Multi Channel Analogue vs. hdmi

[Arcam_or_bust]

Hello all;

I have a Samsung BDP-2550, I am running it through my Arcam AVR 350. I am using the 7 multi channel analogue out. The 350 doesn't have the new codec decoding therefore letting my player decode is my option.

I however have come deffinatley much more fond of the sound. I did find this also when i previously had an Onkyo 606. I switched between the analogue and HDMI for the sound and even liked it better when I used the analogue with it over letting the Onkyo decode it.

I have deffinatley become a huge fan of the multi channel analogue out over the reciever decoding. After reading an article that the Harmon Kardon engineers agreed this is the preferable way to enjoy theatre play back I dont miss the HDMI repeating.

I was a little scared when I first dumped a fist full of dollars into this reciever, thinking that I was loosing out with the new codecs, but I am even now recommending ito to you all to give it a try.

Definatley worth the fun of playing... and who hear doesn't enjoy having to add a few more interconnects to their collecting.

Peace.

[JimShaw]

I love my analog out. Player decodes, runs directly through the receiver, great sound, better then HDMI




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[crazyBLUE]

I think I will just keep what I have ! It works just fine !

[JimShaw]

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

I think I will just keep what I have ! It works just fine !

Once you have heard a good multi channel analog, you will discover that "what I have" is not "just fine"



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[crazyBLUE]

Originally Posted by JimShaw

Once you have heard a good multi channel analog, you will discover that "what I have" is not "just fine"
.

So you are saying that multi channel analog is better than HDMI . I use HDMI & my system sounds pretty much PERFECT !

[JimShaw]

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

So you are saying that multi channel analog is better than HDMI . I use HDMI & my system sounds pretty much PERFECT !

Each player and receiver is different. I think it all depends on the units one has.

For me and my system I tested both the analog and the HDMI and with my ears I could tell the difference in sound between the two and for me the analog was far better.




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[Arcam_or_bust]

Crazyblu- simple question...... Have you ever tried it?

[CasualKiller]

[jdc115]

Originally Posted by Arcam_or_bust

Hello all;

I have a Samsung BDP-2550, I am running it through my Arcam AVR 350. I am using the 7 multi channel analogue out. The 350 doesn't have the new codec decoding therefore letting my player decode is my option.

I however have come deffinatley much more fond of the sound. I did find this also when i previously had an Onkyo 606. I switched between the analogue and HDMI for the sound and even liked it better when I used the analogue with it over letting the Onkyo decode it.

I have deffinatley become a huge fan of the multi channel analogue out over the reciever decoding. After reading an article that the Harmon Kardon engineers agreed this is the preferable way to enjoy theatre play back I dont miss the HDMI repeating.

I was a little scared when I first dumped a fist full of dollars into this reciever, thinking that I was loosing out with the new codecs, but I am even now recommending ito to you all to give it a try.

Definatley worth the fun of playing... and who hear doesn't enjoy having to add a few more interconnects to their collecting.

Peace.

How do you control the speaker settings? Does your receiver put it back in the digital domain or do you run it pure analog bypass and have the player provide bass management/speaker settings? Or are you just passing full signal through analog by-pass?

I almost bought your receiver a couple of years back, it often reviewed as one of the best out there...

[Arcam_or_bust]

jdc115

How do you control the speaker settings? Does your receiver put it back in the digital domain or do you run it pure analog bypass and have the player provide bass management/speaker settings? Or are you just passing full signal through analog by-pass?

I almost bought your receiver a couple of years back, it often reviewed as one of the best out there...

Hello, The speaker settings are done in the blu-ray player. I set all the speakers to small and let the cross-over on the sub itself control the frequencies. I set it to around 80.

I run the analogue out the back of the blu-ray and direct into the multichannel. The Acram runs it as direct audio so there is no processing options.

I have used an sound meter to set the proper volume adjustments, I am going to fine tune it through the blu-rays internal test tone. Then I will have the two sets of volume adjustments, one set for blu-ray multichannel and one for all others.

That's what turned out for the best aspect of this set up, everything is so clean. Straight from the player passing through untouched by the amps processor and out.

There is no doubt in my mind that this Arcam is arguably one of the best recievers for both home theater and stereo sound. Usually in a reciever one aspect usually lacks... I am completely happy witht the music, and actually constantly being inpressed with it and the theater is exciting everytime I turn it on. I highly recommend it.

[neos_peace]

I have done both my self actually. I have done the multichannel and the HDMI. Of course that was using 2 totoaly differnt setups as well. For me and the setups I have HDMI is better. "BUT" not by much. however they do say (I have read this somewhere i wish I could remember) they recomnd using HDMI, but if you don't have it the very next best thing to it is the multichannel.

OF COURSE!!! it is all up to personally taiste and to each persons ears. Peace out.

[js666]

I have done both myself also. Originally MCH with the Lexicon MC8, Krell S1000 and also the HTS 7.1. Up until that point, I didn't think hdmi would be that much better. Then I auditioned and bought the Arcam AVR600..... I would not have it any other way.

[btf1980]

It depends. If you have quality legacy gear without HDMI, then I understand why analog would be preferred. However, even the boutique brands now have HDMI offerings. So if you have old gear with analog options, do what you must, but going forward, anyone choosing analog over HDMI for home theater in a new purchase is just deluding themselves. This isn't hifi, who are you kidding?

[cooljera]

I chose Analogue!

