i am thinking of getting this receiver but am a little in the dark with the correct matching tech specs with my current speakers...this is my speaker set http://www.axiomaudio.com/epic50_500specs.html# and this is the receiver http://www.abtelectronics.com/scripts/site/site_product.php3?source=froogle&id=29121 please if anyone has heard this TrueHD sound please let me know if it is worth replacing my Denon 2807?
@Korso55 ... I didn't answer your question about TrueHD because it's new and I didn't know the answer. You question about the compatibility of your speakers is yes, they are compatible. My advice would be to go somewhere and listen to TrueHD before you make any decisions because sometimes there is a lot of Hoop-La and good marketing over a new technology which doesn't amount to much. You've already got one hell of an AVR. Onkyo also makes a hell of a good product but go and listen first so that you don't end up taking a loss over something may not be even noticable ... remember, marketing experts target their techniques are people who are willing to spend big bucks in every gadget they see. I'm not saying that TrueHD isn't any good, I don't know the answer to that, but do some objective listening first given the quality of the unit you'll be replacing. Also, don't make the same mistake that a lot of people make, i.e., sacrificing the "quality" of the sound for the sake of bells and whistles. I've met a lot of people who, for example, traded in their equipment for the sake of HDMI inputs only to regret it because they'd sacrificed real quality for the sake of inputs. Top of the line "sound quality" is more important that a tinny sounding amp with everything. So just be careful, you're walking on a "slippery slope", as they say.
I have a Toshiba HD-XA2 connected thru HDMI to a Denon 3806 and B&W 700 Series speakers and I would say that Dolby True HD is the real thing. Given decent amplification and good speakers like the Axioms I predict you will really hear a difference. There's just no way that a Dolby Digital soundtrack at 448kbps (DVD spec) can compare with the same soundtrack at 16-bit/48KHz 1.4Mbps Dolby True HD. There are other HD DVD releases (particularly from Universal) that have 24-bit/48KHz True HD soundtracks averaging 3.4Mbps. It's just a better home theater sound in every way. As for replacing your 2807 for the Onkyo I would say hold off. The only advantage of the Onkyo is Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-Master Audio decoding. Right now this is a non-issue for HD-DVD - here's why: >If you have the Toshiba HD-A1, XA1, A2 or A20 then you cannot take advantage of the Onkyo's advanced decoding because you cannot send the soundtracks bitstream to the receiver. These players don't have HDMI 1.3. You can still enjoy TrueHD lossless by letting the player do the decoding and sending the signal by LPCM thru HDMI (version 1.3 is not needed for this) or send the 5.1 analog signal (if you have the A1 or XA1). >If you have the Toshiba HD-XA2 then theoretically you will be able to send the lossless soundtracks bitstream to the Onkyo thru HDMI 1.3 but you will have to wait for the scheduled fall firmware update to do this. To complicate matters most HD DVD releases ar mastered in advanced mode which defaults to player decoding. So unless the new firmware can bypass this then there's no way to send the bitstream to the Onkyo. BluRay discs don't have this limitation. For more info I'm quoting dblbogey7's post from the HD-DVD section as he refers to the new Onkyo's:
Well i have called Toshiba for the firmware update for TrueHD and they have sent me the disc...I want a receiver with TrueHD mainly because i hear such good sound reviews on alot of hd dvd movies. I have Toshiba XA1, will i eventually be able to firmware update any kind of TrueHD???How much will these new players cost? i didnt think that those 2 specific receivers (onkyo and denon) were too different from each other specs wise. Does anyone know when the denon trueHD receivers are coming out? is there a big difference between HDMI 1.1 and 1.3?
Toshiba enabled Dolby True HD decoding in the A1 and XA1 in their 2.0 firmware update August of 2006. Just update the XA1 with the latest firmware and you're set to go. You do not need a True HD receiver because the player will do the decoding for you. Your Denon and the Axioms should give you the full benefit of TrueHD. Also, read my post above very closely. It explains why you can't benefit from a True HD receiver just yet. It also explains why HDMI 1.3 is not an issue at this point in time.
So i have the same quality of TrueHD sound just with my HD DVD player alone with any HDMI receiver? So i never need a TrueHD receiver? thanks ps. if i did get the TrueHD Receiver in conjunction with my HD DVD player will there be no difference to what im hearing right now?
If the amplifier sections are similar in performance then there should be no difference. The XA1 is still doing the decoding of the True HD soundtrack. You cannot use the Onkyo's True HD decoder since no HD DVD player at this point in time can send the undecoded True HD data to the Onkyo.
Does this one do the HD audio formats? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1182462863&sr=8-32
Ok, so my HD DVD A1 player can decode the TrueHD soundtrack...and send the TrueHD signal through my Denon? So theres no point in buying a TrueHD compatible receiver quite yet because im already getting the same quality?
Korso55...also, reread a reply I'd made in one of your previous threads about using the six 5.1 analog RCA plugs on the back of your DVD player (I think I provided a pic) ... use the "external input" pad on your remote to take the signal drom the DVD player's decoders directly to your AVR....Gerry
Correct for the most part. What is actually being sent to the Denon is either: 1. the decoded TrueHD signal in the form of uncompressed LPCM if you use HDMI TrueHD soundtrack from disc -> True HD decoder in the player -> uncompressed LPCM signal -> HDMI output -> Denon HDMI input OR 2. analog 5.1 signal if you use the analog outputs TrueHD soundtrack from disc -> True HD decoder in the player -> uncompressed LPCM signal -> digital to analog conversion in the player -> 5.1 analog outputs -> Denon 5.1 analog input Either way you enjoy the same Dolby True HD soundtrack from your HD DVD disc.
