Hi,
Could someone please tell me the pros/cons of each one? From my reading, it sounds like both the optical and firewire can deliver 5.1 audio from the DVD player to the receiver. From there, it's analog connection(speaker wires) to the speakers.

I would like to get the highest audio quality out of my DVD-Audio and SACD and figure the less conversion(Digital to Analog-Analog to Digital), the better the audio quality would be when it is finally deliver to the speaker.

Thanks!

Optical cannot deliver the full resolution 5.1 from a DVD-A or SACD. Firewire is currently the only (?) digital connection between DVD-A/SACD players and receivers/processors that carries the full uncompressed signal. And it's pretty rare.

Okay, clearly I've been living in a cave for the last year or so. Are there any reasonably priced (< $1,000-1,200) receivers that offer firewire connectivity? And is it usually a proprietary connection between a given manufacturer's receiver and DVD player?

Hi dmn23,
From my reading, Denon i.Link(I think that is what it is call) is proprietary and works with Denon products only. Pioneer VSX-56 firewire is not proprietary and will work with other firewire products.

I was looking at the Pioneer VSX-56 because it has firewire. The HK 7300, their flagship model, does not have firewire, and Yamaha RXV2500 does not have firewire.

You can get the Pioneer for about $1000 if you buy from an unauthorize online dealer.

It's because of this that I'm having a hard time deciding. I want the best audio I can get and seems like I need to get firewire in order to do this without spending more than $1500 for a receiver from an unauthorize online dealer.

it is also arguable if the firewire connection offers any audible advantage.

What I'm more interested in is whether DVD-A/SACD signals can be processed using the receiver's bass management. This would be a huge plus.

There are some receivers that handle bass management of the 5.1/7.1 inputs. The HK higher end receivers do this....and it works well. The Sherwood/Newcastle R-865 and R-965 also have the capability.

FV, since you have three threads going here, for convenience let me summarize at this point on the other two: yes, Axiom does all the speaker break-in necessary(about one minute for woofers and one second for tweeters)during quality control testing and following this the speakers come out neutral. All competently designed receivers are neutral and to a greater extent than is possible with speakers. So, taking a typically neutral receiver and Axiom speakers which are neutral as speakers go, the net result would be neutral if the recordings and the listening room were neutral. Of course, they aren't, so you're going to wind up with various colorations and inaccuracies, but at least the receiver won't be contributing to the problem and the speakers will be contributing little.

On your connections question, neither an optical nor a coaxial digital connection is permitted(for reasons of copy protection)to carry DVD-A/SACD material. In general the six analog connections have to be used. As Curtis suggested, there's no inherent quality problem(assuming good bass management by the player or a separate device) with the analog connections; it's a matter of inconvenience because of the multiple wires. The i.link, firewire, Denon Link, etc. connection provides the necessary copy protection and can be used when both the player and receiver are designed for it(still relatively rare at this time)to carry digital DVD-A/SACD output between the player and receiver. Don't worry about additional conversions; there'll be one either in the player or the receiver. Exceptions are the HK and other receivers which Curtis mentioned which do extra conversions as part of their processing, but that seems to work out fine too.