Is it worth getting a better sounding BD player if using bitstream?

[admin_exported]

Dear WHFI and anyone alse who has an opinion:

Considering a BD player, if I am using my onk 875 to decode the sound, output via hdmi as bitstream then does the sound performance of the BD palyer really matter. What I mean is: the Sony 35 according to WHFI has a better picture than the Pana 35 but doesnt sound as good. The Pana 35 and 55 are vurtually identical apart from the sound? If the player is sending the sound as a compressed digital signal then isn't it the sound quality of the recievers ability to decode the signal the important factor. Should I really be concentrating on the picture quality of the BD player not the sound?

Sorry just to add and get my facts right: WHF said that the pana 35 has bettery picture quality than the sony 35 and a better upscaller!

 

[Anonymous]

Is anybody out there?

 

[Anonymous]

I've read the opposite for the upscalling/deinterlacing of DVDs. If your amp is doing the decoding, I'd go for whichever you can get the best price on.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello there WHFI, is the sound quality of the pana 55 over the 35 really that important if I am bitstreaming the signal anyway. As discussed the digital sound is sent as raw data? Is there really a difference between the two models or is it my receiver that really counts, its the receiver thats doing all the work?

 

[Anonymous]

I too bitstream over HDMI from a PS3 to the 875 (Blue Ray) outputting it on the THX cinema setting.
On my system I find the sound track to have so much more presence/body and is less fatiguing.
However many say that BR sounds better to them not bit streamed.

I still think the PS3 is a superb machine, and the BIG bonus is that it keeps upgrading itself off the internet with the latest software.

With regards to picture scaling I personally find the bar is set so high now that differences between the PS3, 875, or 970DVD RW doing the work are slight. Of greater importance is fine tuning the TV settings to get the best out of it.

A significant step up to me was mains conditioning and cables on both picture and sound. Now my 875 has the same spacial clarity on ALL its settings, not just on 'direct' mode!

I put everything through my 875 and let it do all the work, brilliant everything.

 

[Anonymous]

Not getting much response hey?
I think there isn't a lot of experience on this topic yet (i'm also trying to find this out).

However, logic would suggest that your amp will play a bigger part (hence why you get decent DACs on board AV amps). I'd say there would be nothing or very very little in it.

I'd be more concerned with the fact that in 18 months time there will most probably be much much better players around and HDMI version 1.5, making either player defunct.

 

[Anonymous]

This is my concern too! Thats why I would be more inclined to go for the Pana 35. I think (althought I would like to hear WHFI thoughts on this) that the superior DAC on the 55 over the 35 would only come into affect if you were decoding on board the player. This would surely be better for the HDMI anyway as its not having to handle a comletley decompressed signal.

As for a 1.5 version I have no Idea, the worry there is that the receivers are only version 1.3 (i think) so that would leave both the player and the receiver defunct!

Thank you both for the reply!

Trevor my friend I dont think you are following me quite right sir, im not debating weather or not it is better to let the blue ray player do the decoding or the receiver. I am questioning that if the blueray palyer is sending the digital audio signal as raw uncompressed data to the receiver then the better quality DAC (digital to analouge converter) that decompresses or decodes (whatever) the signal on board the player and outputs to your receiver as LPCM is irrelevant!

So if the picture quality is the same on the pana 35 as the 55 I may aswell save some money and get the 35!

Come on WHFI what do you think?

 

[Anonymous]

Have a read of this Ashworth, its a bit dated but seems to suggest that bitstreaming the raw data is irrelevant to the quality of the DAC and as discussed is down to the quality and ability of the receiver.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/advicefromtheexperts/508audio/

 

[Anonymous]

What is really happening out there in HT land is like comparing apples with pears. If your receiver is capable of decoding everything why not use it, a good receiver costs more than a BD player, so for your money you also get better components.

I own a playstation 3 but the problem is the sound track is only Bitstream or Linear PCM, so I am also in the market for one of the new Sony`s or Pana`s, the reason being is that standalone has my preference, also a standalone has all the new sound codecs, my Yamaha RX-V1900 has also a complete set of new codecs. A PS3 does not have all that, so watching a film with DTS-HD MA thru a PS3 is a waste of time.

I have seen both of the Sony`s and I must admit the 550 is a good looking machine, the pana 55 is not the best looking on the market, but also here in Holland Sony is doing a deal till the end of November, buy one of their 2 blu rays and get 6 blu ray films free, that in itself is here ?150, and that you deduct from the price you pay for your machine. Can`t see Panasonic doing that.

Well, that is my contribution, maybe not much help, but like you`s I also compare apples with pears and at this moment walking in the dark, until someone says WHAT A FANTASTIC MACHINE, BRILLIANT, NUMERO UNO, BUY IT NOW.

Until the next time, live long and prosper Steve.

 

[professorhat]

Stevefilmfreak: A PS3 does not have all that, so watching a film with DTS-HD MA thru a PS3 is a waste of time.
I don't understand this - you do know Sony added the ability to decode DTS HD MA a long time ago via a firmware update? If you mean you can't bitstream the signal, then fair enough, but that's true of all the HD codecs.

 

[Anonymous]

what about my question professor?

 

[professorhat]

I don't know for sure I'm afraid, though my guess would be the updated audio circuitry includes components other than just the DAC which are involved in transporting the signal to the amp, hence why it sounds better. Just a guess though, I'm not technical enough to know what's going on during this process...

 

[Anonymous]

Me neither, that why I would like WHFI to confirm this, no body can give a valid reason, thanks for the reply. Come on what hi fi explain!

 

[Anonymous]

WHFI ????????????????????????????