[Rob Babcock]

I would strongly disagree that all $300 recievers sound like crap.  I've had a couple of digicievers from JVC that sounded pretty darned good, and I know that some $300 Panny's have driven several thousand dollars worth of VMPS towers without embarrassing themselves.  At any rate there's quite a gulf between buying a $300 reciever and not being able to process HDMI.  I have a $1200 Denon with HDMI for HT and it sounds pretty damn good.  Unless I miss my guess the bulk of AC'ers that are heavily into HT probably do have a good receiver or a pre/pro for theater, not an analog preamp with 5.1/7.1 inputs.

[rbrb]

Your point is well taken.  I new after I wrote my reply that exceptions like the Panny would be mentioned.  There are always exceptions.  My point is this.  Would a average $300 receiver have enough resolution to reveal the subtlies in a SA-CD or DVD-A recording over a Redbook CD?  Does a $300 receiver have enough resolution to reveal the subtlies is a LPCM recording over a compressed DD/DTS track?  In my opinion no.  Not worth the effort.

[Ears]

The PS3 keeps getting recommended as the BD player of choice.  Is HD audio not of equal importance to everyone here?  Without an HDMI equipped receiver there is no access to the HD audio soundtracks on the discs.  The high quality 5.1 analog output stage is exactly what made my BDPS-1 (insert your fave model) worth almost twice the price of the PS3.  The HD video is only half of the experience for me.  The HD audio is of equal importance.  I take the same care of the audio signal from my BD player as I do from my SA-CD player.  The PS3 is not the path to high end sound.

Sorry I've gone way off topic with my rant. 

You can buy an hdmi receiver that does the audio in 5.1 for 300.00...and Onkyo has the 605 for around 500.00 that has built in HD audio decoding of DD THD and DTS-MA.

I get 1080p and uncompressed 5.1 channel audio on one cable for a song.

Fully understood.  I did not suspect AC members to be part of the $300 receiver crowd.  $300 receivers sound like crap, not really worth sending a HD audio signal to one IMO. $300 receivers generally act like switching divises only they don't process the audio data from the HDMI signal if they do my comment above certainly applies.  Wrong place for this discussion me thinks.

Thats because you haven't tried one of these receivers.
My 4k pre/pro and 4k amp could not compete playing back DD. DTS with PCM audio played back through my 380.00 receiver through the same hi end custom made speakers.
Its not even a contest and I am sure the list on this receiver is at least 7-800.00 and I am quoting street pricing obviously.

I also had two of those 300.00 Panys although highly modded running 6.1 bi amped speakers...and they also could not compare using core DD/DTS vs uncompressed PCM audio on the el cheapo receiver.

And if you can't grasp that big dollars doesn't always mean better....then you are in the wrong place.

[rbrb]

The PS3 keeps getting recommended as the BD player of choice.  Is HD audio not of equal importance to everyone here?  Without an HDMI equipped receiver there is no access to the HD audio soundtracks on the discs.  The high quality 5.1 analog output stage is exactly what made my BDPS-1 (insert your fave model) worth almost twice the price of the PS3.  The HD video is only half of the experience for me.  The HD audio is of equal importance.  I take the same care of the audio signal from my BD player as I do from my SA-CD player.  The PS3 is not the path to high end sound.

Sorry I've gone way off topic with my rant. 

You can buy an hdmi receiver that does the audio in 5.1 for 300.00...and Onkyo has the 605 for around 500.00 that has built in HD audio decoding of DD THD and DTS-MA.

I get 1080p and uncompressed 5.1 channel audio on one cable for a song.

Fully understood.  I did not suspect AC members to be part of the $300 receiver crowd.  $300 receivers sound like crap, not really worth sending a HD audio signal to one IMO. $300 receivers generally act like switching divises only they don't process the audio data from the HDMI signal if they do my comment above certainly applies.  Wrong place for this discussion me thinks.

Thats because you haven't tried one of these receivers.
My 4k pre/pro and 4k amp could not compete playing back DD. DTS with PCM audio played back through my 380.00 receiver through the same hi end custom made speakers.
Its not even a contest and I am sure the list on this receiver is at least 7-800.00 and I am quoting street pricing obviously.

