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Silver Member Username: TdogroederDes Moines, IA Post Number: 166 Registered: Sep-05 | I am wanting to get all the latest audio formats. I have a Pio 5070, PS3, Toshiba A2 and Dish Network cable and Emotiva LPA-1. Here are the contenders: Onkyo 705 & 805 Yamaha RXV 683 & their soon to be released RXV863. I considered the Yamaha 3800, but I don't want to spend that much even though I could get it for $1100 shipped from an autorized dealer. I am a little concerned aobut Onkyo's from what I have read with the 705 humming issues, and 805 overheating and lip synch issues. Power is not an issue since I have an amp. Thanks Trevor |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9823 Registered: Dec-04 | Then how about a preamp like the Outlaw 970 or 990? |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 682 Registered: Feb-07 | I agree with Nuck. If you already have the Emotiva then I would go with one of the Outlaw preamps, or even an Emotiva. Speaking of that, how do you like the Emotiva? |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1231 Registered: Jun-07 | "I am wanting to get all the latest audio formats." The Outlaw does not have the latest audio formats does it?? Maybe it does now, but I know a few weeks ago they did not. Of the two Receivers you are looking at I would opt for the Onkyo based on the fact that it should sound better than the Yamaha. The new line from NAD has the new Audio formats but may be out of the price range a bit, as they are more expensive than their previous offerings. The Outlaw sounds better than both Onkyo and Yamaha IMO but I don't think Outlaw has the new HD audio formats yet. Also, I have not actually heard the new Onkyo stuff, but hear from friends who are dealers of it that it is much better than their last set of A/V receivers. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 686 Registered: Feb-07 | Pretty sure you're correct Nick - the Outlaws don't support TrueHD or DTS-HD (yet). However, some HD-DVD/BD players have TrueHD/DTS-HD audio outs that you could connect to the Outlaw. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1232 Registered: Jun-07 | Very good point David, that is actually what I do with my blu-ray to the 763. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 687 Registered: Feb-07 | Cool. How does it sound? When I eventually buy a BD player mine will have the HD audio outs, since my Pioneer receiver has surround in. |
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Silver Member Username: TdogroederDes Moines, IA Post Number: 167 Registered: Sep-05 | I thought about going with Emotiva LMC-2 when it comes out, but with all of the issues they had with the LMC-1 I'm a little leary of their processors. Do you think Onkyo's issues with the 705 & 805 are over emphasized on message boards? |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1234 Registered: Jun-07 | I think so Trevor, the guys I talk to, and im sure Frank can agree all say they never have that many problems with them. The Onkyo line have to be one of the most sold A/V's right now so to have a few more RMA's than less selling companies is going to be somewhat normal. David- Totally awesome, uncompress audio all the way man. I have got to a point where I can't stand to see a Blu-Ray movie just come with the typical DD or DTS.lol |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 2145 Registered: Feb-04 | "Pretty sure you're correct Nick - the Outlaws don't support TrueHD or DTS-HD (yet). However, some HD-DVD/BD players have TrueHD/DTS-HD audio outs that you could connect to the Outlaw." Both the Outlaw pre/pros (and the Outlaw receiver) support DVI only. They will not internally decode the lossless audio codecs, including the intermediate DD+ and DTS-HD. Since DVI is video only, there's no way to feed those bitstreams into the Outlaws. They do have 7.1 analog inputs, but since Trevor's A2 doesn't have any multi channel analog outputs, that won't work. Regarding BD players, one shouldn't make assumptions. Even though most BD players have multi channel analog outs, not all players will internally convert the lossless codecs and output them via their analog outputs. (One quick look at this grid shows why the Panasonic DMP-BD50 is on my short list, since I am not going to buy a new HDMI receiver anytime soon.) http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12871380&postcount=1 It does seem a shame to leave the Emotiva LPA-1 in the dust in favor of some mid-line receiver, even if it is a certified HDMI 1.3a device. To my knowledge, on the other hand, 1.3 pre/pros are rare and expensive. So why not use something like the Onkyo 705 as a pre/pro? It has the necessary 7.1 pre-outs that could be fed into the Emotiva..... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1237 Registered: Jun-07 | I agree with John S. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 689 Registered: Feb-07 | Good post John. Something for me to be aware of when shopping around for a BD player. |
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Gold Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 1352 Registered: Apr-05 | Here we are back to 2004 Tdog Marantz seems to be getting rid of some good units on Ubid.com. I noticed several SR8001 and SR 7500 models going on sale the past few days. This particular one is starting pretty hight, but keep looking and others will come through http://www.ubid.com/Marantz_SR8001_875W_7.1Ch.THX_Surround_Receiver/a11243100.ht ml |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2752 Registered: Sep-04 | I was talking to the Audiolab rep recently and he said something VERY interesting. We were discussing Blu-ray and the uncompressed / Dolby trueHD / DTS Master Audio codecs. He was saying that they could not understand why people insisted on having Master Audio and true HD in the AV receiver. Apparently when a Blu-ray player is told to send the stream down to the AV receiver it has to unpack the TrueHD/Master Audio stream into uncompressed PCM and then REPACK it to send to the receiver to unpack it again. Since the unpacked uncompressed PCM is exactly the same, you might as well just send uncompressed PCM to the receiver since the player has to unpack it in the first place. Now if it was anyone else, I'd probably have dismissed this odd state of affairs as a flight of fancy, but Barry is one bright cookie and knows his stuff (ex TAG McLaren when they were the bees knees). Crazy... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1248 Registered: Jun-07 | Frank-My dealer said something similar to that. Just a statement he made to me once on how the whole Dolby and DTS High Def audio formats, and how nothing can get better than the original source recorded in full Uncompressed PCM. No digital repacking, or nothing. He said the fact that DD and DTS claim that they take the original source, that is recorded in its ultimated quality, and then make it better??lol If the original source is Uncompressed(best the original source can possibly be) than how is it made better? I say Marketing scheme. Just like Video Upconverting. I think the statement your friend Barry made is absolutely dead on. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 698 Registered: Feb-07 | How does PCM work? I know absolutely nothing about this. I assume that the source PCM is an audio track on the DVD? If uncompressed PCM is sent to receiver, does the receiver know how to decode it (for lack of a better word)? |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2755 Registered: Sep-04 | The receiver would have to be able to accept multi-channel uncompressed PCM. Not all receivers can do this, but some who do not necessarily wish to pay the licenses for DTS Master Audio or TrueHD can do so. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 699 Registered: Feb-07 | Thanks Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1250 Registered: Jun-07 | Thats what I am doing now David. Your receiver needs to have 5.1/7.1 channel External RCA inputs on the back, or HDMI. I think yours does have the RCA inputs, but not sure. And of course the blu-ray player has to have the 5.1/7.1 ch Enternal Outputs or HDMI out on the back as well. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1251 Registered: Jun-07 | The HDMI on the A/V receiver has to be capable of decoding the HD audio format into PCM. A lot of the higher end Audio companies A/V receivers don't do the HD audio formats yet, because they realize why Repack it as Frank says, instead of just playing it as straight through PCM instead. Which is as good as its going to get. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 700 Registered: Feb-07 | Yup, mine has the 7.1 inputs. Still have yet to get the Blu-ray, though. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9852 Registered: Dec-04 | OK having just a stereo DOES have it's limitations sometimes... |
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Silver Member Username: TdogroederDes Moines, IA Post Number: 168 Registered: Sep-05 | I think I am going to wait for Emotiva to release their MMC-2 this summer which is projected to cost $1000. Maybe I will change my mind and just get a receiver to use as a pre/pro, feeling kind of crazy with my back & forth mind changes. |