New Sony HTIB questions!

[caliblue15]

This is a home theater in a box or HTIB. It has 1000 W (RMS) and HDMI amplified pass through of 3 HDMI in's to 1 out. It is sold for $399.99 at Best Buy. I can get it for $271.

My question is, Is the <10% THD, that big of a deal?

Click here to read more.

Also, could I buy one of those universal wireless rears, and use it with a HTIB?

Shown here.

Thank you.

[My_Two_Cents]

I would research this a little more. I can't help but read "HDMI audio pass-through" in all of the vague descriptions of HDMI. At the bottom, one of the features reads:

"Accepts 1080p signal and Linear PCM via HDMI™"

But the footnote on this reads:

"1. Requires HDMI compatible HDTV with equivalent display capability."

This statement in the first paragraph:

"In addition, the A/V receiver's HDMI™ interface transmits both audio and video while offering 1080p resolution and full bandwidth sound tracks (LPCM) support through a single cable."

reads to me that the unit passes 1080p and LPCM audio through the system. I may be completely wrong, but you should check some more before you buy (or you can simply return it if it won't process HD audio through HDMI). I'm sure Crackin' will chime-in here shortly with his read on this product.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Oh, to answer your question, the 10%THD would kill it for me.

[caliblue15]

Nevermind it is straight up 10%. I'm not a big sound guy, and do not know a big difference, am i going to notice the difference in 10% to say the amps that are .05%.

What exactly to I have to do to hear the distortion? I'm a big music guy, and love bass.

[Driver_King]

The bass will probably sound muddy and boomy with that kind of distortion.

[caliblue15]

So, what HTIB offered through Best Buy should I go with? That is the only one that does HDMI pass through.

But do I really need that if i have a PS3. Should I not just run the optical?

Would that still give me the lossy audio codecs?

I'm looking to spend around $300, remember I get a discount at best buy, but I don't think I could do a receiver and speakers, unless i did the yamaha start up it we sell, but the bass sounds horrible.

[Driver_King]

Is it possible to rethink your budget? Please don't go with the cheap HTIB setup. You will regret it in the long run.

[Driver_King]

You could do a lot better. That accepts PCM from the PS3, which means you get all of the HD audio codecs.

[caliblue15]

I'm a college student, I have a feeling the HTIB will probably go in another room once I graduate and actually do a real setup. This is just to get some good quality sound, while i have the ps3, and 1080p samsung, instead of a $50 surround sound I have now.

[Driver_King]

I don't understand what you mean. You want to get a cheap HTIB to replace your current cheap HTIB and then are going to upgrade later on?

[caliblue15]

I'll have to check to see if I can order that in, it looks like an online exclusive. It looks decent, I love the klipsch sub, but the Polk subs we just got in sound pretty damn good for half the price.

I will go into tommorrow to buy Batman Begins in Blu-ray and will check then.

Thanks. That would be the best way to go if I can get it cheaper, I got my TV for that price.. lol

[caliblue15]

I don't want a cheap one, I can get the most expensive Panasonice HTIB like $500 for $300.

I have a spectronic Sears special $50 300W total 50wRMS 5.1 surround sound.

Anything will sound better than that, especially since its stereo in all speakers.

[Driver_King]

Get your employee discount and then figure out a way to "negotiate" the price down a bit.

[caliblue15]

can't negotiate employee price, its 5% above cost.

[Driver_King]

Oh yeah, the store has to get some sort of profit.

[johnsantos11]

I think this will decode TrueHD /DTS-HD if your using a PS3 and or the blu-ray players that has built in HD decoders. U just have to use HDMI (V1.3) and set the your audio out put settings to PCM. Im not so sure though. I pretty sure someone will correct this if im wrong.

[crackinhedz]

Sony STRDG720

Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System

~$530


that's what Id spend money on, if anything.

[408royalty]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

Sony STRDG720

Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System

~$530


that's what Id spend money on, if anything.

I got my rm6750's at circuit city for $299.00 then went back and price matched Fry's $199.00 I got circuit city's 110% price gaurantee and paid something like $180.00 and I think they sound great

[MacDaddyOJack]

Originally Posted by caliblue15

My question is, Is the <10% THD, that big of a deal?

YESSSS!!! 10% THD is aweful! Most recievers are rated at about 0.08, and anything below 0.1%THD is considered inaudible by any human ear. If you are big into music then do yourself a HUGE favor and avoid this setup like the plague.

[caliblue15]

I think I'm going to do a Pioneer (just need HDMI, PS3 decodes everything). reg $350 for $200, and a polk 5.1 RM75's surround sound reg $600 for $230. So around $450, only prob is that the polk comes with a 8" sub, is that really going to sound bad?

I tested the 10" Polk at BB and I think they sound really good.

Here are the speakers. Reg $600 Me $230

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/p...screens/rm705/

Here is the receiver. Reg $350 Me $200

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1199496527924

Also, Had a question if I can get lossy audio with just Optical, or do I need HDMI?

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

I would research this a little more. I can't help but read "HDMI audio pass-through" in all of the vague descriptions of HDMI. At the bottom, one of the features reads:

"Accepts 1080p signal and Linear PCM via HDMI™"

But the footnote on this reads:

"1. Requires HDMI compatible HDTV with equivalent display capability."

This statement in the first paragraph:

"In addition, the A/V receiver's HDMI™ interface transmits both audio and video while offering 1080p resolution and full bandwidth sound tracks (LPCM) support through a single cable."

reads to me that the unit passes 1080p and LPCM audio through the system. I may be completely wrong, but you should check some more before you buy (or you can simply return it if it won't process HD audio through HDMI). I'm sure Crackin' will chime-in here shortly with his read on this product.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Oh, to answer your question, the 10%THD would kill it for me.

This unit would work with a PS3 - (can't believe I'm answering a thread about a HTIB and recommending a PS3 to boot ). The unit does pass uncompressed LPCM via HDMI - your player must do all of the decoding itself and convert the signal to LPCM and pass it via HDMI - Like the PS3 (oh-no two PS3 ref's in one post) If your are strapped for cash, not picky (I don't like that THD rating) and have a PS3 this HTIB will suit you fine (but later on - you will thank yourself if you upgrade to a real system ahh back to normal)