Hi all

The first Audio track of the 3 on the disc, the True HD one on the Transformers Blu Ray disc...

What is needed to listen to it? I mean hardware like.

I have a Sony BDP S300 player connected via the 6 analog Audio outputs to a Dolby Digital Processor, which in turn is connected via 6 analog Audio outputs to my Harman Kardon amp.

I also have an Optical Cable from the player to the Processor, by which DVD Dolby Digital signals travel and are processed.

When I select the True HD track and select 'bypass' on the processor, I get great sound.

But apart from upgrading to a new amp with HDMI input in the future and True HD processing, is there anything else I can do with my setup to enjoy it?

Thanks
J

Blu-ray Audio Explained (http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1064)

The Sony BDP S300 unfortunately (thanks to the bluray standard not including HD Decoders) does not have a True HD decoder and it won't pass True HD as bitstream so a new receiver would do no good. You will have to settle for DD 5.1 I think it really stinks that Bluray didn't include mandatory DD True HD Decoders like HD DVD did.

Good luck...

RTR

Actually the S300 does decode TrueHD to LPCM via HDMI.

I know the Sony BDP-S1 (through firmware update) does decode DD TrueHD but does the S300 decode anything HD audio other than DD+? They must have just added it because it used to not.

RTR

It was just added recently.

Josh, Donnie thanks a lot.

the article on the different formats was very good.

One thing I still dont understand is how come analog 6 channel is better than digital? I mean, it sounds louder but is it better? Shouldnt digital be better than analog?

And also, since my Blu Ray works its magic on both true HD and dolby digital tracks to make it travel via the 6ch analog outputs, there is no justification for having an optical SPDIF running to a dolby digital processor right?

thanks
J

Josh, Donnie thanks a lot.

the article on the different formats was very good.

One thing I still dont understand is how come analog 6 channel is better than digital? I mean, it sounds louder but is it better? Shouldnt digital be better than analog?...

thanks
J
Simple, if you want TrueHD, multi channel LPCM, and DTS Master delivered in digital you must use HDMI from your Blu-ray Disc (not BR) player to your receiver since S/PDIF (optical) doesn't support any of these formats.

Will Dolby True HD thru HDMI to a HDMI ready amp sound better than Linear PCM thru 6 analog channels?

I ask because this may be the reason for me to upgrade my current amp, which only has the 6 discrete inputs and optical/coaxial but no HDMI inputs

J

THe connection method alone won't decide sound quality individual components will.

Will Dolby True HD thru HDMI to a HDMI ready amp sound better than Linear PCM thru 6 analog channels?

I ask because this may be the reason for me to upgrade my current amp, which only has the 6 discrete inputs and optical/coaxial but no HDMI inputs.PCM is digital audio. All the codecs such as DD and TrueHD are simply compression schemes to save space. They must be decompressed back into PCM before they can be played.

At some point, digital has to be converted into analog. That's what drives the speakers and produces sound that we can hear. HDMI, optical, and coax send digital audio (PCM or compressed codecs) to a receiver, where the conversion to analog takes place. With analog, the conversion takes place in the player. The audio ends up as analog either way.

The quality depends on two factors - digital processing tools and the digital-analog converters (DACs). Receivers tend to have better signal processing tools for bass management, time/distance alignment, and EQ. Whether better tools mean better sound in your room really depends on your equipment and room. I have an older AVR without HDMI and my "theater" is in a family room/great room. Analog multichannel lossless audio sounds fabulous. Could it be better? Sure. But, I'm more than satisfied with what I've got.

...The audio ends up as analog either way...

There is one other caveat to add. If your receiver is to do any processing (like bass management, equalization or time alignment) it must convert the analog signal to digital. This adds an unnecessary step (A/D-D/A) that will degrade the sound (at least technically).

Which amp in the 1,000$ range has the best digital processing tools and the digital-analog converters (DACs)?

Which amp in the 1,000$ range has the best digital processing tools and the digital-analog converters (DACs)?

You are asking for an objective answer to a subjective question?:D