5.1 Discrete Analog vs HDMI for TrueHD or DTS-MA Question

[javygonx]

Hi to all:

I just want to know if someone experience this before and their thoughts.
My receiver has TrueHD and DTS-MA decoding, but I have also a Denon 689 for my bedroom which does not have HD Audio Decoders.

I read that connecting 5.1 analog outputs to 5.1 analog inputs on receiver you will get TrueHD or DTS-MA if your Blu-Player has decoders. I have Memorex MVBD2510 which has TrueHD, Uncompressed PCM, and at least DTS-HD.

But on my own test, of course in HDMI sounds way better, and also I try comparing Toslink vs Discrete Analogs, and even Digital Optics sounds better than Discrete Analogs, but I thought that discrete analogs would sound as nearly as good as HDMI, but NOT...

Anyone experience the same? Should I forget about the HD Audio for my bedroom and keep the Toslink in which seems sounds better than analogs, or Am I setting something wrong?

[TheMARPATNinja7]

Not sure what youre asking but I'll give it a shot. 5.1 analog is not a Dolby Digital surround signal. You do not have the cabablities of true surround sound unless you use a digital coax cable or optical audio cable. If the 5.1 analog sounds better than the optical (sound quality wise) and you like it, go for it but know that you will not get true surround effects. With the optical cable you will get digital surround sound and make appropriate use of all channels you have. It's your call, I don't tell people how they should configure things related to playback because audio is subjective and everyone has a different set of ears.

[comfortablycurt]

You can get Dolby Digital over 5.1 analog as far as I know. I don't believe you can get True HD or Master Audio over it though.

[TheMARPATNinja7]

I just googled it to be sure. 5.1 analog is matrixed in ProLogic not Dolby Digital.

[rdb2001]

If the player can decode it, you can get loseless audio over analog. What are you feeling like your lacking in sound?

[WilliamM2]

Anyone experience the same? Should I forget about the HD Audio for my bedroom and keep the Toslink in which seems sounds better than analogs, or Am I setting something wrong?


I would imagine the Toslink sounds better because you have better bass management in the reciever, than you do in the player.

[Sami]

I just googled it to be sure. 5.1 analog is matrixed in ProLogic not Dolby Digital.

That is not correct. You can get all DD, DTS and the new HD formats through analog outputs if your player internally decodes them. 2 channel analog is processed to ProLogic and other formats like Neo6 but 5.1 analog is true surround sound.

javygonx, I suspect your problem lies in calibrating the inputs. Do you have a SPL meter? If not, get one ($50) and calibrate all inputs. Perceived sound quality in many cases is due to different sound pressure levels. It is likely that your HDMI input has stronger signal and thus you´re getting louder volume and that many times is mistaken as better SQ. Your LFE (bass) signal might also be messed up in LPCM or analog mode.

[WilliamM2]

Not sure what youre asking but I'll give it a shot. 5.1 analog is not a Dolby Digital surround signal. You do not have the cabablities of true surround sound unless you use a digital coax cable or optical audio cable. If the 5.1 analog sounds better than the optical (sound quality wise) and you like it, go for it but know that you will not get true surround effects. With the optical cable you will get digital surround sound and make appropriate use of all channels you have. It's your call, I don't tell people how they should configure things related to playback because audio is subjective and everyone has a different set of ears.

Absolutely everything in this post is incorrect. Surround sound can be had using 5.1 analog, optical, coax, and HDMI.

The two surround formats he was asking about will only work with 5.1 analog or HDMI. He won't get them with optical or coax digital.

[comfortablycurt]

I just googled it to be sure. 5.1 analog is matrixed in ProLogic not Dolby Digital.

That's only true if your player doesn't internally decode those sound formats.

Like I said earlier...I can't say whether or not it's possible with TrueHD or Master Audio as I don't have a Blu-ray player, but I would imagine it's the same. If the BRP decodes it, it should be able to send it over 5.1 analog.

I do know however, that you can't get True HD or MA over coax or optical. That's only over HDMI, and I'm assuming 5.1 analog.

[BlueFox]

But on my own test, of course in HDMI sounds way better, and also I try comparing Toslink vs Discrete Analogs, and even Digital Optics sounds better than Discrete Analogs, but I thought that discrete analogs would sound as nearly as good as HDMI, but NOT...


One variable here not yet mentioned is the quality of the analog interconnects being used. Also, the player might do a poor job of decoding versus passing the signal via HDMI to the AVR, and letting the AVR decode the audio.

Personally, I am going back and forth on buying a Blu-Ray player. If I do get one I will have to use the player's decoding circuitry so I will be buying a BR player with good reviews for decoding, and 5 high-end analog interconnects so that any loss is minimal compared to HDMI.

[danger boy]

I can only speak about 5.1 analog connections from a Blu ray player to a pre amp. My BD player can internally decode the lossless formats. since I don't have an HDMI pre amp or TV. i use the analogs from the BD player and it sounds great to me. true that in analog inputs on your receiver... you don't have bass management.. but that's where your subwoofer comes in ;)

I don't feel like I am missing anything be not having an HDMI connections from my BD player to my pre amp. HDMI is just more convenient over the 6 RCA analog cables + video cable = to many damn cables. :p

[WilliamM2]

One variable here not yet mentioned is the quality of the analog interconnects being used.

Probably because it's nonsense, and won't help the OP at all.

[javygonx]

That is not correct. You can get all DD, DTS and the new HD formats through analog outputs if your player internally decodes them. 2 channel analog is processed to ProLogic and other formats like Neo6 but 5.1 analog is true surround sound.

javygonx, I suspect your problem lies in calibrating the inputs. Do you have a SPL meter? If not, get one ($50) and calibrate all inputs. Perceived sound quality in many cases is due to different sound pressure levels. It is likely that your HDMI input has stronger signal and thus you´re getting louder volume and that many times is mistaken as better SQ. Your LFE (bass) signal might also be messed up in LPCM or analog mode.

Ok. I think Sami and few others understand what I was asking. And Sami thats true, thats exactly what happens to me. The volume in HDMI is stronger than when Discrete Analogs. So, I will buy the SPL Meter and test again.

And for people that does not understand my question, maybe I wrote something wrong but I was asking only if 5.1 or 7.1 Discrete Analogs sounds nearly or equal as good as HDMI for HD Audio Formats like TrueHD and DTS-MA. I just add for curiosity in my test that when using toslink connection the movie sounds better in the Dolby Digital Format than when is setup as 5.1 Discrete Analogs to output TrueHD Sound assuming that the movie is TrueHD. (The player can decode TrueHD).

And someone asks about the quality of cables. Yes, Im using high qualitiy cables. I use 75ohm Coaxial Cables for each channel. Also someone said something about the DAC of the BluRay. I agree. I know that memorex does not have high quality DAC. I will upgrade my player when the new Pioneer is out that has Wolfson DAC, or any cheap player with Wolfson DACs. Anyone knows any player up to $400 with that feature?

[BlueFox]

Probably because it's nonsense, and won't help the OP at all.

Better go back to 2nd grade and relearn how to read. The OP wanted to know why HDMI sounded better than analog.

[TheMARPATNinja7]

Absolutely everything in this post is incorrect. Surround sound can be had using 5.1 analog, optical, coax, and HDMI.


Heres the ball.....I dropped it. Sorry I thought he was refering to external decoding.

[Keiko]

Probably because it's nonsense, and won't help the OP at all.

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