Great sounding receiver with less bells and whistles

[joji]

I am looking to upgrade My Pioneer VSX-515. Receiver. I want a better sounding receiver for my Defeinitive Technlogy Pro Cinema Speaker kit.

I really don't need all the fancy features. Right now my Play Station 3 and cable HD are going into HDMI 1 & 2 of my TV.

Question one. Does the PLaystation decode DTS-HD and Dobly HD.

I would like to just use my TV for input switching now. Does the playstation decode the blue ray surround sound to DTSHD or Dobly HD then I don't need a receiver that decodes or even need HDMI inputs. I can bypass it

But will DTS-HD or Dobly HD audio travel thru Digital cables like optical. This way my Playstation and Timewarner Cable HD HDMI wil go into the TV and then digital audio out from PLaystation and cable into the receiver .

Then I can get a older used receiver that has all channels driven more watts for a better price than all these

Let me know your thoughts

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

Optical and digital coax don't have enough bandwidth capability to carry the new lossless codecs like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. You need HDMI or multi-channel analog connections for those.

Also, if you don't know, you should check how your TV handles audio going from HDMI inputs to the optical output. Some TVs will only output a two-channel stereo signal through the optical output if you are listening to an HDMI source.

 

[joji]

Thanks for the help. I have been reading. I think at least I will get a receiver that has HDMI inputs.

I found out that the PS3's new update decodes Dolby HD and DTS HD.

Now if I go out HDMI from the PS3 and into a reciever that does not have DTS HD and Dolby HD does it matter since the PS3 is already decoding the signal.

I see there are various version of HDMI 1.1 12 or 1.3

Does this matter for the signal coming out of the PS3 blue Ray player to get 7.1 audio HD quality
thanks

 

[Midcow2]

Better Speakers = "better sounding"

I am looking to upgrade My Pioneer VSX-515. Receiver. I want a better sounding receiver for my Defeinitive Technlogy Pro Cinema Speaker kit. .....

If you want better sound upgrading your AVR (receiver) will not provide it unless you are at max watts level and clipping already, which more than likely is not the issue.

The way to improve your sound is by upgrading your speakers.

Adam has a good answer on your other question.

Good luck,

MidCow2

P.S. - One other thought, have you calibrated your current speakers using SPL. Might be a much more cost effective solution and a good future investment, a $50 SPL meter.

 

[TLS Guy]

Thanks for the help. I have been reading. I think at least I will get a receiver that has HDMI inputs.

I found out that the PS3's new update decodes Dolby HD and DTS HD.

Now if I go out HDMI from the PS3 and into a reciever that does not have DTS HD and Dolby HD does it matter since the PS3 is already decoding the signal.

I see there are various version of HDMI 1.1 12 or 1.3

Does this matter for the signal coming out of the PS3 blue Ray player to get 7.1 audio HD quality
thanks

You need HDMI 1.3 for the new codecs. HDMI is a digital transmission , so it you use that, the receiver must do the decoding and be able to decode the new loss less codecs. If you have the PS3 do the decoding, then you have to make analog connections to the external inputs of the receiver. The PS3 then has to do the channel leveling delay and bass management for its analog outputs, as it can not be done by the receiver.

 

[Adam]

HDMI is a digital transmission , so it you use that, the receiver must do the decoding and be able to decode the new loss less codecs.

I don't think that's correct. I believe that the PS3 can decode the codec and send it over HDMI as LPCM, so the receiver does not have to be able to decode it.

 

[Midcow2]

AVR questions

I am looking to upgrade My Pioneer VSX-515. ....

Let me know your thoughts

How much do you want to spend on AVR?

How much power do you need?

Do you need video upconverting in the AVR?

There are lots of options between $200 and $2000 and more.

Brands I like : Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Marantz

And yes, look for HDMI 1.3

Good Luck!

MidCow2

 

[TLS Guy]

I don't think that's correct. I believe that the PS3 can decode the codec and send it over HDMI as LPCM, so the receiver does not have to be able to decode it.

It took some digging to confirm that, but you are correct, it will output them as LPCM with the right setting.

