially because of their dissatisfaction with development of hardware needed to decode DTS HD MA properly.
"But my understanding of it is the source player has to be able to decode it even if the Receiver supports the decoding (???) ." AFAIK, none do this, at the moment.
Kal
Excerpt from DVD Talk regarding the audio on Fantastic Four for BD.
"Equipped with a English a DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio Track. Despite how appealing this track sounds, no player at this time, besides the Playstation 3, comes equipped with the ability to decode this audio. Once I get my hand on a system, I'll be sure to update this review with my thoughts. Despite this, we do still get a nice DTS track encoded at 1.5mbps".
If your player cannot decode the DTS HD MA portion, it should still be able to decode the 1.5Mbs DTS "core" track for 5.1 analog outputs. Or pass the DTS digital core to your Receiver via HDMI or via coax or optical digital outputs. the Receiver will decode it just like it decodes DD/DTS for DVD playback.
Even if your player will not decode DTS HD MA, you will still be able to hear a DTS soundtrack as good as anything available for DVD with any movie with DTS HD MA or DTS HD HR soundtracks. e.g. "Flyboys" sounds fantastic even though I can only listen to the DTS core soundtrack at the moment. It won't be as good as your lossless soundtracks but eventually I'll be able to decode this as well.
I'd have to pluck down the bucks to get a capable receiver not much longer after I buy a BD player. I would not be able to resist! :)
Or you can buy a BD player that decodes the advanced audio and has 5.1 analog out.
Jack
I want the better sound capability, me being an audio kinda guy. I do have multiple SACD players, a TT, tube and SS pre amps, etc. :)
If I get the PS3, then I need an amp with HDMI. I can go for one of the lower priced AVRs that folks on the avsforum have talking about and are utilizing with the PS3.
nt
Well, it seems there is some uncertainty about whether, in fact, the PS3 will do this (I do not know) but, in any case, I tend not to think of the PS3 as relevant.
Kal
"This system does not support output from the DTS-HD 7.1 CH. DTS-HD 7.1 CH audio is output from a 5.1 or lower channel".
Fox was the primary "implementer" and they may have given up on the idea in favor of uncompressed PCM or TrueHD because of apparently continuing hardware issues.
It will be on their next disc.
Jack
Not sure any other players will do so at this point.
Only the 1.5Mb/s DTS core of the stream is decoded at this time. The PS3 does have the necessary horsepower to decode DTS-HD Master Audio, but it's up to SCE to implement this feature. DTS-HD MA may come as soon as Q4 07 or may not be implemented at all depending on how much horsepower is used for the PS3 to be 1.1 compliant (remember, just about everything is done in software).
nt
The PS3 might have the horsepower but I don't think it's been firmly established Sony will develop the necessary code to make it work.
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