Best audio for 300, please help!

I don't know about "beat down," but it'll obviously be better, as what you'll be getting via the 360 add-on will be a lossy audio stream.

you can't get lossless sound out of the XBOX add-on

The 360 converts the TrueHD track to wma 1.5mbps. It sounds great, but a lossless track that has no conversion through 5.1 analog from your P1000 is better.

But it also depends on your system. You may be pumping out the best audio stream, but the quality your hardware is ultimately going to give you the end result.

Doesn't matter what speakers, receiver, etc you have - the bottom line is that the 360 add-on will not provide anything better than 1.5Mbps DTS or 640k Dolby Digital from an HD-DVD. This is lossy, compressed sound that is internally recoded by the 360 from the source Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD audio track.

Buy the Blu-ray version. It will have PCM sound and you will be able to hear the PCM track without issue on your BD-P1000 connected via analog outputs.

If your priority is PQ and SQ get the blu-ray version. If extra's are more important to you then get the HD-DVD version.

ahartig...if you're asking whether to get it on blu ray or hd dvd based to on your equipment to get the best audio, then you should get it on blu-ray. It comes with two lossless tracks, trueHD and a PCM track. The PCM track is playable on your bdp1000, and is your only viable choice to get the best audio. Hope this helps.

Also NAD T754 is awesome and your analogs will shine.

Well to be fair the PQ is the same.
It's Excellent Audio VS Perfect Audio.

I doubt this guy cares about extras since he didn't mention anything but AQ in this post.

The 360 HD DVD add-on cannot pass Dolby TrueHD. It downconverts it to either Dolby Digital, DTS, or WMA Pro (based on what you chose in the settings).

The HD-DVD add-on doesn't come close to the blu-ray versions, it doesn't even come close to the HD-DVD version on a stand alone.

Like they said if you don't care about the extras on the HD-DVD version then you will enjoy better Audio by getting the Blu-ray disc. I myself am getting the HD-DVD version for the blue-screen extra and to enjoy the TrueHD track with my 5.1 analog connection from my HD-A1 player. I have always bought the HD-DVD version of the movie for the audio but i think i might be picking up the BR version of Blades of Glory for the LPCM track over the DD+ track on the HD-DVD. (hoping to upgrade my receiver this year)

Doesn't come close?


I've compared it to the xa2, the a20 and the ps3 and I have to say it does indeed come close. It comes very very close. to the extent I see no difference in HD playback. Sd play back, yes- the ps3 and and xa2 trounce it like a bastard step child. How many comparisons have you done? Granted these comparisons we're made on an Elite via HDMI so I can't comment on component or VGA. and not to mention this release has the same encode on both formats. So the PQ is the same on the disc itself.

Actually I believe it can output lossless sound as a 2.0 stereo stream, too.

And, yea, the 360 add-on is a solid unit. My brother has one hooked up via VGA and it looks great. I'd be willing to bet the new 65nm version of the XBOX 360 corrects the audio deficiencies, too.

It doesn't compare to my XA2 or PS3, though. For the price, though, it's tremendous. Now that you get SIX discs and the drive for $180 it's value can't be questioned.

Well, it's a viable option certainly, but with standalone players costing not much more, and the potential lack of a 360 to attach it too ($$$ for the non-owner), it's value is still open to some questioning. Let's just say that it's value is case-by-case.

agreed

I'm referring to the audio side, the add-on simply can't compete due to inadequate hardware, yes evenon the Elite with HDMI it still does not do lossless surround as MS refused to listen to its fans.

Well you HAD said PQ. I'm just trying to give this guy clear honest info and keep the talking points out of it for the sake of his sanity. The 360 puts out great sound. It just isn't lossless. The difference is far from night and day. It's not up to my standards - but I've owned one and it does sound really good. I wasn't at the table when they were deciding what to put in the elite and what not, but I seriously doubt they were pounding fists on the table screaming "WE SHALL NOT LISTEN TO OUR FEEBLE FANS, WE MUST REFUSE". The 360 does have hardware limitations but it's not a piece of crap. Perhaps they will see fit to work it into the next 360, perhaps not. I'm sure like any other company they simply do marketing research to find out how many people want to pay for that capability - and will that number of people make it cost effective for them to implement in future models.

You wil be served on the audio side of things getting the Blu-ray version. Of course, you could always rent both and then decide.

Not to derail, but how about 360 add-on vs. PS3 both through Toslink. Any audio differences then?