Player decoding or Receiver decoding, that is the question

[axe79]

Originally Posted by EWL5

Two things:

1) AFAIK, the PS3 does not pass "reduced quality" lossless after decoding all codecs to PCM. The PS3 decodes all and any lossless PCM is transmitted over HDMI and doesn't become lossy. It does not decode any differently than if the receiver had the job of doing the decoding. I am not penalized for owning an HDMI 1.2 receiver because I allow the PS3 to do the decoding and pass the PCM, including any lossless quality, to my receiver for further processing. There is no downsampling done by the PS3 when you ask it to decode to PCM.

2) The core bitstream from TrueHD and DTS-HD MA that you have been talking about is exactly the 640kbps DD and 1.5Mbps DTS I stated in a prior post by me. Let me break it down:

TrueHD track always has a companion 640kbps DD track. The track may be hidden or it may be a discrete choice in the BD audio menu. Similarly, DTS-HD MA and DTS-HD HR have a 1.5Mbps lossy "core" track (sometimes the core can be 768kbps but this is extremely rare). Unlike TrueHD, the MA and HR extension wraps around the lossy "core" to create the lossless track. There's an important difference. With DTS, it's just one discrete soundtrack whereas for TrueHD/DD, it requires physical space on the BD for 2 discrete tracks.

Now that I've adequately confused you, it doesn't surprise me that you prefer bitstreaming from the PS3 as the "core" tracks of TrueHD and DTS-HD MA or DTS-HD HR are quite good when compared head to head to their DVD counterparts that do not get the higher bitrates.

Yep, totally confused, but my EARS aren't. (don't do DVD)

Point 1) What you don't take into account with this theory is the length of the signal path and timing issues, or the chip quality doing the decoding!

Point 2) Bitstream I get 5:1 sound, I watch and enjoy the film. Not bothered that the 7:1 is stripped out, or that I don't get the directors talk about how he made the film. I just want to enjoy the film and be emotionally moved by it. Give me the movie sound track and let it rip.

On another note, I really enjoy my food (and wine), I mean really enjoy!
Personally can cook to a Michelin Star standard and have high end wines laid down in bond. There is a saying in chefing about customers "they can't tell the difference between shit and chocolate" meaning they can't tell good from bad. It appears the same can be said on other things.

People have Music / AV systems of various quality and what configuration sounds good on one doesn't mean it will sound as good on another. Serious upgrades (and costs) are made in getting a three dimensional sound stage having sweetness/attack/balance/texture/ foot taping involvement.
The problem is that on AV systems without having the background knowledge and doing mods you can't buy off the shelf anything that will hold a candle to really good Hi Fi.
It is a great pity that not much attention is placed on the Main supply and the noise carried on it which effects everything, or on the crossovers in speakers.
Address that and discover what a clean signal path really is like and you will be amazed. (or your Ears will be!)

We are talking about sound, and I don't really care what buttons light up on the receiver, what I care about is the performance!
Just as if I went to a concert and got lifted by the music/acoustics of the theater.
Having heard a opera singer perform in the Roman amphitheater in Lucca/Itally (Puccini's home) that was one bloody good reference performance that moved my soul.

That's what matters, what moves ones soul.