 

[joji]

How much do you want to spend on AVR? $300-$1000 but if I could get a older one used fro cheaper I would prefer that

How much power do you need? My speakers can handle 150 Watts. So I thought at least a 100 for the receiver

Do you need video upconverting in the AVR? I don't need video upconverting because the PS3 does it for regular DVD's


If you are decoding from the PS3 and then go into a older reiver that say pass thru HDMI. will this work.. This way you go into the reciver from PS3 HDMI and then out of Reciver HDMI into my HDTV 1080p

 

[Midcow2]

Some AVRs

How much do you want to spend on AVR? $300-$1000 but if I could get a older one used fro cheaper I would prefer that

How much power do you need? My speakers can handle 150 Watts. So I thought at least a 100 for the receiver

Do you need video upconverting in the AVR? I don't need video upconverting because the PS3 does it for regular DVD's


If you are decoding from the PS3 and then go into a older reiver that say pass thru HDMI. will this work.. This way you go into the reciver from PS3 HDMI and then out of Reciver HDMI into my HDTV 1080p

Okay I will start with an inexpensive solution, but still good.

Yamaha RX-V363 $199 5.1 100W
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0013ZGOYM/interactiveda8738-20#moreAboutThisProduct

Yamaha RX-V563 $ 399.95 7.1 90W 2 HDMI
http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/products/yamaha/rx-v563.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=yamaha 563&utm_campaign=YAMAHA&engine=adwords!8299&keyword=RX-V563&match_type=&gclid=CJnb0OKyiZgCFRsRagodRAO_DQ

Yamaha RX-V863 $639.95 7.2 105W 3 HDMI
http://www.dbuys.com/product/?51552&hit_id=13656605&Campaign_id=24&cart_id=32878281&sk1=1

Yamaha RX-V1800 $735 7.1 130W 4HDMI
http://www.fotoconnection.com/p73380-yamaha-rx-v1800-71-channel-home-theater-receiver.html

Yamaha RX-V1900 $964.98 7.1 130W 4HDMI
http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/item_detail.php?item_id=118596&pg=1




Onkyo TX-SR 606 $399.99 7.1 90W 4 HDMI
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120064&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Receivers-_-Onkyo-_-82120064

Onkyo TX-SR876 $1099 7.1 140W 4 HDMI in -2 out
http://www.jr.com/onkyo/pe/ONK_TXSR876B/


Marantz SR4002 $339 7.1 80W 3HDMI
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=207390541&listingid=33572570&dcaid=17902

Marantz SR5002 $579 7.1 90W 3HDMI
http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=MARSR5002

Marantz SR7002 $899.99 7.1 110W 4 HDMI
http://www.accessories4less.com/index.php?page=item&id=MARSR7002



DENON AVR-3808CI 3808 $979.98 130W 4HDMI

http://www.dakmart.com/product_info.php?products_id=6516

 

[mperfct]

Midcow just did all the work for you. This forum is the best.

 

[dronezero]

If you are decoding from the PS3 and then go into a older reiver that say pass thru HDMI. will this work.. This way you go into the reciver from PS3 HDMI and then out of Reciver HDMI into my HDTV 1080p

Pass-through means that it will basicly act like a HDMI switch. Any signal you send to the receiver over HDMI it will output over HDMI. However it will not pull audio off of the HDMI cable. So if a receiver says it does HDMI passthrough and you run a HDMI cable you will still need to run a separate audio connection.

To get audio over a HDMI cable you are going to have to go with a newer receiver so the used market is probably out.

 

[mperfct]

Pass-through means that it will basicly act like a HDMI switch. Any signal you send to the receiver over HDMI it will output over HDMI. However it will not pull audio off of the HDMI cable. So if a receiver says it does HDMI passthrough and you run a HDMI cable you will still need to run a separate audio connection.

To get audio over a HDMI cable you are going to have to go with a newer receiver so the used market is probably out.

I'm a little confused here...HDMI passthrough typically means that the video can pass unmolested by the video processor in the AVR. Audio is always pulled out of the HDMI stream by the AVR.

 

[Adam]

I'm a little confused here...HDMI passthrough typically means that the video can pass unmolested by the video processor in the AVR. Audio is always pulled out of the HDMI stream by the AVR.

dronezero is correct, but the above statements are not. At least, with every receiver that I've researched.

Pass through means no audio processing by the receiver. Check out the Onkyo TX-SR506 as an example. It will not pull audio out from the HDMI stream.

 

[mperfct]

dronezero is correct, but the above statements are not. At least, with every receiver that I've researched.

Pass through means no audio processing by the receiver. Check out the Onkyo TX-SR506 as an example. It will not pull audio out from the HDMI stream.

Well that's pretty interesting. Why would you do that?

 

[Adam]

Well that's pretty interesting. Why would you do that?

I wouldn't.

I can only imagine that it's due to the cost of implementing that capability into a receiver. To add HDMI to a receiver with a street price of $200 this past year, they probably could add a switcher but not processing. Just wait...I'm going to guess that the TX-SR507 (probably coming out in May) will be able to process HDMI audio.