Setup Notes
Great review. Wish it had been posted a couple of months ago so I wouldn't have had to discover the proper settings by myself.
A couple of suggestions:
1. If you have two monitors--say, a projector capable of 1080p24 and a small flat screen for checking settings and playing DVD Audio disks--do not use "Auto" to select your monitor. The "Auto" setting defers to the least capable monitor, so the Auto setting will not enable you to pass 1080p24 to your projector. Instead, manually select your monitor using the M.Sel button on the large remote.
2. I have had very good results using the HDMI inputs for audio sources. I use a Denon 2500BTCI for CD's, DVD's and Blu-Ray, and the Oppo 980 for SACD's and DVD Audio. I have not encountered any degredation in audio quality using the HDMI inputs. The Oppo (which converts DSD to, essentually, a DVD Audio signal) via HDMI sounds better than the highest end Sony SACD player it replaced.
3. An Audessy PRO setup is definitely worth the money ($175 licensing fee plus what the technician charges for a home visit). More rational setup (front channels at 0 db, for example) and MUCH better sound.
4. The phono input is high quality. Although it is designed for a high output cartridge, it can handle a low output cartridge if you use a step-up transformer.
5. I did not encounter the volume problems discussed in the review. With efficient speakers (92 db at 1 meter) movies are REALLY loud with the volume set at -10 db, and virtually any audio source plays very loud in the -5 to -10 db setting of the volume control.