Upgrade receiver?

[efesbe]

So the only reason for a receiver with the HD codecs (MA and TrueHD) is if I decide to buy a standalone BD player with bitstream capability? I did read somewhere here that there was a difference when bitstreamed to a receiver and have the receiver decode. Is the difference really that significant? Not only will I have to buy a receiver, but also a BD player capable of bitstreaming. I was hoping on not spending anything if people here can talk me out of it and that I will not hear much of a difference.

[Zman2k2]

You will not hear much of a difference. I have had both a PS3 and a standalone that bitstreams, and the sound difference isn't noticeable, if at all. The only reason I changed is I sold my PS3 because I'm not really a gamer anymore, and like the way a standalone looks on my HT rack.

[JunkBoy]

Speaking from experience, there was a considerable difference when I made the switch from my Pioneer Elite 84 to the Elite SC-07. I just made the switch earlier this week and it was a unanimous decision in our household that the sound was vastly improved! With the Elite 84, for some reason, the lossless PCM, Dolby THD & DTS MA just lacked the oomph, the kick, the life that I expected to get from those lossless codecs. I don't know if the reason was the lack of HDMI 1.3 support from the 84 series but in all honesty that's what I was pinning my hopes on. Having to use an optical cable from the PS3 to the 84 AVR to get lossless sound (and not being overly impressed with those results) while others raved about those same lossless codecs while they used compatible HDMI 1.3 AVR's hooked up to their PS3's really had me irked. Fortunately for me, my concerns were completely answered with the switch to the SC-07! Those lossless codes have exceeded my expectations and my HT has never put out sound like it is now (almost too much bass now)! And the only difference between the 2 Elite AVR's has been that optical cable...

[Riff Magnum]

Are you sure the only difference between your old 84 and your new SC-07 is the optical cable?

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by JunkBoy

Having to use an optical cable from the PS3 to the 84 AVR to get lossless sound (and not being overly impressed with those results...

You can't get lossless multichannel over optical. If set to bitstream, the PS3 sends the lossy DTS core or companion DD 5.1 track instead of lossless. If set to PCM, the PS3 decodes the lossless tracks, but downmixes them to stereo.

So, you actually made two changes - a better receiver and access to better sound tracks.

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by efesbe

So the only reason for a receiver with the HD codecs (MA and TrueHD) is if I decide to buy a standalone BD player with bitstream capability? I did read somewhere here that there was a difference when bitstreamed to a receiver and have the receiver decode. Is the difference really that significant? Not only will I have to buy a receiver, but also a BD player capable of bitstreaming. I was hoping on not spending anything if people here can talk me out of it and that I will not hear much of a difference.

I suspect you read that on a bulletinboard somewhere. There's certainly no foundation for such claims. The decoded PCM output of a lossless source will be identical no matter where the decoding takes place. If one sounds better, it's usually a simple matter of different volume levels. Or, perhaps the receiver processes incoming PCM differently than the PCM produced by its own decoding.

[JunkBoy]

Originally Posted by BIslander

You can't get lossless multichannel over optical. If set to bitstream, the PS3 sends the lossy DTS core or companion DD 5.1 track instead of lossless. If set to PCM, the PS3 decodes the lossless tracks, but downmixes them to stereo.

So, you actually made two changes - a better receiver and access to better sound tracks.

Thanks for filling me in BI! Here all along I thought I was getting lossless sound...it's nice to get some clarification!

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by JunkBoy

Thanks for filling me in BI! Here all along I thought I was getting lossless sound...it's nice to get some clarification!

While optical doesn't support lossless, the audio on BD over optical or coax is still upgraded from DVD.

TrueHD includes an embedded DD 5.1 track that gets output over optical connections. The DD 5.1 track is usually encoded at 640 kbps, more than the 384 or 448 rate used on DVD. dts-MA includes a lossy DTS core that is usually encoded at 1509 kbps, twice the rate used on DVD. These higher bitrate lossy tracks sound great, often just as good as lossless.

So, I suspect much of the improvement you are getting comes from your new AVR rather than lossless.

[efesbe]

Yes I did read it at a forum, actually it was this forum but possibly another thread. Not sure anymore since I've been reading through so many threads now. It was just one persons opinion of his switch to a new receiver bitstreamed from his bd player and the receiver doing the conversioin. If more than one person can confirm that, then it must be true, but so far it was only that one person.
So would you say that I am okay with a receiver that doesn't have the HD support (DTS-HD MA, TrueHD) and PCM from my PS3 via HDMI (damn these acronyms). I am not sure if my HDMI is 1.3 because it is about 3 or 4 years old.