Bitstreaming DTS-MA and True HD make a big difference?

[ridergroov1]

Hi folks. I have a PS3 for my blu ray player which cannot bitstream DTS-MA or TrueHD audio. It decodes then passes it to the receiver. Would getting a device that can bitstream it right to the receiver make a big difference?

[fuzzynutkila]

The new Ps3 's can now bitstream those tracks.

[ridergroov1]

Right I'm aware. I have the original PS3 which can't. I'm wondering if there is a big difference from decoding it on the PS3 and sending it to the receiver compared to bitstreaming to the receiver directly.

[Irrob]

No

[Zman2k2]

Some say yes, and some say no. To be honest, your question is right up there with which codec sounds better. You'll get various answers from people.

[Kryptonic]

Usually, the receiver will have a better decoder. But in all reality, there's not much of a difference.

[Infrared Sight]

I do have my player bitstreaming to my receiver and the one cool thing is having the lights on the receiver showing you the tracks that are playing. I would rather have it do it that way so I know the audio track is the correct one as well. I don't believe it will make a noticeable difference either way from bitstreaming or internal decoding.

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by Infrared Sight

I do have my player bitstreaming to my receiver and the one cool thing is having the lights on the receiver showing you the tracks that are playing. I would rather have it do it that way so I know the audio track is the correct one as well. I don't believe it will make a noticeable difference either way from bitstreaming or internal decoding.

Considering that most BD movies have only one lossless track and that it normally plays by default (Warner, I'm looking at you!), I'm not worried about what's being played. DTS and Dolby can play their games but lossless sound quality has more to do with how the track was mixed than the actual codec.

[Infrared Sight]

Originally Posted by EWL5

Considering that most BD movies have only one lossless track and that it normally plays by default (Warner, I'm looking at you!), I'm not worried about what's being played. DTS and Dolby can play their games but lossless sound quality has more to do with how the track was mixed than the actual codec.

This studio is the main reason I bitstream. I just always want to be sure I am getting the lossless track that's why I bitstream it. Plus, I love getting the lights on my receiver to light up. I love the lights. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[rpatt]

Wouldn't it depend on which device had the better DACs?

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by rpatt

Wouldn't it depend on which device had the better DACs?

DAC's play a big role but they don't tell the big story. Here is what determines "good sound" in my opinion:

1) Soundtrack as mixed by the studio. I'll use a video analogy since most people gravitate towards video first: amateurs like me can take high def videos but I'll probably introduce too much lens flare or won't use enough light (introducing lots of video noise) that Steven Spielberg would be able to tame in an instant.

Mix is first and foremost. Garbage in = garbage out. Everything below assumes the same soundtrack is being played.

2) Your speakers - Let's face it. I can have the best audio equipment in the world and the best reference soundtrack but if the final element in the chain for sound is shoddy, I'm not going to hear a difference. HTIB, tiny Bose, and golf-ball sized speakers are probably the single worst explanation for "I can't tell the difference b/w lossless and lossy"!

3) DAC's - SNR and other key elements are what we should be looking at when making baseline comparisons. Expectations must be tempered by the next element.

4) Upsampling - this is almost as important as the DAC's. My Oppo player uses decent DAC's but loses out to my Denon 3800 because of AL24 24-bit upsampling. This gives my music a warmer, more analog sound on the Denon.

5) Amplifier - 1, 3, and 4 all deal with the source. Dedicated amps rated at the same wattage/channel as an AVR normally do better. Monoblocks even better since they don't sip from the same "power well."

6) Signal path and isolation - many audiophiles believe that sections in the BD player dedicated to audio should be isolated from the video. Video sections tend to introduce noise when listening to CD or other music-only sources. I haven't been able to hear the difference with video circuitry turned off but it doesn't "hurt."

Unfortunately, a lot of these factors are interactive so if you upgrade one element, another element that previously performed worse/same may now actually be better! The only solution, unfortunately, is to make sure all your equipment is of decent quality and that there isn't a weak link in the chain. Usually this equates to $$$.

Did I miss anything?

[Hammie]

I agree that when you uncompress the file it should be identical.

However, I also agree that the electronics in the devices can affect the sound. We always say this when people are asking about receivers and amps and speakers. It only makes sense that BD players can also contribute to this.

This is why I believe a BD player doing the decoding can sound different than a receiver or pre/pro doing the decoding. As a test, I switched between my Oppo doing the decoding and my Denon receiver doing the decoding. They were VERY close, but I felt when the Oppo did the decoding, it was a little brighter. My Denon doing the decoding sounded a little warmer to my ears. YMMV.

[wallendo]

Originally Posted by ridergroov1

Hi folks. I have a PS3 for my blu ray player which cannot bitstream DTS-MA or TrueHD audio. It decodes then passes it to the receiver. Would getting a device that can bitstream it right to the receiver make a big difference?

Doesn't the PS3 bitstream TrueHD? I thought it was only DTS HD MA that the original PS3 couldn't stream.

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by wallendo

Doesn't the PS3 bitstream TrueHD? I thought it was only DTS HD MA that the original PS3 couldn't stream.

PS3 "fat" form factor cannot bitstream but decodes all and sends PCM over HDMI. PS3 "slim" form factor can bitstream all or decode. ridergroov1 has the "fat" PS3.