hdseeker

My receiver does have 5.1 analog and optical but it doesn't have hdmi input so no lossless sound, yet as of now.

If I have a hd-dvd or blu-ray player than can send lossless audio, would it be better to connect to analog 5.1 or optical?

Bob

I use optical out of my HD-A3 and the channel separation seems a lot better than analog for sure.

__________________
"You've Got a hole in your soul if you don't dig the Blues" .....My New *Build* is Finished.

Click HERE to join CDFreaks.com

Formerly rolling56

I'm not responsible for my typing in chat or on the board I have Oldtimers

"Life'll Kill Yeah" "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" ~ Warren Zevon

CDan

Apples and oranges. The HD audio is light years better than what you get from optical. To put it another way, a DD 5:1 stream on DVD is 448Kb bitrate. The bitrate output from optical on the various HD players can vary a LOT, from 640 to 1.5 Mb. From the 5:1 analog outs on a HD/BD player (Only the Toshiba A35 or XA2 offers this in HD-DVD), you get true lossless audio which can originate as a 2Mb stream or more ( a lot more). Depends on the quality of the sound track on the disc, and these can vary from average to stunning quality. GIGO. If you have this capability, it's certainly worth using.

So the question is whether your setup will allow you to actually hear the difference, and the answer is probably yes. But it really depends on the quality of the amp/preamp and speakers.

I will say one thing, once you've heard lossless audio on a good HT system, you will never want to hear anything else again.

hdseeker

Thanks.

My Receiver is Yamaha HTR-5890 7.1 ch. It has 5.1 multi ch inputs. I have 7.1 speaker system Polk.

So you are saying that 5.1 multi ch input can deliver lossless audio from PCM or DTS HD MA to my receiver if the player support it?

Do we need a special audio cable for it?

Can we get 6.1 or even 7.1 from the multi ch input? I think some HD/BD titles are up to 7.1.

CDan

Yup, yes, most definitely. DTS-MA will generally be "core only", 5:1, but it's still awesome audio at something like 2Mb. TrueHD also, lossless and awesome.

I'm not intimate with the HTR-5890, so I can't say if it can apply 7:1 decoding to 5:1 sources. If it has support for DD PLIIx, then it might. If it has ES and EX decoders, then it might. Look in the manual audio setup menus for "Ext Surround" or a similar setting. My RX-661 does this, but it has to be re-set each time the AVR is turned off. There are no HD discs with 6:1 audio, AFAIK.
With the analog inputs, you might also get it just by using the "decoder" button to select the right decoder, again check the manual. DD PLIIx works very well with most any 5:1 source.

Any old RCA cables will work for the analog 5:1, same as you would use for the 2-ch red and white analog audio.

The good news is that your Yamaha will kick ass with the 5:1 analog inputs, but read the manual cause there may be some restrictions on how the analog can be used.

Just in case you're looking for an excuse to spend money, check out the RX-V663 thread here.

cubanjoe

Hi, have the same receiver and Polks speakers on a 7.1 set up and was wondering if you tried the Analog vs the optical, will be getting the PS3 by Tuesday and wondering if it is worth the difference in sound also have the Hd-DVd A1.

zevia

Since PS3 doesn't have multi channel analog, and since your receiver doesn't have HDMI inputs, your option is Optical from PS3 to your receiver (and HDMI from PS3 to the TV).

Your Toshiba HD-A1 has 5.1 analog output so you can connect that to your receiver's multi-ch inputs to get lossless audio from your HD-DVD movies, if any. You can connect both 5.1 analog and Optical together to your receiver and you can switch between "Analog" or "Auto" from the receiver menu.

__________________
Click here to join CDFreaks.com

Join CDFreaks Distributed Computing Team, have fun while helping to save some lives!

My review PC & Specs & Media
Blu-ray to DVD guide

Forum Rules | BenQ/Philips FAQ | Tools: BQFlasher, MCSE, WOPC Tool, WinDWFlash | NeroRegedit: EnableSolidBurn, Overburn5000MB

LG GGW-H10N Blu-ray/HD-DVD | LG GBW-H10N Blu-ray | Panasonic SW-5582 Blu-ray

cubanjoe

Thanks for your reply, thats what I thought the the PS3 would not have Analog audio out but still have the optical, it will still sound great on THX or PRO LG II, or EX surround. originally bought the Yamaha about the time that the HDMI inputs were been offered on the new receivers.

stinman47

pl IIx is for 2 ch to be split into surround by the receiver,not to take a 5.1 digital bitstream and turn it into 7.1 ch,sorry

crossg

Dan knows what he is talking about.
From my Onkyo manual:

5.1-channel source + Dolby PLIIx Movie
These modes use the Dolby Pro Logic IIx Movie mode
to expand 5.1-channel sources for 7.1-channel playback.

Another:
Neural THX 5.1/7.1
Neural-THX Surround employs psychoacoustic frequency
domain processing, which allows delivery of a
more detailed sound stage, with superior channel separation
and localization of audio elements. The Neural THX
5.1 and Neural THX 7.1 modes can expand any 2-channel
stereo source for 5.1- or 7.1-channel playback,
respectively. Use them with CD, radio, cassette, TV,
VHS, DVD, and other 2-channel stereo sources, including
video games. Neural-THX Surround can also be
used by broadcasters to encode and transmit surroundsound
content over a stereo signal, which listeners can
enjoy as either surround sound or normal stereo. XM
Satellite Radio, for example, using Neural-THX Surround
on select channels, which the AV receiver/AV
amplifier can expand from 5.1 channels to 7.1 channels.

There are more listening mode that do matrix from 5.1 to 7.1.

__________________
My PC Specs.
Plextor 760A/716A 1.07/1.10, BenQ DW1655, BCIB, BenQ DW1640 x2, BSLB, Nec 4551A, 1.08. Lite On SHM 165P6S/LH-20A1S, MS0R/9L05. LG GSA H22N/H62N, 1.02/CL01.
The Forum Rules
Click here to join CDFreaks.com.

stinman47

I stand corrected,I dug a little deeper into the Onkyo HT-R530 manual and found where it says,"Dolby Pro Logic IIx,If you've connected surround back speakers to the AV receiver,D Pro Logic IIx allows you to enjoy 7.1 channel playback from 2-ch or 5.1 channel music or movies." and goes on,sorry for the bad info! I had read that myself,I also seen that in the book under listening modes where it states turning 2-ch into 7.1.

crossg

Yeah it's confusing to say the least. I couldn't get the x in Dolby Pro Logic II until I hooked up the rear surrounds then more modes became available.

__________________
My PC Specs.
Plextor 760A/716A 1.07/1.10, BenQ DW1655, BCIB, BenQ DW1640 x2, BSLB, Nec 4551A, 1.08. Lite On SHM 165P6S/LH-20A1S, MS0R/9L05. LG GSA H22N/H62N, 1.02/CL01.
The Forum Rules
Click here to join CDFreaks.com.