Player decoding or Receiver decoding, that is the question

[axe79]

Originally Posted by Sir Terrence

How about no processing whatsoever. THX DSP's are signal degrading circuits that do not belong in any listening test. The pure direct mode with no processing is much better.

It might be on your equipment, fed with a virgin clean Mains supply ALL the processing channels are as clean as one another. Musically nothing is being lost in the extra processing circuits.
The signal degradation being put through so many chains in your equipment is not ideal at all. I have for years had Hi End Hi Fi systems where you had no tone controls, equaliser settings etc and the fine tuning was done by careful selection of components, cables, mains conditioners, and mods to internal circuitry. Oh and tuning the room with furnishings, wall treatment, seating position, equipment set up etc.
My brief when I went over to building an AV system was to develop it so it would play music as well as very decent Hi Fi set up. Have enjoyed that standard since the 70's. I didn't buy a AV amp before the Onkyo 875 because there was nothing on the market which had the build design I was looking for to work on. Full class A, massive transformer, Burr Browns, etc. That's why the unit weighs in at around 57lbs. It was a good starting point.

I have now achieved a system that is much more than the sum of its parts.



Whatever THX processing does to clean up your sound, it undoes by manipulating the mix in a way that it is not supposed to be. THX processing is for THX speakers, that is what the processing is designed for.

Its a good job then that I have THX speakers with 80hz crossover settings apart from the front pair that are set up Full range for Music and balanced out on the equalizer settings.

Is this the most important issue here? Really? How do you know I haven't addressed it? Making a lot of assumption aren't you?

Not really, if you had you wouldn't need a Berhinger Feedback Destroyer to process things before hitting the Horns! If you had really addressed this you would be sure to mention it in your specs as it costs a darn site more to sort out to reference levels than a couple of pieces of your kit!


Do I need to explain in detail what is under the dress of all my equipment? Sorry, I don't do that because then the conversation becomes a pissing contest, and that is not my gig.
I didn't mention this because it is a pile of crap compared to a 20db deviation because of a room resonance. Once again, you continually address equipment issues, but never address room issues. This is why I cannot take what you state seriously. You are majoring in minors here.

In your opinion.
I very much know how to get music set up to foot tapping perfection for my room. Am well aware of how sound waves travel, wave lengths, resonance etc. I don't need a meter to tell me either, just like a piano tuner doesn't.
By what you say you do have a particular problem with your room that has/is taking a bit of sorting out. Not something that can be easily and fairly be discussed on a board with so many variables.
I also know how to modify, and how to tweak for particular effects by the choice of components in the design. Schottky Diodes, Os-cons, DNM Design T-Network, Silmic, Polypropylene, capacitors. Different makes/models have different chararistics.
Much of this work is a 'black art' and tuning sound so it has musicality with depth, detail, clarity, balance, texture is something that develops with time.

I'm not here to fight, Sir Terrence, (I don't use my title on the boards so I assume you don't have one) but do report on listening observations that are quite real!

Regards