[ted_b]

As some of you are no doubt aware the newest HiRez signal path is the Blu-Ray disc.  It is capable of up to 8 channels of 24/192 audio.  Because of this capability some labels like 2L have released audio-only Blu-Ray discs, in their case wonderful 5.1 and 7.1 audio only multichannel surround programs.  These programs/tracks are readily accessible via Blu-Ray players that decode Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio streams themselves, or processors/receivers that are capable of decoding these lossless compressed codecs.  Also, some programs/discs have uncompressed 24/192 PCM which do not require a decoder but require the capable DACs within the player or processor/receiver, all via HDMI. 

OK, so what?  Well, in all of these examples we are talking about multichannel surround programming that decodes at a processor or at your $200-400 player level (I realize some players cost more, but the point is that they are not audiophile grade in most cases).  And the BIGGEST stumbling block has been...what do audiophiles with newer 24/96 or 24/192 capable DACs do with the even newer Blu-Ray idea.......2 channel 24/192 Blu-Ray discs!!  Like Neil Young's recently released 10 disc Archive set!!  Do we depend on our players to send very high quality 24/192 out their $2.50 analog output sections?  Do we send this 2 channel signal out via HDMI to our surround processors and hope they sound decent as 2 channel preamps??  Or use the toslink outputs of our players (which are potentially full of jitter and only 24/96 capable).  Up to now, the only real possibility of audiophile grade sonics in this 2 channel Blu-Ray category was to buy a Pioneer Elite 09D at $3k, where careful attention was paid to the analog output side.   

Check this possibility out:
http://www.allaboutadapters.com/hdautooptoco.html

This $98 HDMI signal "splitter" claims to send up to 24/192 digital audio over to the SPDIF side (toslink is still max'd at 24/96 regardless) and then able to send 24/192 to a capable DAC!!  Anybody wanna try it?       I may....Stay tuned. 

[Big Red Machine]

Sounds like a winner for those with dual purpose rooms.

[shirtaspants]

Too bad there's little material out there that can take advantage of it...but something to carefully watch in the next year or two...

[rydenfan]

Ted, great find! We need to talk more about this

[talk2me]

Any news?

[ted_b]

Nope, not yet.  The units became available again this week.  There's another forum elsewhere that brought them up, too, so I'll go nose around.

[JDUBS]

How about just ripping the discs?

[ted_b]

How about just ripping the discs?

With what?  This is a mess and no way worth it:
http://gizmodo.com/5161848/how-to-rip-blu+ray-discs

[JDUBS]

How about just ripping the discs?

With what?  This is a mess and no way worth it:
http://gizmodo.com/5161848/how-to-rip-blu+ray-discs

I haven't tried it so I can't say if its worth it or not, but I think you only have to do the first part of those instructions as the rest is concerned with video.

I'll try it if I pick up the box set.   

-Jim

[ted_b]

How about just ripping the discs?

With what?  This is a mess and no way worth it:
http://gizmodo.com/5161848/how-to-rip-blu+ray-discs

I haven't tried it so I can't say if its worth it or not, but I think you only have to do the first part of those instructions as the rest is concerned with video.

I'll try it if I pick up the box set.   

-Jim

Good point about trying just the audio portion first.  Thanks for being our guinea pig.   

[adydula]

How well would the new OPPO BD 83 fare in this area?

Alex

[ted_b]

How well would the new OPPO BD 83 fare in this area?

Alex

This isn;t about the player, it's about breaking off the 24/192 digital side via HDMI/coax breakout.  The new Oppo player will fare nicely via simple analog outs, or via HDMi into the processor, but the subject of this thread is to NOt have to go through the processor to hear 24/192 stereo BluRay.

[Jon L]

I don't have high hopes for this HDMI-spdif converter due to:

"Unfortunately (and this is why audiophile manufacturers criticise audio on HDMI) the HDMI clock is a video clock, not an audio clock. The receiver has to reconstruct an audio clock out of the video clock by down-sampling it internally under continuously varying decimation commands sent over the CEC by the transport. This DOES work (well... function) but nothing like as well as a dedicated audio clock."

[jhm731]

I don't have high hopes for this HDMI-spdif converter due to:

"Unfortunately (and this is why audiophile manufacturers criticise audio on HDMI) the HDMI clock is a video clock, not an audio clock. The receiver has to reconstruct an audio clock out of the video clock by down-sampling it internally under continuously varying decimation commands sent over the CEC by the transport. This DOES work (well... function) but nothing like as well as a dedicated audio clock."

Plug the converter's spdif output into the upcoming PS Audio Digital Lens which will strip off  the reconstructed audio clock and replace it with low jitter dedicated audio clocking.

[ted_b]

I don't have high hopes for this HDMI-spdif converter due to:

"Unfortunately (and this is why audiophile manufacturers criticise audio on HDMI) the HDMI clock is a video clock, not an audio clock. The receiver has to reconstruct an audio clock out of the video clock by down-sampling it internally under continuously varying decimation commands sent over the CEC by the transport. This DOES work (well... function) but nothing like as well as a dedicated audio clock."

Jon,
What are you quoting?  Thanks..

[KimKman]

I attempted to listen to the Neil Young Archive Blue Rays tonight using a coaxial output from a Sony BDP-S500 to a PS Audio PWD ... It locked at 16/44.1 

Are there any current Blue Ray players on the market that will output 24/192 to an external DAC via coaxial or AES/EBU.

I guess for know I am going to try and get the audio tracks to a .WAV and play via a music server setup. An article here explains how but I have yet to try.
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/How-Rip-High-Resolution-Blu-ray-Audio

May be my only choice.

[ted_b]

As stated earlier, and the reason for this topic, the Blu-Ray spec is 48k maximum from the digital outs...period.  That's why we brought up the HDMI splitter box idea.

And yes, that process discussed on CA is the same or similar to the one I linked above (audio only).  Good luck...let us know how it works, and how painful the process is.   

On another note, would you mind starting a new thread on our HiRez circle with a nice review of the PWD?  Many here are wondering about it.  What DACs did you compare or hear before going with it?  (I'm on a wait list for eval since I backed off the beta program...timing was back in April/May when Ryan offered it).

[KimKman]

Thanks Ted ... Oh well on the Blue Ray

Only one day with the PWD. Any thoughts at this time are subjective. I do like it so far. Also like playing with the filters. Have a Weiss DAC2 here also that sounds pretty close. Packed up my Theta Pro Gen Va for retirement.

[ted_b]

We need to talk!  The Weiss DAC2 is my pick so far!  Glorious midrange and gobs of detail, yet balanced and smooth.