DTS-HD MA & 1.5 Mbps DTS

[kloneman]

I believe that once the content is digital, it should remain so as far down the reproduction chain as possible, therefore the best place "Killer DACs/audio processing" is the in the preamp/controller/processor rather than the player. This method also allows for all digital sources to benefit from the qualitiy of DACs, and the short path for the distortion/noise introducing analog stages.

Originally Posted by oscar_in_fw

I'd want my next player to have killer DACs/audio processing processing with six channel balanced outputs. Unfortunately, that player is probably years away (if it ever appears) and will probably cost as much as the Halcro SSP....

[oscar_in_fw]

Originally Posted by kloneman

I believe that once the content is digital, it should remain so as far down the reproduction chain as possible, therefore the best place "Killer DACs/audio processing" is the in the preamp/controller/processor rather than the player. This method also allows for all digital sources to benefit from the qualitiy of DACs, and the short path for the distortion/noise introducing analog stages.

Practicalities enter the situation here. You'd have to "klone" my paycheck quite a few times before I could afford a digital preamp with the features I want (balanced outputs). And I suspect most digital preamps come with digital volume controls which neuter the sound in comparison with analog preamps.

[kloneman]

Digital attenuation definitely had problems in early implementations, but is probably not much of one in appropriately designed current generation equipment. If i recall correctly, the problems were related to anomalies in the extreme ends of the control ranges. Analog attenuation has its own problems, including the eventually "scratchy" control, and linearity imbalance across the control range. Digital attenuation is used in most of the "room acoustic compensation" circuitry used in many A/V components, including preamp/processors and recent-vintage powered subwoofers, so its already in the signal chain.

Originally Posted by oscar_in_fw

Practicalities enter the situation here. You'd have to "klone" my paycheck quite a few times before I could afford a digital preamp with the features I want (balanced outputs). And I suspect most digital preamps come with digital volume controls which neuter the sound in comparison with analog preamps.

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by rlpiii

Sort of. See post #21
http://www.avrevforum.com/showthread.php?t=1310

Yes, he gave them to me. We had a conversation about 1.5 Mbps DTS, and he said he had a few extra discs he could give me. . . I liked the video better on the blu-ray version after seeing both HD DVD and blu-ray even though these discs were really about showcasing audio. The audio sounded the same on both.

Interesting that there was no difference in the audio at all.

[rlpiii]

Originally Posted by deacongreg

Interesting that there was no difference in the audio at all.

No difference between HD DVD audio and Blu-ray audio. I did notice that the blue-ray disc took longer to load, but I think that is a function of the LG BH200 player. Since I don't yet have the capability to decode and hear DTS-HD MA, I was only listening to the 1.5 Mbps DTS soundtracks.

As suggested by oscar_in_fw, I ordered the Denon DVD-3800BDCI today. I should have it by next weekend. Then I'll be able to listen to DTS-HD MA tracks.

[kloneman]

What are the titles/formats of the disks the Halcro rep sent? I don't think anyone can tell you if they've heard them without knowing this, grin.

Originally Posted by rlpiii

I got a few blu-ray and hd dvd discs in the mail from my Halcro rep. today.
He had told me that 1.5 Mbps DTS sounds really good if you do not have DTS-HD MA processing available.
Since my LG BH200 does not yet fully support DTS-HD MA, I am going to try out the 1.5 Mbps DTS tracks.
Has anyone played with these discs yet? If so, what did you think?