Hi,
Not sure on the USB but definitely not Phono.
james
Hi James,
I am sure that the space might be a challenge, but here are the features I'd love to have upgrading the Sp1.7 to a SP3 using "the same box modified":
1. Add two balanced inputs for stereo replacing the existing 2 optical inputs (would allow users to use the BCD-1 balanced outputs).
3. Replace 2 (maybe 3) digital coaxial entries with HDMI inputs (obviously the new digital board should process all new true HD formats).
3. Extremely nice would be ability to power the phono BP1.5. This would eliminate the need to buy the MPS-2 power supply.
Thanks,
Marius
James has already addressed the problem with space for balanced inputs. I have the pro version of the SP1.7 that has a balanced digital input vs. two toslink and have already asked the question. HDMI splitters are not all that expensive. Oppo makes a 3 in 1 out HDMI switcher for $99. I'll be really happy with one (HDMI) in and one out and be able to route Dolby True HD through the processor. Without video capabilities, other than to get audio from something like Blu-Ray, unless I'm missing something, I don't see the what the great advantage is. If you have HDMI from cable, satellite or over-the-air, the sound you'll be getting won't be hi-rez - just plain Dolby Digital. If you have multiple hi-rez disc players then it might be useful but not that big a deal to get a switcher. If Bryston is able to fit 3 HDMI jacks (two in and one out) in the space of the optical jacks that would probably be fine for just about anyone. Optical to coax converters, if needed, are not all that expensive. I have one. Before I got HD built into the bedroom TV on the other side of the wall to the main system I took the 'S' video out of the over-the-air HD tuner (in the main system) and converted toslink to coax (so not to have many bends) before going thru the wall to the bedroom so I could watch digital TV. Unlike PCM, Dolby Digital is delivered in packets much like internet protocol and it is pretty much there or not there so you don't have all the same concerns about running Dolby Digital thru a digital cable as you do PCM.
Sorry, I was not interested in a digital balanced input (I think this is already available in the pro model), but analgue balanced inputs and use the SP3.0 as preamp. This would allow users to take advantage of the balanced outputs of the new Bryston BCD-1 CD player.
In regard with the HDMI inputs, as you guessed I was not talking about cable, satellite or over-the-air. These are not true HD transmissions even from an image perspective (native they should be 1080p but currently the max available is native 720p/1080i). As the proposal for the first free HD network has been rejected last week by CRTC, it will be a while until anything in this direction will be native HD.
The HDMI inputs I was reffering to are making sense only in conjunction with the ability to decode the new hi rez formats (Dolby® TrueHD, and DTS-HD™) that can not be passed via digital coaxial or optical. These new hi-rez formats are already availble today with some blue ray players, but soon as the the hi-rez format is over and blue ray is the winner they will become as standard as the regular DTS and Dolby are today with the DVD format. A perfect example is already on the market: the new Denon blue-ray transport DVD-2500BTCI, that has only 1 output (onviously HDMI) and supports with some restrictions a native bit stream output for Dolby® Digital+, Dolby® TrueHD, and DTS-HD™ master audio.
In order to use this transport with the new hi rez formats the new SP3 should have at least 1 HDMI input and 1 HDMI outout (for passing through the image without any scaling). Otherwise, in case the new SP3 would not able to process the new hi rez formats, there is no point for an HDMI input as the current digital coax would be used pefectly for audio and the source can be linked directly via HDMI with the TV for a true 1080p image.
The current models (SP2 and even SP1.7) are perfect as long as the new hi-rez formats are not in the cards. But as regular Dolby and DTS are standard today for DVD format and all processors/receivers are handling them, it is a matter of time only until the new Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD™ associated with the blue-ray will become the new standard...
The second HDMI input could be for a SACD player... Sure in both case you could use the multichannel analogue input in SP, but the processing is done in that case by the source and not by the processor...
The third request - ability to power BP1.5 - is trying to minimize the cost of adding phono by eliminating the need to buy the external MPS-2. Otherwise the cost of having a complete Bryson by adding BP1.5 (and the MPS-2) system is much higher in comparison with adding the external phono equalizer from Rotel RQ-970 for just 200$. Eliminating the need to add MPS-2 might count from this perspective...
However, the first request (balanced analogue inputs) and the third one (ability to power PB1.5) are related with enhancing the pream function already excellent both in SP2 and SP1.7.
The core requirement though for the new processor would be related to the ability to decode the new hi-rez formats (passed via HDMI link) that will become soon standard: Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD™... Otherwise the new SP3 with or without an HDMI link will become obsolete (from a processor capabilities perspective) even before it will hit the market...