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by cooljera

I chose Analogue!

Me too, I'm still an Analogue Man!

[Big Daddy]

If bass management and room equalization is good for movies, it is definitely good for music (2 channel or multi-channel SACD/DVD-A). Your equipment, speakers, and room do not understand movies or music. They only deal with frequencies and screw them up to the best of their ability. You need bass management, room treatment, and equalization for all rooms and equipment under all situations (2 channel music, multi-channel music, movies).

Any distinction between music and movies is totally meaningless and absurd. If you think that music is somehow pure and the movie soundtrack is impure, you really need to do some reading and understand how different frequencies interact with the room boundaries and contents differently. Sound is not about music or movies. Sound consists of audio frequencies.

The most leading authority in the field of audio research is Dr. Floyd Toole, formerly of the National Research Council of Canada and recently the Vice President of Audio Research at Harman International. These are a few quotes from him:

http://www.sonicdesign.se/tooleinw.htm

The idea that two-channel stereo is somehow more "pure" than multichannel audio is misguided. In spite of some examples of very bad taste in the days of quadraphonic audio, and now, the benefits are there, and gradually recording engineers will learn how to use the new medium. It is the better solution. However, I feel that more than five channels are needed. I live with the Logic 7 system in its 7-channel mode, and I cannot now go back to 5.1. The sense of envelopment and space is much more realistic with the additional channels (two sides and two rears), and it remains so even when you turn your head or move around the room. Remember, multichannel audio is a social experience - more than one person can enjoy it.

http://www.infinitysystems.com/home/...nf-rooms_1.pdf

In music recording, it is assumed that all monitoring will be done with conventional forward firing systems in all five locations. But what of the persistent assertion that some speakers are better for movies than they are for music? The implication often is that we can get away with less ‘refined’ sound in movies than we can in music. But . . . there is music in movies – sometimes a lot of it. Sometimes, as in a concert video, the music is the entire point of the production. The assertion is silly. Good sound is good sound, whether it is in movies or music -only performances. The only special considerations for film sound are maximum loudness and power handling. In films, things occasionally can get very loud, especially in the low bass.

[Funky54]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

If bass management and room equalization is good for movies, it is definitely good for music (2 channel or multi-channel SACD/DVD-A). Your equipment, speakers, and room do not understand movies or music. They only deal with frequencies and screw them up to the best of their ability. You need bass management, room treatment, and equalization for all rooms and equipment under all situations (2 channel music, multi-channel music, movies).

Any distinction between music and movies is totally meaningless and absurd. If you think that music is somehow pure and the movie soundtrack is impure, you really need to do some reading and understand how different frequencies interact with the room boundaries and contents differently. Sound is not about music or movies. Sound consists of audio frequencies.

The most leading authority in the field of audio research is Dr. Floyd Toole, formerly of the National Research Council of Canada and recently the Vice President of Audio Research at Harman International. These are a few quotes from him:

http://www.sonicdesign.se/tooleinw.htm


http://www.infinitysystems.com/home/...nf-rooms_1.pdf

Thanks for that. I read it and went to the links. Pretty interesting. I hope my comment wasn't something negative. I still think that the frequencies needed to create most music doesn’t go as deep as theater. A bass guitar and 22" bass drum are not really hitting in the same frequencies being used to move lots of air to make you feel something like a rumble from an explosion or a dinosaur walking in a movie. I was trying to suggest that my towers do a better job of making sounds that sound…well real. My sub is a blunt instrument tuned to hit around 23 25 hz. I set the crossover so it’s only picking up at around 40 or 50. I did that cause my Alons hit down to 29 and there are two of them with 12” drivers..I was thinking in my situation it would be better for the two 12” towers to make the musical sounds. Most of my music (classic rock, big band and soul) is gonna be in the upper bass regions that the Alons will do a better quality job of reproducing than my sub. I assume most of or all of this is recorded originally in stereo anyway) Do I have anywhere near to a close Idea? Or is my thinking bobo?

[LordoftheRings]

I don't agree at all with you Big Daddy regarding Music 2-channel Stereo vs. Multichannel Movies listening.

Two speakers and five, or seven or nine or eleven speakers, in a room are TOTALLY different in their overall ACOUSTICS and Sound Reproduction properties!

...And even more so when Subwoofer(s) and Bass Management is involved.

EDIT: I simply 100% disagree here with you!

Perhaps you are happy yourself personally, and don't see or hear any differences, but that is only your own opinion!
And it certainly ain't mine at all!

*** I had real life experience with this, plus information from professional articles that support my reasoning. The best articles I have on this are not accessible online for FREE!
...One of them is from Richard Hardesty, a professional audio ex-writer from Widescreen Review now having his own Ultra High-End mag, which is quite expensive to get a subscription to.

It would be quite extensive for me here to transcribe all the important elements on this subject. That would require a lot of texts, time to type it and right now I'm simply not in that state of mind.
...But one day, I'll do it! Or more like a week or so to complete a thoroughly set of explanations.

This is my own opinion based on real facts and the different methods to record and reproduce 2-channel Stereo Music versus Multichannel Audio soundtracks from Movies. ...And the Room Acoustics involved in these two very different Sound reproduction.

Best regards,
Bob

[BIslander]

You my not have calibrated properly for digital, which would account for the differences you hear. When you say you've set speakers to large and the crossover to 80Hz, which device are you referring to? With analog, those particular receiver settings have no effect.