HD Audio Comparison

[ROB2009]

Hi, I currently have an Arcam AVR350 which doesn't decode the latest HD Audio formats. If I added a blu-ray player with on board decoding and kept my current 5.1 speaker set up...
1. Would there be a noticeable improvement in sound? I've not heard HD Audio yet!
2. I don't have the room space to go 7.1, does this matter?
3. Do I use normal audio leads to connect the blu-ray to the amp?

Also, any recommendations for blu-ray player and leads appreciated

Rob

 

[Andrew Everard]

1. Yes (provided the onboard decoding and analogue output of the player are up to snuff)
2. No, not at all
3. Yes, you just use six or eight of them (depending on the output confiduration of the player)!

I'd suggest a player such as the Cambridge Audio Azur 650BD, and Chord Crimson interconnects.

 

[ROB2009]

Thanks for the reply Andrew

Final quick question, the Sony BDP-S5000ES is available for £699, I know it's all subjective but do you think it would be a better buy than the Cambridge?
I.e. Is it worth the extra outlay in your opinion?

Thanks, Rob

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks for the reply Andrew Final quick question, the Sony BDP-S5000ES is available for £699, I know it's all subjective but do you think it would be a better buy than the Cambridge? I.e. Is it worth the extra outlay in your opinion? Thanks, Rob

Great question....would like to hear the answer to that one myself.

I'm delighted that you are getting other views on this.

Cno

 

[Andrew Everard]

Thanks for the reply Andrew Final quick question, the Sony BDP-S5000ES is available for £699, I know it's all subjective but do you think it would be a better buy than the Cambridge? I.e. Is it worth the extra outlay in your opinion? Thanks, Rob

At that price I'd go for the Sony unless I wanted multiregion DVD and Blu-ray playback, in which case the Cambridge is much easier to modify.

 

[Anonymous]

EDITED BY MODS for House Rules infringement

 

[Frank Harvey]

The Sony is a top notch player - using one myself. Excellent at DVD playback too. Fantastic build quality. Something tells me we won't be seeing any more players built like this any more for anything less than £3-4k+

 

[ROB2009]

Thanks for all comments and info, great help, better dust off the plastic and go shopping!
Rob

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks for all comments and info, great help, better dust off the plastic and go shopping! Rob

I would be very interested in your findings.....I might easily have gone down this path if I'd thought of it at the time...and hadn't got such a good deal to change.

Your AVR350 is very up-gradable in the future by using it's pre-outs into something like an Arcam P7 (has been going cheap) or a good stereo amp.

Cno

 

[ROB2009]

The Arcam DV135 & Sony BDP-S350 have been replaced by new Sony BDP-S5000ES....

Blimey...It's a beast of a thing!

Will post more when had chance to set up properly....

 

[strapped for cash]

Thanks for the reply Andrew Final quick question, the Sony BDP-S5000ES is available for £699, I know it's all subjective but do you think it would be a better buy than the Cambridge? I.e. Is it worth the extra outlay in your opinion? Thanks, Rob

Or £599 at Hyperfi right now, if anybody's in the market...

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks for the reply Andrew Final quick question, the Sony BDP-S5000ES is available for £699, I know it's all subjective but do you think it would be a better buy than the Cambridge? I.e. Is it worth the extra outlay in your opinion? Thanks, Rob

Or £599 at Hyperfi right now, if anybody's in the market...

Typical..

 

[strapped for cash]

Yes, sorry to point that out.

Having read your earlier post I found the price online and thought I'd report back, potentially saving you £100. Then I saw your subsequent post.

How are you getting on with it? I'm tempted at that price myself, though it might be overkill for my system (Panasonic 42V20 tv, Yamaha RX-V1065 receiver, B&W 600 series speakers, Sony S-370 Blu-ray player). In other words, I'm not sure the improvement would be marked enough to justify the outlay.

 

[CnoEvil]

Yes, sorry to point that out.

Having read your earlier post I found the price online and thought I'd report back, potentially saving you £100. Then I saw your subsequent post.

How are you getting on with it? I'm tempted at that price myself, though it might be overkill for my system (Panasonic 42V20 tv, Yamaha RX-V1065 receiver, B&W 600 series speakers, Sony S-370 Blu-ray player). In other words, I'm not sure the improvement would be marked enough to justify the outlay.

Wasn't having a go, just a rye smile to myself seeing it happen to somebody else.

IMO You would be hard pressed to get a bigger all round improvement for that amount of money.
It also sorts your source for any future upgrades.

Regards

Cno

 

[unfocused]

I'd suggest a player such as the Cambridge Audio Azur 650BD, and Chord Crimson interconnects.

I had a 650BD with an Arcam 350 and ran into terrible lip-sync problems. The 650 has no way to alter the lip sync and the 350 can only delay lip-sync through digital not analogue which is how you would connect the blu-ray player to get the HD audio. I sold both in the end and am going to look at a new Marantz combo next week

 

[ROB2009]

First of all, seeing that the Sony is now available for £100 less is annoying but it can happen at any time so I'll just have to deal with it :-(

Set up questions, I have used the multi-channel analogue connections which by-passes the amps internal processing, previously I used the amp to set the sub's crossover, do I now have to use the sub's own controls to set it up?

Also, for listening to skyHD through amp, should I use hdmi cable or coax or audio connections?

Finally for now, initial tests of HD audio sound fanastic, but need more time with system, picture is pin sharp

Rob

 

[fayeanddavid]

First of all, seeing that the Sony is now available for £100 less is annoying but it can happen at any time so I'll just have to deal with it :-( Set up questions, I have used the multi-channel analogue connections which by-passes the amps internal processing, previously I used the amp to set the sub's crossover, do I now have to use the sub's own controls to set it up? Also, for listening to skyHD through amp, should I use hdmi cable or coax or audio connections? Finally for now, initial tests of HD audio sound fanastic, but need more time with system, picture is pin sharp Rob

Is there a xover setting in the BD player for this, would have thought so but not that familiar with multi outs?

As for Sky, HDMI will only give stereo currently to/through the amp, so best to use optical/coaxial to the amp for 5.1 when broadcast.

 

[ROB2009]

No crossover setting in blu-ray player, distance and level settings only