New receivers for Blu-Ray
Cemil Gandur -- Fri, 04/10/2009 - 06:43
The latest Blu-Ray players (I have the Sony 550) have introduced some new audio formats. I am still using a previous generation Arcam receiver, which only allows video pass-through on the HDMI connections, and cannot decode the new formats.
Are the audio formats finalised, or will there still be modifications in the near future? Any recommendation on new units that can handle the new formats? How would one get the best sound quality: via the HDMI, optical or RCA (letting the Sony do the decoding) ?
Rest of the system is the Gallo Ref Front/center/sides/sub and a Sony VPW50.
Thanks for any guidance.
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The new audio formats seem to be stabilized and will likely be with us for quite some time. Note that the new formats high-res formats (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) cannot be transmitted over SPDIF coax or TosLink connections. You must use HDMI. An alternative is to connect the eight analog outputs from the BDP-S550 to the controller or receiver's discrete multichannel analog input. With this connection, all the decoding and conversion to analog takes place in the Sony Blu-ray player. Whether this connection method sounds better or worse than connecting to a controller or receiver via HDMI and letting the controller or receiver perform the decoding and conversion to analog can be determined only by listening.
Thanks Robert.
Any suggestions to a processor/amp unit or pair that can decode the latest formats? This will be used mainly for video (hifi sits in another room), but I do have many music DVDs (and a blu-ray now). Budget around the $5k mark.
Rotel's top of the line receiver or amp and pre amp should work for you and the receiver is under $5k.
Sheepherder
Shenandoah Valley, VA
Rotel's top of the line receiver or amp and pre amp should work for you and the receiver is under $5k.
Sheepherder
Shenandoah Valley, VA
I don't have any hands-on experience with some of the newer products in that price range, but you should definitely look at NAD and Rotel.
Zeb.
One very promising pair of separates that will fill the bill would be the Marantz AV8003 controller and MM8003 multichannel power amp. This pair comes in at $4999.98, and will be reviewed in Playback issue 20.
Video: One interesting twist with the Marantz is that it is an Internet-enabled controller that not only can access audio content but also can access video content directly from the Internet.
Sound quality: Of course, the key question is "How good are the Marantz components, really?" I can't give you the answers right now, but here's a hint: A colleague recently compared the Marantz controller's analog preamp section versus a versus a very, very expensive German-made, audiophile-grade stereo preamp and reported that the Marantz more or less held its own. (Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean the Marantz's digital circuitry is equally good, but I'll address that point in my upcoming review.).
Stay tuned for more answers in about a month.
Chris Martens
Editor, Playback
Chris Martens
Editor, Avguide.com/Playback/The Perfect Vision
Thanks all for your input. Will keep an eye out for the incoming review on Playback.
I am using an Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 controller (almost identical to the Integra DCT 9.8) and have recently upgraded form an older Classe' SSP-25, and excellent stereo preamp, with older DD and DTS flavors.
My system is music/Home Theater, being music centered, and vinyl/LP most of my listening.
I find the analog sound I get with the Onkyo to be as good, maybe even better than the Classe', always known for it's excellent analog sound. The SSP-25's analog preamp section is a design from one of the company's well-known audio only preamps, which they built a HT controller around.
I am using a ProJect Tube Box for the Phono stage, not the Onkyo's (but I applaud them for including one), and find it to be very musical, excellent soundstage, and natural all around.
I slightly prefer the "Pure Audio" Mode (which the Integra does not have, which switches off the video) over the bypass or "Direct", as they call it.
The HT side of the controller is very, very good, and is a significant improvement over the Classe". The new audio formats, Dolby Tru-HD and DTS HD Master Audio sound more enveloping, and natural, but not "light years ahead" as some have said. Blu-ray's improved DD and DTS sounded great to me on the Classe', even with "old school". The improvements with the Onkyo overall are very noticable, however, and I feel the Odyssey's room correction is a major factor.
I would hightly recommend the Onkyo/Integra controllers, and it is a steal at the price (I bought mine as a "B" stock for $799, from an authorized dealer).
I prefer the Onkyo version, as it has the the "Pure Audio" mode, and the look is cleaner, IMO.Even at it's MSRP, it is a bargain!
Mike
VinylGuy
I had a question for Mr. Harley based on his comment on the top of this thread - I'm trying to investigate how to receive Dolby TrueHD through my Anthem AVM30 preamp (no HDMI connections) from my Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player and was curious if this was possible by converting to LPCM and then sending it to my receiver via the discrete 7.1 channel outputs from the digital source. My pre-amp only supports 5.1 analog inputs anyhow - but will I get the sonic equivalent of uncompressed sound through these channels? Thanks for the input!
Sorry for the delay in responding; I've just returned from a book-signing at Overture in Delaware.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. You can, however, hear Dolby TrueHD by connecting the Oppo's 7.1-channel analog outputs to the 5.1-channel analog inputs on your Anthem (skip the Surround Back connections). In this set-up, the Oppo performs the decoding and conversion to analog. High-res multichannel PCM can be transmitted only over HDMI.
Sorry RH, I'm not sure I understand your response: first you say I can't get TrueHD using the analog inputs on my preamplifier, then you say I can. Perhaps the confusion is on my part when I suggest that the signal relayed through 5.1 analog inputs is high resolution LPCM - is this not correct? Please clarify the difference between the signal transferred by 5.1/7.1 channel analog vs. high res multichannel PCM that can only be transmitted over HDMI.
A second question I have is related to the new Oppo BDP-83 player which can transmit SACD as DSD or LPCM through the HDMI output. In the manual, they state that if the Oppo is connected to the A/V receiver through the 5.1 ch analog audio jacks, SACD output can be user-defined "to either DSD or PCM (depending on your listening preference)" Since 5.1 channel audio jacks are analog, always, how could one ever transmit a DSD signal through them? Is this an obvious typo on Oppo's part?