I also had two of those 300.00 Panys although highly modded running 6.1 bi amped speakers...and they also could not compare using core DD/DTS vs uncompressed PCM audio on the el cheapo receiver.

And if you can't grasp that big dollars doesn't always mean better....then you are in the wrong place.

I have no idea of what you were trying to say.  I sell electronics for a living. I can almost be certain that I have a better grasp of big dollars doesn't mean better than most people would.  I also understand that in mass market electronics you get what you pay for.  I think your right I am in the wrong place.

[Ears]

The PS3 keeps getting recommended as the BD player of choice.  Is HD audio not of equal importance to everyone here?  Without an HDMI equipped receiver there is no access to the HD audio soundtracks on the discs.  The high quality 5.1 analog output stage is exactly what made my BDPS-1 (insert your fave model) worth almost twice the price of the PS3.  The HD video is only half of the experience for me.  The HD audio is of equal importance.  I take the same care of the audio signal from my BD player as I do from my SA-CD player.  The PS3 is not the path to high end sound.

Sorry I've gone way off topic with my rant. 

You can buy an hdmi receiver that does the audio in 5.1 for 300.00...and Onkyo has the 605 for around 500.00 that has built in HD audio decoding of DD THD and DTS-MA.

I get 1080p and uncompressed 5.1 channel audio on one cable for a song.

Fully understood.  I did not suspect AC members to be part of the $300 receiver crowd.  $300 receivers sound like crap, not really worth sending a HD audio signal to one IMO. $300 receivers generally act like switching divises only they don't process the audio data from the HDMI signal if they do my comment above certainly applies.  Wrong place for this discussion me thinks.

Thats because you haven't tried one of these receivers.
My 4k pre/pro and 4k amp could not compete playing back DD. DTS with PCM audio played back through my 380.00 receiver through the same hi end custom made speakers.
Its not even a contest and I am sure the list on this receiver is at least 7-800.00 and I am quoting street pricing obviously.

I also had two of those 300.00 Panys although highly modded running 6.1 bi amped speakers...and they also could not compare using core DD/DTS vs uncompressed PCM audio on the el cheapo receiver.

And if you can't grasp that big dollars doesn't always mean better....then you are in the wrong place.

I have no idea of what you were trying to say.  I sell electronics for a living. I can almost be certain that I have a better grasp of big dollars doesn't mean better than most people would.  I also understand that in mass market electronics you get what you pay for.  I think your right I am in the wrong place.

I am saying that the highest end gear using core DD/DTS will not compete with lower end  hdmi gear playing back uncompressed PCM or DD THD....its not even close.

And seeings how I bought this receiver strictly for PCM, DD THD and rarely use core DD/DTS anymore...it makes no sense to go high end until the high end starts putting out more hdmi gear with built in HD audio decoders for DD THD and DTS-MA.

[ctviggen]

You mean...it's not even close for the gear you've heard.  I assume you haven't heard all gear from all manufacturers.  For instance, hear any Lexicon gear?

[Ears]

You mean...it's not even close for the gear you've heard.  I assume you haven't heard all gear from all manufacturers.  For instance, hear any Lexicon gear?

Of course I have heard Lexicon.....but Meridian playing core DD/DTS can't compete with uncompressed PCM or DD THD....which obviously you have not heard.

Of course all the better high end brands sound better playing standard DD/DTS...but I am not buying any movies in HD that don't have uncompressed PCM, DD THD or DTS-MA....and I need HDMI.

[mca]

played back through my 380.00 receiver

What receiver are you using?

[Ears]

played back through my 380.00 receiver

What receiver are you using?

Using is the correct term as I bought it as a stop gap hdmi receiver (Onkyo 604)...but I recommend the newer 605 because it does 1080p and 7.1 channels of the uncompressed PCM ect for around 500.00 street.
The 604 is 7.1 for standard DD/DTS...but only 5.1 for HD audio and 1080p via hdmi.