Do I need to upgrade to a Lossless audio processor/preamp if I have a PS3?

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

While I'm not familiar with your specific components, I can share this with you. The PS3 will decode and output the latest HD codecs via HDMI in PCM. To utilize the signal, you must be able to connect the PS3 to your pre/pro or AVR using HDMI, and the pre/pro or AVR must be compatible with PCM. You must also setup the PS3 for PCM output. You can find the specifics in the "Futureproof Receiver Thread" and in the PS3 section of the forum.

According to these guys, little or none!

http://www.hemagazine.com/node/Dolby...compressed_PCM

The comparison in this test is between uncompressed PCM and compressed audio codecs. Not what the OP was asking. As I read his question, he wants to know if the upgrade to gear to allow him to utilize the HD tracks is a good purchase. In his case, it will take a new BD player that will decode the HD codecs and transmit them via PCM to his AVR (current or new) or one that will transmit the bitstream data to the AVR that will decode the data using an HDMI 1.3 connection. Not necessarily a cheap proposition. Is there a perceptible improvement? Yes. What's it worth to get it? Only the buyer can decide.

The PS3 is capable of passing 7.1PCM over HDMI. 7.1PCM uncompressed is the master recording that DTSMA and DDTHD are derived from. All 3 are lossless audio formats meaning they are all bit perfect the same. Hence as long as you reciever has an HDMI input and can accept 7.1PCM you are good to go. You do not need to have a DTSMA/DDTHD decoder in your receiver.

You gain nothing from running DTSMA/DDTHD over PCM, except the display on the front of your avr says DTSMA etc... as opposed to PCM.

Enough to warrant and upgrade.


You keep on pushing that link, then again you think that compression does not affect audio.


Don't worry about that link since it is just the subjective opinion of people that do not like HDMI.

I actually agree with Doug as my findings have been completely different from the articles findings.

Excerpt from the article:

"The shocker came when we compared the lower 448 kbps Dolby Digital DVD bitrate to the original. There was an audible difference, but it was only ever-so-slightly noticeable (and this is with a high end audio system in an acoustically controlled environment that is so far beyond what typical home theater systems are capable of resolving). There was just the slightest decrease in presence with the DD version, not exactly a softening of the sound, but just a tad less ambience and a similarly small tightening of the front soundstage’s depth. Quite a remarkable result, I thought, and I was highly impressed with how much fidelity can be packed into such a relatively small amount of bitspace. If I was doing actual scoring, I would have awarded a 4.8 grade to the results I heard – the audible difference was that subtle.

While lossy formats can sound amazing, lossless PCM and lossless compressed yield so much more than what the above summarized. The differences however may come on a movie by movie basis. Not all titles are created equal.

I will however say that my findings also concluded that the location of the data being unzipped doesn't matter. I have found zero undesirable conversions between player vs receiver decoding for the advanced audio codecs.

The article touches on all subjects. Lossless PCM, Lossless Compressed (TrueHD, etc), and Lossy (DTS/DD).